Your point is true sir, that masculinity or gender is not dictated by garments but comes from a person.

However, perhaps what the question comes down to is the outward show of masculinity or femininity. Whilst at first glance it might seem superficial to be concerned over outward shows I think maybe there's something more to it.

In all areas of life we make and enjoy outward shows. It's how we identify ourselves to others and even to ourselves. It's also how we celebrate and enjoy certain aspects. Whether we're talking culture, nationality, music or gender, that which is inside comes out, and rightly so.

It sometimes seems as though it would be good for all people to be totally secure in themselves that they didn't care what anyone else thought, and that they only really needed to understand and be true to themselves, not worrying about other people, but I think that's a false position.

Human beings live together in society. An essential part of being human and living life is interaction with one another. We are able to encourage one another, help, guide, and love, and then of course all the reverse. When we're doing something, often it can be made all the more enjoyable by doing it with someone else. Friend or spouse or whatever - company is good, and it's good to have the support of others.

This community is an example. It exists because we come together to enjoy and celebrate the kilt, to learn, and to share. If all that mattered is that we were true to ourselves then all the others here, and their opinions wouldn't matter. Nor would any conventions of dress. We would just need ourselves and a collection of books or pictures - make up our own mind and then just 'be ourselves'. Instead though, it's the people here that matter. We celebrate the kilt together, and our enjoyment of the kilt is greater because of it.

Being British, or Scottish is not dictated by one's clothing, nor any outward thing - it is something internal, based on intangibles. Yet we celebrate heritage through things like dress and food. It might seem a nice idea to able to be Scottish within oneself without any outward show, but I think that to remove the outer things, and the other people actually lessens the experience.

Of course, these things run beyond celebration but also into identification and communication and we teach others through those things. They are simply a part of society, of living with others.

Regarding gender, or masculinity. I think it is important that masculinity and femininity are identified and celebrated. Enjoyed. I think this is best and most easily accomplished with other people. I think the idea of both genders having things with are unique to them and are used as tools to help celebrate those differences and those natures is a good thing.

Basically, I don't believe in an androgenous society, I don't live in one. I enjoy the diversity and and beauty of two distinct genders forming the two halves of humanity and I think it's a good thing. I don't want to hide from it but enjoy it, learn about it, and grow in it.

I'm not saying we have to force anything by law, but I think it's good when a society can set somethings apart to enjoy and to celebrate and to teach. They may not be much in themselves, but they are useful and good when put to use. As someone once said, a river wouldn't be a river without banks. The banks restrict the river, they help define it - though one could technically argue that the river could exist in itself as a body of water without those banks. Such never exist in reality though, and all you would have is a big puddle. It nice to have the idea of gender without walls, but in reality I think it just works better to have them in place.

I think I may not have expressed myself perfectly, and have said some things that can be taken two ways, but I hope I've made some sense.

I think it's a good thing to have somethings (items, institutions, events) that are distinctly male and that are distinctly female and that are protected as such. Just because it gives people environments where it is easier to learn, celebrate and enjoy the different parts of life, and removes some of the risk of losing some of that in the blur that would ensue without them. I think society benefits when it exercises some societal self-discipline and sets itself some standards for it's own betterment.

One last thing - it occurs to me that masculinity and femininity are things that, in behaviour at least, are learned. Whilst the physical is important and definitely plays a big part, there are things about being a man and being a woman that need to be taught and learned. Cultural conventions and practises help with that. We don't place all gender into those things, but we may choose to maintain those things as helpful tools and practises.