Kilt, Skirt, MUG, etc.

[motorman4life]

I have a few friends that call my kilts skirts in a mocking way... maybe trying to get a "rise" out of me. Like I've said here before, my usual response is "If it really turns you on, you can call it a skirt... otherwise, it's a kilt." That usually stops the comments, at least for that day. Some seem to expect that response and have stopped calling it a skirt or have stopped even acknowledging it, particularly if they feel they will get ribbed by others for my insinuating response.

I found it more difficult when I started wearing my kilt around my friends and long-term acquaintances than around total strangers. I guess strangers usually don't have a particular notion about you in their heads and the kilt is less likely to contradict their perception of you. I don't know for sure. It must be something along those lines though.

It is really gratifying when a total stranger says, "Nice kilt" or "Cool kilt" in passing. I'm not sure why some of my "friends" feel compelled to make snide "skirt" comments as little digs. I just give them my stock response and they are slowly coming around.

Back in July, I had a couple of bad reactions from some guys that I see once or twice a year at an International convention. I was shocked at their vocal disapproval and childish reactions to my kilt. Keep in mind, these are grown men in their mid-50's that I really respected (previously). Once I read somewhere that someone called their kilt an "******* detector." The unexpectedly rude comments made me think of that particular term at the time and I think it is true. Someone that saw their hysterics came over to see if I was upset by their comments and I said, "No, it's cool, I used to really respect those guys. Now, I see I was just giving them too much credit. It's always nice to know who the real assholes are." We just laughed. My comment got back to one of them and he came and apologized later.

If you walk into a room in a kilt, you generally own the room. If there is an ******* (or 2) in the room, it is likely to illicit a strong reaction. If anything, wearing a kilt over the past 5 months has allowed me to reevaluate who I spend my precious free time with.