new thread
Hey dudes!
Do any of you have a problem with the fact that, whereas women can wear virtually any clothes and hairstyles they want and still be accepted by society/ employers, men are expected to have short hair, be clean shaven and wear suit and tie?
IMO that sucks. Why can't we walk around how we want? At least those on this board are doing something by growing long hair but from what I read here, a lot of us are getting crap for having long hair.
What do you guys think? Can you see this male conformity thing changing in the future?
Cyberian Tiger
Not unless we stand up for our rights like the Women did 40 years ago. Otherwise we will be constantly harrased by conformity.
"At least those on this board are doing something by growing long hair but from what I read here, a lot of us are getting crap for having long hair."
I don't let anyone give me crap because of my hair. One old guy did at the place I work at, he doesn't even look at me now.
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Nichol
I can ONLY see it changing IF the "Males" don't stop allowing themselves to stay in their own self-styled prisons (of which they themselves have built for themselves) of fashion and conformity.
i will not work or talk to people who cannot respect me unless i act like a robot. I will not. I do not live to please these people who destroy my planet, don't know themselves and are bounded in very little, very very little boxes.
not as long as we accept it.
-vincent
I wish more people thought like you. The world needs it.
lots of people would agree with what I said.
fewer would act according to it.
I think that's what the world needs. Integrity and the strength to act according to your beliefs.
-vincent
Dude, you've just gained my respect.
Vincent,
As you already know from an earlier thread, you and I have a similar philosophy.
I wanted to pick up on the key phrase you used above: "strength to act". It is difficult enough for most people to display a style that is "different" from the "norm". That in itself requires a lot of strength, and I won't diminish that. However, it takes even more strength when you are being confronted by people who take issue with your style (whether it is your long hair, or in my case, unuasual facial hair). It takes a lot of strength to say to them in so many words, "I am sorry, but you are wrong"
I believe that both ignorance and bigotry can be twarted with the same tool: education. So when I am challenged or insulted, I simply explain things the way they are, in a matter-of-fact way and a non-confrontational tone of voice. (Stealing a line from the play "1776") here, I explain the common sense of the matter, in words so plain and simple as to command their accord. And if people get upset by my speaking up, then I simply tell them, "That is just the Truth, and Truth is never a judgement. Everybody needs to find a way to live with the Truth"
I don't think the world wil lchange. Most people are conventional because they have a need to be unnoticed.
The rest of us do our best to be ourselves. I decided long ago that I would not:
- cut my hair
- wear a tie or a suit
because that's the kind of person I am.
I have not had any problem, really. I have often been the only person with long hair at an event (sometimes there have been 200 there, and not even any women with hair longer than about 6 inches!), or the only person not wearing a suit (but the only one there sure of his position and his ground). But who cares. The others were all spending time trying to be something they were not.
Have fun in life. There's nowt so funny as folks.
The world can not stay as is. It never has ceased to change, never will.
That's awesome! I completely agree with you and wish you stick to that path of common sense!
Let the judgers deceive themselves until they realize what they're doing :)
take care
-vincent
At school a couple of weeks ago, I decided to wear a skirt - I resent the fact that boys do not have the choice when girls do. I didn't expect anything to happen, but I was taken to the Head's office immediately, and told to change into my trousers, because "in society men don't wear skirts."
However, I discovered it is against the law for school uniform policy to discriminate on the grounds of gender, and put it back on. I was tol to change again, but I refused! I was made to sit a GCSE exam alone, and to change before going home, but the school suddenly changed sides! Apparently the paper got in touch with them!
Anyway, the rules are hopefully going to change...
You can read the BBC report here:
Hehe, way to go! :)
I wore a kilt to school once (while it's technically for males, non-scottish people don't seem to think so) and no one said I couldn't. Some people snickered at me, but that's different!
Awesome dude, glad you are making a great stand. I find it particularly sexist when girls are allowed to wear trousers, but not the opposite for guys. I mean, we should be allowed to choose. I heared wearing a skirt is very liberating??
Can I ask how do the girls react to your school uniform, i'm interested in this?
God, it's like you're famous, being on the BBC lol.
Almost everyone (girls included!) reacted very well to me wearing a skirt, and I can only remember 1 or 2 comments throughout the whole day! And yes, having worn a skirt I do feel liberated, in that I can wear something like a skirt without feeling ashamed of myself.
Sexist? Yes, but against women, not men. See, the whole reason why women used to be forbidden to wear men's clothing, and fought to be able to wear it, is because men's clothing implied the higher social status of men (not to mention being more utilitarian and often more comfortable as well). Nobody thinks it is weird for a person of lower standing to want to dress and act like a more powerful person, but almost everyone thinks it's odd to want to be like someone with less power than yourself. That's why men dressing in traditionally female clothing (and having long hair) is treated as such a bizarre thing to do. When you men (ALL men, not you guys specifically) really look at women as equals, behaving like a woman won't be seen in a negative light.
I don't believe trousers gives the impression of a higher social status, compared to the skirt, therefore I also don't believe a skirt reflects a less powerful person, I'd rate trousers and skirts as equal and nothing to do with being 'powerful'. Also, the kilt is the male equivelant of a skirt and that is traditional, but yet they don't look all that different really. But I agree with you on your last point, that's an interesting analysis!
Looks like things are changing already!
