Employment Equity Caucus

[Archangel]

As I've mentioned before, one of my hats at work is the union Employment Equity Representative. It's a bit more than just a Human Rights Rep, there's a Federal Law that it involves that covers more.

Anyway we meet twice a year and I had joked about wearing my kilt to it so the National Rep asked me to and to speak on it.

We met in St. Catharines at the union local and various people in the building received it well, giving me compliments.

I spoke to our group about the kilt and how people react to it. How sometimes we have to answer rude questions. Sometimes it's not the questions that are rude but the fact that some stranger expects you to stop and explain your clothing to them. We get racist, sexist and homophobic comments shouted out at us by drive-by yahoos.

I talked about a friend of mine who was crippled in a roofing accident and will be in a chair the rest of his life. From that, I talked about I have a choice in my clothing: if I feel tired and grumpy and impatient, I don't have to wear the kilt. Some people don't have that choice. Their religion, birth or society makes demands and these people have to put up with being stared at or commented on or being representatives for their culture.

Then I discussed the skirt comments and what the sub-text of that means. I am less of a man because I am wearing a skirt really means that women are less than men. I referred to Cap't Nichola Goddard, the first Canadian Forces woman killed in combat and what a disservice to her those comments are. I reinforced that with the Celtic Women Warriors of history.

I gave them an anecdote that I've told here. Of my supervisor questioning why I was buying a car with a sunroof. My wife wanted it and she has a say. He asked me who wears the pants in my family and I told him I'm from Scotland and don't understand the question. I left him banging his head on the desk.

In the questions that came after I got to mention the American kilt interest and the number of US troops in kilts in Iraq seems to higher than the number of kilties in the Scottish troops.

I think it went well. This was the first group where the question never came up. One guy was asking about kilt variations and I explained it was more like tribal acceptance than English bloodlines. Another, aboriginal, thought I should go to schools as he does to talk about cultural acceptance. Something to think about.

Anyway, all in all, a good day.

[Hendry]

You make a fine ambassador of the kilt, thanks for spreading the word

From an OPSEU brother

Cheers
Dave

[pdcorlis]

I wish I had been in the room - it sounds like you provided plenty of food for thought!

Well Done!

[McMurdo]

It sounds like a very successful day glad you were able to open some eyes.

[ccga3359]

By chance Maple Leaf tank?

[Tattoo Bradley]

excellent!

[Cage]

Very nice.

[LoftGuy]

Well done, kiltie.

[Rigged]

More of that, please.

[turpin]

That sounds like a well-prepared, well-thought out presentation. I like the way you used your kilt-wearing experiences as analogies to other instances of intolerance of difference. Do you have a text or slides you can share?