A fine morning to you too...

[Burly Brute]

So, here is my plight. I emailed the employee at my office that sends out our weekly “newsletter”. Anyhow, she always asks for updates so I thought I would send her an update on my wedding and include a picture. Well, the picture I included was a sneak peek from our photographer which shows my fly plaid (included below), but not the actual kilt. She wrote me back asking if I wore my kilt and colors, to which I replied that I had done so, along with all my groomsmen wearing Black Watch. She then replied that it might be neater if I waited and instead used a picture that displayed the whole group, including all the men in their “skirts”. What really got me was the way she wrote “skirts” in quotations. Maybe she is just trying to be funny, but I beg the question as to why, why must I receive such a response? I barely know this woman and this is what I get? Equal Opportunity my butt! Anyhow, that’s my venting…

Enjoy the sneak peek!

[Mael Coluim]

That's a great photo, Zach! If I had been her, I would have snapped that up.

But the skirt comment is her way of probably being cute. I get those all the time and just laugh them off. Most folks are just kidding, the others, well who cares!

[Rob, ClanMacMillan, NM]

Just had a similar (sort of) comment as I'm walking in to work. One of the young admin assistants, whom I rarely talk to, stopped me and said "nice skirt" -- with obvious emphasis on "skirt". I was just about to start into my one and only joke (why they call it a kilt) when she laughed and said "Let me guess, Robert Burns?". I had to laugh in response. She then said her boyfriend had just received a kilt and was going to wear it for the first time today at a Burn's Supper.

So...I think she was just having fun with you .

Rob

[ForresterModern]

Beautiful picture, you make a lovely couple. I think the rabble would love to see a group photo or any others depicting your kilted nuptuals and the raucous party I am sure that followed.

RE: the "skirts" comment, that is one we have all had to endure at least once and likely far more times than we would ever care to. It has been discussed frequently and at length, but you never really know for sure if it is a lighthearted attempt at a joke or just frank ignorance. Each may take his own approach to how to deal with it, but IMHO unless it is an obviously malicious attempt a denigration and insult I simply correct them with a line like " they are kilts. If we were wearing ladies panties underneath then they would be skirts." Lighthearted unexpected retort, in the same vein as the original comment but correcting, and to the point. Then turn on your heal and walk away head held high.

Congratulations on your marriage.

jeff

[Burly Brute]

Thanks guys and I am super pumped to receive the pictures too! And I will be sure to post them, hopefully in the next week or two. I guess what got me, was that working in the field that I do (Federal Gov) it just surprised me. I mean, I am not one for being particularly "P.C.", but it just came across to me as a huge double-standard which I suppose is what gets me the most. I did shrug it off, but of course misery does love company ;)

Thanks again guys and keep a look out. I had 8 groomsmen total, plus two kilted ring bearers, two kilted ushers, my uncle, and my bonnie lasses father wore a kilt. Should look pretty sick.

-Z

[TheBrus]

Congratulations! I give *** to all of the above. I gently quip in reply to such comments that I am more than happy to let my wife wear the pants in the family.

[auld argonian]

Ah...the "skirt" thing...maybe it's just me but I always figgered that 99% of the people living in this country know what a kilt is and that it should be called a kilt and not a skirt. Thus, I am always suspect of their motives when they purposely refer to it as a "skirt" to your face. Perhaps I'm just a paranoid...

In this case, if it was me, I'd just ask this woman a straight question about her motives. I would say that the groomsmen are my friends and, while I don't care what you might think about me cause I'm a big boy and can take anything you can dish out, I won't purposely allow anyone to use a photo of them to make fun of them in any way...thus, if you think that guys in kilts look good or manly or interesting, that's one thing; if you just want a photo to poke fun at "guys in skirts" then I can't help you.

Honestly, I think that there are people who think that it's their obligation to make some kind of "clever" or snarky comment when they see a guy in a kilt. Little do they know that we've already heard every possible quip and they're just being tedious...

...but your newsletter editor might be on the level so I don't see anything wrong with just asking about her motives.

Best

AA

[zjrog]

I dunno. Showing up at her desk with a Claymore and asking what she meant by "skirts" might be fun...

[sailortats]

I vote for zjrog's method.

[RockyR]

Perhaps she didn't know what a KILT was named and therefore put "Skirt" in quotes.

The problem with text (in this case email) is that it's much tougher to infer malice / innocence without vocal inflections.

Maybe tell her something along these lines:

Sure, we'd be happy to hold off on the pics until we have full shots of all the groomsmen in their kilts beside me. If I could impose on you a small favor... when writing the newsletter, please refer to them as kilts, not skirts. This is part of my heritage and I want to make sure it doesn't become a "joke". Thanks!



Simple, sweet, to the point and not 'angry'. Clarifies your position without starting a fight.