Saturday night, I was at the 40th birthday party for a friend of mine and had already decided when invited to go kilted. The honoree asked me herself to wear it as she thought it was smashing.

Let me just say that if the term redneck offends you, then read no further. Because my little corner of Oregon is full of the stereotypical lot of mouth-breathing, knuckle draggers whose idea of dressing up is to make sure they wear their cleanest ballcap and Wrangler jeanbs with no Copenhaqen ring in the back pocket.

Immediately I was stared at...no big deal. But I did grow tired of "the queston". Also, one drunk just came up behind me and lifted the kilt with both hands and screaming,. "Sorry but I have too! The girls want to know what your wearing underneath!" I had to bat him away. I suppose i have to allow for such ignorance...but the lack of respect shown by people anymore is appalling.

Samples of my evening with some of my answers:

"Why are you wearing a dress?" It's a kilt.
"So why are you wearing a kilt?" Why aren't YOU wearing one?
"You don't look Irish." What do Irishmen look like?
"You Scotch?" No...I am not a beverage.
"You wearing panties under that skirt?" No. You wearing panties under your pants?
"Why do you got a knife in your pantyhose?" Helps me when I keep getting asked stupid questions.
"It's not Burns night. Why you in your costume?" It's not a costume. It's a kilt. It's my heritage. I'll wear it when I please.
"Aren't you scared someone will think you are queer?" Nope. Are you?
"Did you come from a wedding? Don't you only wear those at weddings?" Hardly. A kilt can be worn all the time.
"This dress some sort of joke or something?" You see me laughing?

Like I said. I expect some teasing. Bu the complete lack of respect and the general feeling that if a man is in a kilt he is open to all sorts of verbal abuse gets my goat.

Almost makes me happy I lost my job when the plant closed and I will no doubt be forced to move to a town where people have some upbringing.

End of rant.


Though, the guest of honor was genuinely happy that I wore it for her and that I would be willing to put up with the flack. And I did get a few more reasonable questions from people wanting to know about Scottish history and the traditions in general.