How would you respond?

[Tommie]

Wow some very good advice from you guys and im taking notes.
Some even very humorous.Loved the cartoon.

Best of all,ive seen many people here I have'nt seen before.
Nice to meet you all.
I love a forum where people actually chat and make new friends,and not just lurk in the background.
I'm looking forward to perhaps meeting many of you in the near future.

Have to agree with some of you that said they never get negative reponces from women,an most are men. Could'nt agree more.
Nothing makes your day any better than an approving smile from a well dressed lady,or a comment from either sex that they like your kilt.
Had a young married check out girl at the super market ask my wife where I got the kilt I was wearing after I had left to take out the goodies to the car.
She told her,and she said she was just going have to get her new hubby one.
Made my day.

[GMan]

Several years ago I was at a party and this guy was there who was known to be a jerk with his comments. He always thought of himself as a ladies man and was able to converse rather well with the guys.

Well when he saw how many ladies were talking to me and all the guys being impressed that I had enough intestinal fortitude to be myself, that he no longer made those annoying comments. A bit jealous he was.

The more you wear the Kilt and of course with confidence and proudly, the comments are very rare. I just ignore people when I can otherwise I smile and attempt to educate them as to the Kilt.

[Nighthawk]

Tommie, I do feel for you on having lost a long term friend. It seems that he put his fear of others above his care for you. I don't know the situation, but I hope for your friend to change in a way that you two can be friends again. Sometimes people have been told and trained to hate and fear for the sake of love and care. Intent does matter in friendship and interacting with others, so I try to ask, is this out of fear or un-knowing, hate, or concern. Or if your own feelings, am I feeling this out of fear for my own safety or comfort, or am I feeling this because I have been told and trained all my life to feel this...?
Best of wishes, Tommie.

Yes sir, I second this.. It's a sad thing that people have to think that way. Personally, I always prefer to learn and understand, but it is human nature that we destroy first and think later.

[Coemgen]

Of course, my response varies somewhat depending on the type of person. My friends generally either treat my wearing of the kilt as a normal thing, and so usually ignore it or give me the occasional compliment. Any weird questions (and "that" question) generally are asked out of ignorance soon after we meet. In any case…

Yeah, but it's still a skirt.

And…?

Is that a kilt?

Yes. Yes it is.

Hey dude, love your costume!

Costume?

Hey Bud, would you not mind wearing your kilt? I have some buddys coming and two are very homophobic.

I would probably respond with a tactful version of "I"m either coming with my kilt or not coming at all."

Now, on a slightly personal note, I can't imagine any of my friends asking this of me, and if they had to ask it, it would probably be some of their family, and I would probably comply, in order to keep the peace.

I do get a skirt comment every once in a while from the lunch ladies at the cafeteria, but they don't have a great handle on the language. However, they still love it!

This comic's fourth panel is my favourite way of dealing with accusations of homosexuality. I have actually repeated it verbatim several times now.

I am so going to use that!

[Nighthawk]

when I was in the military (and single), I would take my kilt away on overseas deployments. eventually it was so accepted that I would be wearing it, my OC would specifically ask me to bring it as it was good for the image of the squadron (being based in Scotland).
whenever I got hassle from the lads, or from strangers from other nations, I would point out to them this one fact.
"Chicks dig guys in Kilts"
I got way more action in a Kilt than any two other guys on the squadron combined.
It never failed.

And that, sir, is why wife stopped liking the fact that I'm kilted full time. She loved it... at first. And then every woman within 50feet of me started hitting on me...

[Tartan Hiker]

And that, sir, is why my wife stopped liking the fact that I'm kilted full time. She loved it... at first. And then every woman within 50feet of me started hitting on me...

Same here, I'm afraid.

[kypnkilt]

Yeah...when I when on my cruise last month...I was getting hit on all the time. Damn shame too....wish I knew that when I was 18....

[sblanck]

[QUOTE=

( Yeah,but its still a skirt) Had a jerk say this. "Calling it a skirt will get ya kilt"
actually no one has called mine a skirt yet.

( Is that a Kilt?) Had someone ask this in a crowd at a super market. "Yes"

( Hey dude,Love your costume) Idiot at the mall while we were Christmas shopping. I usually act like I didnt hear them.

These are just a few,but they are well offset by all the positive comments over the past year or so.[/QUOTE]

Now the one I always get and always from women " are you wearing underwear?" it irritates me a bit since I am not allowed to ask them if they are or I will end up with some sort of harrassment suit. Mostly I never run into the above situations since I pretty much wear it like I own it.

[Jaggy thistle]

I never have had any of the above comments in 55 years of kilt wearing nearest being give us a flash ! from young lads most comments being nice kilt, I like your kilt ,what tartan ,what do you wear under ? perhaps living in Scotland makes the difference

[SteveB]

Tommie,
I am gay, and the kilt is a man's garment all the way. I would not consider wearing a skirt in public. I have been kilted since 13 and am approaching 57. My Spouse is a descendant of the Lamonts, and is not interested in being kilted. We live in Massachusetts, which is the only state to recognize same sex marriage as of three years ago. We married as soon as it became legal, with our children and grandchildren at the wedding. My side of the family, and our sons came kilted. His side came in Tuxes. Both sides best men came kilted. I receive some comments on occasion as I ride the subway or on the bus while going about my errands. Those that ask is that a kilt? are usually surprised to see one in the flesh, and want to know more about it. I now have some business cards printed up with the X-Marks website on one side that I hand out. To those that say nice costume, I tailor my response to them, as others have already posted. For the skirt comment, I believe ignorance is bliss. I am so comfortable in the kilt, that I appear to most to be a part of it. I have never been uncomfortable with being me. I was an athlete (runner) in high school and college, and would get an occasional locker room comment. I am very pleased that the comments of everyone on this thread have been respectful of others feelings while still being factual. A very nice balance.

----SteveB, Boston, Massachusetts