A Question for Those with Masculine Jobs...

[siva011]

the HR manager chickened out of supporting me against a complaint, even though she personally loved it.

That's absurd. Ribbing, sure. Joking, sure. Good natured poking fun, of course. I'd expect that, and not just kilts... the warehouses I've worked at we picked at anything we could, clothes, hair, accents... it was all just to take our minds off a mundane job. Who can possibly have a legitimate complaint about someone wearing a kilt, and actually bring that complaint to HR????

[staticsan]

That's absurd. Ribbing, sure. Joking, sure. Good natured poking fun, of course. I'd expect that, and not just kilts... the warehouses I've worked at we picked at anything we could, clothes, hair, accents... it was all just to take our minds off a mundane job. Who can possibly have a legitimate complaint about someone wearing a kilt, and actually bring that complaint to HR????

I think it was a clash of culture, actually. We had a lot of people of migrant background and it's the sort of thing some sorts of Asians would do: say to their manager that they were uncomfortable seeing someone in another area wearing a "skirt"... Ironically, I would probably have gotten away with it if I'd chosen one of our International Food Days. And the kilt was tartan.

Wade.

[Kilted_John]

I never really understood this line of thinking. I've met some girls who just insisted they didn't like kilts, although perhaps it may have just been that they were embarrassed by them. But for someone to just genuinely not like them, for no particular reason, baffles me a bit.

I'll say this as well. If someone is truly and honestly offended at the suggestion that a career can be considered masculine, I really feel quite bad for them, as they must feel offended quite a lot of the time. We're here on a forum reclaiming the most masculine garment of all- perhaps this is not the place to suggest that all things are exactly suited for all genders.

My guess is that those women think that kilts = s___ts and think that only women should be able to wear something that doesn't have an inseam and that men should wear trousers @ all times.

Personal jobs haven't really been "masculine" jobs. I did do some hardware testing/upgrades for ICOM America. Never saw a woman working in the testing room, so, that time, I was in a male-only environment. That probably was the closest thing to "masculine". Nobody cared. The guy overseeing the project thought it was cool, as did the other guys who were working in the room, who were a couple teenagers with their pants sagging, as usual.

-J

[Streetcar]

Police detective here. A few of my brother offices have seen me formally kilted at scotch tastings, or fundrasing dinners, but I've not really worn it socially "with" them.

Those in the department that know I wear a kilt give me a fair amount of ribbing, but I return it in kind as I know it's all good natured. Personally, I think that's part of having a "masculine" job - flipping each other cr@p about, well, just about anything.

[CDNSushi]

Yeah, that I agree with. You have to learn how to take it, but dish it back out too... All within reason, of course. There's a line between good-natured and just being an ar*****e.

I still remember back in college, drinking with friends we somehow got on the topic of Avon (you know the cosmetics company)... And I think it was me who said, "Why is it that 'avon lady' has become a common thing to hear -- but has anyone here ever heard of 'the avon man' coming by?"

So, inevitably, dares were made and I became an "avon man" selling cosmetics and other products to students living on campus. This being uni, I never even received a single rib or snide remark... Ever! But when my dad told the story to his buddies at work, there were laughs and guffaws all around the table... They thought it was just "precious" until one guy stopped laughing abruptly, looked my dad straight in the eye and said. "Jeez. Here we are laughing at him but I just realized that your son is some kinda genius! Think of who most of his customers are! God! I can't think of a BETTER way to meet and pick up women!!! Who woulda thunk it?" After that, no one laughed anymore...

As a postscript, you'd better believe that my wife (who was my girlfriend at the time) was one of my best customers! lol

[crboltz]

I teach theatrical scenery construction.... And I tend to have more male students than female (but my goal is to have 50% of each gender). In my theory (classroom) part, I frequently wear kilts, and I've inspired at least one student to start wearing his (and several female students trying to figure out how to get their boyfriends into them). Obviously on the days I teach the hands on part, I can't wear kilts, as climbing a ladder would be ..... ummmm inappropriate in a kilt.

Cheers
Chrsi

[Birddog]

Folks, again, this has NOTHING to do with wearing the kilt at work. That will never be an option for me, until I retire. I can't speak to civilian jobs; I have always been military, and it is all that I know. It has to do with wearing the kilt in a CASUAL environment with your coworkers.

Streetcar, you go right to the point of what I was aiming at. We are always taking the piss out of our coworkers. I don't do it myself, but I have worked with many who are like sharks in the water; they see something bothers you, they go in harder.
Sushi, you are a sinister genius!

[Computergeek]

As my name implies I work in tech for a living, mostly fixing the back end of server software. high level tech and in many cases no so high level tech is an area that is dominated by men. In the group I work in our ratio of women to men is 3 to 45. so roughly 7 percent. I wear my kilt to work at least one a week ( I work a four by ten so I only work 4 days a week), we occasionally go out for drinks and stuff after work. and all of my coworkers are very used to seeing me in my kilt. At this point the people in my group joke with me about it but they will not let anyone else, and they tend to stop them or correct them if it is not someone that they know I am friends with. The couple women in my group are the ones that are the quickest to stop anyone outside our group if they say something. ( I think they are trying to be protective of me, as if I cant take care of myself or something I am 6'3" 215 pounds) This is honestly one of the best environments to wear a kilt that I can imagine. Since I have been wearing my kilt regularly I have found there are a number of closet kilties here, and following my lead they have started to wear theirs as well.

[Dixiecat]

I'll say this as well. If someone is truly and honestly offended at the suggestion that a career can be considered masculine, I really feel quite bad for them, as they must feel offended quite a lot of the time. We're here on a forum reclaiming the most masculine garment of all- perhaps this is not the place to suggest that all things are exactly suited for all genders

I've been an anomaly for most of my life. I was brought up knowing that a job is what you do to get through life. I watched my father scrub floors and cook suppers when my mother was working. I've seen my mother toe to heel with the roofers nailing shingles. My brothers and sister and I were given chores equally. We did what we had to do. To those that say that some jobs are not exactly suited for all genders I say: Look, see these? God didn't give me opposable thumbs just to sit around with. And I guess because you're not offended by this topic means you've never been discriminated against because of your sex. Don't go feeling bad for us that do because of your lack of experience in it. To others: I'm sorry to continue this topic. I was slightly offended when I saw the title, but after reading the OP's post I knew what he meant and disregarded the title thereafter. I think kilts are great and I love my kilt! I would wear mine everywhere if it wasn't the only one I have and needed for dancing. I would NEVER, dis a man for wearing one.

[LANCER1562]

I work in the Public Safety field (Private Security) and therefore have to wear a uniform. My co-workers know that I occasionally wear kilts and have told me they think that's cool. However, due to different work and personal schedules, I haven't had an opportunity to wear my kilts in a social setting with any of them outside of work.