Where does one draw a line?

[sathor]

I do stay out of the mall my mom has a store in while kilted, (though the courtesy is wearing thin...) but anyways.... my wife's sister married a guy that most of the family wished she hadn't, for many reasons. Anyways, at the family gathering for the Jan~March B-days at a local O'Charleys, I wore my SWK Gordon. The guy shows up (he changed his mind at the last minute, then arrived with my SIL about an hour late.) and orders his food finally, and I get up to take my son to the restroom. First thing he says is 'Oh God he's wearing that thing again."

First off, I really don't like him. I also think he may be colorblind. Last time he saw me in a kilt I had a red kilt on, very different than a green one. But at any rate...

We really wonder, as it is mentioned on here many times, that some people feel their masculinity is threatened by seeing another guy in a kilt. The issue becomes a bit more of interest in that as far as we know, he has no siblings. His dad later, to put it nicely, was drafted to another team. I think he takes the threats a little internally, but that's a guess. We think he's a schmuck, most of us anyways, and if he switched teams, I doubt many of us would care, beyond his wife. (Ok, there might be a secret party if it happened, we wouldn't let my sister in law know about it though.)

So, where is the balance in where you either conform for prick that just finally started showing up to family things after about 5+ years of skipping (and making his wife (Fiance for most of those years) also skip) most if not all family events.

Funny thing is, there are a few on my wife's side that I almost would bet that would pool up money for a tank for me if my wearing a kilt did get him to change teams. They really want to be rid of him.

I think I'll just ignore his discomfort, it's a lot more fun that way.

[Rex_Tremende]

I think I'll just ignore his discomfort, it's a lot more fun that way.

When I complained once in sixth grade about a classmate and neighbor who wouldn't shut up about who knows what, my teacher, Mrs. Milton, handed me a little pearl of wisdom that I pull out every now and again to remind me: "Empty wagons make more noise."

It was - and remains - a great comfort.

Regards,
Rex.

[sathor]

When I complained once in sixth grade about a classmate and neighbor who wouldn't shut up about who knows what, my teacher, Mrs. Milton, handed me a little pearl of wisdom that I pull out every now and again to remind me: "Empty wagons make more noise."

It was - and remains - a great comfort.

Regards,
Rex.

Damn, I can barley begin to understand what that means. (If not for having married a woman from Cincy, I wouldn't even begin to have a guess.)

I did leave out that in ROTC in HS, the instructor took away and stomped one of his Gigapets, which made him cry.

Now, if I could just figure out if your referring to him as the empty wagon, or me....

[Howard Clark]

That's a good one, Rex ! I am going to appropriate that.

I'd have to aggravate the small minded individual, but that's just me.

He's the empty, the wagon be his mind.

[Riverkilt]

What others think of you is none of your business.

You'd go flat crazy, looney tunes, nutso, slobber-on-the-straight-jacket-in-the-psych-ward-crazy if you tried to please everyone....particularly while kilted.

Enjoy the freedom to be yourself.

Ron

[Bugbear]

What a thread...

[staticsan]

I have to say that in my experience, wearing a kilt in less-than-receptive company challenges their notions of you. It makes them less sure of their world; it makes them worry that there is something 'wrong' with you that they won't like; it makes them less in control of what is going on around them. And the retaliate.

Now, we all know that people who don't know you much will tend to either ignore or enjoy the anomoly, unless it somehow antagonises what they think 'normal' is supposed to be. It's people who do know us who can make it all so hard, unfortunately.

Wade.

[SFCRick]

I agree with Staticsan, the ones you know bother you. I have a 1st cousin that I grew up with & love dearly, but every time in the last year that I hear from her, she makes the " wearing a skirt" statement trying to be funny. She forwards photos with those captions to family members. I just ignore her as best I can, but it does bother me. The funny thing is her Husband & Son are both Pipers & have attended Celtic functions with me sporting the Kilt.

[cessna152towser]

The guy sounds as though as he suffers from chronic inadequacy.
I wouldn't give him the free space in my head.
Just ignore his stupidity and continue to wear the kilt with dignity and pride.

[Jack Daw]

He wants you to react to his comments. Continue to ignore him and he'll quickly dry up.