I realized today that for all my clothing advocacy, I was unwittingly perpetuating the very psychosocial disconnect of gendered clothing.
It all started when I composed Why I Wear Skirts in November 2016. I wrote about my life. In my eagerness to open paths for others to join the movement, I authored A Guy’s Guide to Getting Skirted in February 2018. Pretty soon I had a whole category titled “Men and Skirts.” Was I writing for me or for a movement greater than self? Well, yes, but also, no, and still, both.
What never occurred to me is that by categorizing and tagging such discussions as “skirts for men,” I was subtextually affirming the idea that skirts are gendered. If my objective is to argue and advocate an erasure of a gender construct, then I should not impose gender (or age) labels.
People wear skirts. It is irrelevant that the wearer is male or female or fluid, adult or adolescent or child.
“Skirts for All” is more appropriate.