It’s time for another short, skirted story. This one is about a brief encounter I had with two elderly neighbors while outside grilling. It happened a couple of weeks ago, so it’s a fairly recent story. Some of you may even recognize the image below from Instagram that I posted on the day it happened.
I’ve posted before about meeting elderly neighbors while beskirted and, as you’ve probably noticed by now, we have a lot of them. This particular encounter is with the couple that lives directly next to us. They have already seen me in a skirt several times, but I have never really written about it.
When this encounter happened, I was out in our backyard with my family. We had been out there enjoying the nice weather for most of the afternoon and when we started getting hungry, I set up the grill. I was wearing a blue jersey skirt that is especially nice for warm weather. Our backyard is in full view of a lot of the neighbors which makes wearing a skirt out there even more fun.
Shortly before we sat down to eat at the table outside, the husband came through a gate on our property line and wanted to ask me a few questions. I stood there, in my skirt, and we talked. None of the questions were about the skirt or any of my other fashion choices. It played absolutely no role in our normal, neighborly conversation.
About an hour later, we had finished dinner but were still sitting outside at the table when the wife came through the same gate. She wanted to talk to us about looking after their house while they were on vacation. I was sitting for part of that conversation, but my one-year-old son ran off at some point so I had to get up and chase him while she was still there.
Again, the skirt played no role whatsoever. There were no comments and their behavior towards me didn’t change in any way at all. Of course, they know I wear skirts and heels and have seen me several times by now, but they have always just accepted it without comment or concern.
The main point I am trying to make by telling this story is that even people you would least expect to be accepting (i.e. conservative, elderly folks) generally don’t have a problem with it. Or they are simply too polite to say or do anything. Either way, I’m content with it and while there wasn’t much to this particular encounter, such every-day, casual interactions with other people while beskirted are always a confidence boost and I thoroughly enjoy them.
You can only imagine the conversations that must’ve ensured after the first time they saw you in a skirt. I’m fairly sure we don’t want to be privy to them but the fact they are acting normally around you is a sign they may or may not like the look, but it’s not detracting them from treating you like a neighbor.
I know what you mean! I’ve imagined them several times before and I’m glad I wasn’t present for them. Either way though, I’m glad they treat me the same as they would if they didn’t know about my gender-non-conformity.
I have been wearing casual kilts and utility kilts “full time” for the last eight months. Our three closest neighbors are in their 60’s, 70’s and 50’s and fairly conservative. We have frequent interactions and none of them have ever questioned my attire. If they talk about my attire “behind my back” that is their business – and I do not really care. Life goes on.
That’s great that they haven’t questioned your kilts. Most conservatives are generally nice people and while they wouldn’t necessarily do what you’re doing, they won’t make a fuss about it either.
Another day in the office. At the same time, it would be too risky to use floral skirt for a barbecue, and non solid patterns really are gaining more attention.
Perhaps we ought not be concerned about whether or not we are considered “normal,” so long as we are considered OK. In the nd, that’s what matters: that we are accepted and welcome, even when different.
I think the word “normal” should never be used to discuss human beings. When we use “normal,” we make a judgment on the worth of another using parameters particular to the person who utters the word “normal”
Good point, Greg. I read your post as discussing that call implicitly. It’s not only the specific words we must watch, but the underlying message.
Back here in the Sates, we are suffering that with one candidate who avoids the exact words but instead “dogwhistles” his message (though of late, he is much more explicit – I only hope it’s overconfidence).
What’s amazing to me about what I’ve learned whilst skirting is just how much these “micro aggressions” can be truly hurtful and a bigger deal than I ever thought.
When I’m dressed “appropriately,” I’m pretty confident. Apply a skirt or tights and that confidence takes a hit. My mind is thinking people will think I’m different with the connotation of different is bad. Not “normal.” So small perceived or real slights are magnified. So the “underlying message” starts to make one worry.
Sadly it shouldn’t. Truly the only person keeping me back from being more confident in a skirt, is me.
That’s a very appropriate outfit to be barbecuing in, with the thin
vertical stripes on the skirt (which looked black to me, not blue; did you change skirts?) and the attached braces – as we call them in the UK – really complemented the look. As a matter of interest, does the skirt have back pockets?