There have been lots of discussion of the general public being "ignorant" of the correct definition of what a kilt is. I think we all agree that Webster's Dictionary is considered at least one of the more definitive sources of English definitions.
Webster's defines the word kilt as follows:
A knee-length skirt with deep pleats, usually of a tartan wool, worn as part of the dress for men in the Scottish Highlands.
In my humble opinion, this entire "kilt/skirt" controversy is rootednin masculine insecurities. It is well within the realm of imagination and reason to see a kilt as a specific variation of a skirt. One would hope we all would attempt to see and interact with others in the world from a non myopic monolithic point of view. I am sure we all are not as aware of other forms of dress/ coustom/and culture as we probably should be, so it stands to reason we should be as forgiving of the mistakes of others as we would hope they wold be of us.
In closing : A KILT IS A SPECIFIC KIND OF A SKIRT. If you choose to wear a kilt in public, be prepared for comments ranging from glowing complements to cracks about you wearing a skirt. The vast majority of the public will see your choice of dress as a novelty no matter if your garment is pin striped or an ancient tartan hand made of the finnest wool.Fact of life: it is unrealistic and unwise to expect others to be aware/considerate/or care about your personal ancestry (real or perceived ), your right to dress as you please, or your insecurities about your masculinity. If you need some sort of validation for wearing a kilt, let that validation come from YOU. In the long run, it is the only validation that really matters.