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[Panache]

Glen, I saw the picture. Nice skirt, but what would Scott say?
It's Denise Badley. Hope all is going well for both of you.

Denise,

Thanks for your well wishes. Actually it's referred to as a kilt which is a type of traditional Scottish garment worn by men. Sadly Scott is not too keen on kilts, I believe he just has trouble adjusting to anything that he perceives as not "typically" masculine. I do wonder what he thinks about all the generations of soldiers of the Highlandland regiments that fought and died in their tartan kilts? But that is his issue, not mine.

Best Regards

Glen

[Archangel]

Do the boring taxonomy thing: write "Yes, this type of clothing is called a skirt, this type of skirt is called a kilt. Kilts are worn by either men or women. "

And then comes the fun part: ask "Did you mean anything by the skirt comment?"

And now you're into the chess game of life: what can they answer? Are they going to offend you directly? Are they going to offend women generally? Too easy.

And if it gets too rude, boom, off your list of friends. I show you what poke means, ha.

[cloves]

the "hope all is well" thing makes it seem like she knows it's a kilt but was just giving you a good natured ribbing.
If it really bothers you....just don't reply at all....no sense feeding trolls

[turpin]

When you put yourself out on the internet in a public way you've got to expect to get a full-cross-section of human life forms looking and commenting.

[bunchdescendant]

A few of my friends like to push my buttons by calling it a 'skirt' when they know darn well it's a kilt. Like Rigged mentioned about his encounter, these 'friends' also dress like they found their stuff in the goodwill discard bin. Hardly someone I would listen to for fashion tips.

Sometimes I think it may have something to do with the "He's not dressed like a slob, too' syndrome.

If the posting was indeed joking, then reciprocate in kind. Around my circle of good friends, goodhearted ribbing demands a comeback.

If it wasn't just some joking around, well...I don't know what to tell you.

Good luck,
Ray

[David Dalglish]

I would give that remark the contempt it deserves

[Alan H]

90% of people know it's a kilt, but they say "skirt" because they're a bit nonplussed and trying to pass it off with humour. That's fine the first time. In fct with me it's rine the second or third time.

When it gets to be,s ay fifteen or twenty times, my patience wears thin. I ripped one guy in my sailing society a new anatomical opening when, after seeing me in a kilt well over 20 times and after gettng warning looks and warning comments from his wife, he just would NOT stop using the word "skirt". I like the guy and I've known him for years, but there are limits to the length which you can push a stale joke.

Now he doesn't speak of my kilts at ALL..... too bad.

[Abax]

Like Alan, I don't care if people call my kilt a skirt once or twice. They're nervous and feeling a little inadequate in the presence of a confident kilt-wearing man, so they make a mistake in calling it a skirt.

I usually ask repeat offenders to make a choice. "People who call a kilt a skirt are usually either ignorant or insulting. Which are you?" If they actually come up with an answer - which is rare - you can either educate them or ask them to explain why the feel the need to be insulting. I've never had a conversation go beyond that point.

Abax

[emolas]

Like Alan, I don't care if people call my kilt a skirt once or twice. They're nervous and feeling a little inadequate in the presence of a confident kilt-wearing man, so they make a mistake in calling it a skirt.

I usually ask repeat offenders to make a choice. "People who call a kilt a skirt are usually either ignorant or insulting. Which are you?" If they actually come up with an answer - which is rare - you can either educate them or ask them to explain why the feel the need to be insulting. I've never had a conversation go beyond that point.

Abax

I like that response. Consider it plagiarized by me

[fluter]

Panache has the most "adult" response---thanks for prompting reflection on my part! Cloves, excellent point (DFTT chortle, we should make a T-shirt).

Glen, your answer is fine if you've already sent it.

Even those of us who've been doing the computer-thing a couple of decades can miss the ambiguities in what we type. I believe that physically writing something slows me down enough to think about the reader's reaction. Printing a document and re-reading it does somewhat the same thing.

Meanwhile, more useless fantasy-replies

*** Grown-ups call it a kilt. It seems that you're teasing, so I'll let that go. You're probably teasing because you're jealous of my legs, so I'll take it as a compliment.

*** There are a number of ways this conversation could go, most of them disastrous.

[a great many responses to kilt-questions could start this way]

You probably didn't think about how ambiguous your message is, when it's printed baldly on the screen. It would help if I could see your face:

If you're smiling a certain way, I'd take it as a compliment. If you're smirking in a certain way, I'd take it as good natured teasing, and reply in kind. If you're smirking in a certain other way, I'd take it as intentionally insulting, and I'd reply accordingly. If you're recoiling in horror, I'd try to give you one (1) thoughtful and respectful reply; then let it go.