👉🏽Speaking Of Things That Only Happen Once A Year...

[Patience]

I think it should be mandatory for everyone to wear the clothing of the opposite sex at least once a year. Sorta like an empathy thing.

So, if some of us did it way more than others, it would just be a sign we had that much more empathy!

[kimdl93]

Interesting thought, but I am afraid that such requirements could quickly get out of hand. Mandated empathy is probably not a great idea, nor particularly empathetic.

[Patience]

That's one way to see it, but allow me to present thr other side of the proposition: Making it mandatory would give everyone an excuse to do it without having to feel weird or bad about it. Or the need to explain or justify oneself.

Current modern society, such as it is, has many mandatory aspects already and we manage to believe we have freedom. Would this be so much greater an incumbence?

[suzanne]

What would I do? I dress feminine so often I don't even know which sex is opposite from me. LOL

[Geena75]

Remember when high school homecoming week activities included "opposite day" where students were encouraged to dress as the opposite gender?

[April Rose]

Thinking about the bulk of men I know.... "MY EYES! MY EYES! OH, THE HUMANITY !.........:doh::eek:

[MonicaPVD]

My senior year of HS I decided to participate in opposite day and caused quite a stir. Most of my male friends showed up in terrible, laughable outfits and I wore a tight dress "borrowed" from my sister, heels that were way too small but I managed to squeeze into, and pharmacy sheer energy hose over freshly shaven legs. Oh, it was clear to all my female friends (and some guys) that I was not clowning around. Oh, to be young again.


Remember when high school homecoming week activities included "opposite day" where students were encouraged to dress as the opposite gender?

[kimdl93]

Years ago, the organization I ran sposored a fund raiser that involved drag performances at a gay club by several board members. I ultimately passed on the opportunity to participate because I told myself I might have seemed a bit too well prepared?and I hate lip-syching. I have regretted getting cold feet.

[MarinaTwelve200]

Well, there could be a HOLLIDAY where its traditional / expected to dress as the opposite gender---Many places have that even some countries. That way you would be "the "Odd one out" if you did NOT dress up. Here in the south gulf coast area---CD was really big on Mardi Gras, especially in Louisianna. The entire staff of many businesses would dress up--(There were photos on the walls) There were even special makeup artists that would help. In the Prade in Coastal Mississippi, I remember as a kid, finding it hard to tell the men from the women.(That was FUN)---But this was in the late 1950s and 1960s. And even this was carried on , to an extent on Halloween---"Dressing as a girl" was the number one costume of my adolescent peers until the end of the 60s----Although I didn't dare do it--being "closeted" myself. Not to say I didn't want to. For some odd reason the tradition sort of "fizzled out" --- and became seriously associated with "GAY" which we had never thought about previously. No one wanted to be "suspected", so CD costuming drastically dropped off.

[Stephanie47]

I like the idea. However, would there be any rules? I ask, because most of the women on a day to day basis, dress like men anyway. For a guy to pass off wearing women's clothing all he has to do is take a pair of scissors to his jeans and create "Destroyed Jeans for Women." And, put a bra on under his flannel shirt that he may have to borrow from his wife/girl friend, who borrowed it from him in the first place.

I know you're all thinking the guy is going to wear bra, panty, slip, hose and heels, dress, full makeup and wig. Wishful thinking. I own 162 dresses and not one pair of pants for women. My wife cannot wear heels anymore due to foot surgery. Everyday, she wears jeans (not destructed), a graphic tee shirt in a male cut, socks and functional shoes. It is a rare day in July or August that she breaks out a sun dress and ditches the bra.

My first thoughts of this post was the annual "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" fund raiser. The women in my office always went down to the street to watch the parade and try to guess who was a cross dresser. Most of the guys wore feminine flip-flops. Boo!!!! There was always at least one guy who wore a decent high heel without falling all over. Anyway, When I go to the grocery store, except for the body contour and the facial hair, you cannot tell the men and women apart.

[MonicaPVD]

You bring up some fun points. The average woman today tends to wear androgynous outfits designed for comfort and not to reflect any particular feminine aesthetic. What has always been clever and provocative about trading looks is the underlying power dynamic. Women have been subservient to men for hundreds if not thousands of years. Therefore, the real taboo around a man looking like a woman was the scandalous idea that a man would willingly surrender his superior social standing. This is the same reasoning that makes millions of people denounce and reject homosexuality. A subservient, submissive, or passive man? Never! Fortunately for the world, the old gives way to the new, and younger people are much more open minded about these things.

[docrobbysherry]

Well, as long as we're going there, wouldn't every gender, sexual orientation, creed, and nationality have to have their own day of the year where u must dress like them, Patience?:straightface:

Native American day, Eskimo day, gay day, lesbian day, Cuban day, Moldovia day, Russia day, etc, etc! :tongueout

Everyone would have to shop for 365 new costumes of the day. Boosting our economy and the garment industry world wide!:devil:

[rachelatshop]

I think that would be a great idea, but in this world just the idea that we might require something immediately makes it impossible and something people want to rebel against