As has been said, life isn't fair. Lack of clothing freedom is one of the very few unfairnesses on men. Women get sexually approached if they step outside, often get paid less, their ideas are taken less seriously, childless women get questioned about why, the list goes on. Some of the bad behaviour against women is FROM women.

It doesn't even end there. There are certain male clothes you can't really wear in most western countries without getting similar reactions to those you would get with a skirt. Try wearing a Stetson for instance. Or a ribbon tie. Or an Elvis catsuit. Or even (outside Scotland) a kilt. Actually I speak from experience that you get reactions in a kilt even in Scotland. Extend that to male clothes from Africa or the middle or far east and it becomes even more difficult.

It isn't true that you have to put yourself out there in a skirt or dress to change things. I have done this but not in a way that affects my life so I can't claim to have done much leading by example where people know who I am. Far from home I often go out in a skirt and occasionally (OK once) in a dress as a man. What I have done is make these points to journalists and one has actually quoted from my letter in The Times. Another Times journalist made similar points in a recent article. We need attitudes to change and the press is a good way to achieve this. Even David Beckham didn't get men or boys into sarongs so it is an uphill struggle. But I detect definite movement in attitudes. As an example in my local branch of Debenhams when I shop for dresses as a man I have always been directed to the Personal Shopper suite (which is great if it is not already in use) but the last two times I have just been shown to a female changing room as though it was nothing out of the ordinary. You can also talk about it. I work in a very open-minded environment and I can openly criticise the unfairness without being suspected of secretly wanting to wear dresses to work. Yes, it is also so open-minded I COULD wear dresses to work, but I know that this is how I would be remembered and I prefer to be remembered for the calibre of my work (where I have been very successful). To put it bluntly, there are more important issues in many of our lives than getting the freedom to wear a skirt to work. And there are more serious injustices in society than restrictions on male fashion. And all in all we have it better than women.