[redbeard the kilted]

We all have had it at least once. It is perhaps, one of the greatest questions posted to kilters (apart from whether or not the kilted is a piper and the immortal underwear query). "Why do you wear a kilt?" Of course this opens us up to an opportunity to prostelyte, but how should we proceed? Should the Brotherhood create kilting tracts ala the Watchtower Society? What about business cards? When the questioner shows greater interest, should we designate regional kilted missionaries to take our potential brother through the rigors and theories of the kilted life? When our brother has accepted the commitment of kilting, should we have a purification ritual to purge the initiant of bifurcation?

[KT]

All excellent questions, many of which are the topic of ongoing discussions. I am extremely eager to see the progression of this thread, and what the brotherhood as a whole thinks.

for my answer, I believe we are all Kilt Evangelists. Simply wearing the kilt gives the general public the belief that they can ask you questions about the kilt, and in doing so you help further our cause to make remove any and all negative stigmas or beliefs about the wearing of kilts outside a formal setting.

[redbeard the kilted]

Yes, there is a passive aspect to prostelyting that a kilt brings. What I have seen, unfortunately, is that the conversation moves along the lines of "Wow, I wish I had the balls to wear that in public. Wow, you're brave," etc... I would like us all to be able to take things to the next step.

[KT]

you are not alone. It is one of the primary goals of this Brotherhood to promote the kilt in a positive light.

[redbeard the kilted]

With that said, let's put our minds together and come up with a trifle of literature for our inquiring friends.

[Kilted Carver]

When asked about my kilt I usually provide the questioner with my limited knowledge and with several cards, one of which is a BotK card.

[redbeard the kilted]

We have cards?! Fantastic!

[Alaskan Kilted Guy]

Kilted Carver, on 09 July 2010 - 09:24 AM, said:

When asked about my kilt I usually provide the questioner with my limited knowledge and with several cards, one of which is a BotK card.

[Seanachie]

KT, on 09 July 2010 - 09:47 AM, said:

you are not alone. It is one of the primary goals of this Brotherhood to promote the kilt in a positive light.

Another thing, to my mind, I am always careful in expressing is individual freedom. I try never to be dogmatic or an authority ie, "unless it is a 16 oz Locharron 8 yard tartan and hand made it is not a kilt".
I express my thoughts as my personal opinion and I try to be very careful to be respectful of the history and tradition. If someone choices to wear a modern kilt fine or if they choose to wear a traditional kilt
that is equally good. I just draw the line at poor taste and disrespect, I think that's like the Oliver Wendell Holmes line on pornography "hard to define but you know it when you see it." Because I know a number
of people in the Irish American community, I also try to broaden their horizons and encourage them to try it. My solid green Stillwater heavyweight has gotten some positive nods. One other thing that I try to dispel
is the notion that kilts cost $500 or more and you have to have a huge bank account. I started off on the lower end of the scale and hope to have my first worsted wool kilt soon (I placed the order in March). Kilts even
at the lower end will always be a luxury not a necessity like the mortgage but re shifting my some of my disposable income dollars from one hobby/interest/activity to kilting makes it definitely affordable. Lastly,
for a lot of people I know they think tartan equals clan. Explaining that there are universal tartans, district tartans, fashion tartans etc is great. I learned about this HERE AT BOTK, and now I have a beautiful Isle of Skye
from Josh in PV.

[Kilted-Marine]

I would love to have some cards, I would toss 1 in every box i sent out

[Kilted Carver]

I tried a search but had no luck. As I remember KT had a file which had the front and back of the cards for download.

[KT]

I'll find the link and re-post it, as well as see about getting some made up and shipped out.

[Kilted Carver]

They are a handy thing to have, especially at festivals

[CactusJack]

redbeard the kilted, on 09 July 2010 - 11:51 AM, said:

With that said, let's put our minds together and come up with a trifle of literature for our inquiring friends.

This idea has already been put in to place several years ago. Some of us who have been around since the beginning have een doing this for a few years now..

KT, on 10 July 2010 - 12:28 AM, said:

I'll find the link and re-post it, as well as see about getting some made up and shipped out.

Here it is...
http://www.kiltsrock...311&#entry79311

Also I know KT used to have pamphlets that he would send out that you could also use as info on this site.

[James MacMillan]

What with the ease of printing your own business cards nowadays, I always carry several in my sporran. I carry three types.

One is a card that has my contact info on it and the back is blank where I add specific info or none depending on the situation.

Second is for the kilt curious. On the front is the BotK graphic and on the back are listed several of the entree level kilt sites.

Third is a blank card, which I use as a note card to gather or transmit specific info as the case might warrant.

[Hoomi]

Inevitably, I get asked, "Are you Scottish?" I tell people that I have some Scottish ancestry, along with Irish and English, and probably a heck of a lot more that I haven't identified yet (my direct ancestor came over to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the second set of ships from England, so we've had PLENTY of time to intermarry with darn near everybody), but that the reason I wear a kilt is that I like them. For most people, that reason makes the most sense to them.

Since both of the kilts I own so far are from Utilikilts, I carry some UK business cards to give to folks who express an interest in getting one, along with the cards for our local Celtic store (the only Arizona dealer of Utilikilts, which is mighty darned convenient).

I hope to get a traditional style kilt eventually, but right now it's not in the budget. I have found recently that nice wool kilts are available for a lot less than I originally thought, but that this time, there are more important bills to pay.

I'll have to check out the BotK cards and see about printing some of those, too. Thanks!

[Chris Webb]

redbeard the kilted, on 09 July 2010 - 11:09 AM, said:

Yes, there is a passive aspect to prostelyting that a kilt brings. What I have seen, unfortunately, is that the conversation moves along the lines of "Wow, I wish I had the balls to wear that in public. Wow, you're brave," etc... I would like us all to be able to take things to the next step.

This has been my experience as well. In fact, after wearing kilts for about 6 1/2 years full time in my town I think I've actually accomplished the opposite of what I have intended. I wanted others to enjoy the freedom to go about without p@nt$ but I have instead become so well known locally that virtually all other men think they CAN'T wear a kilt because I CAN. Men went from saying the things Redbeard quoted to simply saying, "I can't wear a kilt, I'm not you."

The notion that you have to have balls to wear a kilt in public or that you have to be exceptionally brave has become so ingrained in the society's psych that virtually all men now think they don't measure up enough to wear a kilt. Even here we have for some time said that you didn't have to be Celtic to wear a kilt you just had to have the courage to wear one, or the balls. We have accidentally given the rest of the men of our society a very difficult to overcome reason for not wearing a kilt ... they simply think they don't have the courage to wear one and that we who do are simply beyond their reach. They can't wear a kilt because they think they are not us.

Sadly, to make the kilt more appealing to the pantsed masses we will have to wimpify the kilt ... no longer can we say that you only need the courage to wear one, in fact we should never say that again. Instead we must say that it's okay to wear a kilt, it really is, nobody is going to give you any trouble, you don't have to be strong and confident or overtly masculine, no, it really is okay, really, it is. Of course it makes me want to puke to think this.

Folks, Kilts, and any other skirts on men for that matter, are only for the boldest of mankind ... the key to Kilt Evangelism is not to convince others of the comfort of a Kilt or to convince them that it's Okay to wear a Kilt it is to convince them that they are man enough to wear a Kilt. Kilts themselves are an easy sell, but confidence, not so much. SportKilt says that a man in a kilt is a man and a half, unfortunately most men these days really feel like they are only half a man to begin with.

They have to feel they are man enough to kilt on before they can Kilt ON! When I think about why I wear Kilts and mugs I have to admit that the primary reason is that I simply believe that I don't have to wear p@nt$. In the last 6 years I have yet to figure out how to convince other men that they don't have to wear p@nt$ either. They think the HAVE to wear p@nt$ and because they think that, well, they do have to wear p@nt$.

Just the other day someone at Walmart who had seen that controversial picture of me at peopleofwalmart asked me, "Are you Scottish, or Irish or something, why do you wear kilts all the time?" I just looked at the guy and being tired of years of being a Kilt Evangelist I simply said, "Buddy, I don't have to wear p@nt$." He just looked at me and quietly said, "d@mn." I could see his self confidence draining away ... he could do nothing but stand there before me knowing that he had to wear p@nt$, that he would always have to wear p@nt$ and that he had met a man who didn't.

I don't think I can do anything for that guy or for the vast numbers of all others like him. I am not a Kilt Evangelist, no, I'm a Kilt Militant.

Kilt ON!

Chris Webb

[The Amadan]

I'm all for furthering the acceptance of kilts, in society... that's a given

But I don't wear kilts to prove anything, nor force the idea upon anyone else. I feel this is my best method to help the kilted cause.
If asked, I will inform.
If taunted, I will smile, and walk away.
If propositioned, I will smile more, and introduce my wife.

Wearing kilts has never been a big deal, to myself. I've been around them, in one form or another, since I was small. I never ever really considered any stigma attached to men wearing kilts. Perhaps I am naive.
I wear a kilt because I want to... nothing more, nothing less. I also wear p@nt$, for the same reasons. I am quite comfortable with who I am... I don't seek validation... there's nothing more to read into it.
Making a big deal out of it, only re-enforces the negative aspects, IMHO. Treat it like an everyday thing, and those around you will, too.

Those who make derogatory remarks, about me wearing a kilt... I consider uneducated fools.
Those who boast loudly because they wear a kilt... I consider arrogant fools.
I have no need to indulge either, as their minds are already focused upon something else, altogether.

Those who ask about the kilt, I will gently inform, at a pace that is acceptable to the inquirer... Forcing knowledge helps no one.
To those that say " I wish I had the balls to wear one", I respond: "wear it if you want, wear it if you're comfortable, but only wear it for yourself. All other considerations are petty, by comparison".
I carry various kilt-related business cards... if I feel it will genuinely help, I hand one out.

I use the analogy of musicians: Who gains more long-term respect? Lady GaGa, or Itzhak Perlman? Both at the top of their game, but who will be remembered, 25 years from now?
Gentle, informed persuasion goes a long way.

[Spectre]

The Amadan, on 25 July 2010 - 11:39 AM, said:

I'm all for furthering the acceptance of kilts, in society... that's a given

But I don't wear kilts to prove anything, nor force the idea upon anyone else. I feel this is my best method to help the kilted cause.
If asked, I will inform.
If taunted, I will smile, and walk away.
If propositioned, I will smile more, and introduce my wife.

Wearing kilts has never been a big deal, to myself. I've been around them, in one form or another, since I was small. I never ever really considered any stigma attached to men wearing kilts. Perhaps I am naive.
I wear a kilt because I want to... nothing more, nothing less. I also wear p@nt$, for the same reasons. I am quite comfortable with who I am... I don't seek validation... there's nothing more to read into it.
Making a big deal out of it, only re-enforces the negative aspects, IMHO. Treat it like an everyday thing, and those around you will, too.

Those who make derogatory remarks, about me wearing a kilt... I consider uneducated fools.
Those who boast loudly because they wear a kilt... I consider arrogant fools.
I have no need to indulge either, as their minds are already focused upon something else, altogether.

Those who ask about the kilt, I will gently inform, at a pace that is acceptable to the inquirer... Forcing knowledge helps no one.
To those that say " I wish I had the balls to wear one", I respond: "wear it if you want, wear it if you're comfortable, but only wear it for yourself. All other considerations are petty, by comparison".
I carry various kilt-related business cards... if I feel it will genuinely help, I hand one out.

I use the analogy of musicians: Who gains more long-term respect? Lady GaGa, or Itzhak Perlman? Both at the top of their game, but who will be remembered, 25 years from now?
Gentle, informed persuasion goes a long way.

I couldn't agree more. Its simply a choice made, nothing more, nothing less.