Gender Blending: Is it Wrong?

[ForeverBlessed]

Originally Posted by tstew

I think that an interesting wrinkle is the new phenomenon of men wearing skirts. There are more and more websites and designers selling skirts and dresses to straight men and selling it as the next step in freedom. This is an excerpt from one website:

Freedom! Liberation! Equality! Sensibleness!

Campaign to abolish gender clothing-apartheid!

The rule that said that men should not wear skirts has got to be one of the daftest around, (see Misconceptions), made even more absurd now that its equivalent rule that women should not wear trousers has been quite sensibly abolished.

Obviously, rules telling you what you can't wear are bizarre oppression. Make that gender-discriminatory and you're talking serious gender apartheid. But add to that a curious asymmetry, making some people arbitrary second-class citizens, and the logical conclusion is that this is some kind of a joke rather than reality.

An early example of someone breaking the rules was Emma Snodgrass, who in Boston on 29th December 1852 was arrested for wearing trousers. Now let's see if the world is advancing, and losing its silly rules.

I guess one question that I have is whether people here are willing to accept this as just another development in our society and a reflection of the evolutionary nature of our culture. How do you feel about a man in a skirt, and if you are comfortable with women in pants, do you have any Biblical basis to be uncomfortable with a man in a skirt.

Here are a few pics just so you don't think that I'm talking about kilts and blowing it out of proportion.

When men went from robes to pants what little history I have read describes a revolt at that change... people did not like it. Culture changes... I believe that every era will have lines drawn at what is gender distinctive.

As Christians, I believe that we should keep the principle of the word of God and be gender distinctive. It is just my opinion, but I think we should always try to live as the conservative side of our society in whatever the culture.

Pants have long been acceptable attire for both men/women in our society.. and as Newman used to say "pants are even worn by the little old ladies at the nursing home" That statement hits so close to home lately since my mother (in a nursing home) walks around in little duster dresses everyday. I was asked by nurses if she had any pants to keep her legs warm and protected... I just answered that I would discuss it with her POA, but it probably wouldn't change...

As much as I wouldn't like it... skirts or robe like garments may actually be acceptable as men's attire someday.... might be 30-50 years from now... I don't know, but if and when it is acceptable for both genders and there isn't any immoral aspects linked to it.. I don't see biblical reason to forbid it.

Ball caps, T-shirts, jackets among other things were first designed for the man... now we all wear t-shirts, jackets, ball caps... there are many universal items of clothing like gloves, hats and such that are shared articles of clothing.

Whatever the clothing... I feel like there will always be a gender distinction...it will be in fabrics, colors or something to that effect. Just as in the bible... it was robes... but there were differences. Don't quote me on this...but I think it was the head coverings that were distinctive outside of trim/color.

I think we should be happy with who God made us... cherish the feminity or masculinity.... dress according to it in our culture today (not 60-100 years ago).

[tstew]

Originally Posted by ForeverBlessed

When men went from robes to pants what little history I have read describes a revolt at that change... people did not like it. Culture changes... I believe that every era will have lines drawn at what is gender distinctive.

As Christians, I believe that we should keep the principle of the word of God and be gender distinctive. It is just my opinion, but I think we should always try to live as the conservative side of our society in whatever the culture.

Pants have long been acceptable attire for both men/women in our society.. and as Newman used to say "pants are even worn by the little old ladies at the nursing home" That statement hits so close to home lately since my mother (in a nursing home) walks around in little duster dresses everyday. I was asked by nurses if she had any pants to keep her legs warm and protected... I just answered that I would discuss it with her POA, but it probably wouldn't change...

As much as I wouldn't like it... skirts or robe like garments may actually be acceptable as men's attire someday.... might be 30-50 years from now... I don't know, but if and when it is acceptable for both genders and there isn't any immoral aspects linked to it.. I don't see biblical reason to forbid it.

Ball caps, T-shirts, jackets among other things were first designed for the man... now we all wear t-shirts, jackets, ball caps... there are many universal items of clothing like gloves, hats and such that are shared articles of clothing.

Whatever the clothing... I feel like there will always be a gender distinction...it will be in fabrics, colors or something to that effect. Just as in the bible... it was robes... but there were differences. Don't quote me on this...but I think it was the head coverings that were distinctive outside of trim/color.

I think we should be happy with who God made us... cherish the feminity or masculinity.... dress according to it in our culture today (not 60-100 years ago).

This is the kind of discussion that I was kind of hoping for and the kind that I do believe is necessary. It's like we have a group that has been liberated enough to accept society's shifting views on the first half, but I'm not sure if they will be for the second half (the complete gender neturalization of the wardrobe). At that point what will be the basis for that refusal to accept, and will they just become that generation's "ultra cons".
One thing that I have consistently said is that the Bible is such a unique and wonderful and obviously inspired book because on 06/21/08, I can still apply it's Word to my life effectively. I believe that that is possible because it is by and large a book of principles, which I believe you can prayerfully and whole heartedly apply to any time and culture. This application will give you a list of viable and usable specifics to live by. The danger arises when we start using the shortcut of teaching the specifics and not instilling the principles.
You can in no time end up with a list of specifics that are outdated, cloudy, and inneffctive, illogical, and indefensible. It is possible to within 100 years, negate the phenomenon of the Bible being applicable for thousands of years.
That being said I do strongly believe that the Bible is also a book of some absolutes that cannot be compromised and will never reflect the societal shifts. We would not want to reflect the shifts of a society that is becoming increasingly less godly and more evil as prophecied in the Bible. I believe that a church has to be very prayerful, studious, honest, and Biblical when trying to navigate in such sensitive yet important areas.
I pray for the future of the entire Apostolic Movement and draw a great deal of comfort from the knowledge that God is still ultimately in control.

[theoldpaths]

Originally Posted by ForeverBlessed

Pants have long been acceptable attire for both men/womten in our society.. and as Newman used to say "pants are even worn by the little old ladies at the nursing home" That statement hits so close to home lately since my mother (in a nursing home) walks around in little duster dresses everyday. I was asked by nurses if she had any pants to keep her nlegs warm and protected... I just answered that I would discuss it with her POA, but it probably wouldn't change...

See this is not true. In North America, before WW 1 or 2 can't remember which, women only wore dresses. I drive bus picking up old people to take to a day program and then in the afternoon take them home. One lady I had a talk with remembers when women used to all wear dresses and that the change happened after the war (1 or 2 I can't remember which).

Apparently, because most men were in the war, the women had to leave their houses and come work in the factories to help the war effort. Because dresses could get caught in the machinery, they made them wear pants.

After the war, women liked the idea of making money and not being solely dependent upon their husbands as being the provider, liked working, and apparently liked wearing pants. Fashion companies got on the band wagon, and behold the seeds for the Woman's Liberation movement were born and some woman have been wearing pants ever since.

The world changes, cultures change, but the word of God remains solid and stable and is immune to the changing whims of society. Thank God for his unchanging Word that we can stand on regardless of what the world and society does. And thank God for men of God who teach us and give us understanding concerning certain issues so that knowledge, understanding, and wisdom can be passed down to the next generation.

God bless.