Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Ideological and Historical Roots of anti-Suit Hatred

MrBern

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,469
Location
DeleteStreet, REDACTCity, LockedState
so gay....

Doran said:
No.

But keep in mind that the practice of calling someone gay usually does not mean that the utterer ACTUALLY thinks the target is in fact truly gay. It's just a silly term. In high school we called certain buildings that we didn't like "gay." We did not actually think the building was attracted to buildings of its own type.

It's a rather miscellaneous insult used instead of "sissy."

Theres actually a PublicServiceAnnouncement campaign against that sort of hatespeach amongst teens.
It might not be intended as negative or hurtful, but it is damaging language.

http://www.thinkb4youspeak.com/
 

Dr Doran

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,854
Location
Los Angeles
MrBern said:
Theres actually a PublicServiceAnnouncement campaign against that sort of hatespeach amongst teens.
It might not be intended as negative or hurtful, but it is damaging language.

http://www.thinkb4youspeak.com/

:eek:fftopic: I agree that it is dumb to call teens "gay" and is probably damaging.

I doubt, however, that many societies will ever stop valuing martial ability; hence, I strongly suspect that being a "sissy" (which, again, should NOT be construed as the same thing as being homosexual, although it often is improperly construed in that way) will always suffer disdain as long as conflicts exist for resources and mates between males: in other words, for the entire vastly long past history and even longer pre-history of the human species (and its predecessors) and for the entire forseeable future.

[Doubly :eek:fftopic: Further, I dislike laws that make speech illegal and I believe that they can be abused.]
 

MrBern

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,469
Location
DeleteStreet, REDACTCity, LockedState
Doran said:
:eek:fftopic: I agree that it is dumb to call teens "gay" and is probably damaging.

I doubt, however, that many societies will ever stop valuing martial ability; hence, I strongly suspect that being a "sissy" (which, again, should NOT be construed as the same thing as being homosexual, although it often is improperly construed in that way) will always suffer disdain as long as conflicts exist for resources and mates between males: in other words, for the entire vastly long past history and even longer pre-history of the human species (and its predecessors) and for the entire forseeable future.

[Doubly :eek:fftopic: Further, I dislike laws that make speech illegal and I believe that they can be abused.]

So how does the value of martial ability arrive at gaybashing? And how does that play into conflicts over mates?
Unless some big gay guy in a slick suit steals away your spouse & wardrobe.
915381572_39bb3b165c.jpg
 

Dr Doran

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,854
Location
Los Angeles
MrBern said:
So how does the value of martial ability arrive at gaybashing? And how does that play into conflicts over mates?
Unless some big gay guy in a slick suit steals away your spouse & wardrobe.
915381572_39bb3b165c.jpg

Reread my post.

Martial ability has nothing to do with the ridicule of gay persons.

The ridicule of persons who cannot fight, however, is probably a permanent feature of the human species.

There is an IMPROPER correlation made in the minds of foolish persons between gays and persons who cannot fight.

IMPROPER, as my post notes.

Please do not jump down my throat to attack me for a crime that I personally despise. It is very annoying.

You need to read the posts more carefully.
 

reetpleat

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,681
Location
Seattle
Tomasso said:
I'd say more fashionable than stylish.
Nope, stylish. Gay men tend to have a great eye for detail. You may not like some of their clothing choices, but suit to t shirt, tie to jeans, shoes to shoes, they tend to exhibit a greta sense of style in their choices. The little details that make up the whole.
 

Rhabryn

Familiar Face
Messages
54
Location
Missouri
While I realize this thread is being overwhelmed by the topic of perceptions of sexual orientation as correlated with choice of clothing, I would like to take the opportunity to express an opinion.


With regard to the potentially negative statements made regarding members of certain professions

I have no problem with the expression of an individual's viewpoints, and while I find it sad to see ignorance, I believe I have little room to take issue with an individual being ill-informed about the world that surrounds them (we are all our own people). What I do have a problem with, is when individuals speak as if they are sufficiently informed to make judgments about things that they are, in fact, not sufficently-informed to make.


That being said, I would like to apply this to the current situation:
To the extent that statements have been made that convey, and have been intended to convey, a negative stereotype upon members of any given profession:

The only reason that someone would voice this viewpoint is because they have such a viewpoint. I believe that this viewpoint can only be held if someone is ill-informed about the world which surrounds them (specifically, with respect to the role of that profession in the world). Expression of distaste for a given group (in this case a profession) supported by little else than ignorance is, almost by definition, "hate-speech."

To conclude:
I am a member of this forum and I identify with this community.
By expressing viewpoints that belie ignorance and hate - it hurts me because it damages my perception of this community and, by extension (because of my identification with this forum) myself. (Note: it also hurts my reputation as I've referred people to this forum on many an occasion).
I do not appreciate it.


Thank you,
Rhabryn
 

Creeping Past

One Too Many
Messages
1,567
Location
England
I should like to try and put an end to this 'gay' sub-discussion first because it's becoming a site of casually offensive language. Secondly, it's becoming speculative, meandering and a-historical and anti-analytical (given the specifically historical language of the original post). Thirdly, it's veering way off-topic as far as I'm concerned.

Since an image relating to the ancient Greek state of Sparta has been used, it's highly pertinent to remember that Greek hoplites (trained warriors) were encouraged to engage in homosexual behaviour with their comrades in arms, at least one of the ideas behind that being that they'd fight all the harder to protect themselves and those they cared for.

Also, they fought naked.

Having offered this slight diversion, and with the proviso that I'm pro-expression of self in most ways, I have to say I find it worrying that people use the term 'hatespeech' un-ironically. Do we really want to put the kybosh on freedom of speech? Doing so selectively is an invitation to do so all round. I'm all for people reflecting on how they express their view of the world, rather than cheer on legislation that prevents certain forms of language as 'bad. That's the start of a dark path. Brrrr.
 

Lou

One of the Regulars
Messages
182
Location
Philly burbs
I think two things are the primary cause of US anti-suit sentiment.

1. The McDonalds commercials capture one aspect. Mainstream US culture these days values "keeping it real" and "letting your hair down." Many people believe that it's natural to be this way and that people who run counter to it are posing. We see the same attitudes toward people who, for example, eat health food, enjoy opera or other classical arts, or use native pronunciation for foreign words. Things aren't supposed to get too heady.

2. American stereotypes about the corporate world cause people to equate suits with the Office Space experience. Bill Lumbergh looks comfortable in his suit (gecko shirt, cuff links, etc), whereas the three good guys are sloppily dressed to the minimum and look like their suits are viscerally oppressive.

I recently started wearing suits to work more often. Aside from simply wanting to dress well, the downturn in the economy and the frequent interaction I've been having with high-level professionals make it the obvious choice. I realize, though, that some coworkers might wonder what I'm up to. I'll just do my best to make it clear that I'm still one of the good guys.
 

FATS88

One of the Regulars
Messages
111
Location
FRISCO
Hi Doran!

I'll say first of all to everybody on this thread;
to take full advantage of the reason(s) that
most men aren't wearing suits, and buy all you can
before the trend swings back around!
That goes for overcoats, shoes and the like.
I've never experienced the suit = Homosexual thing.
The suit = putting on airs thing, almost everytime I wear
a suit and hat outside of Church.
I can't remember the last time I saw an acknowledged gay man,
say under forty years of age in a suit.
It's been pointed out that gay men are generally regarded as
fashion savy, and because suits are, for the moment, not
en vogue, I don't see the gay men I know here in Frisco
ever wearing them[huh] San Francisco is trendy, always has been.
They like stuff that's sold in the Haight, and Union street stores.
Remember; I'm only referring to the gay young men that I happen to know.
And I would'nt be caught dead in that stuff, even if I was gay!
But isn't it great that everybody does'nt dress alike,
no matter their persuasion.
AND MY BUDDY MAX F. IS NOT A WEASEL!
And if Pif Pundy, Pap Dilly, Poot Dandy or whichever of his multiple alias
he's using today, has anything at all to do with reviving the
suit...well that would just about sum things up wouldn't it?
I'll start wearing Amish wear.

Have a great Superbowl Sunday!

Fats
 

suitedcboy

One Too Many
Messages
1,348
Location
Fort Worth Texas or thereabouts
I LOVE THIS THREAD!!!!

I lead a very diverse life, I raise and train horses, run a small herd of cattle, and I'm a corporate trainer.
I wear jeans, boots, hat and sludge through manure and mud. I wear casual wear with some training sessions and for others it's a suit.
The persons I deal with in my profession probably can't imagine me stuffing a prolapsed uterus back into a birthing momma cow or shoeing one of my horses. Some of my country neighbors who have run into me dressed for one of my more formal presentations express total disbelief that I could ever put on a suit.

I think an ummentioned idea here is that a man in a suit is limited. He may be a great lawyer, politician, banker, etc but if he wears a suit he can't do NORMAL THINGS.
 

3PieceSuitGuy

One of the Regulars
Messages
177
Location
Sydney, NSW, Australia
Very intersting debate

This has turned out to be a very interesting debate! Here's my thoughts....

There is a device called a pendulum and as we all know it swings 2 ways. When I started work in the late 80's my first jobs were in banking. The uniform was a suit & tie every day of the week regardless of the temperature. It was the uniform. If you didn't wear one people didn't trust you. Let me tell you it gets very hot in Sydney in summer and if the boss saw me walk through the door without my jacket on he would tell me to put it on. I got used to just putting it on as soon as I got off the train regardless of the heat, and just about every other guy had his on too. All day every day. Back in the eighties there were very few cool wool suits, no super 100's etc. 3 piece suits in the winter were fairly common and that is where I started wearing them. I had loved them for ages and so finally getting to wear them was fantastic. The pendulum during the 80's to the 90's was way over to the suit side. A suit made people feel they could trust you.

These days in our casual relaxed society the pendulum has swung fully the other way. Now people tend to think you are not to be trusted if you wear a suit, or that you are a politician, lawyer or a doctor etc. To me personal integrity and the way you act determines what type of person you are and whether or not you should be trusted. To me my integrity is intact no matter what I wear. I can tell you though I look a lot better and feel completely comfortable in my 3 piece suit and tie! Not a 3 piece in summer though!

Also political correctness dictates that we should be more than willing to accept however people want to dress. I'm happy to accept that people have diiferent ideas on proper dress and the norm is to dress more casually. That's fine as long as those that want to dress casually don't sneer at me or label me a snob for dressing more formally. That pendulum swings both ways too!

Unfortunately that's not always the case. I went to a business conference that had a gala dinner that was black tie invited. I wore a peak lapel tux with a brocade double breasted vest, black bow with White marcella laydown collar shirt and studs & cufflinks. a colleague who was wearing a green microfibre db suit fromthe 80's teamed with a simpsons tie looked me up and down and said in front of a number of people that I was overdressed. There were so many comebacks but I simply replied that I was perfectly comfortable in what I was wearing. Two ladies who were inevening dresses told him I was the best dressed guy there. Which proves every girl is crazy bout a sharp dressed man!

Cheers

Peter
 

Queue

Familiar Face
Messages
89
Location
Washington, DC, Earth-616
I stumbled upon this question on yahoo answers.

The answer that struck me as kind of interesting was 'i think suits are classy. especially i really like it when guys wear a suit jacket over jeans with either a t-shirt or a polo its very attractive. full suits all the time would be kinda annoying though b/c he doesnt looks relaxed and comfortable.' Ignoring the fashion faux pas endorsed and shortcomings in spelling and grammar I think the underlying sentiment is what lays at the bottom of anti-suit feelings. Suits aren't comfortable (if they're not tailored properly) or at least they are not, typically, as comfortable as a pair of worn jeans and a tee shirt. The decline from the golden age to modernity seems marked by an increased care for one's own comfort and a decrease in the care for others' comfort.

Just my $0.02.
 

Lone_Ranger

Practically Family
Messages
500
Location
Central, PA
Originally Posted by reetpleat
But I would suggest that a suit is completely arbitrary. There is no inherant goodness or badness in a suit. Just the sartorial meaning placed upon it, good and bad.


To paraphrase Alan Ladd, as the gunfighter Shane. "A suit is a tool, Marian; no better or no worse than any other tool: an axe, a shovel or anything. A suit is as good or as bad as the man using it. Remember that."
 

WildCelt

One of the Regulars
Messages
178
Location
My Imagination, South Carolina
Matt Deckard said:
Well... I make teachers' suits.
I still admire the professional.
Glad to hear it, Matt, and I really admire your teachers' suits. Unfortunately, as a student teacher, your suits are a little out of my price range. Perhaps they will not be so in the future once I have an paying job.

PADDY said:
. . . one of the smart ass guys in his designer jeans and tee shirt . . . asks with a smarmy half-grin, "You going to a funeral or something?"
To which I reply, "Well, I've just buried my mother..."
Paddy, when I read that the first time, I saw, "Well, I've just buried your mother."

Tango Yankee said:
Living in southern Ohio I've found that a sport coat, tie, and dress trousers is thought of as a "suit" by many people.
Same here in South Carolina. I've been told "nice suit" when wearing khakis and a blue blazer on numerous occasions.
 

Chasseur

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,494
Location
Hawaii
I've found that a sport coat, tie, and dress trousers is thought of as a "suit" by many people.

I've had that happen too. My favorite was once I was wearing khakis and a dark vest and someone asked, "What's with the suit?"...
 

donCarlos

Practically Family
Messages
566
Location
Prague, CZ
Queue said:
I stumbled upon this question on yahoo answers.
Thanks for this link. I´m still laughing.
Especially this answer:

"I find people who wear suits every day to be narcissistic liars who don't live in the real world.When talking to you they 'speak to the room' rather than to you.They are basically full of themselves and full of ****."

That guy must know me!!! However, this doesn´t apply to all suit wearers, so generally, that opinion is wrong.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
109,298
Messages
3,078,221
Members
54,244
Latest member
seeldoger47
Top