Média : Magazine SOGLAM

Publication : july-august 2007

Author : Eurydice Coussot

Interviewed : Jérôme Salomé

Beginning of july 2007, the second issue of SoGlam magazine was published. Eurydice, journalist on France3 channel and who dedicated a chronicle to men wearing skirt with Jerome being the interviewed, gave one more chance to men wearing skirts speaking again about them but this time in her chronicle in SoGlam (july/august 2007)

When did you first had the idea to wear a skirt ?

Since I was a little boy,I was jealous of the little girls during summer because I thought they were luckier than I was to wear this kind of clothe,useful and full. I think that a skirt is more adapted to our morphology than trousers.

You created a website,www.i-hej.com to speakabout the wearing of a skirt,what is the reason why you decided that ?

From ages,men had worn skirts greek tunic, skirt of Roman soldiers and,still nowadays in a few countries;sarong in Indonesia,djellaba in Arabic countries and,at last,kilt in Scotland which make women dream so much...But, in France,if a man decides to wear a skirt,he will have to face some difficulties.I wanted,by my website,to inform people and to show them that my action is safe.Nowadays,women are free to wear all kind of clothes,even those which are considered as typically masculine ,without disturbing anyone;it wasn't like that a few years ago. A law,still existing, forbids them to wear trousers.As they can do it nowadays,we would simply have the same freedom and the same choices.

What was your wife and your family's reaction?

I was afraid to tell my wife that I wanted to wear skirts and,one day,whereas I wore a pareo,she acknowledged that she found it sexy.We talked about it and, since that tie,I dare the fear of the difference.My family was more reticent.The fact to wear a skirt classifies you in a sexual tendency which is not mine so far.I live with my wife, we have 2 children,but even with the evolution of our society,some things are  still not acceptedby a wide range of people.My family was afraid of the reaction that people could have about me.Now,they accept my choice and it doesn't disturb them anymore.

Rightly,what's the reaction of people when you are with your wife and children?

Sometimes,I have hard meetings but I think that differences are still not accepted whatever they are.Some people are hard but I decided to live with my willings,I do not injure anyone,that's the important and,you know, normality is what we do with it. My little girl always see me wearing skirts and what is strange for her is that the other boys don't wear it. And this morning,we went walking to vote for parliementary election with our children.I n a shop,a woman told me"you put your skirt on,you're right,it's better when it's hot."My wife wore trousers,the woman laughed (kindly) about it. It is easier when people know you.

What would you say to men who are afraid to wear skirts ?

It's medically proved that too tights trousers compresse testicles and can be one of the reason of testicles cancer.Moreover,in trousers,we notice an important warming up of the testicles which leads to the destruction of spermatazoa and in a long term,sterility.If more men could knew this,they would think more seriously to give up their precious trousers.

What if our readers want to try it?

Where to find skirt for men ? It's still difficult to find some. Most of the time,I must go to women clothing stores.That's what made me decide to buy a sewing-machine to make models by myself. In return,there are websites in Belgium (wwww.jupe.be), in Switzerland (www.mode-trend-s.de) and in Germany www.anderslandinger.com) where you can find models which are good.

In addition with your website,you are creating an association "HeJ" and you will be president.What's its aim ?

We want to promote the skirt for men and we will use different ways to do it.For example,we will try to create friendship and solidarity links between men who wear skirts,their wives and all people who agree with men wearing skirts.We will organize meetings on a local,regional,national and international level.We want to banalise the wearing of a skirt by a man in order to reduce prejudices and the lack of tolerance. More other things are planned for our actions  being understood andaccepted and moreover to show that it's not a futile thing.

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