Most annoying question at faire? and your answer.

[Laird Fraser of Lovatt]

Are you Scottish?  

Hmmmm, let's see... Kilt... check.  Balmorel... check.  Baskethilt Claymore... check.  Piper Dirk... check.  Sgain dubh... check.  Family crest in no less than 4 places... check.  Last name FRASER... check.  Born in Edinburgh... check.  Lions of Caladonia & St. Andrew's Saltaire tattooed on me... check.



No, I'm not Scottish.  *pinhead mundanes*  

[Merlin]

Are you Scottish?  

Hmmmm, let's see... Kilt... check.  Balmorel... check.  Baskethilt Claymore... check.  Piper Dirk... check.  Sgain dubh... check.  Family crest in no less than 4 places... check.  Last name FRASER... check.  Born in Edinburgh... check.  Lions of Caladonia & St. Andrew's Saltaire tattooed on me... check.



No, I'm not Scottish.  *pinhead mundanes*  

Just gonna ramble here......  why is it that every time I wear my kilt... people ask "Do you play the pipes?"
Not only at faire..... any place I wear it...I get that question.
If I wore a baseball cap...would you ask "Do you play baseball?"
If I wore boots would you ask "Do you ride bulls?"
Believe it or not.... not all Scottish people play the pipes. We are not all musicians of any sort.
If you look like a Jamaican... I won't ask if you play the steel drum.
If you are Australian aboriginal... I wont assume you play the didgeridoo.
If you are a one tooth hillbilly...I wont assume you play the banjo.

Imagine going up to a large tobacco chewing man clad in a one strap overall with a straw hat on and not only asking him if he plays the banjo....but then ask what he has on under those overalls.

The ignorance of Scottish tradition is amazing to me.

[Ian Maxwell]

Just gonna ramble here......  why is it that every time I wear my kilt... people ask "Do you play the pipes?"
Not only at faire..... any place I wear it...I get that question.
If I wore a baseball cap...would you ask "Do you play baseball?"
If I wore boots would you ask "Do you ride bulls?"
Believe it or not.... not all Scottish people play the pipes. We are not all musicians of any sort.
If you look like a Jamaican... I won't ask if you play the steel drum.
If you are Australian aboriginal... I wont assume you play the didgeridoo.
If you are a one tooth hillbilly...I wont assume you play the banjo.

Imagine going up to a large tobacco chewing man clad in a one strap overall with a straw hat on and not only asking him if he plays the banjo....but then ask what he has on under those overalls.

The ignorance of Scottish tradition is amazing to me.

I have to agree with Merlin. Everyone assumes that I play the pipes.
Ian

[Dinobabe]

I have to agree with Merlin. Everyone assumes that I play the pipes.
Ian

Well don't you!?

snicker, sorry

[Ian Maxwell]

What are you some kind of comedian? I don't see a jesters hat on you?

[Laird Fraser of Lovatt]

Are you Scottish?  

Hmmmm, let's see... Kilt... check.  Balmorel... check.  Baskethilt Claymore... check.  Piper Dirk... check.  Sgain dubh... check.  Family crest in no less than 4 places... check.  Last name FRASER... check.  Born in Edinburgh... check.  Lions of Caladonia & St. Andrew's Saltaire tattooed on me... check.



No, I'm not Scottish.  *pinhead mundanes*  

Just gonna ramble here......  why is it that every time I wear my kilt... people ask "Do you play the pipes?"
Not only at faire..... any place I wear it...I get that question.
If I wore a baseball cap...would you ask "Do you play baseball?"
If I wore boots would you ask "Do you ride bulls?"
Believe it or not.... not all Scottish people play the pipes. We are not all musicians of any sort.
If you look like a Jamaican... I won't ask if you play the steel drum.
If you are Australian aboriginal... I wont assume you play the didgeridoo.
If you are a one tooth hillbilly...I wont assume you play the banjo.

Imagine going up to a large tobacco chewing man clad in a one strap overall with a straw hat on and not only asking him if he plays the banjo....but then ask what he has on under those overalls.

The ignorance of Scottish tradition is amazing to me.

It's like assuming every Irishman is a drunkard... hold on, they are.  Crap, there goes that reasoning.  

[mehan]

*disclaimer* The following story has NOTHING to do with this woman being gay, its about stupid  questions and idiotic behavior at faire, but the story canna be told without her mention of it. 

Standing in  a very long line to fill our mugs, I noticed a group of  women crowding up on my husband with one woman's hand grasping the bottom of his kilt in the act of lifting it up.  Shamefully, as we all know, this is not an uncommon occurrence, and I have learned not to take offense, but normally stay the person's hand and ask "what ya be seeking" which I did in this case.  The woman snarled "I wanna know if he's wearing underwear"  To which I replied with the age old "tis nothing worn under me man's kilt, its in verra fine working order". 

Now this normally will cause a nice laugh with even the most belligerent drunk and everyone leaves happy.   Not this time.  The woman got right up in my face and loudly proclaimed  "Lookit me, I'm a lesbian I don't give a sh__ if it works or not I just want to know what he is wearing".   That took the wind out of my sails - I didn't know what to say.

But someone in the crowd did - and hollered "if you don't care about the engine, why do you want to look under the hood?"   Everyone in the crowd laughed, and she walked away.  Sure wish I could have found that guy and thanked him. 

[Drac]

That rates up there with what makes people think they have a right to touch someone because of (fill in the blank).

In garb, pregnant, kilted, etc.

Being a kilted gentleman if I went around asking a lady what she was wearing under her skirt I'd be brought up on sexual harassment and to actually reach to check?!?!?  If I pulled down a ladies tank top to see if she was wearing a bra I'd be arrested so fast.

Drac

[will paisley]

Just gonna ramble here......  why is it that every time I wear my kilt... people ask "Do you play the pipes?"
Not only at faire..... any place I wear it...I get that question.
If I wore a baseball cap...would you ask "Do you play baseball?"
If I wore boots would you ask "Do you ride bulls?"
Believe it or not.... not all Scottish people play the pipes. We are not all musicians of any sort.
If you look like a Jamaican... I won't ask if you play the steel drum.
If you are Australian aboriginal... I wont assume you play the didgeridoo.
If you are a one tooth hillbilly...I wont assume you play the banjo.

Imagine going up to a large tobacco chewing man clad in a one strap overall with a straw hat on and not only asking him if he plays the banjo....but then ask what he has on under those overalls.

The ignorance of Scottish tradition is amazing to me.

Another ramble even less related to the topic than the original, but that list reminded me of the old joke:

"See that bridge? Built it with me own two hands. Carried the stone from the quarry on me own back, placed each one on top of th'other with great skill. Ya could drive a bloody herd of cattle over it without the least fear of damage, so strong is it. But do they call me 'McGonagall The Bridge Builder'? No! They do na!"

And that mill over there? Built it with me own two hands. Carried the stone from the quarry on me own back, placed each one on top of th'other with great skill.  That mill will stand for a thousand years, so strong it is. But do they call me 'McGonagall The Millwright'? No! They do na!

And that fence? Built it with me own two hands as well.  Not an animal in the land that can jump over it or knock it over.   But do they call me 'McGonagall The Fence Builder'? No! They do na!

But shag ONE sheep..."

At least they're just asking you about bagpipes

[Merlin]

That rates up there with what makes people think they have a right to touch someone because of (fill in the blank).

In garb, pregnant, kilted, etc.

Being a kilted gentleman if I went around asking a lady what she was wearing under her skirt I'd be brought up on sexual harassment and to actually reach to check?!?!?  If I pulled down a ladies tank top to see if she was wearing a bra I'd be arrested so fast.

Drac

This ^^

I really don't understand why women (usually drunk ones) don't see the connection here.

[Lady Christina de Pond]

That rates up there with what makes people think they have a right to touch someone because of (fill in the blank).

In garb, pregnant, kilted, etc.

Being a kilted gentleman if I went around asking a lady what she was wearing under her skirt I'd be brought up on sexual harassment and to actually reach to check?!?!?  If I pulled down a ladies tank top to see if she was wearing a bra I'd be arrested so fast.

Drac

This ^^

I really don't understand why women (usually drunk ones) don't see the connection here.

i see the connection and have respect for any man in a kilt I would never dream of "checking under the hood" without his permission and not in the middle of a public place

[LadyElizabeth]

I'm sure they see the connection, I definitely do.  But then again, haven't you seen women getting fondled very often at fair?  With or without their permission at times!!  So it's about time men feel what it's like... haha...

[Zardoz]

Ahh, "The Question" They cannot resist it! People may have never seen a kilt in person, may not know what they are or where they come from, but they all have a burning need to verify what they seem to have heard about what may or may not be under them!

I was talking about some of this this kind of stuff with my wife the other day. We were looking at some photos from a motorcycle trip where some citizens at a rest stop wanted a picture with her because she was in her head to toe leather biker gear. I've had that happen too, been somewhere out of context, like in the mall, in my colors and biker togs and had somebody want a picture, I always thought "yeah if a bunch of my friends were here, you'd just call security".

So we thought, on what other occasions have folks ever wanted to comment on our attire or take a picture of/with us? And they have always been when we are out in puplic, but might be dressed "differently" than everyone else, like in Highlandwear, Old West, Renfaire, SciFi Costume, Biker Gear etc..

I have come to the conclusion that even at faire the kilt sticks out from the "norm". And if you can be singled out as being dressed 'differently' from the norm in a given setting, no matter how normal you think it is, I believe the general public sees your kilt in the same light as if you were sporting a clown suit! They are dressed "normal" you are dressed "weird"!

They seem to then quite easily make the mental leap that you must be there for their entertainment in some way, and therefore feel entitled to manhandle you and ask you the most bizzare questions.

Or maybe I think too much

[will paisley]

I'm sure they see the connection, I definitely do.  But then again, haven't you seen women getting fondled very often at fair?  With or without their permission at times!!  So it's about time men feel what it's like... haha...

What faires are you going to?  I haven't seen too terribly much of this at faire, and what bit I have seen was entirely consensual.  If any woman at my home faire let it be known that she was displeased with being touched inappropriately, a world of hurt would be visited upon said transgressor in a heartbeat.

[Merlin]

I'm sure they see the connection, I definitely do.  But then again, haven't you seen women getting fondled very often at fair?  With or without their permission at times!!  So it's about time men feel what it's like... haha...

I have seen it and I don't care for it. Obviously there are some frisky friends... and that's fine but to take liberties with a lady just because we are both at faire... isn't appropriate.
And I'm not a prude... at all. I'm not modest in the least bit.... I'll gladly show you what's under my kilt.
It's the idea that it's acceptable to inquire is a mystery to me. I would never ask that of someone I didn't know. In jest... I might kid around with a friend but never a total stranger.

Zardoz... as for the inquisitive  ... no worries there. I too have had my picture made in my leathers... in my kilt... that's understandable.

Perhaps I'll never understand why this question arises... I guess the best answer is "If you have to ask what's under my kilt .... you're much too young to see."