Introducing Mark Bryan, a fashion-forward robotics engineer who is making waves and upending conventional wisdom. Bryan, who has been married for eleven years and is a loving parent, defies stereotypes by dressing in what many would consider unusual clothing. Bryan, an American living in Germany, freely wears heels and skirts, stating that gender norms shouldn’t apply to fashion.
You might wonder, why? Bryan, on the other hand, thinks that men’s fashion—particularly office wear—is very boring, consisting only of dark blues, grays, and blacks with the occasional pinstripe. Is there any passion in that? Conversely, skirts provide an array of designs, patterns, and hues – a veritable rainbow of outfit options!
Bryan embraces a fashion trend that combines parts of the traditionally masculine and feminine, teaming ties and blazers with pencil skirts and four-inch heels. It’s his method of demonstrating the genderlessness of clothing. In addition, when his girlfriend wanted a dancing partner who could match her eye level back in college, he taught her how to walk in heels. After a whole year of preparation, he has been strutting with confidence ever since!
Bryan’s unrepentant attitude disregarded social norms. He dresses in ways that bring him joy while defying conventions. What he says about it is as follows:
Clothes are genderless in my opinion. I like skirts more than dresses. I can’t mix the genders with dresses. Above the waist, I like to look “masculine,” and below the waist, I like to look non-gendered. It’s all about the genderlessness of clothing.
Bryan recalls an era when girls were not supposed to wear pants to school. Pants are now gender neutral. Why not heels and skirts then? Furthermore, males have worn heels in the past. The Persian cavalry of the tenth century, who wore galesh or kalash boots to keep their feet in stirrups, are credited with the invention of high heels. Later, wearing high heels—even by popes—became a status signal for European royalty.
The 18th century saw the emergence of a gender gap in fashion, which Bryan is now challenging, as a result of ridiculous cultural concerns that declared fashion to be a frivolous issue unworthy of “real men.”
Bryan admits that his fashion choices could cause people to double take, even though he advocates for guys to wear high heels. However, he compares the response to seeing someone with vivid green hair, which seems strange at first but eventually becomes just another feature of that individual.
“Leave a person with vivid green hair behind. Green hair is not typical. You glance up and notice someone, and your brain immediately identifies them as having green hair. You may find that strange or intriguing, but you quickly move on to your previous task without giving it any more attention. I think people react the same way when they see me wearing heels and a skirt.
Bryan finds it easy to find heels and skirts that fit. He has a lot of alternatives because he has size 8.5 feet and a size 8 skirt. He advises men who want to wear heels to start low and work their way up to a comfortable level.
What are your thoughts on Mark Bryan’s wardrobe selections? Would a man you know try wearing high heels? Talk about this with your loved ones and friends and let’s start a dialogue!
Mom Fights Back! DMV Demands She Surrender Her Vanity Plate After 15 Years
A mother of four was shocked when New Hampshire’s DMV told her she had to give up the vanity plates she had for 15 years.
The plates were a playful reminder to her sons to use the bathroom before getting in the car. However, the DMV didn’t see it that way and decided the plates referred to “sexual or excretory acts.”
In 2019, Wendy Auger from Rochester, New Hampshire, was told by the DMV to turn in her vanity license plate after using it for 15 years.
“It would be a real shame if I lose it,” said Wendy, who often gets compliments on her funny plates.
Referencing the state’s motto, “Live free or die,” she added, “If I have to take it off, then I won’t be able to live free.”
Her plates read “PB4WEGO,” reminding her kids to “pee before we go” before getting in the car.
“What parent hasn’t said that to their kids before leaving the house?” she asks. “I’m not one to protest, but this is just ridiculous.”
However, the DMV sent her a letter saying the plates needed to be turned in because they believe the letters refer to “sexual or excretory acts.”
“I’m not a political activist,” she tells CNN. “But this plate isn’t offensive. It’s part of our family and who I am, and there was no reason for them to take it away.”
At the time, Auger had 10 days to return her plate and was allowed to pick another custom plate for free.
After getting the letter, she posted it on Facebook with photos of her plates.
Her post quickly went viral.
One person commented on Auger’s social media page, saying, “This is so ridiculous… It’s funny and cute, and it’s a great reminder!” Another person wrote, “What’s going on?! You’ve had that plate FOREVER.”
A third person suggested, “Maybe it should say Pee or Pay…??? lol”
Responding to those who encouraged her to fight the decision, Auger joked, “Live free or die my arse,” and added, “I might get a plate that says ‘dmv sux,’ but I might get pulled over a lot!”
Her post gained a lot of attention on social media and eventually caught the eye of New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu. He sent her a message saying: “Hey Wendy, it’s Chris Sununu. Just wanted to let you know we fixed that issue. Sorry for the mix-up and the delay, but common sense won out in the end.”
On August 28, 2019, Auger shared a new Facebook message, announcing her victory.
“This Sassy Momma Has Her Plates!!!,” writes Auger.
What is the funniest license plate you’ve seen? Please let us know what you think and then share this story so we can hear from others!
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