Don’t I know it, Mark thought. He was livid when his mother bought him a skirt and a reverse shirt for the wedding in the summer, but at least he wasn’t the only one since the bride had three boys and two girls in her bridal party, all wearing dresses, tights and tiaras and holding bouquets, plus a flowerboy. It’s still very much the norm for the bride to wear a gown and the groom to wear a suit but the groom’s nephews who weren’t in the bridal party both wore dresses too. In fact Mark’s outfit was relatively plain compared to theirs, being an ivory circle skirt with black polka dots and a white shirt with its buttons running up the back, worn with thin ‘nude’ tights and a pair of his mother’s old sandals. “What are you thinking about?” his mother asked, pulling Mark from his memories.
“The wedding.” he replied.
“You looked lovely.” his mother said. “Pity there’s not been another occasion for you to wear your skirt again.”
“Thankfully!”
“Oh it wasn’t that bad.” his mother claimed.
“Nah.” Mark agreed. He recalled the groom’s nephews (poor things) who wore matching lilac party dresses with white satin sashes and looked like seven year old girls despite the fact they were both teenagers. And at least he wasn’t in the bridal party dressed in a pale pink chiffon frock, or the flowerboy who was an eleven year old wearing an all white satin and lace dress! “…it was still embarrassing though… all the women and girls saying ooh doesn’t Mark look nice whilst all the boys and men were giving me bemused glances.” Mark added.
“You did look nice.” his mother stated.
“Probably too nice.” Mark frowned. “It’s not so bad for say… Jacob’s little brother who’s pretty much grown up thinking boys can wear dresses but for boys my age it’s different.” he explained. “We can remember when only girls had frocks and heels and handbags.”
“I understand what you’re saying but you’ve got to move with the times.” his mother replied. “You’re still very young… it’s not like you’re your father’s age.”
“Does my dad know you bought me a dress for Christmas?”
“No but I’m sure he won’t mind.” Mark’s mother replied. “I’m not sure what Granddad will think though.” she added. “Are you going to tell your Dad?” she asked.
“I dunno.” Mark frowned. “Probably not.” he mused. Mark’s parents separated several years ago and his father lives in a small apartment in a satellite town. They continued to have a good relationship but only meet up once or twice each month, and Mark will be spending a couple of days with his dad between Christmas and New Year.
“Well it’s entirely up to you.” his mother said. “But don’t presume he’ll think negatively… he knows as much as anyone how the world is changing.” she told him. “I wouldn’t be at all surprised if, after another decade or so, the groom will wear the wedding dress and the bride will wear the suit.”
“I hope not!” Mark grimaced.
Being a single parent of an only child, Mark’s mother easily manages to hold down a full time professional career by working from home when he’s not at school and visiting the office and clients when he is. In previous decades professional women were not afforded such a flexible approach to their careers, and that was one of many reasons why the old patriarchy ultimately failed. As women and mothers began to fill the boardrooms of many companies and organisations, they recognised that many archaic workplace practises needed to be rethought and overhauled and as a result, western society entered what would soon be dubbed the genderquake. Women and mothers became the main breadwinners. Men and husbands found themselves struggling to progress through any career and found themselves working the most menial of jobs. Mark’s father had a decent office job until the company restructured and he found himself in a junior position on the minimum wage. His new responsibilities were restocking the stationery cupboard and shredding non-confidential documents. His wife, Mark’s mother wanted him to quit work and become a full time househusband but pride would not let him stoop so low… and that’s when the marriage began to break down.