My friend Martin has been trying his hand at this weblogging business. Go check out his site and give him some encouragement. (But I have to warn you, avoid his School Disco pictures!)
For you non-UKers, School Disco is a ridiculous club event where lots of adults demean themselves by dressing up in school uniforms (a la Britney Spears) and trying to get off with one another to the sound of 80’s music. Or something. I’d write more, but Meg‘s already said it better than I could. I’ll just further note how disgusting it is to see the crowd of dirty old men clustered around the Lloyd’s cashpoint on Saturday nights drooling over the “Catholic schoolgirls” in body glitter and pigtails. Ugh. But Martin loves it and I’m sure we’ll have a very entertaining argument going on in the comments section any moment now… 🙂
martin
October 1, 2001 — 2:52 pm
Hmmm I’m a gonna have to respond now.
As a friend of mine pointed out its just a fetish club that’s made it to the mainstream really. But who cares?
And I will defend it ‘cos its an excellent laugh and a nice bit of escapism.
Besides no one ever dressed like that at school, that’s the point.
Next you’ll be telling me you’ve never dressed up for a 70’s club (surely more demeaning) or a party?
Kris
October 1, 2001 — 4:00 pm
Well, I’ll play feminist devil’s advocate. You don’t find it in any way slightly weird that the entire basis of this “fetish” is the sexualization of schoolgirls? Sure, right, boys dress up too. But like Krolnik said, all they really have to do is wear black shoes and dress pants. They don’t, like, wear mini-skirts and knee socks and stilettos. They don’t aim for a combination of “underage innocent” and “slutty nymphomaniac”. In fact, I’d argue that most of the guys there probably only get dressed up in order to get in and SEE all the girls! It all goes back to Britney doing “Hit Me Baby One More Time”, doesn’t it? And even if everybody who attends the Disco has a great laugh and is fine with it, what about those dirty old men I mentioned who might look at some of the women and find their own perverted child porn fantasies validated?
Sure, I’ve dressed up for costume events. I don’t have any problem with women dressing up as French maids or kittens or anything else sexy that they want. But when they start dressing as kids and sexualizing the outer trappings of childhood, I do have problems with that.
And as for “fetish” clubs, people can do whatever they want at home. My problem with the school disco is that I live in Hammersmith and every weekend the town gets INVADED. It’s hard for me to believe that anybody’s in the club because they all seem to be outside wanting to be SEEN. Which makes it less about having fun, and more about making a big spectable of yourself. Which is annoying.
Like I said, just playin’ feminist devil’s advocate and all. 🙂
martin
October 1, 2001 — 4:14 pm
That’s OK.
I think the point is that they are adults. Its the dichotony (not sure if this is the right word but it sounds about right) of it all.
>about those dirty old men I mentioned
>who might look at some of the women
>and find their own perverted child
>porn fantasies validated?
Not a lot we can do about that, but if they really are that weird then actual adults dressed like that won’t do it for them anyhow.
>But like Krolnik said, all they really
>have to do is wear black shoes and
>dress pants.
Yes but the gals can get away with that too. Some of the guys wear shorts and caps and make a bit of an effort.
When we went there went to one of the pubs round there mainly ‘cos we were waiting for people to arrive.
Yes. I don’t like it being in Hammersmith. It reminds me too much of work. 🙂
Kris
October 1, 2001 — 4:48 pm
“if they really are that weird then actual adults dressed like that won’t do it for them anyhow”
That’s not what I’m saying; I’m saying that seeing sexualized images of schoolgirls might cause them to feel differently towards ACTUAL CHILDREN. I don’t care if adults find adults sexy; there’s nothing wrong with that and the person dressing up is probably asking for the attention anyway. But if people start getting the idea that young girls are sexy… it’s just a hop, skip, and a jump to the situation you have in Japan, where businessmen buy used school girl panties out of vending machines.
*shudder*
Anonymous
November 18, 2001 — 3:09 pm
These perves that you that you mention are more likely to be haning round where there are real children. Shouldn’t we not be worriying what consenting adults get up to but how children are dressing up like adults!
Kris
November 18, 2001 — 3:50 pm
Hey, you’re entitled to your opinion. Of course, I find that I’m always more inclined to listen to them when the person has the courage to sign their own name. Just a thought.
Anonymous
November 25, 2001 — 9:57 am
Well, the Nips are a load of perverts!