Re: Claudia/Nell
"Actually, given where she grew up and how she was raised, it's not weird at all," Nell replied calmly. It was one thing for her to tease with her friends about Savannah's matchmaking when Savannah was a friend and, honestly, rarely pushy about it. Savannah didn't understand Nell's point of view and didn't agree with it and that was fine. But, it was another thing entirely for someone newly associated with their group to be condescending and judgmental about it.
"Not every woman agreed with or supported the feminist movement, for one thing. And the feminist movement didn't give us that right because it was never legally dictated that women could not wear pants. It was a societal norm that has varied by generation and culture throughout centuries of history, as has the wearing of kilts, skirts, togas, and even high heels by men. Evolution and biology also played a large part in the construction of those norms, as they did societal rules and gender roles that originally had nothing to do with considering women or men weaker, merely different. There have been those throughout history who flouted them. And, in fact Katherine Hepburn was flouting that particular societal norm by wearing pants when there was no formalized movement. But, it was a convenient difference, along with wearing bras, that a certain radical portion of the movement's adherents chose to use as a symbol.
"And still, there are large sectors of society that would consider it in poor taste to wear a dark suit, as a woman, to a wedding reception that was themed around the idea that the women's dresses would be the added color and part of the look. That's even without considering that most of the women here come from sectors of society that would consider it inappropriate in any context.
"You're free to wear what you want, of course, and not knowing what was said, I can't say there was anything unintentionally insulting in what she said to you about it. But it doesn't make her weird or a freak for not appreciating it, or for reacting in the way she's been taught in a culture most likely quite a bit different from yours. And, knowing her as well as I do, I'm sure whatever insult might have been in her words was unintentional because she's not a cruel person by nature and most likely thought she was being helpful."