There isn't an outfit on Earth that is objectively male or female. As a society, we have simply projected our own ideas of masculinity and femininity onto different items of clothing.
Now, one man is doing his bit to challenge these rigid gender norms and expectations, by proudly wearing skirts and heels in public.
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American Mark Bryan is a husband and dad-of-three who currently lives in Germany, where he works as a robotic engineer.
Seeking to challenge gender-based stereotypes, the 61-year-old typically wears a skirt and heels when he goes to work, goes into thelocal town, and when he's at home.
Related - A Florida mother reveals that she is raising a gender-neutral baby:
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Speaking to Bored Panda, he explained: "I dress like this because I can. Just to be different. I have always admired the women that wore tight skirts and heels.
Mark added: "Not sexually, but the power they presented. I don't dress to be sexual, but to dress like any professional woman would. To me, clothes have no gender. I prefer skirts to dresses. Dresses don't allow me to mix the genders."
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When asked what inspires him to wear heels and skirts, he said: "All the fashion options. With men’s pants, you have just a few color options: black, gray, navy, and brown, and no pants with prints."
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Mark continued: "With skirts, you can add reds, green, brighter blues, floral prints, animal prints, etc. Same with shoes, but then you also have many more styles and heel types. Plus you can wear open-toed shoes when the weather is nice."
He then explained: "I feel no different as to me, it’s just clothes. Naturally, on a cold or windy day, it physically feels different. When wearing heels, I feel taller, but also empowered for some reason.
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"In all, maybe having the inner strength to have the confidence to wear non-conforming clothing has also given me the confidence and strength to handle my pressures at work."
Mark has been happily married for over 10 years and has the full support of his family - including his wife.
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"My wife often makes suggestions on what I should wear. My daughter wishes she could borrow my shoes at times," he said.
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Mark said his "favorite is a 5-inch stiletto," explaining, "I just love the way they make me look and the feeling they give."
His "least favorite thing" is "walking on uneven surfaces like a cobblestone walkway or a sidewalk with pavers that have gaps big enough to swallow a stiletto heel."
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Mark almost always wears pencil skirts and stiletto heels. He doesn't wear dresses as that is not his "style". His "style" is "presenting as the man above the waist, with non-gendered clothing below the waist."
In his Instagram bio, Mark writes: "I am just a straight, happily married guy that loves Porsches, beautiful women, and incorporating high heels and skirts into my daily wardrobe."
And his posts prove to be very popular, with his most recent post, uploaded on October 16, amassing 21,000+ likes and 1,500+ comments (at the time of writing).
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In the snap, he can be seen posing in a corporate outfit composed of a purple blouse, matching purple heels, and a pencil skirt.
Needless to say, Mark's 67,000+ followers were impressed by the striking look, with one Instagram user writing: "You're so right. Clothing has no gender! You look amazing and I envy how effortlessly you look when [you] walk and just wear heels in general. More power to you."
Another raved: "I love how your shoes are always matching your outfits perfectly! You are my new favorite on Insta! Never change!"
A third person gushed: "[You] match your outfits so well! I love how you match 'man' shirts with the skirts and shoes, you are just too stylish. Your account gives me life!"