It appears that real men wear skirts, claims a new article in the Scottish Medical Journal. The article is based on medical literature and studies on the impact of wearing underwear on sperm production and fertility. The author admits there has been no direct study of kilt-wearing on fertility, but concludes that wearing a kilt without underwear may be a better option for men who want to naturally increase sperm production and fertility.
Sperm are produced best in optimal conditions when the temperature of the scrotum is about 3-degrees Celsius lower than the body. Wearing tight-fitting briefs can increase scrotal temperature up to 3.5-degrees Celsius. Kompanje used this literature to conclude that men who wear kilts in the classic regimental style could lower scrotal temperature and optimize the environment for sperm production.
Regimental style kilt-wearing means going without underwear. Wearing a kilt, even in Scotland, is generally reserved for special occasions like weddings, but Kompanje notes there is an underground movement that supports men wearing kilts as everyday items of clothing. The movement reaches well beyond Scotland.
Kompanje goes on to theorize that the physical changes in the scrotum are not the only benefits associated with kilt-wearing. “Wearing a kilt has strong psychological benefits. A kilt will get you noticed no matter where you are. Research indicates that men wearing a kilt experience a strong sense of freedom and masculinity and that many women are attracted to men wearing kilts.”
Whether or not wearing a kilt improves fertility has yet to be proven, but based on medical literature and previous studies into the effect of wearing tight-fitting undergarments and clothing on sperm production, Kompanje may have a good point. Leaving behind the underwear and donning a kilt in a normal, everyday setting could optimize scrotal temperature.
Source: Erwin JO Kompanje. ‘Real men wear kilts’.. The anecdotal evidence that wearing a Scottish kilt has influence on reproductive potential: how much is true? Scottish Medical Journal February 2013 vol. 58 no. 1 e1-e5; DOI: 10.1177/0036933012474600.
