Men need liberation. Wearing a tie is torturous and dangerous to your health.

While watching the latest Australian open tennis, sometimes at even 100 degrees heat, I felt sorry for men commentators in hot jacket and tie outfits. Sometimes they looked like going to a funeral, John Mc Enroe included. They were sitting beside women broadcasters with bare shoulders, including another tennis legend, Chris Evert. Why to sweat and choke yourself on a hot summer day wearing a jacket with that silly rope around your neck? Those guys would look a lot more credible, less hot and more handsome in any light summer sports clothing.

The above applies of course to many other sports and social events. Politicians for example more often than not visit tropical countries in this most unsuitable outfit.

Why are men pressured to be that conservative – and totally unnecessarily suffer- to supposedly look dignified and important? As a contrast, these days women can wear almost anything. How many men do really enjoy it? Is it simply the insecurity and unnecessary obedience? There are so many other, more comfortable and more healthy ways to look well dressed. The last time I wore a jacket and tie was at age 28, and even in my engineering profession I have survived just fine.

Someday wearing a tie may look as stupid as smoking does today. Because wearing a tie is quite unhealthy for the following reasons( Source “Wearing a tie can make you ill, according to scientists” and many others):

- Wearing a tie constricts jugular veins and carotid arteries, diminishing the blood and oxygen supply to the brain, face and neck by an average of 7.5 %, exact value depending on how tight a tie is worn. ANY loss of oxygen to our most important part of the body for no practical reason is simply not justified. Loss of oxygen causes fatigue, irritation, and impairs clear thinking - ironically exactly what those supposedly dynamic and successful men do not need. No wonder it feels so relaxing and energizing when the tie is removed.. The Kiel University hospital in Germany called wearing a tie “a socially desirable strangulation.”

- Wearing a tie increases the intro ocular pressure (simply: eye pressure). All studies support this measured fact and point out the likelihood of getting glaucoma or cataract at an earlier age. Also, the the managing of both diseases becomes more complicated.

Who needs this for the sake of a fashion tyranny? Is anything more important in life than eyesight??

* The tie is a germs breeding ground. The New York hospital reports that they found infection causing pathogens on ties of many male health workers. A tie can touch so many places including food and spit.

-When worn near moving machinery, ties have sometimes killed.

-Wearing a tie restricts natural motions and can cause what doctors call muscoskeletal trauma. So young, vigorous men have to behave in subdued, pseudo dignified “proper” way, to look more like older men.

- Finally, a common sense conclusion: just watch the throat of a speaker without a tie. You will see how the veins, arteries, wind pipe an muscles are naturally moving. All these movements are obstructed and diminished by a tie.

I am aware of the strong irrational tradition about the social necessity of jacket and tie and the fact that some people associate this awkward harness with money and success. I am also happy to see everywhere less ties during the last few years . These obedient, awkward looking, suffering and potentially unhealthy tie wearing men really need a long overdue revolution/liberation!

Maks Zupan
Owen Sound