Netizens Slam Discriminating Dress Code At Workplace For Female Employees

A Reddit user shared the dress code at workplace issued by her previous employer which includes guidelines that were discriminatory against the female employees. While most of the netizens slammed the discriminatory guidelines of the dress code at workplace, others agreed that some regulations are important to maintain a professional environment. But does this mean that it gives the right to discriminate against some employees based on their gender? Why are certain clothes 'acceptable' for women to wear and others are not?

Reddit user shared guidelines regarding dress code at workplace which mentioned what a female employee should wear to office and what colours are acceptable in a work environment. When this was not enough to establish and impose their discriminatory practices over their employees, they went on to specify what length of clothing may not rise questions for females.

Under the "Skirts" section, the guidelines read, "A skirt more than two inches above the knee raises eyebrows and questions." The guidelines further added that facial hair on women does not look pleasant, "Facial hair on women, however, is not a pleasant sight, as it is not associated with being feminine." It said. (not associated with femininity, or not associated with the patriarchal ideas of beauty?)

Netizens React To Discriminatory Dress Code At Workplace For Female Employees

A Reddit user exclaimed at the possibility of such ideas in the 21st century saying, "Please tell me it was prank or something, this shit is definitely can't be real."

Another Reddit user wrote that in earlier days, there used to be just two distinctions relating to the dress code at workplaces - Business formals and Business casuals which were quite self-explanatory instead of having such detailed instructions on what's allowed and what's not. A user by the handle SparkandFlash wrote, "meanwhile in an alternate dimension:- all facial hair on men should be shaved, to hide any raised eyebrows when women come to do their job wearing a dress they like." (He's not wrong, though)

Mentioning their "unpopular opinion" another user wrote saying that some decorum needs to be maintained for all employees at a workplace, "It's an office, not an Instagram reel or a ramp. You can't wear overly sexy clothing." The comment said.

But Why Do We Need Such Dress Code?

Why is it okay for men to grow beard and have a mustache while not a "pleasant sight" for women to have facial hair, which is LITERALLY a natural thing. Why do we judge women based on the clothes they wear? Why do we shame women for having facial hair or hair under armpits? Why do we have such high standards when it comes to female beauty? Isn't it the patriarchal standards of beauty that we have been conditioned to follow all these years that make all such notions normalised?

Suggested Reading: Law And Her: Understanding sexual harassment rights at workplaces

It is understandable that a certain degree of professionalism must be respected and adhered to when it comes to workplaces. But it does not justify saying what length of clothing may or may not rise eyebrows and questions regarding an employee. It's high time we let go of such toxic beauty standards by which we judge women according to the length of their skirts or the colour of their hair or even the shade of their lipsticks. It's high time that we let them be comfortable in their own skin, wearing what they want without being objectified or criticised for being a woman.

Views expressed by the author are their own.