Equality in the Workplace

[Interpol Shrimper]

As in most workplaces tomorrow is dress down Friday where I am working now. This week has been unbearable & almost sauna like in our office, we've just had a note round saying remember the restrictions on what you can actually wear as a male employee on dress down/casual days.

Now can somebody please answer me how is it ******* fair that females are allowed to wear vests, shorts (or mini-skirts), flipflops (or sandals)* whereas the males have to wear at least a t-shirt, full length jeans/trousers and full shoes or at least trainers?

* (1) some of them even wear this kind of clothing as normal office dresscode & (2) I can imagine there will be the comment about how it's nice to see a bit of female colleague flesh, well why is it then that it's usually the most munterish flabby birds who want to wear the least?

Rant over...

 

[MK Shrimper]

Same here mate. Men aren't allowed to wear shorts, but women can wear skirts (though not mini's, they have to be "respectable"). Same with the tie bullcrap, I refuse to wear one, even at meetings.

 

[Pubey]

I would comment but I'm wearing shorts, t-shirt and trainers. A professor just walked past wearing sandals!

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

I would comment but I'm wearing shorts, t-shirt and trainers. A professor just walked past wearing sandals!

If only I could envoke a "well it's suitable attire in other public bodies" rule...:madman:

 

[EastStandBlue]

Screw it, I'd go in wearing Shorts and a Shirt... I'd be respectable and wear presentable, smart trainers, but I'd still wear shorts if it was unbearably hot.

 

[Reg Martin]

Agree with you, Richard. If I even dare remove my tie on hot days, someone is almost certain to mention it whilst female colleagues are in casual summer wear.
You mentioned women wearing vests. Is there anything worse than the sight of a northern/scotch woman in a string vest?

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Screw it, I'd go in wearing Shorts and a Shirt... I'd be respectable and wear presentable, smart trainers, but I'd still wear shorts if it was unbearably hot.

I may very well do that.
I was actually going to wear a smart polo shirt, 3/4 length jeans & my Birkenstocks but could easily wear trainers instead to try & blag it!

 

[Davros]

i have the same irk

even tho our dress down on a friday is very relaxed, they wont let us go as far as wearing shorts, even tho the ladies can seemingly wear juts about anything!

 

[chadded]

Jeesus H Christ. It aint that hot. So what if you've got to wear a pair of trousers and a T shirt. What about the plenty of jobs that have to wear a uniform and don't get a dress down day.

Man up and grow a pair. You can tell me it's hot when it's 55 celcius and your carrying 60lbs on your back. Until then, put a fan on your desk and drink some cold water.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Maybe the whole of the UK male workforce should rise up tomorrow and break out the shorts?

 

[blues_r_best]

I'm sorry to say that your employers don't find you as attractive as the female 19 year old temp.

That's why women can wear what they want.

 

[chadded]

And to answer the other question- it's not fair. But then life isn't fair. What a bitch.

 

[Reg Martin]

Jeesus H Christ. It aint that hot. So what if you've got to wear a pair of trousers and a T shirt. What about the plenty of jobs that have to wear a uniform and don't get a dress down day.

Man up and grow a pair. You can tell me it's hot when it's 55 celcius and your carrying 60lbs on your back. Until then, put a fan on your desk and drink some cold water.

I think you're signature needs reversing

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Jeesus H Christ. It aint that hot. So what if you've got to wear a pair of trousers and a T shirt. What about the plenty of jobs that have to wear a uniform and don't get a dress down day.

Man up and grow a pair. You can tell me it's hot when it's 55 celcius and your carrying 60lbs on your back. Until then, put a fan on your desk and drink some cold water.

Fair enough, but it must be knocking 40+ degrees in here (honestly I am not joking, it's like a conservatory there is so much glass & no air-con). I have a fan & numerous supplies of various drinks but it's not working.

Anyway, it's not the uncomfortableness of it that is p*ssing me off, it's the inequality in rules for males & rules for females!

I'm sorry to say that your employers don't find you as attractive as the female 19 year old temp.

I refer you to my earlier statement...

 

[Davros]

Jeesus H Christ. It aint that hot. So what if you've got to wear a pair of trousers and a T shirt. What about the plenty of jobs that have to wear a uniform and don't get a dress down day.

Man up and grow a pair. You can tell me it's hot when it's 55 celcius and your carrying 60lbs on your back. Until then, put a fan on your desk and drink some cold water.

as long as the women in the army also have to wear uniform in 55degrees and carry 60lb of kit, then you have missed the point.

Yes maybe sitting in our nice offices with air-con we are all tarts compared to you commando chaps, but the point is about equality.

If it was the other way round and men could wear what they like and women had a code, they'd be sh*t loads of bra burning!

 

[chadded]

I think you're signature needs reversing

What, Forti Nihil Difficule first? If you insist.....


I was being a tad sarcastic, but the underlying point is correct.

 

[blues_r_best]

If it was the other way round and men could wear what they like and women had a code, they'd be sh*t loads of bra burning!

Burn your boxers then?

It would turn on the sprinklers at least, so you'd be cool. And acts as an impromptu wet t-shirt contest.

 

[chadded]

as long as the women in the army also have to wear uniform in 55degrees and carry 60lb of kit, then you have missed the point.

I refer you to my second post in this thread. Life's a bitch....... :)

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

My main gripe is that you can easily tell when dress down day is by looking at what the blokes are wearing whereas with the women who knows what day it could be.

PS - I'm certainly not going to complain about women wearing less after seeing some of the pleasant sights outside today.

 

[Reg Martin]

What, Forti Nihil Difficule first? If you insist.....
I was being a tad sarcastic, but the underlying point is correct.

Good reply.
The double standards over office dress code are a minor irritation compared to many other things that happen in life.
But us physical weaklings who are only good enough for a desk job get equality lectures on a regular basis, especially if you work in the public sector, and after a while start to notice that equality is a one-way street.