The days when professional clothing consisted of a separate set for men and women are long gone. In 2023, more and more companies will opt for gender-neutral workwear. Many customers applaud because this puts an end to the sexist approach to work clothing. The premise is that everyone is treated equally, which is exactly what we strive for these days. But this new trend brings with it problems that few people would have expected.
Gender-specific dress codes are not permitted
Although gender neutralization has been discussed for a long time in various organizations, most companies have only started implementing it in 2021. The trigger was a ruling by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), an organization that advocates for the rights of US citizens. It was about a case between Alaska Airlines and its employee Justin Wetherell. As a flight attendant and flight attendant instructor, Wetherel, who identifies as non-binary, noticed that the company differentiated between uniforms for men and women. The ACLU appealed to the airline because it is not legally permissible to give employees a choice between male and female business attire. The organization also found that it is not permissible to differentiate between different dress codes, for example whether cosmetics are required or not. This falls under gender discrimination.
The verdict soon made headlines around the world. Although it is generally known that discrimination in the workplace is prohibited, until then no one had given any thought to discrimination in work clothing. After this news, more and more companies started introducing unisex clothing. This also fits well at a time when traditional gender roles and stereotypes are being put to the test.
Airlines are changing their policies
So far it has mainly been the airlines that are introducing new arrangements and adjusting the dress code. After all, they saw the negative publicity this caused among the competition.
Icelandic airline Play launched a unisex collection of sweaters, sneakers and T-shirts in 2021. It not only took into account the rights of employees, but also the current trend towards casual clothing. A few months later, the Canadian company Flair also launched a new range. From the outside you could see mainly simple trouser suits for women and men. However, the company assured that it was a gender-neutral concept: everyone was allowed to wear whatever they felt comfortable with.
It now seems almost unheard of for an airline to opt for gender-specific corporate attire and corresponding dress codes. The new clothing at Japan Airlines, Australia’s Bonza and Westjet Airlines in Australia is gender neutral.
Some companies are not yet ready for a new uniform, but are gradually adjusting their dress codes. British Airways now allows male pilots to wear makeup and false eyelashes, and Alaska Airlines also decided to change its rules after the public punishment. A year after the ACLU ruling, the company introduced name tags that state employees’ salutations. You can choose from she/her, he/him, they/them or a combination of these. Employees are now allowed to choose what they wear, and the regulations for external personal hygiene are (almost) completely gender-neutral.
Equality in the workplace
When a new company clothing collection is introduced or a dress code is adjusted, a corresponding press release is often sent out. This is the time to highlight what the company stands for and nowadays gender neutrality is an important topic in this regard. This shows the value placed on inclusion. Although there are also opponents, the public seems largely satisfied with it.
Even companies that announce they are working on it, like KLM did last February, receive a lot of praise. Fashion designer Addy van den Krommenacker said in an interview with the Op1 program that he was a supporter of these new plans. On the talk show, everyone at the table seemed to share his opinion. An end to gender distinctions was seen as a step towards greater equality in the workplace.
Back to history
As airlines move toward eliminating gender-specific uniforms, the workwear industry is working to increase gender distinctions.
The companies that make these clothes know from experience that in many cases a gender-neutral approach is not a recipe for success. When you have to work long hours each week in work clothes, it is crucial that they fit your body correctly. Since men and women have different body types, the fit of these clothes must also suit the gender.
For years, unisex collections have been used in various industries. For example, until the new collection was introduced in 2019, employees in the emergency services wore a uniform outfit that was not differentiated according to gender. This is still the case in many factories and the tech industry.
The employees sit behind the sewing machines
As a result, clothing doesn’t fit women particularly well. Because unisex clothing is almost always based on the male body. The fit is straight and does not allow for curves.
If women’s pants fit at the hips, they are too big at the waist. At the same time, the legs are often too long and the sleeves and shoulders of the outerwear are also too wide. There is not enough space on the breasts, which leads to constraints and tension in the fabric, but also on buttons and zippers.
Clothing that is too long poses an immediate danger in the workplace. Sleeves and trouser legs can get caught behind something. If pants are too wide at the waist, there is a chance that wood and iron filings, chemicals or other materials will get between the body and clothing. In addition, the affected employees have to constantly hold their pants up by hand, which also hinders work.
Some companies choose to only wear clothing in certain areas. Or the employees even take a seat behind the sewing machine. In the latter case, there is a great risk that disputes will arise about appearance and maintaining uniformity. After all, everyone has a different idea of what is representative and appropriate in the company.
This is a good solution in the short term, but offers little future prospects. Because clothing that does not take friction, wear and comfort in certain areas into account cannot possibly offer the same comfort as that of the opposite sex.
The future of gender-neutral corporate clothing
So far, most companies that have adopted a gender-neutral approach appear to have seen no reason to deviate from it. No significant incidents have been reported yet, and there has been no strong resistance from employees.
In the short term, this also pays off for companies. They receive praise from the public and thus ensure good PR. The cost of purchasing unisex uniforms is several times lower than that of distinguishing between genders. It also saves a lot of work organizationally. The more compact the collection, the clearer it is.
With safety and comfort in mind, gender-neutral workwear policies will likely look different in the future. Equality is more likely to be achieved by giving employees individual freedoms than through the lack of a gender-specific clothing package. After all, this is exactly what the ACLU pointed out: employees should not be forced to choose between one item of clothing and another, or to follow a rule based on gender.
So that doesn’t mean that there shouldn’t be corporate clothing that makes a difference between men and women. There will always be a difference and clothing should reflect that. It is freedom and equality in which a balanced path should be found.
This translated article previously appeared on FashionUnited.nl