In 2013, in Sweden, Train drivers for Arriva on the Roslagsbanan line north of Stockholm were required to wear long trousers to work as shorts were not allowed because the company felt that shorts did not look professional enough for their male employees. It was extremely hot in the summer months with the temps inside their cabins reaching upwards of 95+ degrees F. Meanwhile female employees were required to wear knee length skirts.
So what did the male employees do? Wear skirts of course! In protest of the no shorts rule for male employees, for 2 weeks, many of the men decided to just wear skirts in order to beat the heat. They were of course, still in one or the two required uniform bottoms which did not explicitly state that only women or only men could wear them. The men reported that they got a few odd looks from time to time, but generally hearing their story, passengers were very supportive of the skirt look to help them beat the heat.
Of course their protest got a lot of attention putting the spotlight squarely on the companies draconian policy that did not allow male employees to stay cool whilst on the job.
The communications manager, Tomas Hedenius, went on record after all the press saying, he had absolutely no problems with the men wearing skirts because to tell them not to would actually be discrimination.
Say what?
Yup, rather then allow them to wear a uniform pair of shorts because it was insanely hot...not a ridiculous request at all..the company said, go right ahead and wear your skirts, you're still in uniform. Fairness achievement unlocked! The company also stated that they would be willing to review the uniform policies next quarter which would have been well into the fall which of course would not help them.
Cut to, the court of public opinion which basically and thankfully for the men, pressured the company into changing it's policy which now allows the men to wear shorts in the summer months, but they may also, if they so desire, still wear skirts because to ban them from doing so..."would actually be discrimination."
Spurred on by this protest, in the same year, at the Whitchurch High School in Cardiff, a group of year 10 boys who called themselves 17 strong, walked the halls of their school in skirts to protest their not being able to wear shorts in the summer heatwaves and in support of the girls and not wanting them to have to wear tights during the hotter months. This protest didn't go well, as the headmaster called the boys in and made them put their trousers back on. The school's dress code read: "Trousers are compulsory for boys and optional for girls. These must be full length and plain black." Soon after a petition went up asking for signatures to have the students voices heard, but the petition failed to garner enough signatures.
All is not lost, because as of 2018, the schools uniform policy states that, "students may wear tailored ‘Chino’ type shorts of discreet single colour, but other leisure shorts will not be accepted.
Most Helpful Opinions