skirtcafe.org

Love it!

[Roslagsbanan] have given their blessing to the men wearing skirts however.

"To say anything else would be discrimination," Thomas Hedenius, the communications head, told the local Mitti newspaper [...]

For the win!

He added that the regulations were in place so staff looked presentable and tidy, adding that shorts appeared "more relaxed" than a skirt.

These stories where men (and boys) wear skirts to get around a shorts ban seem to be cropping up every year now; long may they continue.

For the drivers, the irony is that they are going to be "more relaxed" in skirts

Charlie

Always had a soft spot for Sweden, I have a bit of the language from an excellent teacher.
Sorry but these guys are not likely supporters of men in skirts in general, they are simply being expedient to get around the "rules".
That said, it may not apply to al of them, I hope.
Steve.

Better story, with photo of skirt-wearing driver here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22828150

Charlie wrote:For the drivers, the irony is that they are going to be "more relaxed" in skirts

If that keeps their attention on the task of driving the train instead of being uncomfortable I'd call that a win.

Yet they're wearing neckties...

Zorba wrote:Yet they're wearing neckties...

The necktie! Probably the most ridiculous garment ever thought of

Another link to this story-

Male train drivers don skirts after shorts ban
http://www.thelocal.se/48384/20130608/

It strikes me management allowed them to wear skirts so they would hopefully be laughed at and they would have gone back to the normal trousers, it looks like it could backfire on them.

RichardA wrote:It strikes me management allowed them to wear skirts so they would hopefully be laughed at and they would have gone back to the normal trousers, it looks like it could backfire on them.

Well, I dunno, at least one article says:

• Åkersten's employers Arriva have meanwhile responded positively to the move and have given their approval to the men in skirts.
  
  "To say anything else would be discrimination," communications head Thomas Hedenius told the newspaper.

But I have to agree, this doesn't seem likely as a continuing practice that goes on for years.

And anyway, who cares what a train motorman wears, anyway? Do they deal directly with passengers? Do any passengers even see them?

Here are two of those Lucky Swedish train drivers.

Caultron wrote:

RichardA wrote: And anyway, who cares what a train motorman wears, anyway? Do they deal directly with passengers? Do any passengers even see them?

We often see our drivers on the trains here in western Sweden. We also have ticket collectors, waiters etc, who wear the same uniform so it's a fair bet the males in these jobs will be following suit.

Stu

Just a few observations re. the Swedish rail employees. The powers that be do not seem to have a short sleeve shirt option, as the drivers pictured have long sleeves rolled up. Further, they have been caught out, having banned shorts they did not consider regulating sock colour.
Now for a bit of (unrealistic?) optimism. If the bureaucracy takes a glacial time admitting shorts, maybe some drivers will become attached to their skirted comfort and persist in wearing their skirts.

This story won a brief spot on ABC's "Good Morning America". It aired about 8am this morning with about 30 seconds worth of reporting and commentary. While the female anchors remained pretty much silent about it, it was interesting that the gents only made negative comments regarding the restrictiveness of male dress codes, and were otherwise supportive of the drivers actions.