Tesco man employee wears skirts at work

Clippings from news sources involving fashion freedom and other gender equality issues.
renesm1
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Tesco man employee wears skirts at work

Post by renesm1 »

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https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/tesco-worker-happier-can-finally-23604258
Great article. Almost non-event for him. Can't see any subtle subtext in the article having a dig (read through twice).

Good luck to him and a boost for us all!
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Re: Tesco man employee wears skirts at work

Post by Stu »

The only reason male employees don't have a skirt option when it comes to uniform is that it is not fashionable for males to wear skirts. I can't think of any other reason.
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Re: Tesco man employee wears skirts at work

Post by STEVIE »

Stu wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 5:22 pm The only reason male employees don't have a skirt option when it comes to uniform is that it is not fashionable for males to wear skirts. I can't think of any other reason.
I think there is Stu.
As far as I can tell a UK employer is not obliged to have a gender neutral or equal dress code.
If the male employee in a skirt is seen as being potentially detrimental to the business then trousers could be enforced,
The measure appears to be what is "generally acceptable", and yes, fashion is an element.
In the Tesco case it was accepted by the management and good PR for them too.
However, had that gone to tribunal if they had rejected his choice I would not have bet on a successful outcome.
That would go double if the employer had no fear of adverse publicity or creating a cause celebre.
The only real exception to this would that he was transgendered and presenting as a female.
Unfair and totally illogical but let us hope that one day completely untrue.
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Re: Tesco man employee wears skirts at work

Post by crfriend »

STEVIE wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 7:40 pmAs far as I can tell a UK employer is not obliged to have a gender neutral or equal dress code.
If the male employee in a skirt is seen as being potentially detrimental to the business then trousers could be enforced,
The measure appears to be what is "generally acceptable", and yes, fashion is an element.
In the Tesco case it was accepted by the management and good PR for them too.
I suspect that in this particular case there may have been other factors working in the employee's favour, including possibly being liked and/or respected by local staff and management who were willing to go to bat for him. This could well be a one-off.

If it is, kudos to everybody involved; if it can gain traction, then good on and for all.
However, had that gone to tribunal if they had rejected his choice I would not have bet on a successful outcome.
Nor would I; legal systems move at glacial paces unless there's significant societal or political pressure, and a guy who simply wishes the right to wear a skirt for no other reason than he does is not likely to receive any sort of consideration.
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Re: Tesco man employee wears skirts at work

Post by Dust »

What I found encouraging the most, was that the comments below the article seemed overwhelmingly positive or ambivalent, with a few very good ones.

On the gentleman in question, it seemed like he may have been pressured into trying the full "try to pass as a female" thing (he mentions having wigs and such), but settled into something more unusual but far more mundane: simply being a man in a skirt.

I'm encouraged by articles like this and the ones on our own member, Mark, but ultimately, I look forward to the day when this isn't newsworthy, and this very site is a quaint relic of the past...
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Re: Tesco man employee wears skirts at work

Post by Sinned »

As far as I am aware most companies have equality policies which would protect such as us so I'm not sure that the outcome would be as much a foregone conclusion as you would think. My employer includes gender expression in its equality statement and I would be covered in wearing a skirt. But I have agreed with my manager that for various reasons the environment would not be the best for a skirt. None of the women employees in my store wear skirts either.
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Re: Tesco man employee wears skirts at work

Post by skirted84 »

I also work for Tesco though literally none of the women wear skirts in there and its an Extra store so large. My job is mostly filling the shelves, high low and all between and carting goods on various trolleys, skirts just wouldn't be practical. Possibly managers or checkout staff but if no women wear skirts it would stand out too much.
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Re: Tesco man employee wears skirts at work

Post by moonshadow »

He looks natural in that skirt... it suits him well...

Any of you all wonder why some of these reports exist? I mean, no 1) why is wearing a skirt so newsworthy? But no 2) Most of us wear skirts all of the time, and no journalist has ever approached us...

Not that I'm angling for an interview, but sometimes I just wonder... that's all.

Honestly if a reporter approached me about doing a story on my fashion choices, I'd likely respond ... "slow day at the paper today? Surely there must be a cat stuck in a tree around here somewhere..." :lol: :mrgreen:
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Re: Tesco man employee wears skirts at work

Post by renesm1 »

moonshadow wrote: Thu Mar 11, 2021 4:05 am He looks natural in that skirt... it suits him well...

Any of you all wonder why some of these reports exist? I mean, no 1) why is wearing a skirt so newsworthy? But no 2) Most of us wear skirts all of the time, and no journalist has ever approached us...

Not that I'm angling for an interview, but sometimes I just wonder... that's all.

Honestly if a reporter approached me about doing a story on my fashion choices, I'd likely respond ... "slow day at the paper today? Surely there must be a cat stuck in a tree around here somewhere..." :lol: :mrgreen:
You hit the nail on the head there. I have been a journalist and too often it's all "Shall I try to hold to account the rich and powerful? Naaah! I'll talk to this guy about his sartorial choices!"
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Re: Tesco man employee wears skirts at work

Post by moonshadow »

renesm1 wrote: Thu Mar 11, 2021 9:46 am You hit the nail on the head there. I have been a journalist and too often it's all "Shall I try to hold to account the rich and powerful? Naaah! I'll talk to this guy about his sartorial choices!"
Well, I suppose there are the "lifestyles" sections of the news, but as men have been wearing skirts since the dawning of civilization.... how is this "news"? :wink:

I hope I live to see a day when men in skirts isn't newsworthy anymore.

Imagine the headline, "woman wears trousers every day"
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Re: Tesco man employee wears skirts at work

Post by Stu »

I note what Stevie says and I agree with every word.

However, when it boils down to it, the only reason this is newsworthy is that it is unfashionable for men to wear skirts in modern western culture. That is the only reason - there is no logical objection. All we are doing on here is making a case that this fashion taboo is unnecessarily limiting the clothing options for 50% of the population.
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Re: Tesco man employee wears skirts at work

Post by STEVIE »

For what it's worth this is the guidance on dress codes at work published by ACAS,
https://archive.acas.org.uk/dresscode
One thing that is stressed is that men and women should be treated equally but needn't have the same requirements.
It is that which leads me to doubt that a UK Employment Tribunal would automatically find in the skirted guys favour if it came to a dispute.
In terms of the "big" employers it is more likely for them to be liberal because they have a wide and diverse customer base.
As I said good PR goes a hell of a long way. However, smaller companies could tend to be more conservative, conscious of adverse reaction from a limited clientele. The guy in the skirt is not the corporate image which they wish to project and they may move heaven and earth to ensure that it is protected.
I really hate being this pessimistic, it may not be a foregone conclusion either but it would be damn close too.
The balance is also tipped by the record unemployment rates at the moment and I do not wish to begin on the politics.
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I should have also said that I agree that the guy looks perfectly natural and relaxed.
Kudos to him and Tesco most certainly.
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Re: Tesco man employee wears skirts at work

Post by rivegauche »

Yup. If a Free Church minister turned up to preach in a dress he would probably lose his job. He would be unfrocked.

On the other hand some Hollywood star was at a Church of England service where the vicar or bishop or something was in full rig, swinging an incense burner. "Love the frock, darling, but your handbag's on fire"

Seriously, there are some jobs where men are expected to wear robes like dresses
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Re: Tesco man employee wears skirts at work

Post by STEVIE »

rivegauche wrote: Thu Mar 11, 2021 11:17 pm Seriously, there are some jobs where men are expected to wear robes like dresses
There are Rivegauche but they are part of the established uniform and therefore considered acceptable.
The church, legal profession and political arenas are all examples.
I am not aware of all the intricate details but I doubt there is much difference in them for men and women.
Unisex garments as modelled by our most conservative and cherished institutions no less.
Perhaps one of the best examples of the absurdity mentioned earlier.
Good point but there are no burning handbags allowed in the Presbyterian Kirk unless it belongs to someone who has upset the Session Clerk.
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Re: Tesco man employee wears skirts at work

Post by Sinned »

Incidentally, I passed the article to two ( female ) colleagues at work and the answers that I received back were on the lines of good for him and that they didn't have a problem. Hull is just down the road ( relatively ) for me.
I believe in offering every assistance short of actual help but then mainly just want to be left to be myself in all my difference and uniqueness.
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