Male employee asked to cut hair short

Retrogamer

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

Is the OP's relative being disadvantaged as a male because of a dress code that requires males to have short hair? What is the disadvantage? Having a haircut?

There's a good way to do this.
If you change "males" to "blacks" does it suddenly become racist?
If so, then this is the point some have been arguing.

Women may have short or long hair
Men may only have short hair.

What if the roles were reversed.
I.e men can have short or long hair, but women may only have short hair?

Still all ok?

Undervalued

Retrogamer wrote: »

There's a good way to do this.
If you change "males" to "blacks" does it suddenly become racist?
If so, then this is the point some have been arguing.

Women may have short or long hair
Men may only have short hair.

What if the roles were reversed.
I.e men can have short or long hair, but women may only have short hair?

Still all ok?

By that argument men can wear a skirt to work and any lipstick or other makeup that a woman would be allowed.....

Still OK??

If the corporate dress is a polo shirt say, is it OK if a well endowed woman doesn't wear a bra? After all a man doesn't have to!

And so on.....

motorguy

I would be asking for the request to cut my hair in writing, and an explanation of the consequences if i dont.

To me its sexual discrimination but i think youd need to be prepared that if they dont get him on this they will on something else.

motorguy

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

Is the OP's relative being disadvantaged as a male because of a dress code that requires males to have short hair? What is the disadvantage? Having a haircut?

Yes they are being disadvantaged because they are being forced not to keep their hair in the style they chose, when a woman would not be asked to do so.

BrassicWoman

Undervalued wrote: »

By that argument men can wear a skirt to work and any lipstick or other makeup that a woman would be allowed.....

Still OK??

If the corporate dress is a polo shirt say, is it OK if a well endowed woman doesn't wear a bra? After all a man doesn't have to!

And so on.....

Yes, all of these examples are OK.

Undervalued

BrassicWoman wrote: »

Yes, all of these examples are OK.

In law or just in your personal opinion?

bouicca21

I've known several men who wear skirts. They mostly call them kilts.

Undervalued

bouicca21 wrote: »

I've known several men who wear skirts. They mostly call them kilts.

I think you are choosing to miss the point!

A kilt, at least in some parts of the UK, is a recognised and sometimes very formal type of male attire!

What we are talking about here is somebody who chooses to dress (or in this case wear their hair) in a way that many would find unusual for their gender. If that is the likely perception of the firm's clients, it could well have an adverse effect on the business.

This is why many firms can and do have strict dress and appearance codes for their staff. Generally they are perfectly lawful and they do not have to be identical for all genders. That, in itself, is not unlawful discrimination.

lisyloo

Looks like this was in his contract from the start that he presumably signed and agreed to.

Personally this isn’t a battle I’d choose to fight.

If he want total freedom then maybe he shouldn’t have signed a contract for a firm/industry with traditional views/tastes/dress code.

I don’t honestly know whether he’d have a good case or not, but being different by gender is not in itself discrimination - just look at flight attendants.

I do think it a bit traditional/draconian but there are things with my employer that aren’t to my liking (like using my own personal mobile) but you have to decide whether it’s worth losing your job over.

One has to pick one’s battles, so he needs to decide whether he wants the job or the hair.

bouicca21

I think you are choosing to miss the point!

I did say 'mostly' and tbh kilts aren't that common in my neck of the woods.



Neither I nor any of my previous employers would have been comfortable with forcing a transgender colleague to fit in with gender stereotype clothing. Transgender individuals of both sexes tended to choose trousers.