Virgin Atlantic introduces gender neutral uniforms for flight crew including skirts and heels for men

[Hansi1973]

https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/aviation/virgin-atlantic-introduces-gender-neutral-uniforms-for-flight-crew-including-skirts-and-heels-for-men-c-8393504

 

Here the official statement/ regulation:

https://corporate.virginatlantic.com/gb/en/media/press-releases/virgin-atlantic-updates-gender-identity-policy.html

And the introduction video:

 

[Shyheels]

I suspect that all or nearly all of the movement there will be towards women wearing the burgundy trousers, not the other way around. 

[mlroseplant]

41 minutes ago, Shyheels said:

I suspect that all or nearly all of the movement there will be towards women wearing the burgundy trousers, not the other way around. 

In real life, yes, that's what it's going to be. My ex-wife, who is by most standards a girly-girl, worked for American Airlines late 1980s - mid-1990s. She almost always wore pants, even back then. She wore heels with the pants, but pants nevertheless. I guess I did not realize that female Virgin cabin crew, up to now, were required to wear skirts. I don't know why you'd ever want to wear a tight skirt to do that job, but I sort of understand. People wonder why I wear heels to work a farmer's market. That doesn't make a bit of sense, either. It's probably because I can, and we may see a bit of that at Virgin as well.

And now for the other bit: I do not know why I even bother to read the comment section on any video ever. I should know better than that. Here is my take on the whole thing: When people see me, even if they happen to see me in Dahlonega, Georgia (super conservative area of the USA), they generally do not freak out. If I were to announce my putative presence in Dahlonega, GA with a video, and somehow it got broadcast to the locals, there would a lot of people freaking out. I think Virgin would have been better off simply implementing the policy without comment.

[Hansi1973]

1 hour ago, Shyheels said:

I suspect that all or nearly all of the movement there will be towards women wearing the burgundy trousers, not the other way around. 

That ís, what I am afraid of too. 😔

Or will it be limited to small sices?  What - if somebody with size XL and shoe size 15 would like to wear that red dress too?

[Shyheels]

2 hours ago, mlroseplant said:

In real life, yes, that's what it's going to be. My ex-wife, who is by most standards a girly-girl, worked for American Airlines late 1980s - mid-1990s. She almost always wore pants, even back then. She wore heels with the pants, but pants nevertheless. I guess I did not realize that female Virgin cabin crew, up to now, were required to wear skirts. I don't know why you'd ever want to wear a tight skirt to do that job, but I sort of understand. People wonder why I wear heels to work a farmer's market. That doesn't make a bit of sense, either. It's probably because I can, and we may see a bit of that at Virgin as well.

And now for the other bit: I do not know why I even bother to read the comment section on any video ever. I should know better than that. Here is my take on the whole thing: When people see me, even if they happen to see me in Dahlonega, Georgia (super conservative area of the USA), they generally do not freak out. If I were to announce my putative presence in Dahlonega, GA with a video, and somehow it got broadcast to the locals, there would a lot of people freaking out. I think Virgin would have been better off simply implementing the policy without comment.

It was all about generating headlines and enhancing their inclusivity credentials. They know that few if any of their male staff are going to wear skirts, although I could see Richard Branson himself doing it for a well publicised laugh (he’s worn heels at least once before for some reason or other) But the only changes will be the female staffers wearing flats and trousers 

[Hansi1973]

Yes, I also think there will be more women* wearing ties than men* wearing high heels.

 

 

*: according to their gender at birth

49 minutes ago, Shyheels said:

although I could see Richard Branson himself doing it for a well publicised laugh (he’s worn heels at least once before for some reason or other)

Maybe he is the greatest Drag Queen at VIRGIN ATLANTIC ever! 😝

Edited September 29, 2022 by Hansi1973

[Cali]

So @pebblesf are you considering changing airlines so you can wear your cowboy boots?

 

I would be interested in the number of males that wear a uniform with a skirt and/or heels compare to the number of women that wear a "male style suit".

Edited September 29, 2022 by Cali

[ChipsHH]

3 hours ago, Cali said:

So @pebblesf are you considering changing airlines so you can wear your cowboy boots?

 

I would be interested in the number of males that wear a uniform with a skirt and/or heels compare to the number of women that wear a "male style suit".

This was my immediate thought, or similar mindset: I wouldn't mind working for them if I could go ahead and get a maxi skirt to wear with my big-gut suit top, and maybe a modest pair of red heels~

And also with the former question + likely piggybacking off of 'mlroseplant' above: I will not doubt this is how Virgin becomes immediately irrelevant to a lot of people's eyes, At Least here in the States. Because we can't have neutral things happening here that'll affect people's [American] livelihood, hur dur. 

Nonetheless and whether for publicity or not...it's always nice to see Some company embracing change and trying to bend the norm a bit. Makes me optimistic for the future of gender-less clothing at the very least. (Or at least for department stores to call it "Mens+ section" and "Womens+ section" or something LOL)

[Cali]

3 minutes ago, ChipsHH said:

Nonetheless and whether for publicity or not...it's always nice to see Some company embracing change and trying to bend the norm a bit. Makes me optimistic for the future of gender-less clothing at the very least. (Or at least for department stores to call it "Mens+ section" and "Womens+ section" or something LOL)

You mean they have a "Men's Only" section and a "Women's Only" section now. Never pay attention to those artificial labels and shop throughout the store.

[Shyheels]

They’re not embracing change they’re embracing headlines and buffing up their diversity credentials, Change, if it happens, is incidental. And I doubt much change will happen at the airline beyond a few more women wearing trousers 

[HappyinHeels]

I think Shyheels hit the nail on its head when he said he believes it was announced to improve the company's inclusivity credentials. Bingo!! Virtue signalling has become the hallmark of so many woke companies recently. I don't so much mind women wearing pants or guys wearing heels as much as I would like to know what will the garment tag say when I look to see where those pants or skirts are made?? If they are not made in a country with adequate environmental and labour standards then all this inclusivity coverage is really a smokescreen. I mean, if you have the cash to blast people into outer space, then you ought to be able to produce the uniforms your employees wear under such preferable conditions. Make a real statement and make the stuff in the United Kingdom. They benefit from the stability the U.K. provides so why not pay it forward and give back?? What a concept! HinH

[Chorlini]

I miss the days when we were just a small community of men and women who like to wear heels. Now the crazies are moving in in force and we better gatekeep the sh*t out of our community or we will go down with the Titanic with them.

[Shyheels]

On 9/29/2022 at 9:00 PM, HappyinHeels said:

I think Shyheels hit the nail on its head when he said he believes it was announced to improve the company's inclusivity credentials. Bingo!! Virtue signalling has become the hallmark of so many woke companies recently. I don't so much mind women wearing pants or guys wearing heels as much as I would like to know what will the garment tag say when I look to see where those pants or skirts are made?? If they are not made in a country with adequate environmental and labour standards then all this inclusivity coverage is really a smokescreen. I mean, if you have the cash to blast people into outer space, then you ought to be able to produce the uniforms your employees wear under such preferable conditions. Make a real statement and make the stuff in the United Kingdom. They benefit from the stability the U.K. provides so why not pay it forward and give back?? What a concept! HinH

Yes, looking at the label ought to be an important consideration. There seems to be little appetite or enthusiasm for being “woke” in that regard. I do take a certain pleasure in knowing that my boots were made in France from sustainably sourced French or Italian leather, and by people who were paid properly and work in decent conditions. Yes, they cost more but then I don’t have dozens of pairs. I’d rather have fewer.

I do make an effort to look at labels and buy accordingly.

And yet I’d be dismissed as an un-woke dinosaur by the self righteous Twitter mobs because I couldn’t care less about somebody’s pronoun or don’t view every human interaction through the prism of race 

[mlroseplant]

 

[SF]

I like the red ankle strap heels in the opening scene...  Nice.

The rest, much about nothing, wear what you want, if done classy and tastefully, who cares?  

Have fun all....   sf

[Shyheels]

I see that Virgin is suspending its new policy on gender-neutral uniforms for flights to Qatar. Actually suspending usn’t the right word - they’re emphasising that it is not allowed, and indeed have clarified their policy to state that it will apply only to flights between the US, UK and Israel.

[bambam]

Way to be trailblazers, lolol.

[Shyheels]

It ticked a box and scored some Twitter approved publicity in September - job done. Next…

[Chorlini]

On 11/15/2022 at 6:11 PM, Shyheels said:

It ticked a box and scored some Twitter approved publicity in September - job done. Next…

Virtue signaling in a nutshell.