This government is going to end women having to wear high heels
A government is working to end gender specific dress codes.
Many have argued that the expectation for a woman to wear high heels at work is sexist and should be stopped,
The government of British Columbia, a province of Canada with devolved powers, has hinted it plans to end the practice.
The head of the British Columbia government, Christy Clark, says she will move to scrap the dress code requirement.
The leader of the area’s Green Party, Andrew Weaver, has tabled a private member’s bill last week “designed to prevent employers from setting varying footwear and other requirements based on gender, gender expression or gender identity”.
On Sunday, Premier Clark tweeted in support of the proposal, saying she agreed “100%” with not forcing women to wear heels at work.
There has been an ongoing debate in recent months about the issue of gender workplace uniforms.
Many have argued that the expectation of women waitresses to wear high heels is sexist, and not practical for the long hours on their feet.
The new bill could put an end to that, ruling it out in all workplaces, including retail and corporate offices.
A similar debate has occurred in the UK – where more than 150,000 people signed a petition after a female receptionist complained of being forced to wear high heels, despite being on her feet all day.
The UK parliament’s Women and Equalities select committee found that gendered dress codes were still commonplace in the UK, and women feared repercussions for not meeting the expectations.
Canadian Prime minister Justin Tredeau has been a strong supporter of equal rights, including trans rights.
