Gender Enforcement: When Your Body Is Not Your Own

I knew I was going to write an article about the receptionist who was told to go home because she wasn't wearing high heels, as I found myself ripping the article out of the Evening Standard, with my blood starting to simmer.

I understand that personal presentation within the workplace is important. Each employee serves to represent the face of the company and their look, as well as their personality reflects the impression a customer/client takes away. I understand that each workplace has its own uniform or code for dressing and I, like you, wouldn't expect to see a banker dressed in a tracksuit. In some cases, uniforms are designed for safety and protection. For most places of work, a uniform is a sensible condition in order to tell apart the customers/clients from the workers. BUT there is a line, where the rules for 'suitable' attire start to infringe on personal freedoms, that shouldn't be connected to any company's dress code.

As you have probably read or seen by now, Nicola Thorp, 27, a temping receptionist, came to work in flat shoes and was told that she had to wear heels instead. She was also instructed that she couldn't come to work bare faced, as in without any make-up. On top of those indignities, would you believe that there already existed, a chart to show what shades and colours were acceptable to apply to the face.

People are angry, but what nobody seems to be talking about, is the why? Why should a women be made to wear heels or make-up or a even a skirt, from when they are at school? The answer to the question is that women are treated like show pieces, yes they come in to do whatever role they have been hired to do, but for some bizarre reason, they are supposed to look 'pretty' as they do it. This type of ingrained programming, stems further into our private lives, where some women can't leave the house without applying make-up or go to a social occasion in flat footwear because of a pressure to perform 'pretty' Women are the gender that are the gazed upon and therefore it seems like they are always having to be on parade. Criticised and condemned if they don't meet some standard, women being on show, is so embedded in our culture, that too many people don't see the problem of needing a woman to be more than she naturally is. 

When heels are worn, apart from being taller, the angle of the shoes changes the posture of the body. Leading from the ankles, to the calves, to the hamstrings to the hips and lower back, the angle to which the body is held, is radically different. What is the purpose?

"Can you imagine being told, that as part of your dress code, you will be required to paint your face and be made to walk on small stilts - is this a circus?"

What is really being asked of woman; is to strike a pose - all bloody day. You are asking her to model as she works, with no real reason for it. If Nicola came into work, to 'man' her a desk-station, where her responsibilities are to answer the phone and deal with face-to-face enquiries, as long as she is neat and presentable, what right does the business have in controlling the insignificant detail of how she presents herself. As for make-up, perhaps men should come in with make-up to show how ridiculous this naturalised act is. Can you imagine being told, that as part of your dress code, you will be required to paint your face and be made to walk on small stilts - is this a circus?

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Who sets these standard? And do these standard makers consider how viable these rules are to follow, when it comes to women, the handicapped and ethnic minorities?

As an employer, you have to understand that your pool of talent is and will continue to get more and more diverse. Some of the unnecessary requirements that companies are so doggedly sticking to, are not permissible to other cultures.

In some cases, it might be an issue of health that might be a factor - an allergic reaction to make-up or back problems might prevent either from being applied.

And most importantly, what is the overall message to all females? That all women are lacking until they rectify their bodies, whether temporarily or permanently? No wonder the cosmetics and fashion industries are so successful, in their aiding to perpetuate that there is a  fault in the female - that way they can sustain their industry. If you are skinny, you will be made to feel curvy is cool, if curvy, the opposite and so women are made to want whatever it is they aren't, to please a social desire that doesn't actually exist.

There is a deeper conversation that needs to be had, but for now it is the initial red flag that needs to be seen, the protest heard. So I signed the petition, for women in general, but also for humanity. 

Of all the codes of conduct to enforce on to somebody, these have to be some of the most vacuous, time consuming, unimportant issues to have to fight for. But if this gate remains open, there will be far worse down the line, as we seem to be regressing in human rights.