To think this uniform policy is a bit sexist and silly? (lighthearted)

[Topaz25]

I started working for a new company today. The uniform is bright barbie pink, not my colour but fair enough we all have to wear it. Or so I thought. Today a colleague told me the men wear light blue and only the women have to wear pink. I'm not going to say anything but this annoys me. I don't mind wearing a uniform, it's part of the job but I do mind that it's different for men and women. I'd rather wear blue TBH but I'm not allowed to because I'm a woman. I think I'm a bit old to be wearing pink for a girl! AIBU to think all colleagues should be allowed to wear the same colour?

[WanderingAway]

I would be annoyed if i was told that because i was female i have wear pink when the uniform colour scheme is pink and blue. Why cant OP wear the blue uniform or why cant a male colleague wear the pink uniform?

[EduCated]

Yes, it's a tricky one if you're new. I'm all for challenging things, but not at the expense of a job you need. Sadly it's a bit of a vicious circle, but there's only so much you can do by yourself

[Fideline987654321]

YANBU at all.

[wheresthelight]

If it offends you so much then don't take the job otherwise pleaee get a grip

[Nocomet]

Think grrr

[pictish]

I agree with you OP, but if you go asking for blue they will at you.
It's all very well pioneering the changes, but be careful how you do it. You don't want to be seen as a trouble maker straight off the bat. I might get shouted down for saying that here, but frankly I think your settling in period in your new job is more important than flying the flag for feminism.

Do raise it...but sound out the lay of the land first.

[Nocomet]

The problem with pink is society associates it with little girls if a grown woman wears pink she's liable to be seen as younger/more junior.

If you see a woman in pink and a man in blue, who do you fink is the older, the more senior in the first split second.

[Topaz25]

Uniforms are different for men and women in the same profession but not normally blue for men and pink for women.

[Backinthering]

I'm shocked by this. Don't "get over yourself" it sounds appalling.

[Topaz25]

I might ask if I can wear blue, I don't want to rock the boat in my first week though. And I've already received my uniform so not sure if I can order another one but I wasn't told when ordering that blue was an option. It even says in the FAQ section of the employee magazine that blue is for men, I'll post the quote later.

[wheresthelight]

Does it really matter? It's a work uniform for heaven sake! Uniforms are regularly different for men and women in the same profession, nurses for example and even schools.

Get over yourself

[EduCated]

This was the photo of it I saw shared on Twitter. Bleurgh

[Topaz25]

The employer is a photo centre and they are a large company, which is why this surprised me.

[EverythingsDozy]

Yes I totally see that. I have not seen the pink monopoly but have seen the pink scrabble (but isn't that something to do with breast cancer?).
And topaz, I really get your point about the work clothes, I don't think you are being unreasonable at all. Have you asked if you could wear blue?

[Topaz25]

fatlazymummy
I think you missed the bit where I said I have no problem with wearing work uniform, even in barbie pink, if it's fairly applied to all employees.

[EduCated]

Dozy No, I don't object to pink. I do object to the automatic assumption that all girls love pink, and to the way companies take products and pinkify them for girls/women, so that we end up in a weird situation where you have a normal version, and a pink for girls version (because women are clearly abnormal). Have you seen the pink monopoly, for example? Because clearly girls can't cope with the concept of buying property unless it's a boutique or a mall

I also object to it because you end up with boys being picked on or laughed at for liking something pink.

If pink is an option alongside red, blue, green, orange, purple, yellow, then great, I'm all for it. If pink (and blue) are the only options (as they generally seem to be, look at the Early Learning Centre for that!), then no, not ok.

[Topaz25]

everythingsdozy
I don't see anything wrong with girls wearing pink if they want to. What I object to is girls being told they have to wear pink because they are girls and they can't wear blue and that message is even worse when it's given to women at work.

[EduCated]

It's not as simple as that if the uniform is discriminatory. If your employer told you they wanted you to wear a gold thong bikini fom now on, you'd just accept that, would you?

There is nothing at all wrong with asking questions and gently or otherwise challenging these seemingly small things.

Topaz I read that comment as more of a FFS at society and AIBU that were made to feel that we shouldn't care about this stuff and that we have to be 'lighthearted' about it, else we're silly and overreacting, rather than a FFS at you for calling it lighthearted.

[fatlazymummy]

It's a work uniform. When you're at work you wear the clothes that your employer wants you to, simple as that. You don't have to like them.

[EverythingsDozy]

At the risk of derailing the thread slightly, what is wrong with pink for little girls? I understand if people are literally covering their daughter in nothing but pink, candy floss style, but is pink all that bad? If I see something I like in a shop for DD, I buy it, be it pink, blue, orange, green etc. Do those who object to "pinkification" buy no pink at all?

[EEasterChick]

I don't think it's silly at all. I am a feminist though not "raving". I object to pinkification of my DDs and would be livid to see it extended to adults. Where do you work, the 1950s?

[MrsWinnibago]

I am a raving Feminist but I think you're being silly...it's only a colour. Unless it's a short skirt or something?

[Topaz25]

Why lighthearted ffs? You have a genuine point to discuss.

I put lighthearted because I didn't want to be criticised if it wasn't considered serious enough or accused of being ungrateful for my job. It is an issue but not the most serious one. Now I'm being being criticised for putting lighthearted. Can't win.

[EduCated]

Well for almost all jobs women have more choice what to wear than men do so I don't see that this is any more sexist than that.

Exactly, both sexist. One doesn't cancel the other out.

I had similar at a place I worked, they moved from plain logoed shirts for all staff to a new style of uniform. So all the women got given a god awful, 70s style 100% polyester garish sack tunic. But the manager didn't like the men's version, so they just kept wearing the old shirts That manager was a sexist twat in many ways though, so I was unsurprised, and left shortly afterwards.