Size discrimination in workplace

[GEC44]

Looking at another current thread on here regarding being weighed in the office, it's made me want to post about my employer.

The role is a uniformed role.

New uniform was recently issued and a memo went out a few weeks beforehand to ask any female members of staff size 18 or above to attend a measuring session in a meeting room, as the uniform supplier doesn't go past size 16 and so anything bigger would need to be specially made.

I found this to be quite humiliating. Fair enough if the supplier doesn't go past a certain size, but the employer could have been a bit more discreet about it rather than getting all the size 18 plus ladies in for a "measuring session".

@Aprilx I kinda already responded to a similar post to yours. They aren't just being nice. I can tell the difference.

It's genuine shock. Gifts of clothes I get given tend to be a size 14. When I explain that will be too small I honestly get shocked responses.

I needed a fancy dress and a friend wanted to loan me one of hers. I told her that her size 14s wouldn't fit and she wouldn't believe me until I showed her!!

Even my GP is surprised when I tell them my weight. I carry it well (this is NOT necessarily a good thing. 🤣)

Of course because she's chosen to be offended rather than seeing the positive of getting a well fitting uniform.

So you get made to measure uniform whereas everyone else gets shitty uniform that doesn't fit properly?

I'd hardly call that discrimination. You'll probably look smarter than everyone else.

You are looking at it from a victimhood point of view rather than reality.

If the supplier doesn't do bigger uniform, then they either have to change all the uniform to another supplier (which might not be possible nor a solution), go custom made or say you don't have to wear uniform (which could also be deemed discrimination).

My suspicion is they don't do pre-sized uniform in bigger sizes because they don't fit well without being properly measured as the margin of error is too big. And having made to measure avoids the embarrassment of ill fitting uniform for bigger women. Being bigger because of tits or stomach is relevant to fit for example.

Surely you'd rather you just had something that fitted well? Instead you want to cry in a drama like way because someone wants your uniform to fit well? Seriously?

Get your negative numpty energy and have a word with yourself. You will be doing better out of this than the poor skinny souls you work with!

I disagree. It would be yet another way of normalising obesity.

I don't think it's discriminatory but I do think their approach has been a bit insensitive.

I think this is wrong. They should have a far bigger size range or measure everyone.
As someone at the other end of the weight spectrum with disproportionally big boobs, I would love a custom-made outfit anyway.

I totally see why it feels humiliating and don’t like this singling out at all.

‘I don’t see the issue, unless it’s that you’re embarrassed to be plus sized and that you feel your employer is somehow highlighting that.’

Well this is the exact issue for many. Being tall doesn’t come close to being overweight in terms of prejudice in this society. Fatphobia is is endemic and people are made to feel bad for being so.

It’s disingenuous to compare having long legs to being overweight in this context. Everyone or nobody should be measured.

Having everyone's uniforms tailor made or having a larger range of sizes isn't going to be cost effective.

I never understand this. Why is having clothes that fit you, ‘normalising obesity’. I am slim; seeing clothes available in sizes 16-24 doesn’t make me suddenly want to start putting on weight.

Having clothes that fit is a basic need that should be met, surely.

Any decent supplier should have a range of larger sizes available too. That would be cheaper than having them custom-made surely.

Yeah but honestly a lot of people get upset by a lot of things these days. I read so much on MN, FB etc filled with people upset, fumin, angry, sweating over stuff that quite frankly I wouldn’t waste my oxygen on and perhaps suggests a real resilience issue if we have to refrain or change ways of doing things for every single person upset by events or comments. It’s honestly become hardwork sometimes.

Can we have a tall and short option for everyone. And a big boob / small boob version too. And wide hipped, slim waisted, extra titchy option too.

As someone who has worked in a high street clothing store before and was too small for the stock I think custom made rocks.

Embrace it!

I would love all my clothes to be custom-made. I am short and have to get everything taken up.

So waste time measuring everyone, how ridiculous. Are people supposed to pretend nowadays that we have no idea of what size colleagues are in case anyone is offended?

I don't know @YearsOfStagnation. The OP said it's a uniformed role so I immediately thought of the emergency services, where you'd expect most staff members to be in the more standard sizes, but I could be wrong.

Oh I thought retail or fast food. It could be anything I guess!

I do that all the time just being polite it more than obvious what size they are

I didnt even think of those when I was trying to rack my brains @YearsOfStagnation, but it would make sense!

Blouse and trousers or skirt.

No,nothing to male staff as far as I know.

This doesn't technically fall under illegal discrimination for being sizeist, because that's not currently a protected characteristic under UK law. However, as we know people are treated unfavorably frequently for being larger, so it probably should be. I'm not sure it would still fall under it but it might have given the push for management to try an alternative first.

Either way though, what kind of stupid person would think to themselves it must be better to publicly fat shame employees as opposed to just measuring everyone? I'm a manager of a reasonable large team, and in this situation that's what I would do. It seems blatantly obvious to me that the small issue of it taking a little bit more time is a much more acceptable hit to take than the possible repercussions of complaints being made, or a drop in productivity due to general unhappiness with management decisions, or worse, employees leaving.

I think someone needs to have a word with whoever 'organised' this because it doesn't look like they really thought about the bigger picture, and someone who can't do that really shouldn't be in a management position.

My sister work in a bank; she's a size 18 and has to wear similar uniform to this but is standard issue. The blouse gapes over her boobs and never stays tucked in, and the skirt is just a mass of lap wrinkles by the end of the day because it's so tight across her hips.
I think sh'ed have loved to be given the opportunity to get one custom made tbh

*works

A standard fitted blouse never fits me. I envy the prospect of custom sized. Honestly you will look great in it and worry less about your appearance as a result. It really works in your favour. See it in this way.

Is it female only uniform. If not I'd be interested to know the max standard size on the men's uniform..... If its more than 38" waist you may have a point