Virgin Atlantic Staff Can Choose Uniform Regardless Of Gender
September 28, 2022Crew, pilots and ground staff of Virgin Atlantic can now choose whichever of its uniforms they feel most comfortable in to wear, regardless of its design.
As the Guardian reports, the airline has announced a gender identity policy that lets its staff choose which of the Vivienne Westwood-designed outfits they wear to work – “no matter their gender, gender identity, or gender expression.”
The move reflects the diversity of the workforce, says Virgin Atlantic, and to reinforce its ethos as a welcoming and inclusive employer, after recent moves to relax rules on visible tattoos.
Passengers, as well as crew, can request pronoun badges at check-in to ensure people use their preferred pronouns. The ticketing system used will also allow people whose passports have gender neutral markers – available in the US, India and Pakistan – to travel using those gender codes and the title Mx.
Juha Järvinen, Virgin Atlantic’s chief commercial officer, said: “It’s so important that we enable our people to embrace their individuality and be their true selves at work. It is for that reason that we want to allow our people to wear the uniform that best suits them and how they identify and ensure our customers are addressed by their preferred pronouns.”
Michelle Visage, one of the judges on the hit reality TV show Ru Paul’s Drag Race, was brought in to promote its policy. Visage said the initiative was important, saying: “People feel empowered when they are wearing what best represents them, and this gender identity policy allows people to embrace who they are.”
The airline was one of the first to relax rules on makeup in an industry where crew often have to follow stringent guidelines on appearance.
Read related myGwork articles here:
Virgin Atlantic Launches LGBT+ Flight to Celebrate 50th Anniversary of Stonewall
British Airways To Retire “Ladies And Gentleman” For Gender-Neutral Greeting
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