Virgin Atlantic to let male crew wear skirts

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Virgin Atlantic to let male crew wear skirts | Secret Flying

Virgin Atlantic allows staff to choose which uniform to wear ‘no matter their gender’.

 

Virgin Atlantic’s crew, pilots and ground staff can now wear whichever of its uniforms they feel most comfortable in, regardless of the original male or female design.

 

Staff are encouraged to choose which outfit best represents them, in a policy change that is part of a wider relaxing of the airline’s uniform rules.

 

Jaime Forsstroem, a member of Virgin cabin crew, said: “The updated gender identity policy is so important to me. As a non-binary person, it allows me to be myself at work and have the choice in what uniform I wear.”

 

Previously women had to wear a red uniform and men wore burgundy.

 

The airline is amending its “trans inclusion policies” which include time off work for medical treatments related to gender transition and a “personalised transitioning plan”.

 

The airline is also introducing an option to include pronouns on workers’ name badges.

 

Juha Jarvinen, Virgin Atlantic’s chief commercial officer, said: “At Virgin Atlantic, we believe that everyone can take on the world, no matter who they are. That’s why 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.”

 

The campaign was announced with a social media campaign rolled out by ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ judge Michelle Visage.

 

In a video posted on Instagram, she expresses her personal commitment to inclusivity: “As the mother of a non-binary child, and as an ally to the LGBTQ+ community, these efforts by Virgin Atlantic to further inclusivity for its people are extremely important and personal to me.

 

“People feel empowered when they are wearing what best represents them, and this gender identity policy allows people to embrace who they are and bring their full selves to work.”