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The officers in England and Wales are not pleased with the new gender-neutral work trousers. Research has shown that the trousers don’t fit well for either men or women. There have been complaints about infections and crushed testicles. That’s obviously very unpleasant, but a closer look reveals that women are indirectly suffering twice as much…
British police aim to be a gender-neutral organization
When it was announced in 2021 that the British police wanted to switch to gender-neutral uniforms, we could have predicted the outcome. It was bound to be a disaster. But according to the Equality Act 2010, they are obligated to provide separate uniforms for gender-fluid and non-binary officers. Instead of creating a small, extra collection, it was decided to put everyone in a gender-neutral clothing package. After all, a separate collection would indirectly lead to discrimination.
A year later, officers were also given training on how to address people in a gender-neutral manner. No more “sir” or “madam,” but “you” and “all.” They were also no longer allowed to refer to the gender of their partner. Terms like “husband,” “wife,” “he,” or “she” had to be avoided.
Infections and crushed testicles due to British gender-neutral police trousers
The intention was, of course, that people should be treated equally. A noble idea, but it has now become painfully clear that this isn’t so simple in practice. They attempted to develop a gender-neutral uniform that could be worn by both male and female officers.
If you look at the literal meaning of the term “gender-neutral” (or unisex), they’ve succeeded quite well. No gender fits this clothing. The result is that men complain about crushed testicles and women about infections.
The creator of gender-neutral clothing had something else in mind, though. It was Austrian-American fashion designer Rudi Gernreich who, in 1968, created a collection that could be worn by both men and women. It wasn’t a big success. Researchers have since shown why his gender-neutral clothing wasn’t embraced. The fit was only suitable for men or women with straight body types. Popular models of the 1960s, like Twiggy, could wear the clothing just fine, but for women with more curves, the clothes didn’t work.
Why nothing was done for so long
According to Belinda Goodwin of the Police Federation of England and Wales, the idea of gender-neutral uniforms is an outdated way to save money. It has nothing to do with equal treatment of men and women. She feels that people have forgotten that women have different bodies. It may sound strange, since men are also experiencing discomfort with the new uniforms.
Historically, Goodwin’s statement makes sense. The first British police uniforms were issued in 1829 and were designed to embody ‘the ideal male character.’ When women first joined the police during World War I, being able to wear a male uniform was part of the admission test. Later, uniforms for women were introduced, including skirts and heels. These weren’t particularly focused on the functionality of the female officer, but more on her appearance.
In the 1980s, uniforms for men and women became identical, except female officers wore a different hat and sometimes a necklace. Once again, there was no consideration for the practical aspect of the female uniform, as the focus remained on the male body. In 2017, a study showed that ‘appearance, body size, and the ability of women to fit into existing uniforms’ were still significant concerns.
Why gender-neutral police trousers are now a problem
It’s not surprising that Goodwin feels cheated. Since World War I, female officers have struggled with uniforms that didn’t fit their bodies properly. They not only had to conform to a male-dominated organization but also had to wear the same clothing. And even now, with a clothing package meant to fit both genders, it doesn’t suit women properly.
What’s striking is that this issue has only now become a problem. Women in the British police force have been dealing with clothing that doesn’t support their work for over 100 years. But now that men are dissatisfied with their work attire, it’s suddenly a big media issue. It shows that, even in modern Western society, women are still not taken as seriously as men.
Women who complain about ill-fitting workwear or Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are quickly dismissed as “whiners.” Employers label them as difficult and demanding. After all, unisex workwear shouldn’t be that bad, right? Not for men, no. This unisex clothing is designed for their bodies.
The term “unisex” is simply a way to stop women from “complaining.” It’s nice that men now understand what it feels like to wear clothing that isn’t made for their bodies. Maybe they’ll start taking those “complaining women” seriously too.
Best regards,
Aileen