Work discrimination

[Caradoc]

I have just been told by the director of my company, that kilts don't represent the image of the company I work for, so I shouldn't wear one.

Personally, I don't think it's a fight you can "win." Even if you end up being allowed to wear the kilt, you're going to build up a lot of resentment with at least that manager.

When it comes to office wardrobe, I follow the Golden Rule:

"Them that has the gold makes the rule."

[ardchoille77]

All I was trying to get at was wearing a kilt is different from wearing a yamulke. One is religion and one is cultural. But, they are both forms of self-expression, that's all I was getting at.

Mike

[Rigged]

I think the cultural argument is going to be a non-starter. As unpopular as the notion might be to some here, the issue is more likely to be successfully framed as a gender-rights issue. Most companies have policies against gender discrimination and that includes (or should include) clothing. Those policies came about when women wanted to wear pants to work back when I was a teenager.

Most people never thought that men might want to wear something other than pants to work, but the policies that protect women's right to wear pretty much whatever they want also protect (or should protect) us.

Read your company's dress code.

[slohairt]

Dia Dhuit, mo chara!

I agree that the cultural argument would be pointless. An important thing to remember is that the kilt is one of the national dresses of the U.K. (via Scotland), the ancestral dress of some citizens of the U.S. (a former British colony) and some citizens of the British Commonwealth. Note that Germany is not included here. Germany has its own traditional dress. Furthermore, unlike Canada or the U.S. it is not officially a multicultural nation, so it does not have to respect differing cultural traditions.

Still, having said all of that, it's a crappy deal!

[Graham]

Douglas, do keep us posted as to your progress!

[Phil E. Begg]

Douglas - I recently saw a post in another part of this forum, that showed Kaiser Wilhelm II in full kilt and bonnet. That particular picture, downloaded, printed, and placed in a prominent location, might bolster your argument.

Hang in there!


Philebegg

[Chef]

I see a couple of problems with the arguments here. First on the gender-rights issue it might or might not work the same in Germany as it would in the US or the UK, but even US and UK laws would allow a business to set a standard of dress that did not cause a distraction for both men and women. I am sure the company would argue it that way if it came to it.

Second is the cultural argument and Douglas you stated:

...I have seen members of the royal family wearing them, it's isn't uncommon at weddings.

I wear simple plain utilikilts, in beige or brown to work, with a jumper or TShirt, I don't swagger or boast, or make a big deal out it. It's just my clothing.

My guess is you haven't seen the royal family in utilikilts and they would not be considered cutural dress in Scotland for weddings either. Push comes to shove many of the garments called kilts (and the way they are worn) would probably not pass as cultural dress. No offence meant to anyone.

[Kilted KT]

"muslim wearing the full body and face covering garb" (sorry... don't know the name of the garment)

I believe it is called a burka, although my spelling may be off.

as for the rest, I am sure everyone here already knows my take on this, no need to repeat it.

good luck, man...wear the kilt with pride and courage.

[Bob C]

The thing that's been pointed out when you use the "it's the same thing as a jewish person wearing a yamulke" argument or the "muslim wearing the full body and face covering garb" (sorry... don't know the name of the garment) is that those 2 examples use religion, where the kilt is just an example of cultural clothing.

So? Why is culture less valid than religion?

[Dreadbelly]

In the US, kilts are covered by the same anti discrimination laws as turbans, veils, and other forms of religious / cultural dress. Unless it violates workplace safety, there isn't a damn thing that anybody can do to stop you from wearing it.