Virgin Atlantic, which boasts that it champions those “who see the world differently,” announced Wednesday that male pilots and crew can wear women’s clothing if they prefer.
Heretofore, male staff on the planes wore burgundy trousers and blazers and the women wore red jackets and skirts but now both sexes will have the option of wearing the other sex’s clothes.
“We’ve changed our uniform code to give our crew, pilot and ground teams the option to choose which of our iconic uniforms, designed by Vivienne Westwood, best represents them,” Virgin Atlantic declared.
We’ve changed our uniform code to give our crew, pilot and ground teams the option to choose which of our iconic uniforms, designed by Vivienne Westwood, best represents them 👠 #SeeTheWorldDifferently pic.twitter.com/dbCP4WxObl
— virginatlantic (@VirginAtlantic) September 28, 2022
Utterly ridiculous. Latest woke madness from the corporate world.
Virgin Atlantic lets male pilots and crew wear skirts to 'express their true identity' https://t.co/PLbiVAhoPY
— Nile Gardiner (@NileGardiner) September 28, 2022
“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,” Michelle Visage, who is heading the publicity campaign for the effort, stated. Visage is a judge on “RuPaul’s Drag Race Allstars.”
One “non-binary” crew member echoed, “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.”
The company will also use “pronoun badges” so that those working or flying on the planes can show their pronouns if they would like, according to The Daily Mail reported. The badges, available from today, can be requested at check-in.
“At Virgin Atlantic, we believe that everyone can take on the world, no matter who they are,” Juha Jarvinen, Virgin Atlantic’s Chief Commercial Officer, stated. “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.”
In July 2019, Virgin Atlantic boasted they would fly the world’s first known flight fully staffed by LGBT+ staff, flying from London’s Heathrow Airport to New York.
“We take our commitments to diversity and inclusion seriously, but you can rest assured we have a lot of fun along the way,” Mark Anderson, executive vice president at Virgin Atlantic, stated.
“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” star Tituss Burgess was to serve as the master of ceremonies for the flight, “which promises to feature on-board entertainment including an on-board DJ, drag queen bingo, a Judy Garland singalong and inter-seat speed dating,” Pink News reported.