Alaska Airlines Launches Gender-Neutral Uniform Policy For Flight Attendants

Posted by: Kyeyune Andrew Jonathan in world news April 2, 2022

Alaska Airlines announced in a statement on Monday that it has launched new, gender-neutral uniform guidelines for its flight attendants.

It additionally said that it would collaborate with Luly Yang, a Seattle designer who will develop the gender-neutral uniform items for frontline employees.

These frontline employees will include flight attendants, customer service agents and uniformed lounge employees.

“We have updated our uniform guidelines, effective today, to provide more freedom and flexibility in individual and gender expression,” the airline said in a statement on Monday.

The announcement followed an allegation by an employee of Alaska Airlines that the airline’s uniform policy discriminated against employees whose gender expression does not fit the male and female dress codes.

In particular, nonbinary employees — those whose gender identity falls outside the binary of “male” or “female.”

According to the previous policy, employees had to wear either ‘male’ or ‘female’ uniforms. The airline also regulated other aspects of dress, like hairstyle, makeup and jewelry, based on workers’ assumed gender.

The American Civil Liberties Union stated in a letter at the time that Alaska’s uniform policy violated Washington’s Law Against Discrimination.

The law prohibits discrimination based on “sex” or “gender identity, self-image, appearance, behavior, or expression.”

The response from Alaskan Airlines.

In response, the airlines at the time said since 2020, flight attendants were free to order any pant or parka style. They have also allowed them to select the uniform kit of their choice, regardless of gender identity.”

According to the latest uniform policy, more flexibility will be allowed in personal expression. This is especially for flight attendants of all genders.

They will permit all flight attendants to wear fingernail polish, makeup, two earrings per ear, and a nose piercing.

“We’ve also updated our grooming policies to allow tattoos in more locations, more hairstyle options. And, are adjusting the names of our uniform kits to be focused on fit vs. gender identifications,” the airline said.

The company has also created personal pronoun pins that employees can choose to wear with their uniforms.

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