The Canadian Press: The flight attendants who fought sexism in the skies — and won
January 3, 2024 —
However, a decision by the tribunal simply stated that the outfit was not the “standard” uniform and found that it was “unnecessary to come to any conclusion” on whether “sexist and demeaning” garb was unreasonable, according to a 2016 journal article by Joan Sangster and Julia Smith.
“Even when they win some of these cases, it’s often not challenging the actual sexism and gender inequality,” said Smith, assistant professor of labour studies at the University of Manitoba.
“There was kind of an accepted view that it was men’s prerogative on the plane — in particular men travelling alone — to ogle and to leer and to look at the stewardesses’ legs,” said Sangster, professor emeritus at Trent University specializing in labour history.