On Wednesday (Sept. 28), Virgin Atlantic introduced a gender-neutral uniform policy. The new policy allows cabin crew, pilots and ground staff to wear the uniform of their choice, whether it’s a skirt or pants, “no matter their gender, gender identity, or gender expression.”
“At Virgin Atlantic, we believe that everyone can take on the world, no matter who they are. That’s why it’s so important that we enable our people to embrace their individuality and be their true selves at work,” Juha Järvinen, Virgin Atlantic’s chief commercial officer said in a press release. “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,” he continued.
The British airline also added optional pronoun badges for their staff members and updated its ticketing system to better accommodate customers who have selected gender-neutral options on their passports.
To announce the news, Virgin Atlantic released an ad campaign featuring Michelle Visage, a judge on the hit reality TV show “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
“As the mother of a non-binary child, and as an ally to the LGBTQ+ community, these efforts by Virgin Atlantic to further inclusivity for its people are extremely important and personal to me,” Visage said in the press release. “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.”
A few months ago, Alaska Airlines also announced a gender-neutral uniform guidelines for flight attendants. The policy allows its staff members to wear whatever uniform, hairstyle, nail polish, makeup, and jewelry based on their desired gender.