High Heels at Work Are 'Necessary and Appropriate', Says Japanese Minister About The #KuToo Campaign
During a parliamentary committee meeting on June 5, Takumi Nemoto was asked to comment on the same. He instead defended the workplaces that make dress code demands for women, including high heels.
Not every woman would love or ideally want to wear heels every day. But women in Japan now have to wear heels to work every day as Japan's health and labour minister, Takumi Nemoto has defended the controversial practice. A social media campaign was launched this week in the country which asked the government to ban the rule wanting women to wear heels at work. It got immense support online but the health minister has called it 'occupationally necessary and appropriate.' How To Walk In Heels: 5 Simple Tips to Keep in Mind While Wearing High Heeled Shoes.
A petition was submitted to the labour ministry for the campaign #KuToo, which is derived from Japanese words kutsu and kutsuu meaning pain. It also draws resemblance to the global #MeToo movement against sexual abuse. During a parliamentary committee meeting on June 5, Takumi Nemoto was asked to comment on the same. He instead defended the workplaces that make dress code demands for women, including high heels. He said, "It is socially accepted as something that falls with the realm of being occupationally necessary and appropriate."
The #KuToo movement is being spearheaded by actor and writer Yumi Ishikawa. She launched this petition after she was forced to wear high heels working in a funeral parlour. The movement got a lot of support from other women in not just Japan but even internationally. According to Kyodo News a petition with over 18,800 signatures was submitted to Japan's labour ministry. Did You Know Wearing High Heels, Whistling And Being Obese is Illegal? Here Are 10 Most Strange Laws Around The World.
Campaigners of this initiative say that wearing high heels is almost a compulsion for them while looking for a job in companies. Some campaigners describe high heels as akin to modern foot-binding while others have urged a broader loosening of dress codes in the Japanese workplace, where business suits for men are ubiquitous. But looks like there is no respite for the women soon as their petition has got no support from the minister himself.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 06, 2019 01:07 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).