Virgin Atlantic has updated its gender identity and uniform policy for crew, pilots, and ground.
Reflecting the diversity of the workforce, the airline will offer its employees a fluid approach to its red and burgundy uniforms, designed by Vivienne Westwood, meaning LGBTQ+ colleagues will be able to choose a uniform depending on which best reflects themselves.
The announcement is part of an ongoing “drive to champion the individuality of its people and customers” and is complemented by the rollout of optional pronoun badges for all its people and those travelling with the airline. This move enables everyone to clearly communicate and be addressed by their pronouns. The badges will be available to teams and customers from this week and customers simply need to ask for their preferred badge at the check-in desk or in the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse.
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Michelle Visage, Tanya Compas, Talulah-Eve and Tyreece Nye have teamed up with the company to showcase the new policy in a stylised fashion shoot. Michelle Visage said: “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. 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.”
Launched as part of its ‘Be Yourself’ agenda, the airline has already unveiled a series of “industry-leading inclusivity initiatives” to ensure they can truly be themselves at work and feel comfortable in their roles. This latest addition follows a decision in 2019 to offer the cabin crew the choice of whether to wear make-up as well as the option to wear trousers and flat shoes. More recently the airline lifted restrictions around allowing visible tattoos for crew members and its front-line people.
Jaime Forsstroem, cabin crew at Virgin Atlantic, added: “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 airline’s initiatives also include an update of its existing trans inclusion policies, which already allows time off for medical treatments related to gender transition, personal choice of changing and shower facilities that align with the gender a person identifies as and co-creation of a personalised transitioning plan.
Juha Jarvinen, Virgin Atlantic’s chief commercial officer, said: “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. 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.”
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