A X-(formerly Twitter) user, Ziyanda Zee Mhlungu, took to social media to share a deeply personal and emotional experience that sparked a heated debate about dress codes and workplace fairness.
In her tweet, Ziyanda revealed that she was asked by her manager to leave work for the day—unpaid—because her dress was deemed “too short.”
“So today a manager asked me to leave work (unpaid day) because my dress was too short. I cried so much because I felt it was unfair, I’m tall so sometimes dresses and skirts do seem short on ME because I have long legs and I wore stockings even. I also promised not to wear the dress again but she didn’t want to hear any of it, and demanded I leave. Please tell me honestly if I’m being unreasonable for feeling it’s unfair,” she tweeted.
Ziyanda’s post quickly gained attention, with many users rallying behind her, offering support and calling out the perceived unfairness.
Some pointed out that her height may make it difficult to adhere to conventional dress codes, while others questioned the rationale behind the unpaid day off despite her willingness to comply with the manager’s concerns.
She wore stockings so they should have just warned her not to do it again instead of sending her home.
— Yolly (@YollyBlu) October 8, 2024
Her story touches on a wider conversation around workplace dress codes, particularly how they are applied and whether they accommodate diverse body types.
Many commenters also raised the issue of gender biases in the workplace, noting that women, in particular, are often scrutinized more harshly for their attire.
