Just a few months back, companies in Japan made it compulsory for women to wear high heels to work. They said that it was “necessary and appropriate”, according to a report by The Guardian. Even the country’s Health and Labour Minister said that it is a “socially accepted” norm. The decision was widely protested against by Japanese women and by people on the internet. But it seems like the authorities disregarded the collective women’s voice.
And now, companies in Japan have banned women from wearing glasses at their workplace, reported Independent UK.

The reason for this ban differed from company to company. Retailers justified the decision saying female shop workers wearing glasses left a “cold impression” on customers. Traditional restaurants argued that specs didn’t go with traditional Japanese clothing which was their uniform. Companies from the beauty sector said that customers wouldn’t be able to see the female worker’s makeup under their specs.

According to a report by the BBC, it wasn’t clear whether the ban was based on company policies, or whether it reflected socially acceptable beauty standards being imposed on women. A professor of sociology from the Kyoto University of Foreign Studies said that the ban revealed “old, traditional Japanese thinking” and that it was pretty “discriminatory”.
According to Independent, one woman complained of being forced to wear contact lenses when she was suffering an eye infection and that led to more pain and discomfort.

People on the internet are outraged over such company policies and are accusing them to be overtly sexist.
My takeaway from this article is that somehow some creepy old Japanese dudes think glasses are unfeminine or unattractive. And here I thought glasses were a big turn on in this country. Are sexists running out of things to police about women's appearances?? Bottom of barrel here. pic.twitter.com/UDEkoQYYdO
— Caitlin Austin (@mizunocaitlin) November 9, 2019
Can we call ourselves the greatest generation now? #glassesareforbidden
— Danny Heeter (@DannyHeeter) November 8, 2019
So apparently some Japanese employers ban women from wearing glasses because it makes them look “cold“ and “rude”. This is me with my glasses, looking really cold and rude, right? #Japan #メガネ禁止 #WomensRights https://t.co/nISsEarFsa pic.twitter.com/1lzkzvUfkU
— Linn (@linnbaralinn) November 9, 2019
Ugh! Mandatory high heels at work and now banning women from wearing glasses? Japanese companies need to treat women like human beings – not dolls, dressed up for their pleasure ?
BBC News – Japan 'glasses ban' for women at work sparks backlashhttps://t.co/ql1XWkPoLd
— ?️Debbie (@Omnishambles85) November 8, 2019
post about how women are forced to not wear glasses on Japanese television because of enforced “beauty standards” by TV channels out there. And these are some of the comments. As a dude I can honestly say, men are fuckin gross pic.twitter.com/KXAMrfiILI
— lo-fi Target intercom announcment (@tomslaff) November 8, 2019
I've never heard anything so ridiculous as #glassesareforbidden. I'm blind as a bat , couldn't even see the computer screen without mine. How could I do my job?
— Ferrymans Daughter (@FerrymansDaugh1) November 8, 2019
Really Japan..I love wearing glasses I never have contact lenses.I have close 20 glasses and I wear glasses like wear cloth. With means one of my identities. I think many of people wearing glasses have reason. #glassesareforbidden for only Women. Nonsense!
— MARIKO IWASA / 岩佐麻里子 (@MARIKOROSSO) November 9, 2019
So, I hear glasses are banned for Japanese women in the workplace. Step into the 17th century Japan! #glassesareforbidden #Japan #Nippon
— Kristie Lewis (@Kristie76024677) November 8, 2019
This is frighteningly absurd. So I guess if you have poor vision and are unable to wear contacts you just need to give up and die in a hole? OMG I cannot even deal with this, I am putting on my glasses as soon as I get home: https://t.co/R5kbmJrKZ9 #GlassesBan
— J Mummey? (@mummey_j) November 8, 2019
i saw a news story about japanese companies that don't let women wear glasses on the job and i'm just like "you've gotta be fucking kidding me"
— Alex Geoffroy (@EsPyramid) November 8, 2019
Check out THIS anachronism. Yeh, there's no way to spin this favorably, it's… just weird–unusually sexist for the time we're living in. How remarkable it's still a thing. Get w/the times, Japan! It's only, like, 2019 lol ?♂️ #GoodGrief #GlassesBan #KuToohttps://t.co/sMhROuv3XD
— Brian Keith MacDonald (@MacDKB) November 8, 2019
Will society ever stop dictating to women what they should and should not wear?