Companies are not only breaching the Equality Act when they oblige female employees to wear high-heeled shoes at work (MPs call for new law on sexist dress codes, 25 January). There is well-established evidence for the harm caused to women’s musculo-skeletal health by the protracted wearing of high heels and employers can reasonably be expected to be aware of this. It is a basic requirement of UK health and safety law that employers assess the risks to which their employees are exposed at work and take reasonable measures to control these risks. Knowingly obliging workers to wear clothing or footwear that is harmful to their health may be construed as an offence against this requirement.
Jonathan Wallace
Newcastle upon Tyne
• In the winter of 1973, when strike action by power workers reduced office heating to three hours a day, we “girls” were allowed to wear trousers. When I continued to do so after the strikers went back to work I was told, in no uncertain terms, to go back to wearing skirts (Women should not forget that heels are a feminist issue, 26 January). Plus ça change.
Jenny Haynes
Horkstow, Lincolnshire
• Cycling is “a sport run by men, for men” (Cooke ‘sceptical’ of Wiggins, 25 January). Women are required to wear high heels and revealing outfits in the workplace (Report, 25 January). Trump signs an order to restrict funding for organisations that perform abortions or provide information about them (Report, 24 January). Not a good day for humankind.
Danny Simpson
Brighton
• I agree that sexist instructions to employees are wrong. I now look forward to the end of the insistence that men wear suits and ties, and when they are also told not to have facial hair.
Dave Massey
Bristol
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