A Little Help Please. Kilts at Work Research

[Archangel]

Hey Ron, missed you.

I can't wear my kilt at work for safety reasons. I have worn it at work events.

It was a main feature and discussion focus when I ran for Human Rights, and won, last year. If you remember, I ran a poster with me kilted on it.

I think it let other groups see that I had a non-traditional white culture I wished to express and therefore I would help represent their cultures better.

Perhaps more in the east than where you are, there is a strong link between kilts and natives that Steve alluded to in his earlier post. Nowadays there is a very strong communication between all natives, I would think it would be a more positive thing than your boss suspects.

There's another thing here, that's hard to express. You've been doing this for a long time now, kilt-wearing, and it would be a big shock to the community if you stopped. It would destroy the centre's credibility if it came out that you were directed to conform to some eastern standard. How can you help me find my core if you've been told to stray from yours and you followed that direction, disobeying your own core? Whoa, what happened to my grammar?

[GMan]

I know that I am very lucky indeed. Since I work out of my house and most of my physical public contact from the business end is UPS, DHL, FedEx, etc.

I have no problems at all.

I hope that I did not skew the outcome.

[Riverkilt]

Wow! You guys are both perceptive and deep. Thank you. From the input thus far I've developed a list of twelve key positive points and you've also given me five new ideas to pursue.

Strongest is that kilts show visual proof that our agency values diversity. And for sure I've seen over the past two years that kilts seem to help break the ice with fearful court mandated clients, showing we're there to help, not punish.

Is this a great board or what??!!

Ron

[RockyR]

A "counter argument" to bring up...

Your CEO's thoughts are that the kilt may have a negative "first impression" on a client and "turn them off" to you.

What if a client is homophobic and gets an openly gay counselor? Should that counselor be told to "tone it down" or "don't act gay" to suit the needs of the company because they MAY POSSIBLY SOMEDAY offend someone just by being who they are comfortable being?

What if a racist client gets a [insert ethnicity here] counselor?

What if a sexist man gets a female counselor?

Separate point...

An argument can be made that if you put all the picutres up in the office (great idea BTW) and openly express who you are and your passions that it would make a client feel MORE comfortable. You're showing them pieces of yourself and opening up BEFORE they even say a word! It's much easier to trust someone who puts themselves "out there" like that.