Japan Prohibits Eyeglasses In The Workplace For Women, Deemed “Unhygienic” And Unfeminine

Women in a variety of workplaces across Japan have been banned from wearing eyeglasses while on the job. A Japanese recruitment site even stated that when wearing glasses, it’s hard to read facial expressions, and depending on the person, many might perceive someone wearing them as cold or unfriendly — or overly smart. But it’s only women who must abide by this recent standard. Professions such as receptionists at department stores and showrooms, hospitality staff, and nurses at beauty clinics all have been affected by the ban. And the mental and physical effects run hand in hand, according to Business Insider.

A Japanese woman in her twenties, who chose to remain anonymous, works as a receptionist in a major department store, where she explained that her superior told her “glasses are prohibited.” “He said this as though it were obvious,” she said. “I told myself at that time that we weren’t allowed glasses because we needed to look feminine, that it just wouldn’t do to wear them.” The woman continued, “Now that I think about it, perhaps it was that they wanted us all to look uniform,” she said, “as though we were part of some kind of gymnastics squad.”

According to the publication, the woman’s vision is below 0.01, and after wearing contacts for over 12 hours, 5 days a week, she said her eyes were so irritated from dryness and fatigue that she would sometimes just close her eyes while on break. “There are times when it’s bad whatever I do,” said Ms. A, “and there are often mornings where I just think to myself, ‘I wish I could wear glasses.'” She said women are scrutinized in the workforce for their hair, clothes, and makeup as well, yet men aren’t asked the same of their professional appearance.

“Suddenly, I realized I wasn’t being paid for the time I was spending on doing my hair, and I felt depressed,” she said. “I felt the same about the contact lenses and make-up. It seems like only women are being asked for the appearance of beauty and feminine that isn’t imposed on men. I just don’t understand.” She continued, “I like working in customer service, and I take pride in my role, but I don’t want to be ‘feminine’ in the workplace. It should be the thoughtful attitude I have towards clients [rather than my hair] that matters. I want the rules to be reviewed.”

In a survey by Business Insider Japan, women who work in showrooms “have a very narrow set of rules, covering hair color, nails, and glasses.” A female student, also in her twenties, responded to the survey, saying: “In the hospitality sector, I was told to switch to contact lenses because wearing glasses is unhygienic.” Another woman, who worked as a nurse at a beauty clinic, said her industry is also directly affected by the ban and has the same problems with dry-eyes at work, but employers don’t care. She said, “Many of my colleagues keep eye drops in their pockets would use it while working. Some even had laser surgery.” Her employer also recommends hair removal and skin-lightening treatments to patients.

The beauty nurse said she had her reservations at first but conformed until she couldn’t take the pressure anymore. She said, “I was taken aback at the start, but I quickly adjusted to it. Society’s gaze toward women numbs your senses. I was told it would help boost sales, it would make me more convincing, and I accepted it. At the university hospital, we were judged based on our technique and knowledge, but at beauty clinics, it was more about looks. I was a nurse, but I felt like I was being asked to be a sort of a doll.”

She continued, “Beauty clinics are a place where you’re told: ‘if you think it’s hard, you can just quit.’ There are plenty of young, driven potential employees with nice skin who can take your place… Being there just numbed me.” After six years, she switched careers and became an editor at a digital media company.

“At the time, I was at the top of my company on ‘lookism,'” she said, referring to a term used to describe discriminating against someone based on their looks. “I was leading the way with this ‘lookism’ and just perpetuating it. I switched jobs because I wanted to send out a message that would empower women; not to impose some uniform beauty standards. I still wonder if what I did was right,” she said. “Now, through skincare, I am trying to help women feel comfortable in their own skin. If cultural norms change, I think that the rules of the workplace will also change.”