Offense Taken

An email memo circulated around work today telling us of a potential client coming around tomorrow and to make sure our areas are tidy. Oh and this:

As these gentlemen are Muslim, they consider "excessive" displays of flesh to be offensive - long pants etc are the order of the day.

At first I was slightly put off. Not that I wear shorts to work very often but still I found it kind of rude. Then I was thinking that many workplaces have dress codes and this is simply a one day dress code. Whatever.

But I kept coming back to it. To me there is a difference between a dress code for reasons of professionalism, and a dress code required because of someone else's religion. Then again, inviting a client into your place of business is like inviting a guest into your home. I wouldn't serve a pork chop to a guest I knew was a vegetarian.

However, someone going to a country like Canada should understand that knee hgh skirts and shorts will be worn in a workplace and they should be willing to adjust their expectations. I wouldn't expect a guest to my home to tell me that me eating a pork chop is rude and offensive and I should stop. (Side note: yum, pork chops)

Regardless, its not my call. Working in the office known as the Glacial Palace you'd be hard pressed to find my working in short sleeves much less short pants. Still, I'm tempted to put up a swimsuit calendar smile and wave when the tour walks by.