Cancel my last. Given the circumstances that you have outlined - that a senior manager who gave you permission specifically approved what you were going to wear then I think you should go directly to her and explain what happened. You may wish to give the Major the heads up first.
My letter was predicated on the circumstance where I thought the permission might have been a bit of a 'shifting sand' clearly that is not the case.
In general I do not have problem with a business that wants to have a uniform or dress code, it is part of setting the tone of that business. I could well understand why a business may feel that highland dress is not compatible with the ethos it wishes to project and that some customers may feel that you are not taking the business seriously.
As its been mentioned I'll chip in with my 2p's worth (about 3c at current exchange rates) I do not believe this is really an issue of 'diversity' or discrimination. recently in the UK a women lost her case for discrimination because her employer did not allow her to wear a crucifix on her uniform. Amongst the arguments used in her favour was an attempt to claim some sort of equivalence with Sikhs and their turbans or Muslim women and their head scarves. I believe this is wrong. There is a mainstream religious and cultural imperative on Sikhs not to cut their hair and to wear a turban just as there is on Muslim women to wear a head scarf. Not to allow them to do so, or more realistically to not give them a job because their dress goes against the dress code would be discriminatory against them. On the other hand there is no cultural or religious imperative on Christians to display a crucifix on their clothing just as there is no religious or cultural imperative on us to wear our kilts however much we may personally want to and however much we may be hurt and offended when we are told we can't. That's work.
On the other hand if some one tells me I can't wear highland dress to a social or cultural event they can ram it. If it was a private party I simply would not go (I make exceptions for weddings) or if a 'public' event such as a mess function I simply turn up in my kilt and the nay sayers can go hang. As for teh school prom I agree with the previous writer who said that the school would not dare to discriminate against some one who turned up dressed like an African chief or Chinese Mandarin so I see no reason to tolerate them discriminating against Scots.
Last edited by Good Egg; 8th April 10 at 01:43 AM.
Reason: Adding a thought or two.
The 'Eathen in his idleness bows down to wood and stone,
'E don't obey no orders unless they is his own,
He keeps his side arms awful,
And he leaves them all about,
Until up comes the Regiment and kicks the 'Eathen out.
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