Woman teacher wins right to wear trousers to work in Hong Kong

Sep 11, 2010, 5:15 GMT

Hong Kong - A woman teacher in Hong Kong has won a legal victory over a school that forced her to wear a dress instead of trousers to work, a news report said Saturday.

Kwong Ho-ying fought a three-year legal battle against her former school after it insisted she wear a dress and not trousers, the South China Morning Post reported.

The Fung Yiu King Memorial Secondary School eventually gave Kwong an apology and an undisclosed compensation payout in an out-of-court settlement for her treatment in 2007 when she worked at the school.

She gave up her job after two months, saying she was humiliated and singled out at assembly by the headmaster for criticism after wearing a blouse and trousers to work on her first day.

Kwong, who was supported in her action by the city's Equal Opportunities Commission, told the newspaper, 'I'm a teacher, not a model. I shouldn't necessarily have to wear a dress to work.

'I'm only one of the victims of wrong gender stereotyping at school. There are others who suffered the same as me. I hope my case will set a precedent and help others.'

A commission spokesman said the school had discriminated against women, adding, 'It would not have been a problem if the school had also imposed a strict dress code on male teachers.'