“Please step away from those flats ma’am, and put the high heels back on!”

This is something you may hear the police say at a work place in Japan!

Many Americans kind of assume that most countries around the world have the same general laws that we do here in America.

You really can’t get much further from the truth.

The laws in countries around the world can be quite different than our own.

And some of them would really surprise you!

In some countries, women aren’t treated much better than cattle.

In other countries, women are basically treated like slaves.

And in most countries, women are expected to, at least, be subservient to men.

In general, women are treated quite differently from men around the world, and not in a good way.

Let’s take a look at one country for example.

Let’s take a look at Japan.

I’m sure most Americans would consider Japan quite similar to The United States.  We’re both highly developed capitalist countries, with very high standards of living.

However, Thairy Lantigua of Fox News reports that, “A purported ban of glasses worn by female employees in Japan has sparked widespread backlash.”

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“Local media reported that some companies have prohibited eye wear, with some saying that they make female employees seem ‘cold.’”

“Cold?”  I’m sure female employees in the U.S. would be understanding and sympathetic of their company’s desires!

“However, other companies like airlines claim the ban is for security reasons, while others in the beauty and fashion industries said it does not let the workers’ makeup be seen properly, the BBC reported.”

Oh, well, in that case…, we wouldn’t want to disappoint the beauty and fashion industry!

“This is not the first time Japan has caused controversy for demanding women to wear–or not wear–something specific in the workplace.”

“In March, women railed against a requirement to wear makeup, while this summer, an online petition went viral demanding a ban on mandatory dress codes for women.”

“Actress and freelance writer Yumi Ishikawa launched the petition, saying that women face health issues for [continually] wearing high-heeled shoes at work. She said she was required to wear heels at her part-time job in a funeral parlor.”

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“Japan’s health minister, Takumi Nemoto, said in June that heels were ‘necessary and appropriate’ in the workplace.”

‘“It is socially accepted as something that falls within the realm of being occupationally necessary and appropriate,’ he said at the time.”

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Mr. Nemoto would not be very popular in America, to say the least.

“Ms. Kumiko Nemoto, [no relation to the health minister] professor of sociology at Kyoto University of Foreign Studies, told BBC News that Japan was reacting to ‘outdated’ policies and that companies are valuing women’s appearance instead of their work.’”

Oh, really…, ya think?

‘“The reasons why women are not supposed to wear glasses really don’t make sense,’ she said. ‘It’s all about gender. It’s pretty discriminatory.’”

Again…, ya think?

How about a couple more strange Japanese laws concerning women?

Like, for instance, women are legally obliged to wear bras in buildings with air conditioning.

And…, if your older brother asks to marry your girlfriend, by law, you and your girlfriend, must agree.

Weird, huh?

To my friends reading in Japan…, I apologize for putting some of your laws and culture in a negative light, but it appears that many of your own are questioning some of these laws as well.

As well they probably should.

Although I’m sure that some of our laws, here in the states, may cause people in other countries to cringe as well.

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Thank you, MrEricksonRules.

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