Member-only story
Japanese Lingerie Brand’s Transgender-Inclusive Policy Faces Backlash
As a result, the company appears to be waffling on its support.
By Ebony Brown
Japanese businesses are working on improving the customer service experience of sexual minorities and the disabled. Spurred on by new laws and the revision of older laws, companies are making their stores more welcoming and inclusive, but also facing backlash.
Wacoal, a popular Kyoto-based lingerie brand, has introduced new customer service guidelines to create a welcoming sales environment for all customers, regardless of gender identity or disability. Recognizing that it can be challenging to identify the diverse needs of customers — including LGBTQ individuals and those with disabilities — based solely on appearance, a company representative stated, “I want to minimize assumptions and respond flexibly.”
Reasonable accommodations
The new guidelines outline a few key points that will make the store a more inclusive environment for disabled people.
The first is to ensure that aisles are more than 90 centimeters wide to accommodate…
