‘Leg hair harassment:’ men wearing shorts to work sparks debate in Japan

Tokyo Metropolitan Government workers are trading ties and button-ups for T-shirts and shorts under a new relaxed dress code policy aimed at combating stifling temperatures — but the shift has birthed the term “leg hair harassment,” a phrase coined to highlight what some say are double standards around workplace appearance. The change is part of the “Tokyo Cool Biz” campaign, which aims to save energy by reducing the need for air conditioning and includes a rule allowing the city’s government workers to wear shorts to the office. 2:04 ‘I’m 1,000% excited’: Pokémon Fossil Museum debuts in Chicago as generations of fans flock to event Story continues below advertisement According to BBC and New York Times reports, some say the policy — even though it applies to men and women — is unfair because women face more cultural pressure than men to cover up and are expected to spend money on hair removal. Get breaking National news Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won't miss a trending story. In response, according to both news outlets, Japanese media devised the term “leg hair harassment,” or “sunehara,” to describe the feeling of being forced to see a ma...