Correction du travail sur le texte « THE LEGGINGS FUROR » (p 64 du livre)

. First reading.

a. Identify the 2 brands involved and their business sector.

The two brands involved are United Airlines, an airline / travel company and Puma, a sportswear brand. /2

b. What is the main anecdote? Explain.

United Airlines imposed a dress code on its pass travelers which forbid them from wearing leggings.

/2

c. What reaction did this anecdote provoke?

People were outraged by the fact that United Airlines felt it necessary to tell passengers what to wear.

It should be up to you what you wear when flying! Even Puma, a leading sportswear brand, got involved; they offered a 20% discount on leggings to any customer with a valid United Airlines ticket.

/3

3. Second reading.

a. Spot the second anecdote.

The second anecdote is about a British woman who was fired for refusing to wear high heels at work.

/2

b. Does it raise the same issue as the 1st anecdote?

It does indeed raise the same issue as the first anecdote. Both are concerned with dress codes in the workplace, and whether or not it is fair to impose such dress codes so strictly. While in the first anecdote, the company didn’t back down, here the employee won the legal battle and the company had to review their dress code policy.

/3

c. What part did social media play in all this?

These anecdotes went viral on social media, and they created a media frenzy because they were considered encroachments on individual freedom. Indeed, in the United Airlines case, it was outrage online that led to Puma using Twitter to share its response, and special offer on leggings. People find issues such as these especially important in today’s society which champions body positivity and self-expression, and it is for this reason that these situations caused uproar online.

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