UK police officers complain unisex uniforms lead to squashed testicles and fungal infections
Due to the newly introduced unisex police uniform trousers, UK policemen are complaining about squashed testicles, whereas policewomen are reporting thrush and fungal infections, leaving these officers in severe discomfort.
The BBC reported that a minor internal survey by the Gwent Police Federation last year exposed some medical issues linked to police trousers and provided evidence for poor workwear designs that are “widespread across various emergency service occupations.”
Belinda Goodwin, a police officer and board member of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: “We’ve been aware of these issues surrounding unisex uniform for quite a few years.”
These uniforms, which have led to complaints from crushed testicles to infections have been subjected to intense backlash for months, with critics slamming them as “woke nonsense.”
Benjamin Elks, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, told The Sun: “This farce is a distraction for officers who should be out catching criminals.” Elks added: “Police forces should cut out waste and put bobbies on the beat.”
While the controversy around unisex wear has fueled the anti-woke movement, Goodwin disagreed with these criticisms. She insisted that the new workwear was not a “woke” decision to provide the same uniform for men and women, but an “old-fashioned” and “cost-effective measure.”
Yet, the uniforms seem to be offering little to no benefits that are not completely outweighed by the physical issues they are causing: “It’s almost like no one thought ‘Oh actually, women are a different shape and size to men.’ (…) They just don’t fit properly. There’s no real emphasis on investment in uniform,” she added.
It’s important to note that uniforms have long been designed by men for men, with ill-fitting trousers and stab vests being long-standing issues for female officers. With the new trousers, however, these policewomen are now voicing concerns about an uncomfortable lack of space “between the waist and the crotch.”
Goodwin added: “We have heard female officers facing discomfort because of the unisex trousers. All of this plays into how officers and staff feel on the job, and that cannot be understated.”
The officer said that she hoped the results of the survey would allow for an increased uniform budget, and an improvement for male and female officers.
