What do we wear?

A question was recently asked on Facebook about how to word choir dress codes to be inclusive of all choir members, regardless of gender. The question-asker indicated that there are some non-binary and/or transgender singers in the ensemble, which has prompted a re-consideration of the policies.

Changing something that is historically very gendered into something more neutral is a great shift towards being actively inclusive. Because even if you aren’t aware of gender-diverse folks in your organization, it’s highly likely that they are there! And so, making these changes will only benefit everyone in your ensemble.

But first, some tough love: This work should only be done if you are truly ready to be accepting of everyone, and have done the self-reflection beforehand.

For example, if someone you assumed to be a man, because they sing in your bass section and have never corrected your assumption, showed up in a more typically feminine outfit, how would you feel? Be honest with yourself here. Would it be a ‘big deal’? Would you be supportive? Would you be concerned about the reaction of your audience? Would you be worried about the ‘image’ of the choir? Would you know how to handle it if someone commented negatively about it to you?

In addition to preparing yourself, you must also prepare the choir. Include language in the dress code that explicitly states its inclusivity, and have a conversation about it to ensure that everyone understands, accepts, and upholds that the choir is a safe place for people of all genders – and gender expressions.

All that being said, here is something you could put in your policy that is explicitly inclusive. Please feel free to copy and paste, if it is helpful for you!

This dress code is not tied to voice parts, and all gender expressions are welcome. I want you to be comfortable in your performance outfit so that you can focus on singing your best.

And then list the guidelines, keeping the focus on the pieces of clothing, rather than the person who might wear it. Again, here is a hypothetical dress code that you can adapt to your situation.

All clothing should be clean, pressed, and semi-formal black. Ensure you can sing, take a full bow, and stand comfortably for the whole concert.

Tops: sleeves at least 3/4 length. Bottoms: floor length pants/dress/skirt, and not leggings. Jackets/blazers: optional, but welcome. Jewellery/ties/bowties: optional, but welcome. Shoes/socks/tights/belt must be black.

This does bring up a whole other argument of whether we need overly prescriptive dress codes for choir. In my example above, I could potentially stop after the first two sentences. But that is for another day.

In the end, just as with other examples of outward inclusivity, the changes should be done without major fanfare and without being overly notable. For many people, the shift in language in your dress code won’t change a thing for them — they will wear what they have always worn.

But for some members, and for new people coming into the choir, it might mean they (finally) feel safe to wear something more comfortable and more aligned with who they are – and that is immeasurably good.