Section Article

Gender Expression and Dress Code Conflicts in Indian Workplaces
Author(s): Ram Parkash

Abstract
Workplace dress codes traditionally associated with professionalism and decorum often function as tools of implicit gender regulation in modern Indian offices. While India’s corporate and institutional sectors continue to diversify and modernize dress code policies frequently lag behind in accommodating a spectrum of gender identities and expressions. This paper explores the tension between gender expression and dress code compliance in Indian workplaces examining how policies and unwritten norms impact individuals particularly those identifying outside the binary of male and female. Through interviews case studies policy analysis and organizational ethnography the research investigates how transgender gender-nonconforming and even cisgender individuals negotiate appearance-based expectations in offices institutions and service sectors. The findings reveal systemic gaps in inclusivity the prevalence of heteronormative biases in dress expectations and the psychological stress experienced by individuals compelled to suppress authentic self-expression. The paper argues for a reimagining of workplace aesthetics in India that centers on inclusion psychological safety and respect for diversity in gender presentation.