[happytoexplain]

The "step it up" is true and low-class even in context, but was directed at both sexes. Of course, being disrespectful to twice as many people would be worse, not better.

The rest is also true, except the author apparently didn't know that the hanging part of a dress and a skirt aren't synonymous (I don't think so anyway). But that has no relevance to what makes it deserving of "rage", as you say, so what are you actually referring to?

[wjnc]

Would you mind explaining how "step it up", which I read as "stepping up the dress code" is low-class? For me there is a natural progression from sports wear, to casual, to business casual, to business, to cocktail casual, to cocktail, to black / white tie.

And since we all have that one friend or colleague that's always two levels below the stipulated dress code, I also understand the urge to explain it in male / female terms. It's just more specific. If I extend my sympathy to the non-binaries, I could understand that the dividors "Men:" and "Women:" could have been dropped in the explanation. But why is that such a big thing?

[nabnob]

Because the dress code for women is more sexualized than the dress code for men, and also expects women to wear heels, something that's not healthy and bad for your joints.

[belorn]

A common reason for the anti-necktie sentiment among workers is that the tie represent a symbol of submission and slavery (i.e., having a symbolic chain around one's neck), marking which males are lower on the social ladder and thus unsuitable mates.

[happytoexplain]

The disrespect of "step it up" is derived directly from what people are being asked to step up to. The phrase by itself has no context.

I'm not following your second paragraph - it sounds like you're simply saying that the female and male version of the dress code in question have no differences in terms of respect and reasonableness in-context, but surely that's the crux of the disagreement? The point is that I find "wear a short dress and heels" to be more disrespectful than "wear a blazer/slacks/suit". I am making no comment on how those two things are comparable in other contexts, e.g. whether or not they are members of the same dress code by definition. I can't follow how that relates to respect.

[bluesign]

First of all, dress code is directed to both sexes, it is obvious this headline is sexualized with bad intent. ever reading gitlab told salesmen to wear black tie and blazer?

Something can be literally true, but in the mean time out of context like this.

[Pfhreak]

The headline is not any more sexualized than the original request, so no, it's not obvious at all.