Yes it is Bullshit, 100 percent! But the fact remains, you are expected to live up to a standard set by society. I also believe that, given similar events, the woman is treated a lot more gruffly than her male counterpart, but I can't prove that.
What I'm outlining is true in a corporate (office) setting. It might be a lot different if you're outside in a trade (construction, truck driver, heavy equipment, etc). But things are pretty strict in my setting. Remember, they have a corporate image to project. If it became known that someone was doing something 'inappropriate' to their standards, it's just easier to find a way to make life a living hell - forsing you to leave.
On a less weighty topic, I have a Girlfriend who is a divorce attorney, specializing in high end clients. When interviewing for staff positions (only two actual lawyers in her firm) if the individual has any visible tattoos or piercings (except one piercing for each ear), they are not hired. She has people who ARE hired sign a document that if they subsequently get visible tattoos or piercings, they will be terminated. This all revolves around 'corporate image'.
So yes, it is BS, but it's also a fact of life.
