TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s legislature has frozen part of the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) budget until airlines submit plans to address gender inequality caused by uniform choices for flight attendants.

Legislators expressed concerns about airline regulations that require female staff to wear skirts, high-heeled shoes, and makeup, per LTN. The decision to freeze more than NT$50 million (about US$1.55 million) of the CAA’s budget comes after protests from staff about gender inequality in the industry, which has been directed at uniforms in particular.

Currently, only Taiwan’s budget carrier Tigerair Taiwan offers both male and female staff the option to wear pants while at work. CAA Director Lin Kuo-shian (林國顯) said the issue is important to the agency, but added that it sets no regulations on uniforms, which are determined by the companies themselves.

Lin said the agency has already asked airlines to increase uniform options for staff. He said time would be needed to produce the uniforms and that the CAA would meet with airlines within three months to discuss the issue.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Ho Hsin-chun (何欣純) questioned why it would take that long, and said airlines only need to provide staff with pants. New Power Party Legislator Chiu Hsien-chih (邱顯智) questioned why, in a country with marriage equality, airlines are so behind when it comes to gender equality in uniforms.