High heels

Thousands back Japan high heels campaign

The petition was started by Yumi Ishikawa who says she was made to wear high heels while working at a funeral parlour.

Her tweets on the issue went viral with more than 30,000 shares.

In 2015, a London receptionist was sent home from work without pay after she refused to wear high heels.

Canada province makes high heels optional

The government of British Columbia (BC) says the requirement is discriminatory as well as being a health and safety issue because they are dangerous.

It says that high heel wearers face a risk of physical injury from slipping or falling as well as possible damage to the feet, legs and back.

Footwear should be designed to allow workers to operate safely, it says.

The announcement of the ban comes after a provincial Green party politician in March introduced a bill in the BC legislature aimed at preventing employers from setting gender-based footwear requirements.