Christian midwife sues over right to wear trousers

A Christian nurse with a strict interpretation of Old Testament rules on dressing is suing a hospital for making her wear trousers.

Hannah Adewole, 45, is suing Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust for religious discrimination and harassment after being told at two hospitals that she must wear trousers and not scrub dresses in theatre.

According to the Telegraph, Mrs Adewole said she was told by City University London to wear scrub trousers to prevent infection.

While working as a midwife at Queen's Hospital in Romford, Essex, she says she was removed from the theatre by the midwife in charge of the high dependency unit for wearing a dress.

She feels that her religious needs have been overlooked, while Muslim midwives are allowed to wear their hijabs and tops.

The hospital argues that it is necessary for Mrs Adewole, a midwife, to wear trousers in order to prevent infection.

She was moved by City University London from the labour ward to post-natal care because of her refusal to accept the hospital's demands.

She is seeking an exemption to the dress code because of her literal interpretation of a verse in Deuteronomy stating that women should not dress as men.

Deuteronomy 22:5 states: "A woman must not wear men's clothing, nor a man wear women's clothing, for the Lord your God detests anyone who does this." (NIV)

Mrs Adewole said: "Reading the Bible has always given me strength.

"I believe that the Bible is truth and that its words should be followed wholeheartedly."

According to the Telegraph, she told an employment tribunal that she considers wearing dresses "a mandatory requirement in order to adhere to the scriptures".

She also claimed that a Muslim midwife would not have been treated in "such a disrespectful manner".

The tribunal rejected Mrs Adewole's claim on Tuesday, concluding that Queen's Hospital's dress code did not disadvantage Christians and was "legitimate and proportionate for infection control".