Hello, this is the first time I have posted here, so please be kind!
I was a self-harmer for years, and as a result have severe scarring on both my arms. I have come through this now, and haven't slipped in a few years. In fact, I have come to terms with the scars and can now wear short sleeves without feeling self-conscious. At work I wore long sleeved things all the time until a few months ago. It was a new job and I wasn't fully comfortable with exposing this part of myself to people I didn't know very well and would be working with for a long time.
I decided that I could stop wearing long sleeves (a blessing as our shop can reach 30 degrees C), and haven't experienced any negative feedback from my customers or my workmates. However, on Saturday my boss informed me that there had been a series of phonecalls about me from personnel to our area manager, about the scars on my arms. I was told that I am not allowed to wear anything that might expose the scars, apparently in case 'customers judge you', or junior members of staff won't respect me in management.
I feel that this has brought me right back to that place of shame and guilt, and I really don't want to be back there again! Does anyone have any advice? Thank you so much!
