Further thoughts - this has been a growing trend at assemblies. A couple of years ago the visiting Bethel rep insisted on his tour that all sisters took off their "tabards" that identified them as volunteers , including the sisters that worked as care-givers with the elderly & disabled. This caused mass confusion with the delegates and a couple of sisters walked off in disgust. He also wanted the sisters in parking to do so , but the head of the department refused , as the sisters had to wear bright yellow reflective tabards for health & safety reasons. The brother was reprimanded and told that Jehovah's law supercedes Caeser's law. The brother dug in & refused the request - unsurprisingly he was quietly removed and replaced after the assembly.
The sisters in parking were also informed that they could only direct traffic if standing beside or behind a brother , but not on their own. They could only stand bolt upright and were unable to point the direction cars were to go unless a driver stopped to ask directions.
Bizarre.....