It may seem hard to believe this took until 2012 to resolve, but a new ruling says female Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers may now wear pants and boots rather than skirts and pumps as part of their formal uniforms.

The Canadian Press reports that a grievance, twice denied, was filed in 2003, alleging discrimination. One problem? According to the news service, Staff Sergeant Major Sylvain L’heureux says regulation boots and pants come only in men’s sizes and are pricey.

But now women who request to swap skirts and heels for pants and boots may do so, the CP adds. However, they’ll have to wear men’s styles.

“Where we stand is that it was recommended that we should approve that for females,” L’heureux tells the news service. “If they want to wear them, they’re going to be men’s boots.”

Still, the dress-code switch doesn’t change the culture of the RCMP, Reilly Schmidt, a former officer, tells the CP.

“It’s an embedded issue and it’s tied up with ideas of masculinity and femininity in Canadian culture, and I think the RCMP mirrors a lot of other industries,” Schmidt tells the news service.

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