Shianne Foxx, a Sydney landscaper known as the “bikini tradie,” is pushing for equal rights for women to work topless like their male counterparts in a bold action challenging corporate conventions.
Foxx has expressed her worries about the ongoing double standards in the building sector, especially on blistering summer days when temperatures rise above forty degrees Celsius.
The issue started when Foxx’s company told her that working without a shirt would be considered a “distraction.” She responded by venturing on social media to voice her displeasure, drawing attention to the unfairness of allowing male employees to drop their shirts but forbidding female employees from doing so.
In a frank TikTok video, Foxx said, “It’s a double standard, it’s s*xist, and I’m actually really over it.” “I just want to be topless like the guys, but no; I will ‘distract them.'”
Her video set off a variety of internet responses. Around her message, supporters banded together to advocate more fair rules. “It ain’t the lads you work with that would be complaining; direct the hate towards those running the show,” one reader said. Others urged questioning these outdated rules, suggesting that any early discomfort will pass with time. “Sure, there’s comments and looks for a week or so, but then it really wouldn’t matter,” another user said.
Conversely, several expressed worries about possible disruptions resulting from letting female employees go topless. Critics worried this modification may cause accidents and lower job site productivity. Workers might need time to adjust to new clothing codes.
Foxx openly addressed these issues, claiming that breasts shouldn’t be considered distractions. “I reasoned that getting mine off would be just fair. She added in an interview with News.com.au: “I have no shame in getting my boobs out.” She highlighted that breasts are a normal feature of the human body and should not cause immature reactions. “You should just grow up if you’re going to be immature and feel like they’re going to be distracting,” she said.
This argument clarifies more general gender equality problems in sectors usually controlled by men. Recent studies show a notable gender disparity in the construction sector in Australia; women account for just over 12% of the workforce. The demand for more fair treatment in businesses becomes ever more important as temperatures increase and heat waves grow more frequent thanks to climate change.
Foxx argues that if men may work shirtless in hot weather, women should also be entitled to same rights.
Her political activity reveals a growing movement for gender equality in all sectors of life, forcing companies to reconsider out-of-date rules that violate current values of fairness and respect.