Sydney’s burning summer heat creates extreme conditions which make outdoor labor force workers endure through such temperatures.
Outdoor workers frequently eliminate their shirts due to intolerable weather conditions in their search to find relief.
The right to remove clothing for relief becomes restricted to some people.
Enter Shianne Foxx, a Sydney-based landscaper who has become known on social media as the “Bikini Tradie.”
Foxx has spent more than four years as a landscaper while posting job site content documenting the temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104°F).
A recent workplace event triggered an intense online discussion about beliefs which identify s*xism together with workplace inequality as substantial sources of the controversy.
At work during a sweltering hot day Foxx faced an incident which led her to query why trade professions would restrict women differently from men.
She received an explicit order from her boss which demanded she keep her shirt on when male workers freely worked without shirts.
The perceived inconsistency between male and female labor regulations made Foxx share her frustrated comments through social media.
She recorded on TikTok that “It’s a f***ing double standard” exists between the way men and women face heat regulation on the job. It’s s*xist, and I’m actually really over it.”
Foxx outlined her disagreement because men maintained their shirtless behavior without any penalties but she received punishment for similar behavior.
People on social media acted swiftly to support Foxx while simultaneously agreeing that most workplace dress codes single out female employees.
One supporter wrote, “It’s not your colleagues who’d complain; take it up with those in charge of the rules.”
The safety of employees was questioned by certain internet users who believed female exposure would disrupt attention on work tasks and generate more accidents at the site.
“Good idea,” one user responded, “but the only possible problem is that the men could get too distracted and get hurt.”
The simple idea according to Foxx is that equal treatment extends to clothing choices regardless of the situations at hand.
Speaking further to news.com.au, Foxx defended her stance, saying, “I don’t think it should be distracting because, at the end of the day, breasts are just a natural thing.”
She added, “If you’re going to be childish and feel like they’re distracting, then you should just grow up.”
Workplace law experts state that Australian employers have the power to enforce workplace attire but need to follow anti-discrimination rules.
Giuseppe Carabetta, a workplace law specialist, explains that dress codes must be applied equally, stating, “Employers have the right to set reasonable standards of dress, but these must not discriminate based on gender.”
Gender-specific rules about workplace attire may lead to legal repercussions when an entity fails to demonstrate sufficient non-discriminatory motives according to Carabetta.
Foxx’s ongoing effort for equality makes the public examine established gender stereotypes about what constitutes appropriate workplace attire in gender-specific industrial settings.
Her activism fights back against cultural behaviors which use s*xualization to objectify female bodies at work yet extend casualness to male employees.
The core issue she addresses is basic workplace equality along with proper professionalism rather than dominance of headlines and attention.
She proposes that contemporary workplaces should evaluate the outdated perception that female bodies continually distract colleagues.
The news.com.au interview exposed Foxx reinforcing her stance that she feels motivated to reveal her breasts because breasts are natural human body parts. They’re just a part of the human body.”
Many individuals recognize Foxx’s dismissal of workplace s*xism as courageous while other people consider her stance as controversial.
Yet, the real controversy behind Foxx’s viral callout isn’t simply that she wants equality in comfort and attire.
The news that’s sparked fierce debate online is Foxx’s bold proposal: she believes women should be legally permitted to work completely topless on job sites during extreme heat—just like their male counterparts.
