In the blistering Australian summer heat, where temperatures regularly soar past 104°F (40°C), staying cool isn’t just a comfort — it’s a matter of safety. For outdoor workers, especially in physically demanding trades like landscaping, managing body temperature is critical.
So when Shianne Fox, a female landscaper from Sydney, decided to go topless — just like her male coworkers — on one of the hottest days of the year, she wasn’t making a scandalous statement.
She was demanding equal treatment.
Known on social media as “The Bikini Tradie,” Fox has been working in the male-dominated trades for over four years. But her recent TikTok video — showing her in a bikini top while working on a job site — has reignited a long-overdue conversation about gender double standards, workplace dress codes, and what it means to be professional.
“Why Can the Guys Go Shirtless — But I Can’t?”
In a now-viral TikTok post, Fox expressed her frustration:
“It’s a f—ing 40-degree day today, and I’m the one who has to wear my shirt, while all the boys on-site don’t have to wear theirs.”
Her point was simple:
If male workers are allowed to remove their shirts to stay cool and prevent heat exhaustion, why are women expected to cover up — even when wearing a bikini top — in the same conditions?
Fox argues that her body is not a distraction, and that outdated social norms should not dictate workplace comfort and safety.
“I don’t think it should be ‘distracting’ because, at the end of the day, they’re just a natural thing,” she said. “We need to normalize women’s bodies just as much as we’ve normalized men’s.”
A Stand for Equality — Or a Risk to Professionalism?
Fox’s stance has drawn strong reactions from all sides.
Supporters Say: “This Is About Fairness”
Many applaud Fox for challenging the status quo.
- Men routinely go shirtless on job sites with no issue.
- Women in the same role are held to different standards — often forced to wear loose, hot clothing that compromises comfort and safety.
“Why is a woman’s torso considered ‘inappropriate’ when a man’s isn’t?” one commenter asked.
“This isn’t about sex — it’s about equal rights to stay cool and work safely.”
Others praised her for using her platform to highlight the daily inequities female tradespeople face — from skepticism about their skills to policing their appearance.
Critics Say: “She Doesn’t Speak for Us”
Not everyone agrees with her approach.
Some female tradeswomen worry that her methods could harm the credibility of women trying to be taken seriously in the industry.
One female electrician commented:
“I’ve worked my ass off to be respected in this field. Shianne Fox does not speak for us female tradies.”
Others argue that professionalism matters, especially in client-facing roles — and that clothing choices can impact how women are perceived in a still largely male-dominated environment.
The Bigger Issue: Outdated Rules in a Modern Workplace
At its core, this debate isn’t really about bikinis or bare chests.
It’s about double standards.
- Heat stress is a real occupational hazard — and workers should be able to dress appropriately to mitigate it.
- Workplace policies often reflect outdated gender norms rather than safety or practicality.
- Women in trades continue to face barriers — from unequal pay to being judged for their appearance, not their skills.
Fox’s protest — whether you agree with her method — forces us to ask:
Why do we treat men’s and women’s bodies so differently — even when they’re doing the same job in the same conditions?
Are Any Companies Changing the Rules?
While most Australian workplaces still follow traditional dress codes, some progressive companies are beginning to review their policies to be more inclusive.
A few have introduced gender-neutral uniform guidelines, allowing all workers to dress according to temperature and safety needs — as long as they’re covered in high-risk areas (like near machinery).
Meanwhile, New Zealand has seen similar debates, with female construction workers pushing for policy changes that reflect equity, not just equality.
Final Thoughts: More Than a Bikini — It’s a Movement
Shianne Fox may be called “The Bikini Tradie” — but she’s become something bigger: a symbol of resistance against gendered double standards in the workplace.
Whether you support her choice or not, her message is clear:
Women deserve the same freedom, respect, and comfort as men — especially when they’re doing the same hard, sweaty, essential work.
The conversation she’s sparked isn’t just about clothing.
It’s about dignity, safety, and the right to be seen as a worker — not a spectacle.
And as climate change brings hotter summers and longer heatwaves, these conversations won’t go away.
They’ll only grow more urgent.
In the end, it’s not about who wears what — it’s about who gets to choose.
