Under the searing Australian sun, where the temperature climbs past 40°C (104°F), Shianne Fox found herself at a boiling point—not just from the heat, but from a rule she says reveals a deeper injustice.
A seasoned landscaper based in Sydney, Fox has spent over four years navigating the rugged, male-dominated world of the trades. She’s not unfamiliar with the challenges women face in such environments—but recently, a moment of frustration pushed her to speak out. Known online as “The Bikini Tradie,” Fox posted a raw, emotional video to TikTok after being reprimanded for wanting to remove her shirt while working outdoors in blistering conditions.
“The sun’s beating down, and every guy on site is working shirtless to stay cool,” she said, voice filled with exasperation. “But I’m told I need to stay covered up because it’s ‘distracting’? I’m sick of it. It’s hot. I just want the same freedom.”
For Fox, this isn’t about shock value or seeking attention—it’s about confronting a double standard that’s often brushed aside. If male workers are free to go shirtless to beat the heat, why is a woman’s body still seen as inappropriate or unprofessional in the same context?
Her message struck a chord, igniting debate across social media and beyond. Many applauded her for calling out a policy they see as rooted in outdated ideas about gender and appearance. Some men even chimed in, backing her call for equality and praising her courage.
But not everyone is cheering her on.
Critics argue that job sites need structure, that uniform rules are in place for safety and professionalism—not oppression. They point out that societal norms about public toplessness are different for men and women, and that perhaps the goal shouldn’t be to erase those differences, but to understand them.
Even among her fellow female tradespeople, Fox’s approach has proven divisive. Some say her public image—often wearing bikini tops in her videos—hurts the reputation of women trying to be taken seriously in the trades. “She’s not representing all of us,” one woman wrote. Another added, “She makes it harder for women like me who want to be seen for our skills, not our looks.”
Still, Fox refuses to be discouraged. She believes that visibility matters, and that by challenging norms—even if it ruffles feathers—she’s opening doors for others. “I want more women to know they belong here,” she said. “And if that means calling out unfair rules or making people uncomfortable, so be it.”
The numbers support her concern. A 2023 Deloitte report revealed that men outnumber women in trades by a staggering 12 to 1. That gap, Fox believes, won’t close until women feel welcome—not just tolerated—in these spaces.
Her defiance has sparked a deeper question: is the real battle about shirts, or is it about shedding the deeper assumptions that still cling to women in traditionally male spaces? For Fox, the answer is both. “If you walk onto a job site with confidence, and you hold your ground, most guys back off,” she said. “It’s about respect—and demanding it.”
Her story continues to polarize, but one thing is clear: it’s reignited the conversation about gender, equity, and the invisible rules that shape how we show up at work. Whether or not you agree with her method, Fox’s boldness is part of a larger movement—a call to rethink what fairness really looks like when the stakes are more than skin-deep.
