rogue

'Adventure World claims their skimpy swimwear rules aren’t sexist. Let's test that theory.'

 

Perth’s Adventure World claims their skimpy swimwear rules aren’t sexist, despite water park patrons pointing out that it’s only women being told what they can and can’t wear.

I intend no pun when I say it’s just another ‘but’.

The skimpy swimwear guidelines aren’t sexist but let’s be real, they’re only directed at women. I wanted to find out if these rules actually do apply to men like Adventure World say they do.

Adventure World
Adventure World's new swimwear policy. Image: Facebook.

Before I drove to the water park, I needed to go swimwear shopping. I’ll admit, the world of skimpy male clothing and male lingerie was new to me. The lovely lady at the adult store said they “get new stock in twice a week because these products move so quickly.

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"They’re one of our bestselling categories,” she proudly stated. Is this something I’ve been missing out on this whole time?

I danced a fine line between trying to prove a point about skimpy clothing and not wanting to end up on an offenders register but I finally found some items that covered what they needed to whilst leaving very little to the imagination. (That will be the last instance I’ll use "very little" here although the combination of cool water and the West Australian wind chill factor could see me using it many more times.)

I was so nervous and insecure I asked a friend to do the experiment with me. Jarryd, strangely, did not need much convincing.

We travelled to Adventure World, we stripped off, we swam and we received looks.

But most of the looks were nods of the head, tips of the cap and even a few “looking good fellas” from mums AND DADS enjoying a day out with their families.

Watch Ryan and Jarryd put Adventure World's swimwear policy to the test. Post continues after video. 

Video via Ryan Jon
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I was talking to a heavily tattooed mother-of-three in the line for the waterslide. She gave me a high five and was very supportive of the little investigation we were conducting. She told me, “I’m wearing my bigger bottomed bathers today but this waterslide is so fast that everything ends up in my crack anyway”.

She was hilarious. It was great to meet you, Chontelle.

The ban on skimpy swimwear supposedly includes both males and females but I can confirm that after hours of frolicking around in pools, paddling on rafts and riding on waterslides, I left on my own accord with a big smile on my face and slightly sun kissed cheeks.

All four of them.

Adventure World
Ryan and Jarryd frolic around Adventure World. Image: Instagram.
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I wasn't pulled aside and warned and I certainly wasn't kicked out.

But this is part of a far broader trend when it comes to the discrepancy between how men and women are treated with regards to their clothing choices.

Karl Stefanovic wore the same suit on The Today Show for 12 months without anyone noticing - but the tabloid world explodes if Sam Armytage wears the same dress twice in a year.

Male travel vloggers are bare-chested all day every day - but if a female shows a hint of nipple on Instagram her picture is removed and the platform threatens to ban her.

I wore a male thong to Adventure World and enjoyed my day, while women have bans and restrictions on what they can and can’t wear.

Society is trying to pledge equality, but the evidence is in: females are continuously being judged, discussed and told what’s right and wrong whilst us blokes can pretty wear what we want and do as we please.

I wore a man thong to a waterpark to see if those bikini bans really apply to men, and guess what?

They don’t.

Ryan Jon is an Aussie video creator and radio personality. Follow him on Instagram @ryan.jonor or Facebook @RyanJonOnline