This Girl Is Speaking Out After Six Flags Allegedly Enforced Sexist Dress Code
Bina Ramesh celebrated her 22nd birthday three weeks ago at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ. She wore normal theme park attire for 95 degree temps: a V-neck tee and jean cut-offs (pictured here). But apparently it was "inappropriate" and "against park rules," according to a security guard who asked her to change.
"I was re-entering the park with my friends after I was already admitted earlier that day," Bina told Seventeen.com. "I had forgotten something in the car. Going back in, I had to go through the metal detecters again, which had lights that picked up the neon light blue bralette I was wearing under my T-shirt."
That's when she noticed a male security guard staring at her. He asked her to stop and wait, and she assumed she had something metal on her that was triggering an alarm. That's when she saw him go get a female security guard, who came over to Bina and said her shirt was "inappropriate" and "against park rules."
"I was so upset and angry," Bina told Seventeen.com. "My mother saw me leave the house this morning and she didn't think it was inappropriate. And how could I have been let in earlier that day by a female guard? Now suddenly the rules have changed when there's a male guard paying closer attention to my cleavage?"
Bina was told she could be escorted into the park by the female guard to buy a T-shirt, which Bina wasn't into doing. (This also seems like a pretty gross way for the park to push its own merchandise.) That's when her friend pointed out a man who was entering the park wearing a see-through shirt with cut-outs where his nipples were and asked the guard why he was allowed to enter. The guard allegedly said: "It's different. He's a boy and doesn't have boobs."
"Well, yes he does," Bina responded.
That's when Bina had a genius idea. She and her guy friend went into the parking lot and switched shirts. They re-entered with the same male security guard and no one was stopped.
Once they got in the park, they switched back shirts and spent the day celebrating her birthday. But Bina was still upset and embarrassed about what happened. She posted her story on Facebook and Twitter and received hundreds of likes and comments and shares.
"I'm so glad that people felt as angry as my friends are I about the situation," she told Seventeen.com. "But this double standard needs to change." She's right. Guys can wear whatever they want, but girls are policed for daring to have a feminine body.
Bina is speaking out about all of this in hopes Six Flags will change its policies or at least acknowledge that this is an issue that needs to be addressed.
Six Flags' official dress code policy states the following:
In keeping with our family-friendly environment, and for safety reasons, Six Flags enforces a dress code. Proper attire must be worn in the park at all times, including shirts and appropriate footwear. Clothing or tattoos with offensive language or graphics are not permitted at any time. Examples of clothing not permitted are those displaying: Profanity, Pornography, Graphic violence, Support of drugs and drug use, Gang symbols, Promotion of discrimination against any group. Bathing suits may be worn only in water park areas. Park admission may be denied if clothing or tattoos are deemed to be inappropriate by management and the Guest refuses all reasonable options. Shirts cannot be turned inside out as a solution.
No where is there talk of cleavage or bralattes under shirts.
"What they did to me was unfair," says Bina. "I want them to face the consequences for how they made me feel. They made me feel like I was inferior to a man because I was not allowed to wear the same thing as a man."
In a statement to Seventeen.com, Kaitlyn Pitts, Public Relations Supervisor of Six Flags Great Adventure & Safari and Hurricane Harbor, stated: "We apologize for any inconvenience we may have caused this guest. Similar to many public venues, we strive to maintain a family-friendly environment."
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