An English backpacker looking for a job and a place to stay has set an online Aussie jobs board ablaze.
Londoner Teddie Swan, 24, and her cousin have been traveling to Australia for the last six months.
Recently, she was working behind a bar in country Western Australia – but now she’s keen to move on.
“I will be moving on at Christmas – I will then be looking for work, ideally with accommodation, in the new year. I’m willing to travel anywhere for the right position and currently have my own car,” she asked the online jobs board.
“I have previous experience in retail, the pharmacy, childcare, and working as an Ambulance driver.”
But that wasn’t all she posted.
Accompanying her spiel were three pictures – one of which showed the young woman posing in a bikini.
In a matter of minutes, “creepers” swarmed.
“To everyone who is adding me on Facebook, I do not accept people who I do not know, but you are more than welcome to follow my Instagram,” she added to her post soon after.
Tony Bennett, a job board moderator, reached out to help.
“Teddie, feel free to let me know if you have any more creepers causing you grief. Not sure how high some of these folks were dropped on their heads from but it certainly shows,” he said.
“Some of the comments very clearly showed some people are from a different era or of a mindset where the merest hint of female skin means it’s open season for misogynistic comments.”
Then all virtual hell broke loose, with a number of respondents taking issue with her attire.
“I dunno mate, is this supposed to be a bikini shoot or a job application? I’m lost,” one responded.
“I didn’t realize the year made a difference when being dressed appropriately for job applications,” the same person continued.
“It may be a backpackers group, but when you’re looking for a job, act accordingly.”
“So promoting for your (Instagram) to get boys – are work-search-related?” another wrote.
“If I were looking for work, I would NOT post a photo of myself wearing a bikini,” wrote another.
Others jumped onto the post to defend Ms. Swan’s right to show some skin.
“I cannot believe the behavior here. This is a backpacker page. It’s Summer, and people are getting out and about,” one person wrote.
“Backpackers don’t need formal interview clothing for their positions, and even if this woman was going to go to a job interview, I’m sure she’s going to look presentable on arrival.”
But there were some job offers in the chaotic debate over her dress choice.
One offered Ms. Swan a job and a place to stay at a caravan park in Port Headland, while another recommended a South Australian oyster farm.
An Exmouth tackle shop and two outback Queensland pubs, one of which was a two-hour drive from Airlie Beach, also showed interest, leaving Ms. Swan with several adventures to choose from as she continues her travels Down Under.