NOTE: This blog contains a movie spoiler reference.
When the barbie movie came out, everyone was excited. This movie created a "barbiecore" trend, which swept the globe by storm. Instagram posts were flooded with everything pink: Pink shoes, pink fashion, pink toys and everything else you name it. There are even holidays, events and competitions dedicated to Barbie and Ken. The movie, which I have seen now, is not only a really enjoyable film, but also an important one. It touches on the importance of feminism, women's rights and also on women's health. As some of you may not have seen the movie, I won't be revealing the exact line here, but here is a hint: The movie is trying to send an important message to women and girls that it's important to get medical check ups for any issues relating to their reproductive system, and also to see a gynecologist for these issues.
Taking the barbiecore challenge a step further, opting to do two bungy jumps in Queenstown, while embracing the Barbie theme. For one of them, I decided to attempt a topless jump. Before my Queenstown trip, I had dressed up according to the theme multiple times - once for attending a Beauty EQ Long Lunch event, another time for watching the Barbie film Barbie itself. I chose to bungy jump topless from the Kawarau Bridge, located about 25 minutes north of Queenstown. My aunt wasn't pleased with the decision, and became upset. (I'm 25 years old, a fully grown adult, why does my aunt think she can control my choices and be upset about my decision to go topless?). This kind of situation is one of the reasons I will never convert to Christianity, or become a Catholic. Another reason is that many Nazis associate themselves with these religions. In the end, I chose to keep my jumper on to appease my aunt. Fortunately, my jumper was oversized, just like the top I was wearing underneath. A positive aspect about this site was that it was a waist harness, rather than a full body harness, allowing me to place the jumper over the it. The experience was incredibly enjoyable, with a genuine adrenaline rush, and to my surprise the top actually actually slipped down, exposing my breasts!
A video of the bungy jump captures the moment when my jumper slips down, exposing my breasts. This can be seen towards the end of the video, especially when zoomed in.
Two days later, I visited the Nevis to experience all the activities there - bungy jumping (which was even more intense and thrilling), the swing and also the catapult (finally got to go on it this time, was supposed to try it last year at first, but the ride malfunctioned and we got a refund as a result). This time, my outfit was a bit different. I arrived at the Nevis, dressed entirely in pink - except for my shoes. Additionally, it was snowing creating a truly beautiful scene. Both the bungy and swing were incredibly enjoyable, but the catapult, despite its claim of intensity, fell a bit short for me in terms of the thrill level (although it was entertaining). It's interesting to note that just last December, I experienced the slingshot ride in Surfers Paradise, which subjected me to forces equivalent to 6G (twice that of the Nevis Catapult), propelled me to a height of 90 meters, and reached speeds of 160-180 km/h. Furthermore, considering that the Nevis Catapult falls short in terms of both thrill and duration (the Nevis Catapult ride only lasts around three seconds and is only 100 kms worth of speed) compared to the one in Surfers Paradise, its price seems a bit excessive. The Slingshot ride, in contrast, is notably more affordable. The Slingshot ride costs A$40 (NZ$65), although our expenses were higher due to purchasing the video. On the other hand, the Nevis Catapult is priced at $230 NZD ($212 AUD); however, the activity's duration is significantly shorter, the speed is also less impressive, and it doesn't truly involve substantial heights (unless you consider being suspended in the middle of the valley). Moreover, access to the Nevis Playground (where the Nevis Catapult is located) is restricted to the AJ Hackett shuttle service, whereas the Surfers Paradise slingshot can be reached using various modes of transportation, including walking.
The jumps were not only incredibly enjoyable and memorable, but they also carried a significant intention, considering that I had dressed up for the occasion. Moreover, the intention was to convey an important message to everyone, particularly to girls and women. One message I aim to convey to girls and women is that it's perfectly acceptable to go topless when engaged in activities that naturally require it, as well as to breastfeed your baby in public without feeling the need to cover up. Another message is to be authentic, pursue your individual hobbies and goals, and refuse to let obstacles hinder your progress. An additional message emphasizes the importance of prioritizing health - both mental and physical, which was exemplified by Barbie (whom I dressed up as), who visited a gynecologist at the very end of the movie, portraying her as a relatable human character.
Bungy jumping isn't commonly viewed as a feminist activity or even a contemporary women's extreme sport, despite its origins in the traditional practice of land diving, which is a custom originating from a group of indigenous tribal women in Vanuatu. Before AJ Hackett and co-founder Henry Van Asch commercialized the sport, they made bungy jumps accessible to the public for the first time, marking a historic turning point.
Unfortunately, in today's modern world and outside of Vanuatu, like most extreme sports, bungy jumping is dominated by men, and the fact remains that despite the fact that women came up with the original concept, bungy jumping is highly patriarchal, due to in part, the fact that men are more likely to jump, and also, the fact that men can jump topless in almost all locations, whereas women will have to get permission from the jumpmaster or the company itself to go topless. Furthermore, in certain places, such as Taupo, women aren't permitted to jump topless at all, whereas men can do so. Likewise, similar to any sport, including extreme ones, and even resembling gym visits, women often experience sexualization based on their attire for jumping. Videos of topless women can find their way onto adult websites (this isn't an issue if the women in the videos uploaded them voluntarily or provided consent for sharing), sometimes without proper consent. This situation occurs in certain instances due to the way the public perceives women's breasts. Furthermore, bungy jumping involving topless women might be considered a fetish by some, primarily because bungy jumping can carry a notably sexualized connotation for women. This is partly due to elements like adrenaline and arousal, as well as the attire women typically wear for jumping, including leggings, sports bras, and shorts.
I'll be highlighting instances of sexism and misogyny within bungy jumping. This is ironic, considering that the original concept was conceived by women from a small Pacific Island country. What's even more ironic is that, at one point, AJ Hackett Bungy used to offer free jumps to those who opted to go nude. To start with, women are restricted to going topless only on days when there are fewer children and families present, and this permission is granted at certain locations as well. In contrast, men have the freedom to go topless anytime in most countries (except, possibly, in some Middle Eastern countries with strict modesty laws where both women and men are required to be fully clothed for bungy jumping). This leads us to the issue of racism and sexism, all justified under the pretext of being "family-friendly." Another concern lies in the comments made on social media and even in public spaces. Women often face sexualization based on their attire, regardless of whether they are covered up. Women encounter significant amounts of sexual harassment simply for wearing leggings and a sports bra while jogging or working out at the gym.
Misogyny is not just an issue in bungy jumping. It is an issue across the entire sports industry, including the extreme sports industry - and indeed, also the tourism industry as well, especially that tourism and extreme sports collide with each other.
Another aspect to consider is the realm of social media platforms and their respective policies. One such platform is Facebook, which is renowned for its practice of removing content showcasing the female nipple, and this extends to the extent that artwork, food, and beverages portraying nipples are also subject to removal. This can also encompass individuals engaging in extreme sports, such as the scenario of bungy jumping. This situation becomes notably troublesome when the convergence of social media and extreme sports featuring topless women occurs. Entities like AJ Hackett must exercise utmost caution when uploading videos depicting topless women engaging in bungy jumping, to prevent triggering actions from Facebook, and other social media platforms like Facebook as well, such as Instagram. Numerous businesses have encountered instances where their posts featuring nudity were removed without adequate explanation or justification. In severe situations, business pages and even the accounts of the administrators and owners of these pages have faced account removal from Facebook and other social media platforms, all for the aforementioned reasons. However, this principle does not apply to male nipples. Nonetheless, in certain instances of close-up shots, Facebook and other platforms might also remove male nipples, owing to their resemblance to female nipples, which can lead to confusion among the platform's moderators.
The tourism and sports industries need to improve in terms of treating all genders equally. Individuals need to cease the practice of sexualizing women and individuals identifying as being part of the LGBTQA+ community simply because of their breasts and nipples, and that includes making inappropriate comments about what they wear, both on and offline, and engaging in other inappropriate behaviour, such as catcalling. The normalization of topless and nude bungy jumps (and similar extreme activities, contingent on the specific activity and local regulations) should extend to all genders. This principle is applicable to any activity involving nudity, not solely limited to extreme sports. Nudity is a natural state and is not harmful (unless indecent exposure is involved). Tourist and adventure operators should demonstrate respect for individuals' decisions to engage in nudity, unless safety requirements, or local laws of where the adventure site is, dictate that nudity is prohibited. Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms should discontinue the practice of removing images of women's breasts and nipples (except in cases of non-consensual sharing or involving children, naturally) and shift their attention towards removing genuinely harmful content, such as cryptocurrency and Nigerian scams, Neo-Nazi/white supremacist material, other forms of terrorist content, and fictitious or impersonation accounts.
The takeaway from all of this is: Be true to yourself, prioritize your well-being, and know that it's acceptable to be topless whenever the opportunity arises. Concentrate on your aspirations and interests, embracing life to the maximum. Meanwhile, social media platforms should prioritize the removal of genuinely harmful content like terrorism and Holocaust denial posts, alongside dangerous misinformation, including conspiracy theories. They should also initiate the prohibition of accounts participating in scams, fraud, and impersonation. In contrast, topless bungy jumping and other naturalist activities like skinny-dipping should be left undisturbed. Individuals should refrain from associating bungy jumping with sexual activity or viewing it as a fetish solely due to a woman's attire or her choice to go topless. Keep in mind that being topless doesn't imply consent, and it's imperative that no one uploads photos or videos of individuals bungy jumping nude onto adult websites without the explicit permission of the individuals featured in the media. When it comes to clothing for bungy jumping, there's a single guideline: Wear whatever you prefer, as long as the chosen attire isn't constructed from delicate material prone to tearing, doesn't have an excessive amount of beading that might detach (like beads, crystals, and sequins), and isn't emblazoned with offensive, hateful or other inappropriate content. Such content could include Nazi or other hateful symbols, cult ideologies and symbols, references to genocides, mentions of controversial ideologies like communism or anti-alcohol movements, or instances where a tragedy or natural disaster is made fun of. If you're free from any serious medical conditions or recent injuries that could affect the jump, meet the minimum age and weight requirements, and have the necessary funds, then go ahead, enjoy yourself, and welcome the adrenaline rush that accompanies the experience.
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AuthorI am Natalie Dunn. I am a feminist who believes in gender equality and rights for everyone. I have many passions in life such as fashion, beauty, adventures and travelling. Archives
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