Draconian dress codes are appearing to be more common than previously thought, as demonstrated by a TikTok video posted by a user named Alexa. In the video, Alexa is shown wearing a T-shirt from the ethical clothing company CHNGE with a slogan that offended the staff at Universal Studios Theme Park in Orlando, Florida. Despite not being at Disney, she was asked to remove the shirt, which stated “women don’t owe you s – – t.” The Park staff confiscated her T-shirt, and she was not allowed to simply cover it up with a jacket.
In a follow-up TikTok video, Alexa is seen handing over the shirt to a security guard, who gave her a card labeling it as a “restricted item.” At the end of her visit, she retrieved her T-shirt. According to Universal Studios’ website, visitors are prohibited from wearing clothing that may incite a disturbance or display offensive language or content. Despite this policy, many TikTok commenters felt that the response was excessive.
Unlike Universal Studios, Disney has been more lenient in enforcing dress codes, especially when compared to the incident at Universal. While individuals have been called out for inappropriate clothing at Disney parks, they were usually provided with a complimentary T-shirt to cover up. However, Disney reportedly ended this policy after influencers were suspected of wearing NSFW clothing intentionally to receive free attire. This change in policy may have contributed to Universal’s stricter enforcement of dress codes.
Alexa responded to the controversy by stating that she would wear the same T-shirt to a Disney park without any issues. She claimed to have worn it regularly for a year without any problems. The response from her followers on TikTok ranged from shock at the incident to disbelief that dress codes were being enforced at Universal Studios. Some users expressed that they would not have given up the shirt as Alexa did, while others found it absurd that a clothing item could be seen as a restricted item.
The reaction to the incident highlights the differences in policies regarding dress codes at different amusement parks. The incident at Universal Studios demonstrates that even amusement parks are enforcing strict dress codes to maintain a certain standard of decency among visitors. While some visitors may find these rules unnecessary or excessive, others may appreciate the effort to uphold certain standards in public spaces. The debate sparked by the TikTok video sheds light on the complexities of enforcing dress codes in public spaces and the varying responses from individuals based on their own experiences and beliefs. Ultimately, the incident serves as a reminder that dress codes are prevalent in a variety of settings, even in places where one might not expect them to be enforced.
