The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards, like many awards ceremonies this year, was a slightly more subdued affair than usual… Except for Dan Levy’s outfit.

Turning social distancing from a negative into a positive, the Emmys had a rather unique format this year: while host Jimmy Kimmel and some other celebrities presented from the Staples Centre in Los Angeles last Sunday, rather than have nominees turn up in person, the Emmys instead sent professional cameras and camera crews to nominees’ homes and mailed out their awards.

That doesn’t mean the nominees were all just sitting on their couches wearing tracksuits, however. People still dressed up, with amazing outfits like Euphoria lead actress Zendaya’s amazing custom Armani Privé gown paired with Bulgari jewellery and Normal People lead actor Paul Mescal’s simple yet sharp Louis Vuitton suit grabbing headlines.

However, we think Levy’s outfit was the highlight of the entire show, the stylish Canadian actor and co-writer of Emmys-sweeping comedy Schitt’s Creek putting everyone to shame with his full Thom Browne suit blazer and skirt outfit, accompanied by combat boots and an Omega De Ville dress watch perched on his wrist.

His father (also his co-star and co-writer on Schitt’s Creek) also looked pretty dapper in a contrasting navy and black Dior ensemble, but his look is far less sartorially imaginative than his son’s.

Levy, one of the most prominent queer actors in showbusiness and a high-profile advocate for LGBT issues, clearly wanted to make a statement through his unconventional outfit choice. Despite the fact that men have been wearing ‘skirts’ for centuries – kilts, cassocks, thobes, sarongs, fustanellas, you name it – the skirt is still broadly seen as a ‘female’ clothing item. Levy’s crisp skirt is a convincing argument for why men should perhaps lighten up in their attitude to skirts and rock them if they so desire.

Not only is it now coming into summer here down under but we’re surprised just how well the skirt pairs with such a formalwear staple as the suit blazer…

Schitt’s Creek, a comedy series about a rich family forced to live out in the sticks after losing their fortune, swept the 2020 Emmys with its final season, winning all seven major comedy awards out of the eight categories they were nominated in — Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Writing, Outstanding Directing plus all four major acting categories (lead actor/actress and supporting actor/actress) – setting a new record for most Emmy wins by a comedy series in a single season.

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The post Dan Levy Emmys: Daring Outfit Too Good For The Red Carpet appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Cold brew is back on the menu at cafes. Jackets are being tossed to the back of cupboards. Warm weather is arriving and beaches are starting to fill.

Beyond blips of bad news here and there, NSW’s confirmed cases of coronavirus are relatively low and stable, too. However, in order to keep them that way as we slip into our swimmers and splash into summer, the NSW government today launched a COVID-19 summer safe plan.

The main rule is to keep a towel’s length from other beach goers (something which has been common sense all year). Another guideline is not to go to the beach at midday.

This comes after some local Sydney councils have discussed closing carparks and overly popular beaches (as was temporarily, strategically, done in March).

 

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Spring has sprung. Beautiful morning, check the second photo for the magnificent sunrise. It’s crazy how a change in season brings way more people down the beach and definitely a lot more tempting a dip in the ocean. Water is chilly but definitely the best way of waking up! Enjoy your day my friends, it’s going to be 23 degrees at the highest.

A post shared by MORNING BONDI (@morningbondi) on Sep 1, 2020 at 4:21pm PDT

Waverley Mayor Paula Masselos told the ABC, though life will be “different,” given we are in the middle of a pandemic, “Certainly I hope that we don’t have to close the beaches.”

“But if people don’t do the right thing, and the beach has become too crowded then we’ll have to look at how we manage those numbers because I don’t want a repeat of what happened back in March.”

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has said she remains concerned about complacency as we enter a “high risk period” of warmer weather and school holidays.

“We know the disease is circulating,” Ms Berejiklian said at Manly on Monday morning, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

 

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A post shared by A Q U A B U M P S (@aquabumps) on Sep 11, 2020 at 2:05am PDT

On a brighter note, as summer beckons, the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said NSW is the perfect place to be marooned, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

“The great news is we’re a vast state with incredible parklands, incredible beaches.”

“With almost 2200 kilometres of coastline, and more than 100 kilometres of coast and more than 100 beaches within Greater Sydney alone, Mr Stokes said there was enough space for everyone,” (SMH).

“Avoid the middle of the day, spread the load out a bit more, there’s plenty of room for everybody.”

 

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A post shared by @andre_ggarcia on Sep 18, 2020 at 7:35pm PDT

“Of course, if they’ve got close contact on beaches, it can transmit. But it’s certainly a less risk than perhaps if you’re in an indoor environment at home.”

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The post Beach Rules: Sunbathing Rule Affecting All Beach-Goers In New South Wales appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Cars and movies go together like apple pie and ice cream, or Ferraris and the colour red. For many revheads, the thing that first kindled their love for cars was seeing heroic motors in films: the Ford XB Falcon GT Pursuit Special from Mad Max, the DeLorean DMC-12 time machine from Back To The Future, the Aston Martin DB5s from the James Bond franchise, the Ford Mustang from Bullitt…

But one film franchise has done more in the 21st century to get people interested in cars than just about anyone else: the long-running Fast and the Furious series, starring Vin Diesel as non-nonsense street racer Dominic Toretto.

The franchise encapsulates ten feature films as well as a plethora of other media. Naturally, a franchise all about racing cars is filled to the brim with cool autos. It’s virtually a who’s who of motorsport: Dodge Chargers, Nissan Skyline GT-Rs, Toyota Supras, Mitsubishi Eclipses, Lexus LFAs and Ford GT40s are just some of the cars that make an appearance in the film series.

Many of the cars in the franchise do exist in real life, but the sheer body count in these films has meant that many of them have been the victim of pyrotechnics and wild stunts. So the fact that one of the coolest cars in the entire franchise has survived in exceptional condition and has somehow made its way Down Under is sure to excite any motoring or movie fan worth their salt.

“This is the original 1970 Chevelle SS from the blockbuster fourth movie,” Lloyds Auctions relates.

“This car is the hero car that was driven by Vin Diesel (Dominic Toretto). This car has a Chev V8, 4-speed manual transmission, fitted with safety cell, Willwood brakes, Hotchkis suspension, drift brakes, bucket seats [and] nitrous bottle. The bonnet was signed by Cody Walker (Paul Walker’s brother) in April 2015 [and the] car comes with Paramount Studio registration papers.”

The interior is a little spartan and worse for wear, but the exterior of the car is almost perfect. According to the films at least, this Chevelle is the same car that appeared at the end of the first Fast and the Furious film, just resprayed and highly modified for street racing. It’s hard to believe it’s the same car that performed such crazy on-screen stunts…

Here’s Vin Diesel as Dom behind the wheel of the Chevelle in the film, racing against rivals in an E39 BMW M5 and an S14 Nissan Silvia, as well as against other protagonist Brian O’Conner (played by Paul Walker) in an R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R.

The 250hp, 350 cubic inch ‘small-block’ 5.7L V8 that powers this Chevelle is a powerful engine, but it’s by no means the most powerful V8 that was ever put in these cars. The second-generation Chevelle had a whopping ten different engine options, of which eight were V8s: the biggest was a 454 cubic inch ‘big-block’ 7.4L V8 making 350hp. Although, with the addition of nitrous and a whole lot of weight saving, this Chevy is no spring chicken, even with the smaller engine.

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The post Fast & Furious 4 Cars: Vin Diesel’s Chevrolet Goes To Auction In Sydney appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

When you’re jogging from Bondi to Bronte, shirt tucked jauntily into your shorts, Nikes sparkling in the sun, you may think yourself the picture of health. But looks can be deceiving – though we’re known as a nation of tanned triathletes, Australians are lacking in exercise knowledge.

At least, that’s according to research by Blackmores, which has found significant room for improvement when it comes to Australians’ attitudes towards recovery.

“Blackmores is encouraging all Australians to focus more on rest and recovery as part of their fitness routine, with the latest consumer research revealing the majority of us aren’t taking the time to support our bodies post-exercise, despite knowing the benefits,” the Australian health supplements company announced on Sunday.

“With nearly 19 million Australians (95%) stating recovery after physical exercise is at least somewhat important to them, it is surprising that only 38% will always include this as part of their regular exercise routine,” (Blackmores).

The main reason for this ‘recovery black hole’? According to Blackmores, we don’t think we exercise hard enough to justify it, or we simply don’t think about it at all.

Younger Australians are more likely to say there isn’t enough time to focus on recovery, while older Australians are more likely to think they just don’t exercise hard enough, Blackmores found.

“Overall, only a third of Australians will focus on rest and recovery if they feel sore and are more likely to get their car serviced regularly (80%) than take the time to focus on their rest and recovery.”

While some Australians may not consider rest and recovery as valuable as exercise itself to their overall physical health, 77% say it takes them longer to recover from exercise if they don’t take the time to rest properly.

The result? As Blackmores discovered in 2019, 15 million Australians (79%) are typically experiencing some type of pain or niggle, whether this be a sore neck, stiff joint or cramping muscles.

 

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Ice baths Wanna see your pictures posted in our account? Apply for a feature on worlderunners.com/feature (link in my bio: @worlderunners) They are one of the important procedures used immediately after training or during! They are called one of the most effective ways to compensate for the harm done during training. Immersion in cold water suppresses inflammation and fever in the muscles, since low temperatures restrict blood cells and reduce metabolic activity, which means I can not avoid it (: @gulnaz_gubaydullina)

A post shared by Running | Runners | Run (@worlderunners) on Sep 20, 2020 at 12:11am PDT

Unsurprisingly, in 2020, more than a quarter of exercising Australians say they often feel their niggles get worse or are prolonged when they don’t include rest and recovery after exercise.

This is something Blackmores ambassador, Ash London, is familiar with: “When I was younger, I definitely didn’t take the time to focus on my rest and recovery, even though I knew it was important long term. But when I hit 30 my body changed significantly, so I had to listen and make some changes. I learned to see food as medicine, I fell completely in love with yoga and the exercises that I really enjoy such as regular ocean swims.”

“These changes have meant I am kinder to myself and my body and has allowed me to focus more on understanding what my body is telling me.”

Blackmores ambassador, Tash Sefton said: “My body was so broken after having kids and I needed to rebuild it. It’s taken time but I make sure to really listen to my body when it comes to what agrees with me and what doesn’t, so I don’t over complicate my exercise or recovery routine. I like to keep it simple and achievable, while also ensuring I factor in time to allow my body to effectively rest and recover. It’s one of the biggest priorities in my life now.”

RELATED: Chris Hemsworth Exercise App Sees “Double Typical Volume” As Australians Work From Home

Connecting the research to this turbulent year, Managing Director, Blackmores Australia and New Zealand, Ayumi Uyeda said: “2020 has shown we are living in a new and unique world, where now more than ever we need to be checking in with ourselves, and how our bodies are feeling. At Blackmores we’re passionate about supporting our bodies to keep them moving at their best, even as we age.”

 

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A post shared by Runner’s World Australia & NZ (@runnersworldaus) on Jul 16, 2020 at 6:08pm PDT

“This research shows that we know adequate rest and recovery is beneficial for us, but we aren’t prioritising it even when our body is showing prolonged niggles as a result. We need Australians to understand that what they do after exercise is just as important as the exercise itself when it comes to overall wellbeing and maintaining our health now and into the future.” Uyeda added.

If you’re looking for a goal to help get your legs back in gear, if you (like us) have let things slide a little with excuses like “lockdown” and “winter,” Ash London, Tash Sefton and Blackmores are asking Aussies to join them in keeping their bodies moving by taking part in their own run, jog or walk with the Blackmores Sydney Running Festival Virtual Run.

 

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A post shared by Running | Runners | Run (@worlderunners) on Sep 9, 2020 at 12:42pm PDT

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The post Muscle Recovery: Crucial Fitness Skill Most Australians Neglect appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Sometimes it feels like swiping through Tinder is more likely to leave you with RSI than a hook up or relationship. Enter: 2020. Now, not only is online dating as tricky as ever, but the global pandemic that’s underscored just about every aspect of life this year has brought with it another load of challenges.

Not only is the prospect of meeting up a potentially deadly one, but the number of people who aren’t actually interested in dating and are just taking to dating apps to crunch some boredom during this era of social isolation has meant that your chances of actually finding love are slimmer than ever.

Despite all that, we’re still shooting ourselves in the foot even when we cinch those elusive matches, as this Reddit thread reveals.

A woman in her late twenties took to /r/dating_advice to share a home truth with all lonely singles – but particularly straight men – “if you don’t communicate between dates, I’m gonna assume you’re not interested.”

“I don’t know if guys from apps are just not into me or kinda clueless as to how to date, but if we go on an in-person date and it takes you a week to text me at all to plan another one, with zero attempt at conversation or asking how I am, I’m gonna assume you don’t care that much. I don’t consider myself much of a texter, but absolutely no communication except planning for a week or two does not make me feel wanted. I literally have written in my bio to ask me questions. I’m sick of feeling like I just fill the quota of ‘girl’ in a guys life and that they don’t actually care to know more about me as an individual. End rant.”

It goes to show you can’t just coast on your looks on or after a successful first date: you need to put in the effort to keep the spark going (especially if you want to reach the sort of Johannes Huebl level relationship contentment depicted below).

 

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A post shared by Johannes Huebl (@johanneshuebl) on Jul 5, 2020 at 10:20am PDT

One guy sympathised with the original poster’s frustration and offered their two cents:

“A text takes approximately no effort whatsoever. If you are interested in a girl, it’s so easy. A ‘how’s your day going?’ during the day takes three seconds to type. In the past I fell victim to the ‘I don’t want to come off as needy or too interested’ BS. If you like someone, just say that you like someone and talk to them. If someone in a dating situation can’t communicate that basic fact then it does not bode well for when the relationship has actual problems.”

But while there were many Redditors – male, female or otherwise – agreeing with our frustrated heroine, many others also thought there was a bit of a double standard at play.

RELATED: Eugenie Bouchard Offers ‘Brutal’ Dating Lesson Every Man Needs To Hear

The biggest question was if you’re frustrated that men aren’t messaging you, why aren’t you messaging them? Waiting a week hoping the guy to respond reveals you’re potentially just as bad as the men you’re decrying. “Phones work both ways,” one Redditor noted.

“App dating is zero effort dating,” another wrote.

“I’ll ask some questions as try to out on a date and usually if things go alright [I’ll] organise another one. But if the girl can’t give decent answers, [doesn’t] ask questions, won’t also try to organise a date and I always have to text first… Just because I’m the dude doesn’t mean [I should be] putting in all the effort. I’m not desperate or in a rush and relationships are 50/50 so if I don’t feel like they’re putting in half the effort I can’t be arsed. If you want someone to text you. Try giving them a text. If they still don’t respond just move on.”

One point was that her bio might be working against her too, one male commenter related:

“If I saw something to the effect of ‘ask me questions’ in a woman’s bio, I’d be turned off by the one-sidedness of the request because I’d assume she’s looking for a performance or validation, rather than a conversation.”

While no doubt many men are terrible at communicating, it also speaks to another truth about online dating: men almost always are expected to initiate. This is perhaps why apps like Bumble – where women have to make the first move – are so popular; they speak to a common imbalance in heterosexual dating culture.

A viral VICE UK article from 2019 which interviewed a 28-year-old straight dude who’d sworn off sex revealed that a big part of his ‘voluntary celibacy’ was a reaction to the frustration he experienced at always having to lead romantic interactions.

“There are a lot of things I do, or that I am expected to do, because I am a man,” freelance photographer Ian explained.

“The man has to take more initiative and drive forward and insist a bit more. It’s almost as if he wants it more than the woman he’s pursuing does… Recently, I was shopping and a girl in a shop started talking to me and asked me to try on a shirt she was buying for a friend who was the same size as me. Sure, she broke the ice, but I didn’t do anything, so nothing happened. The guy is always expected to drive it forward.”

While swearing off sex and dating entirely because you’re tired of taking the initiative is a pretty extreme reaction, it does reveal how outdated and persistent many dating norms are in our culture.

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The post Dating Double Standard: Should Men Always Take Control? appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

If you like your ravioli rich, your tomatoes tasty and your afternoon swims next to roman ruins, Capri is the place to be. Though many approach the place with a bunch of capricious clichés in mind, projecting (and running up $10,000 fines) as they go, there is one Capri quirk everyone should experience once in their lives.

That quirk? While there are some holiday destinations you go to hide, fanning yourself under a non-descript palm tree with a pair of baggy faded grey board shorts, there are others where you go to see and be seen (something Slim Aarons fans have known since 1958).

 

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Bianca Volpato, Capri – 1958 Photo by Slim Aarons/Getty Images ⁣.⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #slimaarons #slimaaronsphotography #35mm #shotonfilm #slimaaronsphoto #poolside #wanderlust #photographers #slimaaronscollection #summerphoto #vintagephoto #vintagephotogaphy #photographyheroes #filmphotgrapher #classicphotography

A post shared by Slim Aarons (@slim_aarons) on Sep 19, 2020 at 10:50am PDT

Capri is one of these destinations.

Capri is also a place you go for gorgeously casual cuisine, lightly ruffled waters, mildly uncomfortable but oh so sophisticated pebbly beaches, and natural arches that wouldn’t look out of place in the Phi Phi Islands.

All of which is perfectly captured in the following photo, recently posted to Instargam by the aptly named @italy account.

 

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A post shared by Italy • Benvenuti a tutti! (@italy) on Sep 7, 2020 at 6:41am PDT

Taken at a restaurant near Capri’s most iconic sight – the dramatic Faraglioni (three towering rock formations) – the photo shows the Mediterranean in full bloom.

While Capri is well known for its jaw dropping natural beauty (see: The Blue Grotto), celebrities anchoring up at Marina Grande and surprisingly good nightlife, in recent years its lustre has been somewhat overtaken by more in vogue locations like The Amalfi Coast (an argument that has been had many times on travel forums).

But the above Capri photo (and following video), we’d argue, make a good case for visiting this iconic Italian destination at least once in your life.

 

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A post shared by Italy • Benvenuti a tutti! (@italy) on Aug 30, 2020 at 8:35am PDT

For those on a budget, many Tripadvisor users suggest staying in Sorrento, then taking day trips to destinations like Capri or Amalfi (whose streets swell and hotels fill up much quicker).

As we reported earlier this morning, travel shaming is on the decline too. So if you can get to Capri responsibly, you might not even be torn apart on social media for going…

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The post Faraglioni Rocks: Incredible Photo Shows Why You Should Visit Capri appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

There’s nothing better than a good whiskey. Bushmills Irish Whiskey has partnered with Australia’s largest whisk(e)y subscription service, The Whisky Club (TWC), to reward Australian discerning drinkers with the exclusive release of the first spirit to fall under The Causeway Collection.

A curated collection of limited-edition single malts from The Old Bushmills Distillery – the oldest licensed distillery in the world – The Causeway Collection, named after the famous Giant’s Causeway UNESCO World Heritage Site situated near the old distillery, brings to life a series of rare and innovative cask finishes never seen or sipped before. Bushmills 2006 Marsala Cask is the first release from this collection, one made exclusively for members of TWC, and the only way to get a taste of the fine drop here in Australia.

A triple wood maturated, non-chill filtered fusion of fruits and spices weighing in at 47.2% ABV with no colour added, the Bushmills 2006 Marsala Cask is crafted for the most indulgent of drinking occasions. Notes of vanilla, spice, and dried fruit shine through, derived from the artful aging practices – over 12 years in a combination of oloroso sherry and bourbon casks before finishing in marsala casks for an additional 18 months.

How does TWC work? Glad you asked. It’s free to sign up and once you do, you’ll get fine and exclusive bottles delivered right to your door. There’s no minimum purchase, no lock-in, and you only pay for what you drink. Sign up for The Whisky Club and choose your membership level ahead of October 4th to ensure your access to the Bushmills 2006 Marsala Cask from The Causeway Collection. You’ll be kicking yourself if you don’t.

Bushmills encourages you to drink responsibly. The Causeway Collection is only available to whisk(e)y lovers aged 18 years and over.

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The post Bushmills Causeway Collection: Exclusive Opportunity To Own Rare Irish Whiskey appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Johnny Depp has always been known as having a rather eclectic fashion sense. Sometimes he comes up with unexpected masterstrokes, like this ‘distressed yet dapper‘ dernier cri he donned in Berlin earlier this year. Conversely, he sometimes really misses the mark, like with this baggy blue suit he turned up to a London court in.

We’re not sure whether this latest outfit of his is gold or gross, but it does reveal how one fashion item straight out of the 70s remains just as cool today as it did when Elvis was still knocking back peanut butter, banana and bacon sandwiches.

The Pirates of the Caribbean star was spotted at the 68th San Sebastián International Film Festival in Spain on the weekend wearing an unusual outfit consisting of a Ramones t-shirt, dirty-looking tan leather jacket, paint-splattered jeans, baggy newsboy cap, white-framed aviator sunglasses and two scarfs: a floral-print silk number around his neck and a rather incongruous Rastafarian-patterned scarf hanging out of his jeans pocket.

We’re going to be honest here: the jacket looks like it’s made out of human skin. It’s not one of his finest outerwear choices. The Rasta scarf also doesn’t make a huge amount of sense, nor does the newsboy cap.

His jeans look good – there’s definitely such a thing as too distressed, so the fact he’s shown some restraint on the denim front brings him back into our good books.

RELATED: A Guide To Wearing Distressed & Ripped Jeans

What is an exceptionally good style move is the Ramones t-shirt. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the band, the Ramones were a seminal early punk band from New York who grew to prominence in the 70s thanks to their iconoclastic style and ‘fuck you’ attitude; hard, fast and loud music; and their famous band logo which riffed on the the Seal of the President of the United States.

A Ramones t-shirt has arguably become even more iconic than the band, up there with other clothing items like Thrasher hoodies or Yankees caps – people who may have never heard Blitzkrieg Bop, stepped foot on a skateboard or watched a game of baseball wear these things because of their fashion appeal and iconography.

Depp seems like the kind of guy who would have listened to the Ramones back in the day, however. Matched with the classic shades, slightly worn denim and surprisingly ‘punk’ scarf, the Ramones t-shirt works perfectly. Just ditch the dodgy jacket and you’d have a winning outfit on your hands.

It goes to show that classic 70s Americana never goes out of style. We’re seeing that adage further reinforced in 2020 with the continued revival of loud prints, creative colour choices, boat shoes and stylish militaria.

Read Next

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• Justin Bieber Demonstrates The Correct Way To Experiment With Prints & Patterns

The post Rock Band T-Shirt: Johnny Depp’s ‘Punk’ Outfit Proves 70s Style Will Never Die appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

No one likes to feel like a leper. But Australian travellers may have to get used to just that; rather than being seen as the ‘into the wild’ trailblazers of years gone by, it appears 2021 will be the year Sedentary Souls turn on their FOMO inducing brethren.

Whatever your stance on those ‘living their best life’, it’s hard to deny travel shaming has become a ~thing~. It’s happening in other countries too, but – thanks to some of the strictest border laws in the world (and a longstanding Nanny State mentality) – the perfect storm exists for ‘travel shaming’ to take off in Australia (especially next year when people are projected to start moving in earnest again).

Even right now, from business travellers to boomerang expats, one common sentiment among Australians touching back down on antipodean soil in the last few months has been, “we felt like criminals.”

Travel Shaming in Times of Covid-19: The Good, The Bad, and The Ambiguoushttps://t.co/B4noNv0xbr pic.twitter.com/ym4Yyyci1j

— Lynn Hazan (@lynnhazan_) September 12, 2020

And that’s just the return: As CNN reports, travellers these days – during their trips – could be skewered online (and for that matter offline): “Travelers who choose to share what they’re getting up to on vacation right now may find themselves beset with a case of 2020’s latest plague: travel shaming.”

Sarah Archer, a digital nomad from the Boston area, told CNN travel shaming gave her “a pit in my stomach” during recent travels in Europe.

“I have a boyfriend in Switzerland, so I was trying to figure out a way into Europe. It was difficult with a US passport,” she told CNN.

Archer also, despite doing her best throughout her travels to do everything safely and legally, was rebuked by her friends when she wrote a Medium article about how she managed to enter Europe and shared posts on her Instagram account, CNN reports.

“They asked me if it didn’t seem irresponsible and selfish to travel at this time.”

Anna Pelova, in a blog post on Great Nomad entitled ‘travel shaming is real,’ wrote: “In a socially distanced world, travel shaming seems to be the new trend of cancel culture.”

“Travelers were once cool people. Everyone wanted to hang out with us and hear our travel stories. We had this certain class and sass. We were called brave and inspiring. Being a free spirit was a good thing,” (Great Nomad).

“Well, that’s now diminished. It’s 2020 and we travelers are treated like people with an STD.”

“I have been on a plane and apparently being on planes is worse than being in Chernobyl right now. Or this Tinder guy in Lithuania who was ‘delighted to match me’ but when he found out I was a traveler told me he didn’t want to meet me because he wasn’t keen on a mandatory 14-day quarantine. Say what?”

Others said they understood the psychology behind it, but feared it had descended into a “toxic blame game.”

 

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I want to talk about the toxic blame game that seems to be happening on social media. Yesterday on Twitter the lovely @wondersowanders sparked a conversation about travel-shaming ⠀ The world seems in controversy right now and nowhere more so than the UK thanks to confusing messages from our government. We’ve been forced to make our own decisions and people choosing to travel – or not – has caused backlash for some ⠀ But the problem is – the economy – ours and worldwide – needs tourism in order to bounce back. And so we seem at a stalemate where no one has the right answer, but we’re oh so quick to judge and lash out ⠀ I by no means have the answer. In fact within the last few days I’ve expressed views on opposite sides of the spectrum. But the conclusion I’ve come to is that actually the judgement helps no one ⠀ Those who feel safe and happy to travel are helping to support communities that desperately need tourism to survive. As long as they do it safely, with as little risk to themselves and others – who are we to question? Likewise – those who prefer to stay home or take staycations – have every right to do so ⠀ We’re all living in a particularly crazy world right now, but I’m calling for a little more kindness and understanding of people’s decisions. You don’t have to agree with them, but you need to respect their right to choose ⠀ I’d love to know your thoughts on this topic – are you travelling or staying put and what are your reasons? How do you feel about the “blame game”? ⠀ **remember no nastiness

A post shared by Lucy Ruthnum | Travel Blog (@absolutelylucy) on Aug 25, 2020 at 9:00am PDT

Krista Thomason, a Swarthmore College associate professor of philosophy and author of ‘Naked: The Dark Side of Shame and Moral Life,’ told CNN travel shaming may stem from envy: “Many people canceled vacations or canceled trips to see their loved ones. When they see others enjoying nonessential travel, they may be angry, envious and feel that it’s not fair.”

“People feel like they’ve given up things that are important to them, so they’ll naturally be upset to see that others haven’t done the same.”

Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that those who travel – even before 2020 – made themselves easy targets for jealousy (and the associated shade-throwing that comes with it).

Unpopular opinion: just because you like to travel doesn’t mean you’re interesting.

— lola anna méndez (@lolaannamendez) August 23, 2020

A glance at Twitter shows travel shaming is at the forefront of many travellers’ minds.

Should I travel (Mexico first) and blog the DN lifestyle despite covid and travel shaming? #digitalnomad

— sergio sala (@sergiosa_la) September 12, 2020

One digital nomad (see above) recently posted a poll asking whether they would be judged for travelling, while another user – a New Yorker – expressed doubts about posting photos from their latest trip.

Interesting article. I’ve also thought twice about posting pics from my August trip to Greece. But I traveled safely, supported the industry and didn’t catch Covid 19. Thoughts? https://t.co/7G8eVJpNBO via @CNNTravel #Travel

— 1001Worlds (@1001Worlds) September 12, 2020

That said, there are some positive signs that perhaps the plague of shaming may not last as long as many initially feared. As loyalty points and travel expert Gary Leff from View From A Wing recently wrote: “Travel shaming has dropped substantially compared to late March and April.”

He also remarks that people are still hesitant to share their trips on social media, for fear of showing lack of solidarity, and suggests this should not be the case, because – provided you do it responsibly – “it’s good to help educate people what travel is like right now…[and] inspire people for the future.” Not to mention, it’s a great way to “store the memories and extend the trip.”

Recent ‘travel shaming’ Tweets show Leff is not the only one with this view.

The travel shaming is annoying. Get tested, wear masks in public spaces and be responsible and respectful.

— Sandi (@sandramanjie) September 16, 2020

Travel restrictions have also come under scrutiny as part of this discussion, with many users questioning the logic of the US’ continued ban on travellers from Europe and China, given there is now more virus in the US than either of those places.

apparently travel shaming is a thing? how can anyone be angry about people stimulating the economy right now….

— rachel (@therachelgee) September 13, 2020

In the end, it comes down to context, and travel bans are one of many blunt force levers governments can pull to reduce the spread (in places like Australia and New Zealand, where confirmed cases are relatively though, it makes a lot more sense to ban travel). But we would all benefit economically and socially if more nuanced strategies, that still let us travel, could be found.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

For sale: one kidney After staying at @salsalisningaloo I now want to visit all @luxurylodgesofaustralia

A post shared by Immanuel Debeer (@flighthacks) on Jul 11, 2020 at 11:00pm PDT

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The post Travel Shaming: Psychology Behind Australia’s Latest Plague appeared first on DMARGE Australia.