‘Not offended,’ say tourists in short skirts amid Taiwan’s theme park promo dispute

台灣主題樂園促銷糾紛中穿短裙的遊客說“未被冒犯”

Visitors say "safety measures" in place, not worried about privacy invasion


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Visitors taking advantage of an amusement park’s school uniforms promotion in Taiwan have brushed aside criticism over the event’s alleged objectification of women.

The Leofoo Village Theme Park in Hsinchu has found itself in hot water after it launched a campaign to provide discounted admission for visitors dressed in uniforms. The core of the controversy lies in an additional offer for those who show up wearing a skirt “10 centimeters above the knee.”

The rule has drawn scrutiny, with some questioning its lewd connotations and privacy concerns, while others flagged it as an example of the objectification of women.

Those who visited the park to take advantage of the promotion, though, appeared nonchalant and shrugged off the issue.

Kiwi from Taichung said back in her high school days she and her classmates would shorten their uniform skirts for a better look and that she and her friends would ensure safety measures are adopted at the park to avoid strangers secretly taking photos of them, per CNA.

Saying she was not offended by the offer, Joanna from Taoyuan said such a marketing gimmick is common at nightclubs and there is no need to make a fuss about it. This promo is the first ever to be rolled out by a theme park in Taiwan, which she thinks is fun and worth a visit.

Leofoo Village has pushed back on criticism by suggesting the event seeks to provide students with an unforgettable experience upon graduation and non-students with a chance to hark back to the good old days. It has seen a 10 to 20% rise in the number of visitors since the offer became available.