Surf clubs in southern Queensland are facing increasing pressure to rethink dress standards seen to be discriminating against men because the rule does not apply to women.

The problem arises in venues that set different standards for men and women on the same item of clothing – namely singlets.

Clubs Queensland is taking the issue seriously and recently sent out a newsletter to member clubs drawing attention to the possibility of a club’s dress code inadvertently being discriminatory.

The Anti-Discrimination Commission has backed the move, warning it was against the law to set different rules for men and women.

One Sunshine Coast surf club has just changed its dress code after complaints from customers.

Coolum Beach Surf Club general manager Mal Wright said its previous rules, which only allowed women to wear singlets and not men, were clearly “sexist”.

“We’d have a couple come in, they’d both be wearing singlets and we’d say yes to her and no to him,” he said.

Mr Wright admitted the old policy made no sense and was losing them customers.

“If people have got a good attitude we want them to be customers at the club, we don’t want them to go away and be unhappy just because of the clothes they’re wearing,” Mr Wright said.

He said the changes had mostly been welcomed but there were still some people with “old-fashioned” views.

“At the end of the day we’re a beach club, we’re situated right on Coolum Beach, it’s a beautiful spot and people spend their time, whether it be locals or tourists, on Coolum Beach dressed in a singlet with a hat on. We’d like to make it easier for people to come into the club and this is just one way of doing that,” he said.

Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club recently relaxed its rules during the day, but after 5pm still banned singlets for men while allowing them for women.

Noosa Surf Life Saving Club’s website declares “singlets OK” without offering gender distinction.

Alexandra Headland Surf Life Saving Club CEO Ashley Robinson said men were refused service if they wore singlets in their main upstairs bar and bistro, but rules were more relaxed at their downstairs bar and eatery.

“It’s the committee’s decision this has come up before on a couple of occasions and they voted to stay on what we’ve currently got,” he said.

“In general we don’t see it as a massive issue, but I will be interested to see now that Coolum have done it, what they’ve done whether our committee and our members change their mind.”

Most Gold Coast surf clubs set no gender-specific dress standards, but Kurrawa Surf Club at Broadbeach still banned men in singlets at its upstairs venues after 5:30pm.

The Anti-Discrimination Commission warned some venue owners could be in breach of the law when demanding inconsistent rules for men and women.

Acting Commissioner Neroli Holmes said complaints about dress codes were nothing new and businesses had been prosecuted.

“They will recognise there are differences between male and female fashion and what’s appropriate and reasonable for the circumstance, but each case will depend on its own particular facts,” she said.

Ms Holmes said it was good practice for venues across Queensland to continually review their policies and employ a gender-neutral standard.

“Every couple of years, really the fashion’s changed and what’s an acceptable standard 20 years ago might be different to what’s acceptable in 2018,” she said.

“Venues just need to be sensible, fair and reasonable about what they’re doing when they’re applying a dress code to make sure that they are being even-handed with both genders.”

-ABC