A female delivery driver has revealed that she chooses to disguise herself as a man in an attempt to remain safe while completing deliveries at night.
Taking to TikTok, Tia - aka @tiazakher - posted a video of herself showing people what she wears while she's out on the job as a DoorDash driver.
In this instance, she opted for a stereotypically "male" look in the hopes that it would hide her identity as a woman, consisting of straight-leg cuffed joggers with a plain, oversized jacket paired with a cap and hood.
On her feet, she had white chunky trainers on. Have a look at the full look below:
The 11-second clip showed Tia zipping her jacket all the way up to the top while the viral voiceover in the background stated: "You gotta get on your Zoom."
In the text overlay, she added: "POV: [You're] scared to deliver orders at night alone but you make more money at night so you dress up as a man."
The video has been viewed over 400,000 times since it was posted, with many taking to the comments to express their opinions on the matter.
"That’s so smart lol," while another added: "Very convincing well done."
A third even offered more tips writing: "Baggier pants and strong men's perfume and ur good to go haha", to which, Tia responded that she would keep that in mind next time.
Others also chimed into the conversation with more advice with this TikToker writing: "Just wear more baggy pants for extra accuracy" and another stated: "It’s the walk, once you nail it you're good."
Beyond that, other people urged Tia to be safe, with this one user writing: "I worry so much when I see women delivery drivers or uber! Always tip extra. Stay safe."
According to Andrea Simon, Director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, violence against women is a common occurrence and it isn't just limited to delivery driver roles - it can also be a fear amongst female customers who come into contact with male delivery drivers.
"Experiences of sexual harassment are unacceptably common and disproportionately impact women and girls across their lifetimes, in almost all settings and within all professions – so it is not unique to delivery drivers," she explained in an interview with Glamour.
"However, as these workers have access to women in their homes, there are enhanced risks here and this unwanted behavior deserves urgent attention," she continued. "At the root of this problem is gender inequality and the attitudes and beliefs it produces: male power, control, and a sense of entitlement to women and our bodies."
It really is a tough world out there. Stay safe, girlies!