Bin Isolation Outing: People Are Dressing Up To Take The Garbage Out

With over 1.6 million cases and 102,730 deaths globally, the coronavirus pandemic's rapid spread has forced the world into a shutdown. With social-distancing and self-isolation are being touted as the only way to contain the spread, in absence of a cure of a vaccine as of yet, people have shut themselves within their homes.

But social distancing isn't easy, especially when it is uncertain when exactly will we be able to resume our routines. It is completely okay to feel anxious right now. To bemissing the outside world. Dinners at restaurants, meeting up with colleagues every day at work, going to the gym, and most of all dressing up to go out.

This longing to dress up has started a trend in Australia where people are dressing up to take their garbage out. For bin isolation outing people are wearing evening gowns, teddy bear and dinosaur costumes or sometimes even a full cosplay.

Australians are using their garden paths as runways to walk and show off their dresses on social media, all this while maintaining proper isolation.

Also Read: Baking Bread, Cutting Hair: How We Are Coping With The Lockdown

Who started this and how?

It all began when Danielle Askew, a kindergarten teacher from Hervey Bay in the Australian state of Queensland, started a Facebook group called Bin isolation outing which has now grown to 470,000 members.

In this group, a friend shared a post on her Facebook page saying that "she was excited it was garbage night and she gets to go out,"  the 47-year-old told AFP.

Seeing this Askew dared her to dress up to take the bin out and she said she would take that challenge, adding that she will also do that and will make a Facebook group for us to laugh at.

Askew said she was happy to have "cheered so many people up" she had also received messages from users saying that they were feeling depressed or scared about the virus, but looking at her page had made them smile.

"There are just so many wonderful, creative people out there," she said at last.

Also Read: Hantavirus Is Not A New Virus. Here's Why You Shouldn't Be Worried

Victoria Anthony shares her experience

Victoria Anthony, a 30-year-old DJ lives in Sydney says, "As crazy as I feel dressing up at home, it's the only thing keeping me sane during isolation. Wheeling my bin out in style helps me feel happy again."

Anthony posted her photo on Instagram in which she is seen wearing a cocktail dress under the hashtag #BinIsolationOuting.

Outfits they are choosing

This trend has now picked up in other countries. Recently bus driver Stuart Cunningham, from Glasgow in Scotland, posted a picture of himself taking out the bins in a kilt with a bottle of whiskey.

Also Read: COVID-19 Lockdown: The Trials Of The Middle-Aged With Their Parents

Christine Leland, who lives in Canada also shared a photo of her husband wheeling a bin through the snow in a superman T-shirt, wig and red towel for a cape.

dressing up, it seems isn't limited to cocktail dresses, as people are putting their creativity to good use under lockdown and whipping up outfits from resources available at home. Apart from cosplay, superhero costumes, one of the popular themes seems to be horror. Some people have posted pictures of themselves wearing horror clown outfits or whole-body suits which make them look like the characters of sci-fi series, from Star Wars to Gundam.

Image Credit: Bin isolation outing/ Facebook

Avleen Kaur Narang is an intern with SheThePeople.TV.