The photo was originally published in Madonna's book Sex, but on Cr Lyons' shirt the slogan "Gas, grass or ass, no-one rides for free" has been added to the picture. Geelong Trades Hall secretary Tim Gooden said the image angered Geelong women because it trashed the city’s reputation and reinforced a negative stereotype among men about women.
It also undermined efforts by the Geelong union movement and many others to eliminate sexism and violence against women, he said. “We’re talking about the mayor of Geelong, the number one citizen, an officer of the Crown who gets paid $170,000 a year and wore a shirt to a public event that is clearly offensive to people in this town,” Gooden said. “He can’t seem to understand that this is insulting, sexist, demeaning and misogynistic.”
Cr Lyons later apologised. "I had no idea of the slogan on yeaterdays [sic] t shirt bought years ago as a great photograph on a tshirt i certainly didnt wish to demean women!" Cr Lyons tweeted. In another post he added: "Sorry to all who have been offended by this." Victorian premier Daniel Andrews would not comment on the calls for Cr Lyons to resign. "He needs to explain what he was wearing and why. I'm not going to be drawn into that," he said. "I don't own a T-shirt like that, therefore I wouldn't wear one."
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