GEELONG mayor Darryn Lyons has apologised after facing calls to resign over a T-shirt depicting a naked woman and offensive slogan.

The city’s Trades Hall secretary called for his resignation after he wore an offensive T-shirt which city leaders have argued demeans women.

Cr Jan Farrell, who has previously described some of Cr Lyons’ behaviour as sexist, posted on Facebook a photo of Cr Lyons at his Saturday Oktoberfest, wearing a T-shirt of a hitchhiking naked woman holding a sign which reads “gas, grass or ass, no one rides for free”.

Cr Farrell said she was “beyond offended” at Cr Lyons’ “ongoing disrespect for women”.

“This is what passes for leadership at Geelong. Such an abysmal role model for young men,” she wrote.

“How timely that the report on Greater Geelong Council’s ‘workplace culture review’ by former sex and disability commissioner Susan Halliday is due for publication.

“Sadly I suspect it will take a lot more than a report to change the mindset of some.”

i had no idea of the slogan on yeaterdays t shirt bought years ago as a great photograph on a tshirt i certainly didnt wish to demean women! — Darryn Lyons (@DarrynLyons) October 11, 2015

Trades Hall secretary Tim Gooden responded, questioning Cr Lyons’ judgment for supporting a message that women “are a lesser species to be commodified and owned”.

“He can no longer be the mayor of a city in the 21st century,” he wrote.

Maribyrnong councillor Sarah Carter, who was praised earlier this year for revealing the threatening, vulgar and abusive text messages female councillors were being subjected to, called the T-shirt “utterly appalling”.

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Socialist Alliance candidate for Geelong Sarah Hathway called for Cr Lyons to apologise and resign.

“This kind of every day misogyny needs to stop and people in leadership positions like the mayor need to set an example or step aside and allow someone better to do the job,” she said.

“We need to take a zero tolerance approach.”

The Geelong Advertiser is seeking further comment from Cr Lyons.