Topfree equality
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Topfree equality is a small but growing social movement in parts of North America. The goal of the movement is to give women the right to remove their clothing above the waist in public wherever men can do it (e.g. at a beach, swimming pool, or park).
One goal is to avoid the nuisance of finding a hidden place for breastfeeding. However, the idea of topfree equality obviously goes further than being allowed to expose breasts solely for the purpose of breastfeeding.
The movement is not concerned with fighting the right for women or men to be without a shirt in a restaurant, etc., but with ensuring equality under law for women. This battle is currently (February 2005) heating up in California, where attorney Liana Johnsson contends that under the new Megan's Law, women convicted of indecent exposure (for breastfeeding or sunbathing) could find themselves listed as sex offenders alongside rapists and child molesters. They can also find themselves exploited by sex offenders, nudist/naturist publications, photographers and pornographers.
List of places in North America that are said to have topfree equality by law, although whether such equality is upheld or practiced varies:
- Some provinces of Canada including
- British Columbia
- Ontario (where equality has been tested and upheld several times)
- Some states of the United States, including
- Certain cities of the United States, including
Topfree outside North America
In many countries it goes without any legal discussion that women may be topfree at places like beaches, parks and open air swimming pools. The reasons for topfree bathing include getting a sun tan and comfort.
See also
- Bare chested
- Topfree Equal Rights Association
- Gwen Jacobs
- Linda Meyer
- Equality
- Sexism
- Nudity
- Nudism
- Taboo
- Monokini
External links
- 2005 Legal Battle in California (broken link) (http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-topless22jan22,0,3775804.story?coll=la-home-local)
- Topfree Equal Rights Association (http://www.tera.ca/)
- topfree! (http://www.topfreedom.com/)
- womens choice. org topfreedom (http://www.geocities.com/womens_choice_org/topfreedom.html)
- Feminist Plaintiffs Withdraw From Cape Cod Shirtfree Case (http://www.nudisthallofshame.info/Shirtfree3.html)de:Oben ohne