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I’m not gonna lie: when I wrote up that item about Topless Bowery Lady a few weeks ago, I got a bit jealous. To be able to walk around New York City all careless and fancy free like that, breasts unfettered, the cool breeze rushing across your chest…it all seemed so wonderful, yet unattainable. I would never have the gall to do that, I thought. Social conventions being what they are, there’s no way I could possibly carry that off without attracting an incredible amount of unwanted attention, making people mad, scarring children for life, potentially getting harassed by the cops, etc. Why, oh why, can’t I just air my tits out like it ain’t no thang? STUPID AMERICA.
And then I was like, well, why the hell not? What’s the point of having toplessness be legal in New York City if you can’t taste of its sweet nectars? Social mores don’t just change overnight; someone has to go first and make it look like fun, and then, with any luck, the rest will follow, and someday it becomes normal, right? In the name of being the change I want to see (as well as anecdotal sociology), I decided to swallow my fears and hang out topless in Central Park Sunday afternoon.
I figured I should start out with the relatively normal activity of topless sunbathing and work my way up to more brazen endeavors. I was kind of nervous about taking my shirt off initially, but it turned out to be like ripping off a band-aid; once I’d done it without anything bad happening, I relaxed. I reclined. I read my book. I chatted with Jennifer. Nobody was even looking at me! At one point I thought a guy was giving me the thumbs up, but it turned out it was directed at a baby. The sun and air felt nice on my skin. I would tentatively say from this experience that it’s possible to toplessly sunbathe in the park without causing a commotion.
Next, it was time to get up and walk around. I instinctively clutched my book to my chest at first, but I stopped myself. Naked time wasn’t over yet. I donned a hat and sunglasses so as to feel less exposed. A little bit dehydrated from lying in the sun, I bought a bottle of water and a popsicle. The concession stand guy didn’t bat an eyelash at me. He’s probably seen weirder.
(Visit the next page, where things start to get NSFW…)
Congratulations to the author for her courage to live authentically. Shame on the officer for overstepping his bounds and using his office to attempt to intimidate this courageous woman. I’m so glad she didn’t submit to his scolding. Listen people, there is no plant or animal or anything in the universe of which we know that not only hides its own body, but mandates that others of its species hide their bodies under threat of ridicule, fine, imprisonment, or even death. No one, no one should be required to hide any part of his or her body in any place at any time. People can argue all they want. Reality is reality. I just hope those of us who believe these things have the courage to live them out and if need be suffer the consequences from ignorant people. To quote Einstein, “Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. The mediocre mind is incapable of understanding the man who refuses to bow blindly to conventional prejudices and chooses instead to express his opinions courageously and honestly.”
What’s your beef with the law against jaywalking? It is not arbitrary, moralist, or antiquated. It is a public safety law and it saves lives. You would not be so comfortable in New York City without laws like that.
I just read your story about going topless. I am a little stunned about the cop saying there are kids around. I live in Cape Town and topless on the beach here is normal, but kids around, what a joke as kids are the most innocent and would not be offended, nor shocked! Good for you, and smart move on the cop by the way!
First, you’re boobs are awesome [sorry if that objectifies you.] Second, men go [annoyingly] bare chested all the time [and often CLEARLY for attention], why not women? The people who were appalled/”concerned for the children,” are sexist and sad. Third, kudos to talking back to that cop– if anyone of different….background had, including myself, I’m pretty sure I would’ve been ticketed, arrested for some silly/trumped up charge thats unrelatedly related to my bare boobs, or been shot. Seriously. Talk about the privelage you posses! Fourth, we live in ny– I’m sure this would not have been nearly as successful in other places were this may be legal. On the train, everyday, I see things that are so insane or random that insane and random are just my [our, as NYers] norm. Fifth, I agree with others here that people have to learn to stop sexualizing breasts: they are vehicles for feeding infants, part of basic anatomy, and are not inherently sex objects. The fact that women here cannot even peacefully breast feed in public bc people find it “gross” or “inappropriate” speaks volumes and is the amplified/more serious version of just desiring to walk around topless. Sixth, I really dislike that cop. Congrats on an experiment done well!
They kind of have a point you know. Going around topless denies them the right NOT to see breasts in public, and that’s the whole point. wearing a shirt gives someone an option to either see them or not. Walking around without one on doesn’t give someone the ability to exercise their own choice…not to see breasts in public. You are pushing bare breasts on people, whether they like it or not.
Is there anything wrong with breasts? No, but the point is not even the breast, the point is the attitude that your rights are so important you feel the need to deny other people their right to choose what they look at, which is a basic human right. Yes there is a conflict here, but to resolve it in such a way that no rights are violated each party must accommodate the other (Compromise).
Yes you have the legal ability to walk around bare breasted, no you do not have the legal ability to do so to such an extent that should someone wish not to see that they are unable to avoid it. With something such as this even though people can turn away or cover their child’s eyes by the time those actions happen, their rights have already been violated.
It’s not the ‘lewdness of breasts’ that’s the issue at all. It’s the fact that there just isn’t a way to walk around bare breasted without forcing that on other people to some extent, whether they like it or not. And in that regard your exercise of your rights have violated the rights of others.
Chris, the rights argument goes both ways. For one, who says anyone has a right to not see breasts? Persons, who want something a certain way, in this case for women to cover their breasts when in public, infringe on other’s rights.
I am sure there are a certain amount of people who would rather not see women, children, or men in contemporary swim suites. So, no more swims suits allowed in public, please. Also, I really think wearing sweat pants, cutoffs, sandals and other informal attire is too casual for out modern society and shows a lack of respect, I would like to see that banned. I believe there are way too many bumper stickers, and I would rather not see them, a lot of them don’t agree with my views, and they make cars look trashy. I like show cars, cleaned and polished with out any blemishes. So cars should be kept clean and in perfect visual condition or be kept hidden in garages until fixed.
It can go on to just about anything and everything, house colors, vehicle choices, on etc. If people will allow it, there will always be ones who are more than happy to dictate to others, so everything meets with their ideals. Do I have a right, when driving down the street, to see nothing but perfectly kept yards and lawns, fertilized and well watered and manicured? How about the right to not listen to music I don’t like?
Where do we draw the line? Should we require complete coverage of the body and face? No makeup or tattoos? There are a lot of things I would rather not see, but I realize it is not my right to expect others to conform to my wishes. If we were to ban and make taboo everything deemed to offend someone, our behavior would be so limited we may as well be dead.
I simply loved this article and applaud the author for taking a chance on trying something [legal] slightly outside her routine! The recounting is well written with excellent photojournalistic imagery to accompany and augment the details.
The New York City Police department’s Officer was clearly imposing his will (or ideals) as a part of his verbal statement, and to me that is a violation of what it means to serve and protect, OR to uphold the law and maintain public order. Both the military and the paramiltary organizations, such as municpal law enforcement, are well aware of the fact they SHOULD be enforcing ONLY the letter of the law and that interpretation of the law is not really up to them. In the military they have the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) which essentially spells out exactly what the expectations of each individual are, how they must conduct themselves and what the ramifications are of falling short of those ideals.
In our public spaces I am happy to think an Office can let someone “off” with a warning, but those instances should be the case of a first offense or someone inadvertantly transgressing a/an obscure law of which the majority of people are unaware.
My 2 cents.
~
Jamie! How can I contact you? I have a blog about these issues, and I would love to join forces! Check out aworldsafeforwomen.org. Thanks!
Did anyone else notice that the only tense and disagreeable moment came from the cop? I understand that keeping the peace is a hard job that takes guts to do,but implying contempt for the laws you are sworn to uphold is over the line. HE should have been ticketed. Also,I’d really like to know how many of these children he was so concerned about aren’t allowed to go to art museums or view anatomy diagrams.
Thumbs up from Danish Naturists, an organization of 1000+ naturists.
Jens Rasmussen
Copenhagen, Denmark, Europe
For those of you who are thinking of doing this: Be sure to wear sunscreen! If your breasts aren’t used to being exposed to the sun, they will get sunburned easier (and sunburned nipples are a bitch). I hope all of you consider this, especially with skin cancer on the rise.
Regardless if breasts should be seen as sexual, they definitely are. Whenever I wear a top that is form fitting or shows a little cleavage, men will stare at my boobs. It’s very rude & makes me feel really uncomfortable (which makes me less likely to show skin in the future). Maybe in the author’s situation people were too intimidated to stare.
My better half and I first went to a family oriented nudist resort about 30 years ago and it only took about a half a day for this guy to figure something out. The naked human body on its own is not sexual. It is our pervasive society that sells everything buy constantly making the showing of skin to be sexual. We are taught this by madison avenue, the porn industry and others. Imagine the dollars lost if suddenly , for example, women saw no need to buy from Victoria’s secret.
What I have NEVER seen at a nudist resort is any male with what many would think is an automatic reaction to the sight of a naked female and that is an erection. It just doesnt happen. Also the women nudists almost universally say the same thing and my wife will affirm this comment. The place the women feel the least stared at and ogled is when naked at a resort.
I guess what I am trying to say is that the naked breast is not sexual on its own, It is societies teaching and our perception that might make it sexual and precious little time is needed to figure out otherwise.
Will SOMEONE PLEASE KICK ME IN MY balls!?
um….nudity is nudity…you gotta draw the line somewhere.
The way you use the word nudity (as is common, but not exactly correct) implies indecency of a body part that is uncovered. There are lines that need to be drawn for the real good of people (such laws against murder, theft, extortion, etc.), and then there are doodles and scribbles people errantly make that need to be erased. A good number of people feel the lines drawn in regards to exposed female breasts are scribbles, and do not belong here, and some of these people want to erase or move the lines.
In my mind, there is no legitimate argument why women should cover their breasts when men do not, although there are a lot of reasons (rationalizations, actually) given why they should. People who have been around bare breasted females long enough find the novelty wears off. Or, ones who have studied and considered other cultures where bare breasts are permissible have to ask why they function without related issues. After enough serious thought and consideration, it is not hard to see a lack of merit for the “reasons” given why bare breasts are considered by some to be taboo. They are no more nude than the males. Children really aren’t damaged by them. Men handle it fine as well. Women tend to have less body image issues.
This year, GOTOPLESS DAY falls exactly on WOMEN’S EQUALITY DAY: August 26 !!! Join us for a big celebration in NYC on GOTOPLESS’ 5th anniversary!
We are also planning a topless March in Washington DC on that day… and we invite the First Lady to lead this march for equal rights…
Just wanted to say I recently started on “Infinite Jest,” but am real dumb and need LOTS of help. Hope to see you in Central Park some time!
If you give breasts freedom then soon everybody will want it.
;)
What a nice prospect!!! :))))))
“The way the law is now, the right to be topless in public trumps the right to not have to see a stranger’s boobs. If people don’t like it, they should lobby to change that law.”
For a person taking a stand in support of a woman’s right to be topless, you really missed this one. It’s not the law. It’s the Constitution (as interpreted by the NY Supreme Court). And they should never change that in the Constitution.
Children are never harmed by a breast. They are only nurtured by them – even the sight of them. What harms children is the stupid reactions of ignorant parents and adults when those adults see a breast.
My daughter’s mother in law would not kiss their own granddaughters on the mouth until they were old enough to not be breastfed because, to them, breasts are disgusting and those babies’ mouths had touched my daughter’s breasts.
No, children are not harmed by breasts.
However teenage girls girls could be harmed by putting theirs on display.
16 year old girls running around the beach in thongs is bad enough.
Would you want topless videos of your 16 year old daughter playing volley ball at the beach being sent over the internet?
Age restriction for topless rights are not being addressed and I do not know why.
You say that “Age restriction for topless rights are not being addressed and I do not know why.”
Do you intend for these age restrictions to apply only to girls or to boys as well? Boys can be subject to sexual predators as well as girls and even with minors the constitution still requires equal treatment of the sexes. Have you considered these matters?
This is the BEST yahoo article EVER!!! I reread it many times.
I think your 100% right about breasts being overly sexualized. When you look at tribes and villages they have been going nude the whole time and you don’t see them obsessed with appearance and sex. this society is addicted to the idea of sex, and think just because your clothed that you are some how more “appropriate” than a nude person. Breasts are for children, yet how many women prefer to give their children formula because they don’t want their breasts to sag. how can you say you don’t want children to see something that is made for them, something they should already be familiar with.
i think that boobs should be put on display than evreybody would not be arguing over it