Topfreedom is a social movement which seeks to accord women the right to go topless in public should they so choose, where men have the equivalent right. Examples of public spaces which might be covered include beaches, swimming pools and parks. The reasons cited include keeping nursing mothers from having to find a hidden place for breastfeeding, allowing women to sun tan, comfort in places such as pools and beaches, and sex equality issues.

In North America, where resistance to topless nudity of women is greater than in mainland Europe or Australia, a small topfree equality movement has grown up. In February 2005 in California, attorney Liana Johnsson contended that under Megan's Law, women convicted of indecent exposure (for breastfeeding or sunbathing) could find themselves listed as sex offenders alongside rapists and child molesters. The term "topfree" is used as an alternative to "topless", which may carry negative connotations. Some women prefer the term "shirtfree rights".

Cultural arguments

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Western culture generally tends to oppose public female toplessness because of the idea that females breasts are sexual organs, and thus indecent. In contrast, the male chest is not commonly considered to be sexual.

Biologically there is no particular connection between mammary glands and copulation, but it is inarguable that most heterosexual men find breasts sexually arousing and some zoologists (notably Desmond Morris) believe that through human evolution, female breasts have acquired secondary sexual characteristics as a counterpart of the buttocks in other primates. For more information, see breast.

Some courts in North America have ruled that mammary glands are nurturing organs, not sexual organs; this is important because it is generally the public display of sexual organs which is legally restricted.

Topfree in North America

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Some places in North America are said to have topfree equality by law, although whether such equality is upheld or practiced varies. These include:

• Some provinces of Canada including
  • British Columbia
  • OntarioProvince of Ontario Court of Appeal. Judgment C12668, The Queen vs. Gwen Jacobs (1996) (where equality has been tested and upheld several times)
  • All of Canada, in theory, because sex equality is an amendment to the Canadian Constitution. The Supreme Court could, however, overturn the precedents set in BC and Ontario.

• Some states of the United States, including
  • Hawaii
  • Maine (ex.and [http://www.seacoastonline.com/2002news/1_31odd.htm)
  • New York (and more generally, within the jurisdiction of the 2nd US Federal Circuit)
  • Ohio
  • Texas

• Some cities and localities of the United States, including
  • Eugene, Oregon
    • Oregon Country Fair
  • South Beach, Miami Beach, Florida
    • Fantasy Fest
  • Washington, D.C.

Note that even in some of the areas where topfree is in fact legal, local police may still arrest those practicing it for disorderly conduct or similar charges.

Topfree outside North America

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In many countries, especially in Europe and Australia, it is well-established that females may go topfree at places like beaches, parks and open air swimming pools. This may be by law (permitted) or may be by common consent, with the law simply not being applied (tolerated). In other areas, such as South Korea and Islamic countries, it is considered highly offensive for women, and even men, to go topfree in almost any context.

Topfree Equal Rights Association (TERA)

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The Topfree Equal Rights Association (TERA) is a Canadian organisation that exists to help women who have legal troubles exercising their rights to go 'topfree' where men are also able to. Their website states that they cover the USA and Canada.

The organisation also aims to inform and educate the public about topfreedom. They also campaign to change laws about topfreedom that exist in most North American jurisdictions, which they see as sex discrimination.

See also

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• Toplessness
• Clothes free movement
• Nudity
• Public nudity
• Monokini
• Equalism
• Sexism
• Taboo

Organizations

• Naturist Action Committee (NAC)
• Topfree Equal Rights Association (TERA)
• Clothes free organizations
• World Naked Bike Ride

People

• Judy Williams: NAC board member, chief advisor of TERA, chair of Wreck Beach Preservation Society (WBPS) in Vancouver, BC
• Gwen Jacobs: test case for topfreedom who won in Ontario, Canada.
• Linda Meyer: test case for topfreedom for British Columbia. On June 8, 2000, she won in court against Maple Ridge, BC. She had been arrested at the District of Maple Ridge's indoor public swimming pool. That was after she had provoked arrests for many years, and had gone to jail, in order to win in court and thereby stop official harassment for her topfree public activities.
• Paul Rapoport: topfree activist, writer, editor of Going Natural, a publication of FCN.
• Sue Richards: Publisher of the topfree, breast health calendar Breast of Canada.
• Morley Schloss: NAC board member, topfree activist.
• Nikki Craft: feminist, past shirtfree rights activist, now disaffiliated from the movement.

References

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External links

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• Woman Promotes the Right to Go Topless - Originally an LA Times, January 2005 article

• Topfree Equal Rights Association
• What is topfreedom? article

Breast | Civil disobedience | Issues in the culture wars | Nudity | Sexism | Social movements