Men can walk around topless. Why shouldn’t everyone?
In the city of New York, it’s perfectly legal for women to walk around in public topless. Yet it’s incredibly rare/next-to-impossible to find a woman walking topless here, even in one of the country’s most progressive cities. That’s why an organization known as GoTopless organized Manhattan’s first ever Nipple Pride Parade this Sunday, marching from Columbus Circle to Bryant Park—completely and totally topless.
Both men and women were encouraged to walk, but the issue is especially pressing for the city’s women. While women have the legal right to go topless, many don’t, concerned about social stigma, legality, and often, their very own personal safety. Their anxiety is grounded in a painful reality—as one parade attendee described, even their very own march wasn’t safe from blatant voyeurism and groping. “A handful of topless protestors rallied in Columbus Circle and were immediately swarmed by mostly creepy park weirdos taking pics with their phones/trying to hug them … they’re just the toxic byproduct of a society that criminalizes breasts.”
Organizers timed the parade as part of their annual Go Topless day, held purposefully close to Women’s Equality Day. To learn more about GoTopless, their topless events, and the fight for nipple rights, check out their site here.
(Via: Death and Taxes)
Share on Facebook
