Do You Have A Problem With Breasts?
June 10, 2011 15 Comments
Feminism is motivated by the idea that women should be allowed to do what men do without judgment or disdain, right? Does that extend to walking around entirely topless?
A mystery woman walked around Manhattan topless in the unbearable heat earlier this week, creating a sweet little Internet buzz. If men can do it, why shouldn’t women?
In fact, it’s completely legal in New York City. So why is this law-abiding citizen getting so much attention when all she’s doing is trying to do is stay comfortable in the summer heat?
It’s because people still have a tremendous problem with seeing a woman’s body. For example, the Hasidic Jew community of New York is posting posters around telling women not to wear tank tops despite the heat. The women concerned, in the Hasidic Jew community, probably already know what their clothing restrictions are. The message then only seems addressed to the other women, those who do not follow the same faith and therefore shouldn’t have to submit to these tenets for the rabbis’ convenience and comfort.
You’d think walking around topless would be equivalent to a man showing off his muscly pecs, but no. Women in our culture have been imposed an image of having to be modest, read unremarkable, to be respectable. Freely flaunting their breasts, probably the most sexualized part of the female body, is not in line with that.
The only reasons I see against walking around topless are the impracticality of having to run somewhere without a bra on and maybe the extra sweating underneath the breasts for those who are well-endowed. Although if the law has no problem with it and the woman feels more comfortable this way, more power to her. It’s one way to avoid an ugly farmer’s tan.
Often the laws allowing public nudity restrict it to certain places, but that for the truly sexual organs, the genitals. You’re worried about the children seeing breasts? They’re going to see them anyway on TV or on the internet, and besides, the girls are going to develop them. What is the problem if they’re on the street? Wouldn’t you rather children see real breasts in a non-sexual setting than the airbrushed, pumped-out and siliconed version?
Tomorrow, June 11th, is the World Naked Bike Ride and August 21st is Go Topless Day so ladies join in and take full advantage of your rights! Maybe seeing a whole slew of breasts will make some people understand that they’re just another body part.
Just don’t forget sunscreen; they’re still very precious things.
Contact the author here: sedera@morningquickie.com
In Kingston Ontario, it’s perfectly legal. Kingstonians were shocked to see boobies jiggling about the first year that it was made legal but it hardly ever happens now. I guess, Feminists just want to have a choice – quite humanist!
Boobs are just boobs..
Team free the boobies.
I’m for freedom of the boobies.
It’s all very nice in theory. But would anyone do it in practice?
Lol. I was just talking to my friend about this… I’d like to think I’d be able to (without looking like a girl gone wild) but, I don’t think I would. I think it’s because it’s considered a sexual part.
Me too! It sounds great, but I just couldn’t stand all of the negative energy coming my way. So good for her!
It’s sad that we look at breasts and the first thing we think of is sex.. Not food for a baby
I wonder if that’s if thats the thought process in my muslim countries where the women are all covered up.
Woops, damn swype. I meant to say-
Wonder if the whole body is sexualized. And, if there are women who say “If you could run around with your face showing, would you?”
I worked in the Middle East and actually wrote a story about breast-feeding. The interesting thing was that my Western editors wanted to spike the story, because they feared it was too immodest. It finally ran when a few Arab reporters stepped in and said, “What’s immodest about breast feeding? That’s how babies eat!”
That said, I think if you attempted it in public you’d be thrown in jail faster than you can say “formula.”
Wow. That’s very interesting. I would love to read your piece. So, in a culture where women are so devalued on many fronts, the perspective of breasts is one of function and nourishment?
Many women who live traditionally would argue that they are extremely valued in their roles as wives and mothers. As a Western woman, I look at that and find it limiting, but as long as the woman have choices, I can’t complain if they choose a different route to happiness. The issue is whether it is a choice in all cases.