It is official, Beauty and the best of the rest has it’s first ever Hero. This woman :
Her name is Moira Johnston and she regularly walks around topless in New York. Now, before you read any more, I want you to stop and ask yourself what you think about her doing this. What is your immediate reaction? Whatever that reaction is, put it to the back of your mind until the end of the post. We’ll come back to it later.
You might wonder why Moira walks around topless and the answer might surprise you, she does it for you, for women. This brave woman put two and two together and came up with four, she took a look at the world around her and decided that if men can walk around topless then women can to. The surprising part? It is totally legal for her to do so (in New York at least)
She regularly walks around New York topless a) because she can and b) to remind other women that they can too.
In the video we learn that women in New York have had the legal right to walk around topless for 20 years so the fact that Moria does so shouldn’t be a surprise or a shock, but it is.
Why is it a shock that a woman has the same legal right as a man? Why is it a shock that she choses to exercise that right? Why are women upset with her?
I’ll tell you why, because we are idiots. Harsh I know but think about it for a minute, it is normal for a man to take off his shirt when he is too hot simply because a man will take off his shirt if he is too hot. Why don’t we do the same? We don’t do it because of societal pressure, because it would be considered ‘improper’, ‘attention seeking’ and ‘indecent’. Sure we have not done it in the past because it would have been scandalous and society would have shunned us, but now a lot of us have the right to do it and we are not exercising our right. If, like me, you don’t personally feel like going topless (I live in Scotland where it is freezing and I have never felt the need to or have wanted to go topless) then not going topless isn’t a big deal, but if you want to go topless and don’t because it would be ‘frowned upon’ then that is a big deal. Thinking that is acceptable for men to go topless while at the same time thinking that it is unacceptable for you to do the same means that your are essentially denying that you are equal to men. It’s fair enough if going topless simply isn’t for you, but if you would like to do it and don’t because you feel that it is unacceptable for women then you may as well not vote either. It wasn’t long ago that society deemed that unacceptable for women to, and what do you think would have happened if none of us started using that right once we recieved it simply because it was frowned upon?
I have something that I want you to think about, what have been your reactions to seeing topless women at the beach?
I’m asking this because it was a realisation about my own reaction to topless women at the beach that made me realise that I was an idiot. As some of you may already know, I was on holiday recently with my boyfriend in Portugal. While there, we saw a few topless women on the beach and we had a giggle about them, and used words like ‘flaunting’ and ‘attention seeking’. At no point did I look at my topless boyfriend and think ‘ why do I think that it is ok for you to be topless but question the motives of topless women?’ and that is why I am an idiot. Those women have just as much right as men to go topless and we shouldn’t see it as ‘flaunting’ or ‘attention seeking’, if your attitude is indifferent to topless men then it should be indifferent to topless women too. I’m ashamed that I didn’t work that out for myself before hearing about Moira Johnston.
Now, go back to your first reaction to reading that Moira Johnston was walking around topless in New York, has that reaction changed in any way?
I would love to hear from both the girls and the guys on this issue, what are your thoughts? Any girls inspired and brave enough to go topless or just happy to know that you could if you wanted to? Or do you think that women should still stay covered up on top? Anyone think that both men and women should stay covered up on top? Tell me your thoughts, I’m sure they’ll be part of an interesting discussion.
This is one brave woman. Bravo!!
I hope next year more women join her in New York State.
Even though it is legal for guys to walk around topless, discrimination still exists against some men. If the guy is young and attractive, it is accepted as OK. Older guys not so much. As a middle aged guy I decided to walk along a high street and around a park topless. Those around me made me feel I was doing something wrong, several people snickered. After my 2 hour experiment, I was happy I had tried it, but won’t do so again.
So I applaud Moira not for just doing this once around a city center, but to do it again and again despite the negative commentary of others. She must have a very thick skin.
What difference does it make whether women’s breasts are sexual organs or not? Where did this idiotic idea that they need to be covered up come from. Primitive man/woman didn’t have these hangups, nor do tribes like the Himba, nor do infants, nor do other species and they all seem to get along just fine.
Somebody argued that “Other primate females have breasts that are full only while nursing their young”, and yet even when they ARE nursing their young, and full, they don’t seem to bother covering up.
I believe in an all purpose dress code which says wear or don’t wear whatever you choose and let everybody else wear or not wear whatever they choose. Does that sound fair?
And yes, Moira is indeed someone to be admired and respected.
I support this woman’s right to express herself within the law and raise awareness of the freedom to go topless. but, FYI, no man would walk around NYC without a shirt (unless at a park or similar location), period. it’s not a farm or suburb.
Pingback: No shoes , no shirts , no problem ?
The difference is that men do not have sexual organs on their chest. And, yes, the breast is a sexual organ. Compare humans against other primates. Other primate females have breasts that are full only while nursing their young. When they don’t have young, the breasts become much smaller having done their sole function.
Female humans, on the other hand, have breasts that stay full even when they don’t have nursing children. It is a signal to men that they are ready (in a physical maturity sense) to mate. Like it or not, it is a signal for men that they are available.
Whether this affects your opinion on whether women should go topless or not is your opinion. What is not opinion is that it does affect men’s sexual interest… thousands of years of evolution have programmed us this way.
Sorry, try “being raised in a society where we are told breasts are ‘naughty’ and where they are taboo and sexualized”.
Nice intellectual response. Please explain then why humans are the only primate whose breasts stay engorged even when not having children?
Actually, human female breasts also grow during breastfeeding, and shrink afterwards. Breasts are not sexual organs, any more than breastfeeding is sex.
They do grow, I’m married and this was a nice side effect when my wife was pregnant…
Nonetheless, humans are the only primate where the breasts Read on for more info:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/may/14/breast-size-evolution
The human breast is a signal to men of fertility. Like it or not, it is true.
It isn’t self-evident why sexual organs should be covered, but it is certainly debatable whether breasts are, as Eric claims, sexual organs.
It is not arguable that breasts are erogenous, both for men and women. It is also beyond dispute that many parts of male and female bodies “signal fertility.” Male hair and muscles are signals of fertility, as are red lips and raised female rumps. Perhaps, Eric, would prohibit the exhibition of hair and muscles and ban lipstick and high heels.
(Anthropologist Helen Fisher has written, “High heels thrust out the buttocks and arch the back into a natural mammalian courting — actually, copulatory — pose called ‘lordosis, Rats do it, sheep do it … lions do it, dogs do it. … It is a naturally sexy posture that men immediately see as sexual readiness.)
Why is it that women who live in hot areas cover their breasts only if they live in “civilized” areas? The European explorers show up and it is “OMG – look at all those topless women! Better turn them all into monotheistic fully clothed women before they go to he11. ”
If it is hot enough to sweat and the more you wear the hotter you are and the less sweating will cool you, why not take off whatever you can? “Civilized” people are WAY too hung up on nudity and associate it only with sex.
I fully support her – and others like her everywhere. The thing that surprises me the most here, is that Youtube’s usually-draconian no-boobies policy hasn’t caused this video to be yanked already. Did you have to do anything special to prevent it from being yanked?
Hi Mike,
I’m sorry but I just embedded the video from youtube, I had no role in uploading it to youtube so I have no idea how the uploader has got around any nudity restraints that youtube may employ. Sorry I can’t be of more help x
I agree with you dear! In Portugal is is also legal for man to walk around bare chested. It’s mainly man who work in construction or who are running..but still it’s a law that excludes woman. I think that what she is doing is quite brave. I wouldn’t do it myself but it’s good to know that one has the right to go by the law and make people aware that it’s legal. I’m sure she is catching attentions everywhere 🙂
I think she is getting quite a lot of attention and rightly so since it seems to be a universal double-standard x
Well if only I could do this in India. Men can actually walk around naked here and won’t be arrested. Women wear shorts and are said to be “inviting rape”
I hate the ‘raped because of what you were wearing’ mentality, all it is doing is placing blame with the victim. No one would ever say something like that to a man, I think we need to stop judging people by what they wear, something short and tight shouldn’t be called slutty just as something long and flowing shouldn’t be called dowdy or prudeish – our sexual persona shouldn’t be judged by what we wear.
agree. Frustrating. I wish men could be castrated here for peeing in the streets and then be said ‘well you whipped it out’ that’d be nice.
lol that would definately change their attitudes.
Reblogged this on Footfalls in Flipflops.
I’m not really a fan of being topless in any situation given my breasts are on the larger end of things and it would be uncomfortable. That being said, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with this woman exercising her right. I feel like women get angry a lot at other women when they exercise their rights or defy status quo, but they don’t realize they’re indirectly oppressing their own freedom. I have this same issue with women who call other women sluts or whichever.
yeah this annoys me too, I feel like it is mostly other women and their bitchiness that holds women back, all the name calling and jealousy has to stop, women are their own worst enemies x
Of course women should have the right to go topless every where a man can! That’s constitutional gender equality. Moira is exercising her right while informing the public, that’s wonderful.
Another opportunity to stand up for your topless right is GoTopless Day Aug 26 in honor of women’s equality day. see map for a location near you in the US and around the world http://gotopless.org/gotopless-day
Thanks for the info 🙂
gotopless.org with their “spiritual leader” who gets info from UFOs
From their website “Read for yourself the message for humanity that was given to Rael during his UFO encounters of 1973!”
What a nutter.
I think the reason it’s a problem for us as a society is because women have become so sexualized. A part of our body that’s been designed for nurturing our young has turned into a point of arousal for men. (I don’t know why they don’t think it’s creepy that their food source at birth is a source of sexual desire for them in adulthood! Hello, Oedipus complex!!!)
I live in the U.S., but I lived in Tuscany for over 3 years, where women go out on their lunch breaks to tan (topless) at the coastline. (And yes, the American guys would go out of their way to look at them…) At the “American Beach” where I lived, it wasn’t allowed and the women always looked surprised when they were told. I think it’s ironic that our (America’s) society – which is SO driven by sexuality – would be so prude-ish when it comes to such things.
And as for the “men can do it” mentality, that doesn’t work here, either. There’s a double standard when it comes to nudity, particularly in the movie industry. If a man is naked in a movie it has to be at least rated-R (or it’s porn), but gratuitous female nudity is the norm, and even allowed in small amounts in PG-13 movies. Argh.
A lot of interesting points Bridgett, I’m from the UK and a lot of the things that you mentioned about America are true here too. I think that the thing about breasts being sexualised is because men don’t have them and because they are a part of the body that can’t casually be touched, so it becomes a goal to touch them and I guess a kind of rite of passage sexually. As for the ‘if men can do it women can do it’ mentality (I think that’s what you were talking about, I don’t think ther are enough women or men who are thinking along those lines, like I said in my post, I had never thought it was weird that it was acceptable for my bf to go topless but unacceptable for me to, simply because I had never taken the time to stop and think about it. I’m happy that Moira Johnston pushed me to think ‘hey, that’s not fair’.
Maybe we should start by wearing really sheer tops and no bra. 🙂
lol why not, maybe the sheer top and obvious bra trend was the first step x
Actually this is untrue. By its nature, women’s breast are a sexual stimulant for men. Unlike other primates, women’s breast remain full even when not nursing. Why is this? Humans, unlike other primate, walk upright. The swollen breasts are a sign to men that a woman is fertile and available for mating.
You may not like it, but it is evolution in action. So, yes, ladies your breasts are a sexual organ or at least signal sexual readiness.
Interesting points Eric. Just two things, Women’s breast actually get bigger when nursing so they don’t stay one constant size and breasts are a sign of sexual readiness in the exact same way that body hair is, both appear at puberty. Since this is the case it could be argued that social conditioning and over sexualisation of the breasts is why they are so attractive to men as, if a sign of sexual readiness is what is actually attractive to men then surely men would be attracted to hairy legs and under arms in the same way that they are attracted to breasts. Just something to think about. Thanks a lot for taking the time to comment 🙂
Ah, yes, the “We’re all just cavemen” excuse. I’ve heard guys using that one to justify marital infidelity, too. (I’m not sure why you would want to brag about acting uncivilized, but OK.) If we were all going to live like that, we should be killing our social rivals, getting married in our youth, and having lots of children, too. It’s 2012. It’s not unreasonable to expect SOME level of evolved thinking.
A man’s developed muscular chest is a sign of sexual maturity and is a sexual stimulant for some women. Should men not be able to bare them then?
well,i cant see myself going topless on the streets.
I doubt that many women will but I expect that most of us are happy that we can 🙂
It is a great cause, but not all women would like to go topless! She is inspiring though, and well personally I think I’d look better with clothes on than with clothes off :p I’ve never looked at a topless woman (on topless beaches) and think ‘omg attention seeking’ – I think of it as a culture. In Europe, this would be fine, and so would it be in some African countries or smaller tribes. However, in Asia where I come from….being topless is just taboo. And pervy men 😦
I disagree. Even though some cultures have been more mature enough to accept women’s rights, the ability to do as they please isn’t limited to culture alone but rather structural. I am also in Asia and there are so many parts in this region where going topless is allowed, from tribal to commercial locations. It’s a question of social upbringing, after all, all cultures began naked. Perhaps you mean legal and not cultural. In most Moslem countries, they legally and spiritually bind women to cover their faces and to do otherwise show their “liberal” and “immoral” behavior. There is even a morality police in Malaysia, which is perhaps the stupidest division of all. It’s all part of what their leaders have learned from their own elders that have been passed from one generation to another to dictate that women serve men, justified by a religion to control such. Thankfully, other emerging democratic countries in Asia are breaking up laws that promote gender bias.
is just a geeky internet joke Mick. You see it evwerehrye. Yeah well, the tip is appreciated. But I’m just not that much of a geek. When I first got my first computer I spent 1/2 an hour looking for the smiley key.Men have been fascinated with breasts since they popped up. There is an attraction be it the mommy complex or just that they have that soothing asthetic appeal to the eye.Women have been doing everything the can since the invention of garb to find ways to enhance their appeal/appearance for any number of reasons. Usually to lure unwitting prey.We need to teach our children well of the two aspects of boobs. They are primarily there to feed the new born. But because of the sexual lure that societies have made them to be and how much downright fun they are to play with they are also responsible for the production of more newborn.Lisab, when the hair on your hubbys chest begins to grow back its a b*tch. Shirts get hung up on the stubble etc. Its a maintaining issue. Unless you like to feel like your hugging a tree while nude
I think that a lot of factors come into play in women’s decisions regarding going topless- culture, personal beliefs, attitudes, preferences, laws, public opinion, confidence and body image to name just a few. I think it’s perfectly fine if women go topless or if they would never consider it, the important part for me is that women have the same opportunity as men to make that decision for themselves.
You definitely got that right Saran, especially where I came from as well, it would be hard to go topless walking around without getting arrested or something. That’s just the reality in some countries, including most Asian countries. Although, now that you mentioned about the tribes, yes, in Philippines, there are still smaller tribes that women go topless, hence breastfeeding in public as well has never been an issue.
Great post Breige, and I love the way you’ve laid everything out here.
Reblogged this on Blink and commented:
I’d fight for this right for women.
Heck, I still believe men should give up controlling the world … look how good that got us into.
Thanks for the reblog 🙂 hopefully more women will be inspired to stand up for equality and women’s rights , covering up your body is covering up your equality x
I’m not sure how to address you, lol. I’m new at this thing, but when I did repost it on my Facebook as well and generated hits, I was using humor to advocate such right. Seriously, girls, you ought to run this planet. We men have done such a bad job at it. Keep up the great blog and thanks for stopping by.
Thanks for the compliment and you can address me as Breige 🙂
Sigh … if only oppressed women in Asia are given that right, instead of covering them up with them damn hijab.
Heck, I’d fight for that right.
Go equality!
Great post, Breige. I’ve heard of Moira before and I really admire what she’s doing. Public nudity in the UK is also legal (hence why men can walk around topless), but public indecency isn’t. Apparently, it is entirely up to the individual public and police to decide what is ‘indecent’, based on whether the nudity is intended to ‘harass, alarm or distress’… I have never seen a woman walking around topless in this country (except for on nudist beaches of course), which suggests to me that the majority find female public nudity alarming, distressing and ‘indecent’! But why? Well probably because of the media’s sexualised representations of the female form, which angers me. Personally, I don’t have a problem with female public nudity. After all, breasts are primarily for feeding babies – a completely natural thing, but I think some people forget this. I saw a really interesting documentary a few months ago which tackled this issue. It was called ‘My Daughter the Teenage Nudist’ and is on 4oD if you fancy a watch 🙂 http://www.channel4.com/programmes/my-daughter-the-teenage-nudist/4od
Naomi x
Glad you liked it Naomi and thanks for commenting, I think that you are right about the over sexualised representations of the female form in media being responsible for the lack of topless women in the UK (that and the weather!) You can just imagine the creepy and pervy attention that a women would recieve if she were to go topless here,I mean look at the page 3 girls in our Newspapers – the media definatey encourages the sexualisation of breasts even though they are the human equivalent of udders. Thanks for clearing things up on the law in the UK. I will check out the documentary, thanks for telling me about it 🙂 xx
I absolutely love that she’s doing this. This takes such an huge amount of courage, especially in NYC where harassment from males is overbearing.
I agree, she is very brave and definately someone to be admired, inspiration for women everywhere. Thanks for commenting 🙂