Elizabeth Book wins the right to bare her breasts, one step further in her fight to go topless anywhere men can. A Volusia County Judge rules Book was within her rights when she bared her breasts during a political protest as part of Bike Week in March 2004.
Daytona Beach city’s ordinance allows an exemption to its anti-nudity law as long as the nudity is part of a political protest or other constitutionally protected issue. The judge also threw out her arrest and $253 fine.
Books argues the law unfairly singles out young women who flash their breasts for the crowd. She feels women shoud be allowed to go without shirts wherever men can.
I couldn’t agree more.
The Sanity Inspector
Reminds me of a case from back in the Seventies. A town banned topless dancing, and a feminist judged ruled that the law applied to male dancers, too. Esquire magazine published a photo of a capering studmuffin wearing pasties. Ridiculous!
Marcus Wellby
Oh…be careful what you wish for. I will wager that the women who do end up going topless are the women who SHOULD NOT be going topless. I remember the spandex craze of the late 80’s oh too well…
Tim F
Been to plenty of nude beaches. Agreed with Marcus.
Still a good ruling tho when you score it by the Dobson Principle.
M. Scott Eiland
This might be a good time to invest in auto body shops in Daytona Beach–I forsee a 500% increase in rear-end collisions due to driver distraction, whether from arousal or intense nausea.
Greg Burgas
Yeah, I agree that you should be careful what you wish for. Most of the men you see topless shouldn’t be – why would the women be any different? We need more clothing on some people, not less!
Jeff
I agree with Marcus and the rest. Be careful what you wish for.
It reminds me of this friend i had in high school who kept saying that he wanted to be a gynecologist (we were 15, i know it sounds stupid).
I had to inform him that there would be very few women coming into his office that looked like Heather Locklear (hey, it was 1989) and quite a few that look like Roseanne Barr.
The point being, if all the women that would now be going topless looked like Halle Berry and Denise Richards, I’d be all for it.
And to all you gals out there, yes, I know most men walking around without shirts are built more like Jon Lovitz than Brad Pitt, so i’ll acknowledge my hypocrisy right off the bat.
KC
Well, at least there’ll be something more eye openning to talk about than politics in Daytona.
Glitch the Obscure
Why can’t people just keep their damn clothes on when out in public? Is this really so much to ask?
Mike
(.)(.)
JP
I have been to Bike Week for the races. There are quite a few people down there I don’t want to see without their shirts, men AND women! But I will defend their right to do so.
Mary
Ontario women won the right to go topless in public many years ago. Theoretically, a woman can marry her girlfriend and walk topless down the street together while sharing a joint and it would all be perfectly legal.
Well, women get married here, and there’s an occasional bit of public toking, but it’s extremely rare to see women go topless here. There was lots of toplessness at the Pride parade this weekend (which was broadcast in the middle of the afternoon on a local news channel, although the reporter semed a little embarrassed about talking to a topless woman). Maybe a few women at a beach will doff their tops, or at a hot outdoor concert, but matter of fact, everyday topless strolling down the streets of Toronto just doesn’t happen.
It’s nice to have that right, and I may yet take advantage of it, but most Ontario women, most of the time, are keeping their tops on in public.
Dave Ruddell
We had a similar case in Ontario. A university student named Gwen Jacobs was outside on a hot day, and saw a lot of men without shirts. She apparently figured she had just as much right to cool off by doffing her shirt as the guys, so she did. Got fined, appealed and won at the Ontario Court of Appeal. This means that women in Ontario can go topless, but you never actually see it…
…except at the pride parade (just this last weekend), which goes right by my apartment. I’ll agree with those above; put those things away! You’re gonna take somebody’s eye out!
DecidedFenceSitter
Yes, heaven forbid we get comfortable in our bodies. Heaven forbid that we see a secondary sex organ. How horrible it must be for all of you to see people to not be physically perfect, not be sculpted by training, genetics, or knife to be what people consider a “10”.
Heaven forbid.
James Emerson
Whoa…
Not so quick guys. We just got the statue at Justice to bare her ample breasts for all to see. That in itself was almost enough to make me support the AG…Mr. Torturegate himself…for a high court appointment, but I dibreast..
Can’t a tipping point mean that the ensuing change be gradual? I mean really! Wouldn’t bared breats in public lend themselves to manipulation by Rove’s diabolical hands? Look how he put the squeeze on gay marriage by inflaming the boobs, and connect those turgid little dots to potential DOMA (Defense of Mammaries Act).
Personally, I’m content to wait until the Dems recapture the levers of power. By then, the new Democratic president would need a distraction or two while fixing Bush’s failed Iraq adventure. God knows it would work on me…
Nathan Lanier
It would destroy the mystique and challenge of uncovering buried treasure.
I say make them keep their shirts on for the sake of the hunt.
ppgaz
At last, something upon which all reasonable people can agree.
What kind of protest was that again, and how do I go about organizing one here in my town?
Dave Ruddell
Mary,
Nice simul-post!
Shawn
“I remember the spandex craze of the late 80’s oh too well…”
Heh! I used to work with a woman who loved to wear Spandex to work. I (a female type person) used to mutter while averting my eyes, “There outta be a law against that!”
Tim F
Mary brings up a good point – things which are legal can still be declassee, which means that once the novelty wears off you won’t see them around much more than they were before.
Mary
*flashes rack at Dave*
*promises a rack-flash for Tim once it’s legal in his jurisdiction*
tim
Can’t a tipping point mean that the ensuing change be gradual? I mean really! Wouldn’t bared breats in public lend themselves to manipulation by Rove’s diabolical hands? Look how he put the squeeze on gay marriage by inflaming the boobs, and connect those turgid little dots to potential DOMA (Defense of Mammaries Act).
Ouch, please stop. My puninary tract can take it.
Dave Ruddell
Well, this has now officially become my favourite website…
Andrew J. Lazarus
I had to wait over 40 years to go to a topless hotel swimming pool, and, just my luck, at a place in Paphos, Cyprus catering to middle-aged Brits on holiday package. Thank goodness I have to take off my glasses to go in the water.
desiree
Activists Bare Breasts Against Iraq War
sleep tight.