Being Topless and The Law!

[Jess]

In Virginia, the law regarding indecent exposure/ nudity reads as follows:
"§ 18.2-387. Indecent exposure.

Every person who intentionally makes an obscene display or exposure of his person, or the private parts thereof, in any public place, or in any place where others are present, or procures another to so expose himself, shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. No person shall be deemed to be in violation of this section for breastfeeding a child in any public place or any place where others are present.

(Code 1950, § 18.1-236; 1960, c. 233; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1994, c. 398.)"

So, I asked a friend one night, while growing increasingly incensed that I was in a dyke bar sweating my ass off, as it was a typical 95 degree Summer evening in the south, watching the gay boys dancing their sweaty asses off topless..." why that was ok and not for a woman?" Her response was because women had to cover their nipples. hmmm... I sat. I sweated. I went and asked Vicky ( the owner of the bar and old friend) for some duct tape. I cut a couple strips, covered my nipples and took off my shirt. Heh. You would have thought I dropped a damned bomb in the place.
Most of the dykes there were very supportive when one of the employees came over and told me to put my shirt back on and I questioned why men got to come into a dyke bar and take off half of their clothes but we couldn't. The cute lil gay boy decided quite loudly that I was just a bitter old dyke. To which I responded " yes, and you have just epitomized male privilege in a dyke bar and all of us should be shot for allowing it".
Vicky caught my attention and we chatted a bit. Her chat was pretty short. " Jess, they are just not ready." Once again, I let my heart sigh, put on my shirt and shook my head at the absolute travesty. I reminded Vicky, that she thought they weren't ready for drag king shows when I first talked to her about hosting them. They are now, of course, one of her most lucrative events.

I would LOVE to be able to work in my yard or lay in my pool with no top on. We have planted 58 cypress trees around the back part of the property so that eventually we can do that.

KUDOS! To the women of NYC and other areas who have fought for women's bodies to not be vilified!

[tapu]

There was a topless march here (Portland, ME) last year. Some controversy arose when men joined in. Details here:

http://www.pressherald.com/news/Wome...-incident.html


I don't know HOW I missed that. Personally, though, I'd like it to go the other way. I don't want to see men walking around downtown without shirts on. It's classless. Wish they'd make it mandatory for all to wear shirts.

(NOTE: I spent 8 years frequenting the nude Black's Beach in La Jolla Ca. I'm not against nudity--just nudity where it's inappropriate.)

[princessbelle]

Originally Posted by June

The only time I ever went topless was the one time I went to MWMF. The first day, when I was putting up my tent, I went down to a lace bra and my skirt. It was probably two days later that I decided to walk down to the showers with just a towel wrapped around my waist. It felt really nice and natural to do that.

Even though I live in Portland, I would not walk around in parks topless, it would not feel safe to do that.

When you went where? Monday Wednesday Monday Friday? I wanna go with or without a top.

[princessbelle]

Originally Posted by June

Michigan Womyn's Music Festival. And yes, you might want to go there. I don't because of their policy on who is, and who ain't a woman, which doesn't match up with my personal core values, but I think everyone needs to make their own decision about that.

Ahhh ok that makes more sense. I don't think i've ever went topless in public. Well, flashing drivers doesn't count does it?

I could have been a nudist though. There is definately something freeing about it. Inside my home? heck yeah...frequently. My bra and sometimes my top are like my shoes...they come off when i hit that front door...well as long as i'm alone and my boys aren't around.

[tapu]

Originally Posted by princessbelle

I could have been a nudist though. There is definately something freeing about it. Inside my home? heck yeah...frequently. My bra and sometimes my top are like my shoes...they come off when i hit that front door...well as long as i'm alone and my boys aren't around.

Yeah, I call myself a closet nudist.

[Julie]

Originally Posted by June

Michigan Womyn's Music Festival. And yes, you might want to go there. I don't because of their policy on who is, and who ain't a woman, which doesn't match up with my personal core values, but I think everyone needs to make their own decision about that.

When I was writing for lgbt magazines back in the 80's - I wrote an article "Where the Boys are?" About the MWMF discrimination against male children. Boy children under the age of 4 were allowed to be with their Momma's - Boys over the age of 4 were placed in the boy came with other boys up to the age of 12. They were not allowed on the grounds -- In fact, their little camp was set up next to the parking lot.

I remember going before my kids were born - and being topless (lol) after learning their rules on male children - I stopped.

I agree June -- Everyone needs to make their own decisions.

Complete derail!

Julie


Julie

[tapu]

Originally Posted by June

The only time I ever went topless was the one time I went to MWMF. The first day, when I was putting up my tent, I went down to a lace bra and my skirt. It was probably two days later that I decided to walk down to the showers with just a towel wrapped around my waist. It felt really nice and natural to do that.

Even though I live in Portland, I would not walk around in parks topless, it would not feel safe to do that.

That reminds me: I whipped my shirt off on my birthday this year at Scarborough Beach. The New Englander reaction was... dramatic. I've never seen so many jaws drop. (And believe you, me, I've made a lot of jaws drop.) I had my son and my dog with me. Both took it in stride. They know the Mama.