So it's been a bit since we've posted anything here. Sorry about that. Life has been busy.
So we've decided to post about a couple of recent events involving the exercise of topfreedom rights.
The first involves a art performance event in New York City organised by Zefrey Throwell. At the event three people were arrested, one of which being a woman exercising her topfreedom rights while walking an imaginary dog. All three individuals recently went to court, and the charges against them were dropped. More details can be found at the Young Naturists America blog.
The other recent event involves the Occupy Wall Street event in New York City. A few women involved in the event chose to exercise their topfreedom rights. There was a minor incident involving local law enforcement. A description about the incident by one of the women can be found in this youtube video.
If you have information about any other recent events let us know and we will try to share the news.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Topfreedom Picnic
In anticipation of the National Go-Topless Day celebrations I am trying to organize a topfreedom picnic in Albany. There is already an annual celebration in NYC.
The plan is to have a picnic on the west lawn of the Capital Building in downtown Albany. A facebook event has been created, and I encourage everyone to indicate their intentions to participate on that page and to invite their friends. Please encourage any female friends to go, I hope that it doesn't turn out to be one woman and ten men, or some other lopsided ratio of the genders.
On a side note, in an upcoming post I am planning to talk about efforts to bring about equal topfreedom rights in Massachusetts.
The plan is to have a picnic on the west lawn of the Capital Building in downtown Albany. A facebook event has been created, and I encourage everyone to indicate their intentions to participate on that page and to invite their friends. Please encourage any female friends to go, I hope that it doesn't turn out to be one woman and ten men, or some other lopsided ratio of the genders.
On a side note, in an upcoming post I am planning to talk about efforts to bring about equal topfreedom rights in Massachusetts.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
World Naked Bike Ride
So I've been asked by Bill over in Albany about the chance to have us promote the World Naked Bike Ride event that's taking place over in Albany. I'm sort of reluctant to, but there are enough reasons to that I will do so with some explanations.
While using nudity as part of a protest certainly does bring attention to events that choose to use such methods, it seems to make it a bit of a spectacle. While having us women ride around town with our tops off would certainly bring attention, it would also bring the attention of the local media. To me this seems like a double edged sword. On the one hand it seems like this is exploiting women who are willing to participate in this, bringing attention to an event that may not otherwise have so much media coverage. On the other hand, if it is being used as an educational tool to educate the public about women's topfreedom rights in the state, having the media and the public as a whole in attendance seems like it "could" be a good thing.
I'm hoping that by discussing the various angles here, those of you who truly do have an interest in exercising their topfreedom rights, or educating others about their rights, that at least some of you will consider participating in local events like this. A weblink for the Albany ride, for those of you who might be interested in participating or spreading the word: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=140986699268769
I truly hope that people, particularly other women, will comment and discuss this subject, no matter which side of the issue they are on.
While using nudity as part of a protest certainly does bring attention to events that choose to use such methods, it seems to make it a bit of a spectacle. While having us women ride around town with our tops off would certainly bring attention, it would also bring the attention of the local media. To me this seems like a double edged sword. On the one hand it seems like this is exploiting women who are willing to participate in this, bringing attention to an event that may not otherwise have so much media coverage. On the other hand, if it is being used as an educational tool to educate the public about women's topfreedom rights in the state, having the media and the public as a whole in attendance seems like it "could" be a good thing.
Photo courtesy of spinneyhead
I'm hoping that by discussing the various angles here, those of you who truly do have an interest in exercising their topfreedom rights, or educating others about their rights, that at least some of you will consider participating in local events like this. A weblink for the Albany ride, for those of you who might be interested in participating or spreading the word: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=140986699268769
Photo courtesy of jennfarr
I truly hope that people, particularly other women, will comment and discuss this subject, no matter which side of the issue they are on.
Photo of 2009 Albany bike ride courtesy of altuwa
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Top Free 7
So today I decided to spend some time writing about the event that made the whole topfreedom movement legal in the state of New York.
In 1986 a group of seven women went for a picnic in Cobbs Hill Park in Rochester, during which they removed their shirts and allowed their breasts to be exposed. They were subsequently arrested and found guilty of the NYS exposure laws. It wasn't until six years later in 1992 that the case was finally overturned by a higher court. Some of the legal decision associated with this case can be found at http://www.tera.ca/legal.html#Rochester
The following photo is not from Rochester, but makes me think of how natural a topfreedom picnic can be.
This makes me wonder. Since this was a court's interpretation of a law and and not the explicit decision of the Legislature or a vote of the general population, does this decision truly represent the opinions of the population as a whole? It has been 19 years since the court decision. I don't know about you, but I don't frequently see women exercising their topfreedom rights. I don't see it in people's own yards, let alone going down Main Street or at public beaches. When was the last time you saw a woman exercising her topfreedom right while walking around Niagara Falls State Park the green space surrounding the State Capitol? How often do women have a picnic at their local park or community pool, not even knowing that it is legal for them to take their top off if they choose.
To me it seems like there are two factors at play here:
1. Public education - I'm guessing that a majority of the state population doesn't even realize that it's legal for a woman to remove their top in public and expose their breasts. I've known people that didn't think that breastfeeding in public was legal, let alone fulling exposing both breasts. The other aspect of the public education is to ask how many law enforcement officers and judicial staff know about the current interpretation of the law. How much misinformation is given out by local officials because they have the wrong interpretation of the law.
2. Exercising our right - How many of us that have a complete understanding of the law would actually go out in public and exercise these rights? Few people want to be the only one doing something that may be interpreted as wrong. Just because it's legal doesn't mean it's right to do it. Once the public as a whole in educated, it's a matter of getting women to regularly exercise our rights. I'm not saying that we should go out in the middle of winter when there's five feet of snow on the group, but we should seriously consider it when it's 80 degrees out and sunny. Go out and enjoy a stroll in the park, go to the local beach, or go the the local ice cream stand.
In 1986 a group of seven women went for a picnic in Cobbs Hill Park in Rochester, during which they removed their shirts and allowed their breasts to be exposed. They were subsequently arrested and found guilty of the NYS exposure laws. It wasn't until six years later in 1992 that the case was finally overturned by a higher court. Some of the legal decision associated with this case can be found at http://www.tera.ca/legal.html#Rochester
The following photo is not from Rochester, but makes me think of how natural a topfreedom picnic can be.
Photo Courtesy of derable
This makes me wonder. Since this was a court's interpretation of a law and and not the explicit decision of the Legislature or a vote of the general population, does this decision truly represent the opinions of the population as a whole? It has been 19 years since the court decision. I don't know about you, but I don't frequently see women exercising their topfreedom rights. I don't see it in people's own yards, let alone going down Main Street or at public beaches. When was the last time you saw a woman exercising her topfreedom right while walking around Niagara Falls State Park the green space surrounding the State Capitol? How often do women have a picnic at their local park or community pool, not even knowing that it is legal for them to take their top off if they choose.
Photo courtesy of dlytle
To me it seems like there are two factors at play here:
1. Public education - I'm guessing that a majority of the state population doesn't even realize that it's legal for a woman to remove their top in public and expose their breasts. I've known people that didn't think that breastfeeding in public was legal, let alone fulling exposing both breasts. The other aspect of the public education is to ask how many law enforcement officers and judicial staff know about the current interpretation of the law. How much misinformation is given out by local officials because they have the wrong interpretation of the law.
2. Exercising our right - How many of us that have a complete understanding of the law would actually go out in public and exercise these rights? Few people want to be the only one doing something that may be interpreted as wrong. Just because it's legal doesn't mean it's right to do it. Once the public as a whole in educated, it's a matter of getting women to regularly exercise our rights. I'm not saying that we should go out in the middle of winter when there's five feet of snow on the group, but we should seriously consider it when it's 80 degrees out and sunny. Go out and enjoy a stroll in the park, go to the local beach, or go the the local ice cream stand.
Photo Courtesy of naturalturn
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Pushing the social envelope
So once a woman decides to exercise her topfreedom rights, there are a number of questions that come to mind.
While not as restricted in setting as going topless at beaches, another common situation involves breastfeeding. Breastfeeding seems to be much more prevalent the past few years, primarily due to recent medical research. While some people seem to be uncomfortable with breastfeeding for one reason or another, it seems much more justifiable in many people's minds to expose a breast in these circumstances than in any other. Sustaining life is a natural part of life, and is not sexual like some other situations are perceived to be.
What about walking down Main Street, going for a bike ride, or taking the subway? While this is legal, most women don't want to try this unless they are sure that local authorities are not going to arrest them for indecent exposure. For most woman wanting to trying this, it tends to be a group activity. Some make this an event to advertise beforehand, hoping to have publicity so that local authorities and the public as a whole can be educated in what the law actually allows. It most areas of the state it is difficult to find a critical mass of women willing to test the waters. Incidents have a occurred in a few placed, like Ithaca and Buffalo, to try to spread word on the subject. Some women have also participated in the World Naked Bike Ride, with New York rides in New York City and Albany, with mixed results.
Now what about walking about on your front yard in just a pair of shorts? Out in the country where there is little car traffic and even less pedestrian traffic, this would seem like a good possibility to some. To do this in a densely populated area in most cities and suburbs, and this suddenly starts feeling a little awkward to some. To have your neighbors or co-working seeing you in such a level of undress feels weird to many. While it may feel a bit weird at first, it's amazing how many women want to join in, but never have said or done anything because they haven't wanted to be the only one. This is one situation that by participating, it is possible to build a critical mass of women to participate.
That's for today. For the next blog entry, the plan is to talk more about the New York State specific history of the topfreedom movement. Discussion will also include ways that individuals can help spread the work about the movement and groups through which people can participate.
- When should it be done
- Where is it legal and should it occur
- With whom should it be done
While not as restricted in setting as going topless at beaches, another common situation involves breastfeeding. Breastfeeding seems to be much more prevalent the past few years, primarily due to recent medical research. While some people seem to be uncomfortable with breastfeeding for one reason or another, it seems much more justifiable in many people's minds to expose a breast in these circumstances than in any other. Sustaining life is a natural part of life, and is not sexual like some other situations are perceived to be.
Photo courtesy of cafemama
What about walking down Main Street, going for a bike ride, or taking the subway? While this is legal, most women don't want to try this unless they are sure that local authorities are not going to arrest them for indecent exposure. For most woman wanting to trying this, it tends to be a group activity. Some make this an event to advertise beforehand, hoping to have publicity so that local authorities and the public as a whole can be educated in what the law actually allows. It most areas of the state it is difficult to find a critical mass of women willing to test the waters. Incidents have a occurred in a few placed, like Ithaca and Buffalo, to try to spread word on the subject. Some women have also participated in the World Naked Bike Ride, with New York rides in New York City and Albany, with mixed results.
Photo courtesy of jennfarr
Now what about walking about on your front yard in just a pair of shorts? Out in the country where there is little car traffic and even less pedestrian traffic, this would seem like a good possibility to some. To do this in a densely populated area in most cities and suburbs, and this suddenly starts feeling a little awkward to some. To have your neighbors or co-working seeing you in such a level of undress feels weird to many. While it may feel a bit weird at first, it's amazing how many women want to join in, but never have said or done anything because they haven't wanted to be the only one. This is one situation that by participating, it is possible to build a critical mass of women to participate.
That's for today. For the next blog entry, the plan is to talk more about the New York State specific history of the topfreedom movement. Discussion will also include ways that individuals can help spread the work about the movement and groups through which people can participate.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Topfreedom - Just for hippies?
I don't know about you, but when I think about topfreedom rights in the United States, hippies come to mind. The free loving kind that go around mostly or completely naked at music festivals and on camping trips. Skinny dipping is a part of daily life. While this isn't the only group that participates in the topfreedom movement, they seem to get the most publicity.
When I think about topfreedom in Europe I normally think about something completely different - topless beaches. Over there, because it is part of the norm, people don't seem to make any big deal about it. Even on the television you can see commercials during the day in which women have their breasts uncovered. It's just a part of life, not something to hide your children from.
One issue that has brought topfreedom rights to the forefront in recent years in the USA is the subject of breastfeeding. Scientific research has found that children who were breastfeed early in life tended to be healthier. Unfortunately due to stigma in many regions about bare breasts in public places, even during breastfeeding, many women chose not to start breastfeeding or stopped after a short time due to the hassle of dealing with onlookers.
In many states there are exceptions to exposure laws for breastfeeding, but they are not equally enforced. The current legal interpretation in New York State which allows women to bare their breasts anywhere men can is based partially on the breastfeeding issue. More of a history of this will be discussed in another blog entry.
So in everyday American life, what should women be allowed to do? Should women be allowed to walk down Main Street in just shorts or a skirt? Walk around in their own yard on a hot day while gardening? Back in the day men had to wear shirts while in public just like women, but at some point the social norms changed. It seems like nowadays many women are willing to take off their tops at the beach to work on their tan when they are on vacation. As long as they are far from home, there little worry about co-workers or friends seeing them in such a "shocking" state of undress.
Photo courtesy of nlipsane
When I think about topfreedom in Europe I normally think about something completely different - topless beaches. Over there, because it is part of the norm, people don't seem to make any big deal about it. Even on the television you can see commercials during the day in which women have their breasts uncovered. It's just a part of life, not something to hide your children from.
Photo courtesy of johnrohan
One issue that has brought topfreedom rights to the forefront in recent years in the USA is the subject of breastfeeding. Scientific research has found that children who were breastfeed early in life tended to be healthier. Unfortunately due to stigma in many regions about bare breasts in public places, even during breastfeeding, many women chose not to start breastfeeding or stopped after a short time due to the hassle of dealing with onlookers.
Photo courtesy of sergiomaistrello
In many states there are exceptions to exposure laws for breastfeeding, but they are not equally enforced. The current legal interpretation in New York State which allows women to bare their breasts anywhere men can is based partially on the breastfeeding issue. More of a history of this will be discussed in another blog entry.
So in everyday American life, what should women be allowed to do? Should women be allowed to walk down Main Street in just shorts or a skirt? Walk around in their own yard on a hot day while gardening? Back in the day men had to wear shirts while in public just like women, but at some point the social norms changed. It seems like nowadays many women are willing to take off their tops at the beach to work on their tan when they are on vacation. As long as they are far from home, there little worry about co-workers or friends seeing them in such a "shocking" state of undress.
That's all for now. I'm hoping that conversation will begin about this subject. There will be another post in a couple of weeks. If anyone has any suggestions for subjects, post a comment or send an e-mail to topfreedomnewyork@nycap.rr.com.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Welcome to Topfreedom New York
Welcome everyone to the Topfreedom New York blog. Topfreedom New York is a non-profit group formed to help women exercise their equal topfreedom rights in New York.
This space is designed to accomplish a number of goals, including:
- Provide a history of the development of equal topfreedom rights within New York State
- Educate the public about the reality that women really do have topfreedom rights that are the same as men.
- Share stories of people’s experiences involving topfreedom, either in New York or elsewhere
- Provide help to women in finding resources available to exercise their rights within the state
- Help women find others who are willing to help bring about change in their local community if they are reluctant to go it along
- Share information about communities that are friendly to topfreedom rights
Photo courtesy of Rasmin
After this initial welcome message, the next post will be made within the next day or two. It is anticipated that there will be posts once every couple of weeks. If you are interested in sharing questions or stories as main entries on the blog, messages can be sent to topfreedomnewyork@nycap.rr.com.
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