Is topless female sunbathing inappropriate?

[Kilgore Trout]

I've driven through downtown with a girlfriend topless. We also had our shirts on top of our heads and kept straight faces the whole time....until we passed a cop.

Then it got interesting.

Just letting everyone know that neither one of us was arrested.

Oh my god, this reminds me of a story I haven't thought about in years. I was living in Las Vegas when I was a senior in high school, and me and my friend who were drunk off ours *****, among other things, took turns driving while the other knelt in the passenger seat with our ***** exposed out the window. I know, friggin ridiculous, but we were having a great time.

This car with two older women flags us down, and wants us to pull over. We were freaked but they seemed laid back about it, so we were curious about what they had to say. The woman driving says she runs a business which serves "older women," gives me her number and offers me a job. I don't think it was until the next day that I really figured out what she meant. I'm onlyh averagely endowed, although I was pretty cute at that age in a pretty boy kind of way, so I can only imagine that it was because of my audacity. I would never have done such a thing, but I always wonder what would have happened in my life if I had taken her up.

Strange but true - but that's Las Vegas.

 

[Rakhel]

ahhh to be a teen again....LOL that is about the funniest thing I have heard.

 

[MoonWater]

I'm with tumbleweed on this. If it's okay for a man to walk around topless on a beach it should be okay for a woman to do the same. Being required to cover up genitalia I can understand simply for sanitary reasons but breasts? C'mon it's just a sack of skin, fat, and blood, what's the big deal.

 

[tumbleweed41]

Shameless plug for old thread....

http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/law/83996-public-display-breasts.html

 

[Erebus]

C'mon it's just a sack of skin, fat, and blood, what's the big deal.

But... it's skin, fat and blood with a nipple on it! An actual nipple!

 

[dawny0826]

Then I assume you have grave concerns with breastfeeding, right?.

Not at all. But even with breastfeeding - there's a discreet way to go about it, without exposing yourself to the public.

That's my entire point...use discretion.

I wouldn't feel comfortable going topless in the presence of children, especially young boys. It just seems creepy to me. Secluded area of a beach, where I know I wouldn't be stared at...well, that's a little different.

I'm not European, where topless sunbathing is a "norm". I'm much more cautious with my body. Whether or not that's a good thing or not, I don't know. It's just the way I feel.

 

[Riverwolf]

What is that, blood coming out of his nose?

Happens all the time in anime, and in that show, in particular... heck, they used his fountain of nose-blood at the sight of a naked woman's chest to spot an invisible enemy once.

 

[Riverwolf]

But... it's skin, fat and blood with a nipple on it! An actual nipple!

Yeah, you know... the same kind of nipple that EVERYONE HAS!!

 

[Erebus]

Yeah, you know... the same kind of nipple that EVERYONE HAS!!

Oh no, it's not the same at all, this is a female nipple. It should be kept covered under at least four or five layers of cardigan.

 

[DallasApple]

Oh no, it's not the same at all, this is a female nipple. It should be kept covered under at least four or five layers of cardigan.

LOLL!! Watch out!!!It may be "lactating"!


Love

dallas

 

[Mercy Not Sacrifice]

If I knew I wouldn't fry to a crisp I would sunbathe topless....and probably bottom less if I could get away with it. ^_^

You just have to put on sunscreen on *everything* that isn't covered.

Ironically, doing so is what caused this entire controversy.

Not at all. But even with breastfeeding - there's a discreet way to go about it, without exposing yourself to the public.

That's my entire point...use discretion.

But again, what's so bad about it? From the baby's point-of-view, it's nothing more than food. Is it somehow worse for a child to witness breastfeeding than for a baby to suck on a boob?!

Which reminds me. I was down in Mexico many years ago, and I remember seeing a woman breastfeeding her baby. She wasn't covering at all, yet nobody around her--men, other women, or children--seemed the least bit phased. Why is it America that stands alone as the only nation in Western society that equates public nudity with vulgarity?

I wouldn't feel comfortable going topless in the presence of children, especially young boys. It just seems creepy to me. Secluded area of a beach, where I know I wouldn't be started at...well, that's a little different.

I'm not European, where topless sunbathing is a "norm". I'm much more cautious with my body. Whether or not that's a good thing or not, I don't know. It's just the way I feel.

Then don't. Nobody is saying that you *must* go topless when you sunbathe. Hell, just take a look at pictures of some beaches in Spain, and you'll see that only some of the women choose to go topless.

All we're asking is that women receive the same choice that men receive of whether or not to take their tops off.

 

[Demonic Kitten]

You just have to put on sunscreen on *everything* that isn't covered.

Even that doesn't work all the time. Besides...sun bathing is a waste of time for me...all I'm going to do is turn red or blister ... after that all that will happen is that my freckles will have multiplied.

 

[Engyo]

even that doesn't work all the time. Besides...sun bathing is a waste of time for me...all i'm going to do is turn red or blister ... After that all that will happen is that my freckles will have multiplied.

freckles are sexy!

 

[Dezzie]

I think that there's a time and place for this sort of thing. If you're on a beach - abundant with families and children of various ages - no one needs to see your breasts. Though many won't think twice about it - some aren't going to feel comfortable by it.

I'd be outraged if some chick ran around topless around my kids - let alone drew attention to her large breasts during the sunscreen application process.

It's kind of stupid in my opinion. Go to a secluded area of the the beach to do your topless sunbathing or go to a flippin' tanning bed.

You can tastefully undo the back of your suit - to ensure your tan is evenly distributed - without revealing your breasts.

With all this said...I'm not sure that she should be punished for her actions. Unless she did something intentionally sexual to disturb these kids - I think that they need to get over it and let the lady be.

Still...in my opinion - she must have an overflated ego to feel the need to expose herself in the presence of strangers.

I actually completely agree with your post as well as a few others. The thing with society though is that people FREAK at the site of nudity. I shouldn't feel uncomfortable to be around people naked... but I do and therefore would never do it (only for my husband of course). The way that people react over a woman's chest is uncalled for. It is extremely unnecessary. It causes people, like myself, to feel uncomfortable with myself and the world. People should be able to walk around completely nude (like in tribes) without having to be sexually assaulted and mentally abused. It's absolutely pathetic if you ask me. Please, feel free to correct me if I am wrong but for goodness sakes people... The human body should always be a beautiful thing, no matter what shape or form. Get over it, they are boobs... Get the woody out of your pants and relax.

Like Dawny said though... I would be completely enraged if a woman was topless sunbathing with my kids around to see it... especially if she was rubbing her chest in a very sexual way. Those women need to have a bit respect for the families around them and need to get over themselves. No offense.

 

[Dezzie]

Which reminds me. I was down in Mexico many years ago, and I remember seeing a woman breastfeeding her baby. She wasn't covering at all, yet nobody around her--men, other women, or children--seemed the least bit phased. Why is it America that stands alone as the only nation in Western society that equates public nudity with vulgarity?

Awesome point... and that's the thing though... People react over nudity in the wrong way. You should be able to breast feed your baby like that without having gocking eyes every second. It makes me very angry and annoyed with America. LOL

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Okay. Question -

The difference with a topless woman sunbathing and a work of art like the Venus de Milo is.....what?

Btw, I couldn't disagree more with your last paragraph, Dezzie. Our culture should be the ones to get over ourselves and not freak out or get offended every time we families see naked breasts.

 

[Rakhel]

State Breastfeeding Laws

Forty-four states, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands have laws with language specifically allowing women to breastfeed in any public or private location (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming).

Twenty-eight states, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands exempt breastfeeding from public indecency laws (Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming).

Twenty-four states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have laws related to breastfeeding in the workplace (Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming).

Twelve states and Puerto Rico exempt breastfeeding mothers from jury duty (California, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon and Virginia).

Five states and Puerto Rico have implemented or encouraged the development of a breastfeeding awareness education campaign (California, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri and Vermont).

Breastfeeding State Laws

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Breastfeeding State Laws

Cool, Rakhel. Thanks for posting that. For a while (roughly ten years ago) I was involved in a Breastfeeding Education Task Force that focused mainly on implementing hospital pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting programs that sought to dispel myths about breastfeeding and to make the local culture more "breastfeeding friendly."

 

[Rakhel]

Not a problem. Now, when I "tried" to breastfeed, and I was in public, I would disappear in to the closest restroom. I wasn't ashamed of what I was doing, but it was more an act of personal bonding with my child. I don't fault anyone else for breastfeeding in public, but it is a personal choice, and if a woman or mother wants, or needs, to show there breasts then they should not be penalized for it.

 

[Magic Man]

One expects this kind of idiocy in the U.S. I thought Europeans were supposed to be more sophisticated.

That was my first thought. Then again, this is just one case of one woman complaining. It seems like most people there were agreeing with the sunbather. I guess even in Europe you have your idiotic prudes.

I can't imagine that "troubled" is quite the word for the boys in question. I imagine that given the opportunity, they'd have been have happy to help the young lady apply her sunscreen.

I'm not sure "happy" is quite the right word. I'd say they'd be overjoyed or elated or thrilled to help her.