August 22nd 2013 - “Around the world, gender topless discrimination still abounds,” said Nadine Gary, president of GoTopless, a women’s organisation fighting for equal topless rights on the basis of gender equality.
She said the organisation will hold topless civil rights demonstrations worldwide on August 25, marking the sixth straight year it has done so.
“We’ll be seen in greater numbers this year, with events in close to 40 cities around the world,” Gary said.
“Women must have the same legal right to go without a top that men do!”
She said Gotopless was launched by international spiritual leader Rael in 2007 after topless activist Phoenix Feeley won a lawsuit against New York City and was awarded $29,000 in damages.
“New York law allows female toplessless, so after the police wrongfully arrested her for going topless, Phoenix sued and won,” Gary explained, "The NY Supreme Court ruled in favor of Gender topless equality in 1992 and GoTopless wants to see topless gender equality effectively expand around the world because currently topless equal rights violation are rampant.
She pointed out that in Montreal just a few weeks ago, police officers ordered Rebecca Ann Clark to put her top back on at a Quebec Beach but not her boyfriend.
And during this summer’s heat wave in Europe, police reminded Parisians and visitors that it’s illegal for women to go topless in city parks or at Paris-Plage on the bank of the Seine,” Gary said. And in Britain, Scotland Yard issued a statement that women going topless would be tolerated in public ‘unless someone complains.’ Which of course could be any time. Even in Auckland, New Zealand, where it’s already legal for women to go topless, the organisers of “Boobs on Bike” were taken to court in an attempt to stop their annual Bikers’ Topless Parade. In all these places, men can bare their torsos without a thought.”
"Indecency cannot, under any circumstances, override topless gender equality laws! Women's legs were once deemed indecent in public, so was women voting! But gender equality has always had the word." Gary added.
What could spur change?
“We need an influential woman to exercise her topless right in public!" Gary exclaimed. “Lady Gaga will be in Brooklyn for the Video Music Awards on GoTopless Day. If she were to go topless there, it would empower other women to ‘free their breasts and free their minds,’ as our GoTopless motto says.”
Go Topless in Australia wants women to be able have the same equal right as men in Australia, the right to be Topless in each State;and not have the this outdated inequality persist and be deemed indecent exposure. There are many native cultures, such as the indigenous people of Australia for centuries, that do not wear a significant amount of clothing due to custom and climate, and they may have no customs that define topless nakedness as indecent.There are many countries where it is perfectly acceptable for women to be bare above the waist on beaches. In these countries, the appearance of clothing over the breasts might be considered unusual.
Go Topless will hold A civil rights protest
International Go Topless Day Sunday August 25th
GoTopless in Australia will be hosting a GoTopless Event
on Sunday 25th on the Foreshores and Byron Beach in Byron
at 12pm till 3pm or to late afternoon.
Celebrating International Women's Equal Right Day August 26th of 1920
It is a matter of Equal Right's,Topless Or NOT,
a woman deserves the same choice as a man..
you are invited to join us on the day
or you are invited to do your own action to show your support
on the day or take a lovely photo
with a Gotopless sign and to send on to the
Go Topless Website, for more information go to http://gotopless.org
This is a fun event and men are welcome to wear Bikini Tops to make the point.
For participating cities and events, see the “Boob Map” at: http://gotopless.org/gotopless-day
For more information call Tara
02 80114977
Tara@rael.org