Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle: Rene Messick laughs as Chelsea Ducote paints her chest during Go Topless Day at Dolores Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, August 23, 2015
San Francisco CA, Sept 5 – GoTopless is thrilled to learn that councilman Kriss Worthington has launched a proposal to annul the antiquated and sexist indecent exposure law concerning women going topless in public in Berkeley, CA.
The proposed ordinance reads: “If a woman’s nipples are fit to be seen by the most innocent and impressionable portion of the population, babies and toddlers, then it stands to reason that nipples are not inherently sexual and are fit to be seen by the rest of the population if that woman so chooses.”
“We wholeheartedly applaud this proposal,” said Nadine Gary, President of GoTopless, “we have actively fought for topless equality for the last decade and are delighted to see political figures stand up for this gender equality matter”.
Gary remembers that in 2015, Councilwoman Melissa Diner of District 11 of the City of Los Angeles had launched a similar proposal for her Venice Beach neighborhood but the Los Angeles City Council had not acted on it stating more pressing priorities.
“It is quite an oddity to see California react so conservatively on equal gender topless rights when it’s been legal in the state of New York for 25 years already!” remarks Gary. “Let is see how Worthington’s proposal fairs, it will be considered by Berkeley’s city council meeting on Sept 12.”
Another legal matter that may soon improve gender equality: GoTopless’ court case Tagami vs. the City of Chicago soon to reach the U.S. Supreme Court. “It is likely to finally offer some well-needed constitutional light on women’s topless right,” says Gary
Gotopless just celebrated its 10th anniversary on Aug. 26, 2017, honoring Women’s Equality Day with GoTopless events in many cities throughout the Western world, including 40 in the US alone.
