Topfree equality

From Freepedia

Topfree equality is a small but growing social movement in parts of North America. The goal of the movement is to give females the right to remove their clothing above the waist in public wherever males can legally do so (e.g., at a beach, swimming pool, or park). The reasons cited include keeping nursing mothers from having to find a hidden place for breastfeeding and tanning and comfort in places such as pools and beaches.

The movement is not concerned with fighting the right for women or men to be without a shirt in a restaurant or in places where such is not accepted for either gender, but with ensuring equality under law for women. This battle is currently (February 2005) heating up in California, where attorney Liana Johnsson contends that under Megan's Law, women convicted of indecent exposure (for breastfeeding or sunbathing) could find themselves listed as sex offenders alongside rapists and child molesters.

List of places in North America that are said to have topfree equality by law, although whether such equality is upheld or practiced varies:

Some provinces of Canada including
- British Columbia
- Ontario (where equality has been tested and upheld several times)

Some states of the United States, including

Certain cities of the United States, including

Topfree outside North America

Image:Topless on south african beach.jpg

In many countries, especially in Europe, it goes without any legal discussion that women may be topless at places like beaches, parks and open air swimming pools.

In other areas, such as South Korea, it is considered highly offensive for women, and even men, to go topless, in almost any context.