Even though letting women to be topless in public pools (or on beaches) too is a first step in the right direction, for true gender equality, it's also a step in the right direction in the right way that I am working on (as a naturism ambassador, promoter and advocate) - to make public nudity mainstream.
Hashtags I commonly use in my social media posts, for that purpose: #MakePublicNudityMainstream #MakeNudeInPublicMainstream #PublicNudity
Sadly, there will continue to be a segment of society that will continue to view someone else’s nudity, or even clothed body, as public domain. They see bare breasts as something they are within THEIR rights to ogle and even touch. The oft said comment that genuinely makes me ill — “they should take it as a compliment”. I don’t even know where to start with such stupidity.
The last sentence of your article is very true & is the crux of the article. "Gender equality isn’t a women’s issue — it’s a human one." Any discrimination, in this article it's a gender discrimination & it will hurt the victim. Discrimination is the confirmed sign of inhuman behaviour.
While it would be perfect if all the troglodytes who think it’s ok to mistreat women would somehow disappear, but that’s not going to happen. My eighty years of experience tells me that if my enjoyment hinges on someone else’s behavior, then I’m not going to have much fun, but if I choose to ignore those who might otherwise annoy me, I can have a ball. We have no control over others’ behavior, but we have absolute control over how we react to it. This world is an imperfect place. Sometimes you have to accept imperfect solutions. Ladies, ignore the morons. Go out and have a good time.
I get it that men have been conditioned to look at female breasts as sexual things. But, are we not capable of changing? It may take work but for God’s sake, let’s stop seeing women as sex objects, toys. My first time at a naturist club I admit to marveling at the sight of naked women. But I practiced not staring and looking at their faces and not their breasts. More than a decade later, I find myself not noticing them at all. I think we would all be better off if there was topless equality.
Women being topless is the same issue women had to face when they first started wearing bikinis. Theyre3ll always be the idiots for the first while. But like with women wearing bikinis women topless will become normalized. Then the foolishness will pretty much cease. So ladies hang in there. You have every right to feel good about your persons and not feel their only worthy to be treated as something shameful needing to be hidden.
Thanks for another thought provoking piece working on article about folks like you emerging as a new voice for naturism and nudism online and will feature your newsletter among others.
I feel this issue goes far wider than gender inequality as any male wearing a dress is likely to invoke equally unwelcome ridicule and demeaning responses.
What these issues do highlight, are the deeply entrenched cultural flaws in society that inaction and passive acceptance helps to support.
As Taika Waititi puts it, we can all do our bit to keep racism alive. All we have to do to play our part, is just be a little bit racist.
The sad aspect of this is that intolerance is a trait taught by society to each new generation. Kids are blank slates that we program to be racist, sexist and generally intolerant.
There’s a general lack of respect for individuals as people in society. Us and them mentality goes very deep. I dislike the term ‘textiles’ for this very reason.
Every single one of us has a part to play in this. We can each examine our attitude, behaviour and language to ask ourselves, “am I being a little bit intolerant?”
I fortunately have my daughter to keep me in check. She’ll often say, “You can’t use that word Dad,” when I’m trying to express how frustratingly limited Apples Siri is when I’m asking it to do the simplest thing.
Each and every one of us has a part to play to create a better society.
Compared to the 70’s and 80’s when I grew up many things are significantly better.
We still have a hell of a long way to go.
It isn’t just the yoboos that need to recalibrate their attitudes, it’s every single one of us at every level of society.
Even though letting women to be topless in public pools (or on beaches) too is a first step in the right direction, for true gender equality, it's also a step in the right direction in the right way that I am working on (as a naturism ambassador, promoter and advocate) - to make public nudity mainstream.
Hashtags I commonly use in my social media posts, for that purpose: #MakePublicNudityMainstream #MakeNudeInPublicMainstream #PublicNudity
Sadly, there will continue to be a segment of society that will continue to view someone else’s nudity, or even clothed body, as public domain. They see bare breasts as something they are within THEIR rights to ogle and even touch. The oft said comment that genuinely makes me ill — “they should take it as a compliment”. I don’t even know where to start with such stupidity.
The last sentence of your article is very true & is the crux of the article. "Gender equality isn’t a women’s issue — it’s a human one." Any discrimination, in this article it's a gender discrimination & it will hurt the victim. Discrimination is the confirmed sign of inhuman behaviour.
How about you wear whatever you want. Keep sexualizing out of the public areas.
Just as Spain has not criminalized the human body. Non-sexually nudity should be legal. Then the individual can choose. Freedom! What a concept!
Sexualizing in public places should Not be tolerated.
While it would be perfect if all the troglodytes who think it’s ok to mistreat women would somehow disappear, but that’s not going to happen. My eighty years of experience tells me that if my enjoyment hinges on someone else’s behavior, then I’m not going to have much fun, but if I choose to ignore those who might otherwise annoy me, I can have a ball. We have no control over others’ behavior, but we have absolute control over how we react to it. This world is an imperfect place. Sometimes you have to accept imperfect solutions. Ladies, ignore the morons. Go out and have a good time.
I get it that men have been conditioned to look at female breasts as sexual things. But, are we not capable of changing? It may take work but for God’s sake, let’s stop seeing women as sex objects, toys. My first time at a naturist club I admit to marveling at the sight of naked women. But I practiced not staring and looking at their faces and not their breasts. More than a decade later, I find myself not noticing them at all. I think we would all be better off if there was topless equality.
I fear some parts of the world are not simply failing to keep up, they are actually going into reverse:
https://www.thedailybeast.com/tallahassee-principal-ousted-after-parents-rage-over-michelangelos-pornographic-statue
Women being topless is the same issue women had to face when they first started wearing bikinis. Theyre3ll always be the idiots for the first while. But like with women wearing bikinis women topless will become normalized. Then the foolishness will pretty much cease. So ladies hang in there. You have every right to feel good about your persons and not feel their only worthy to be treated as something shameful needing to be hidden.
Thanks for another thought provoking piece working on article about folks like you emerging as a new voice for naturism and nudism online and will feature your newsletter among others.
I feel this issue goes far wider than gender inequality as any male wearing a dress is likely to invoke equally unwelcome ridicule and demeaning responses.
What these issues do highlight, are the deeply entrenched cultural flaws in society that inaction and passive acceptance helps to support.
As Taika Waititi puts it, we can all do our bit to keep racism alive. All we have to do to play our part, is just be a little bit racist.
The sad aspect of this is that intolerance is a trait taught by society to each new generation. Kids are blank slates that we program to be racist, sexist and generally intolerant.
There’s a general lack of respect for individuals as people in society. Us and them mentality goes very deep. I dislike the term ‘textiles’ for this very reason.
Every single one of us has a part to play in this. We can each examine our attitude, behaviour and language to ask ourselves, “am I being a little bit intolerant?”
I fortunately have my daughter to keep me in check. She’ll often say, “You can’t use that word Dad,” when I’m trying to express how frustratingly limited Apples Siri is when I’m asking it to do the simplest thing.
Each and every one of us has a part to play to create a better society.
Compared to the 70’s and 80’s when I grew up many things are significantly better.
We still have a hell of a long way to go.
It isn’t just the yoboos that need to recalibrate their attitudes, it’s every single one of us at every level of society.
We can all set a better example.
Good read as always. Be it groping, cat calling, or other derogatory comments. None of them are warranted or called for by someone's choice of dress.