NYC for gender parity: Topless women are good citizens

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In most parts of the world, toplessness in women is only allowed by norms in the conduct of breastfeeding. In the US, as a matter of fact, toplessness during breastfeeding is supported by federal laws to cater to the rights of women to breastfeed their child anywhere they want. 

But in many places, that’s about as far as it could go in terms of walking around half naked. In some states, authorities can legally detain topless women in public for public lewdness, indecent exposure, or disorderly conduct—misdemeanors at most but legal offenses nonetheless. This has been deemed unfair and discriminatory by gender equality advocates who claim that this is a clear deterrent to achieving gender parity. 

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In this regard, New York begs to differ.

Thanks to a legislation which nullifies the criminalization of toplessness, women in New York can walk around in public bare-breasted and not be held for any kind of misdemeanor. Since 1992, the city government has been strictly upholding this law, instructing its police force to lay their hands off any woman who is seen without upper body clothing in any part of the city.

Public sentiment has been divided on this movement, with some calling it an extreme form of liberalism which is degrading to women at the least. But with increasing awareness for gender equality across America, having the law recognize women’s right for physical freedom is an early step toward completely eradicating gender bias which continues to pervade the society. 

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Atty. Evan Granowitz, a litigator at Wolf Group LA, is a recognized member of the Orange County Bar Association. Get to know more about him by visiting this Facebook page.