Casual/Strict Toplessness

[Baron Samedi]

[size=1]The point is that we're all hypothesising. We don't know what would happen. I personally don't think that walking around topless would ever take off. It has too much ingrained opposition and prejudice involved. We don't know what would happen to sex drives/etc. if that happened.

As for why Europeans are a bit more open to this...it is probably more their style of living and culture. It'd be a lot more relaxed than some places just due to their culture and upbringing. I obviously can not label any particlar case, but obviously thats why they are more open to it.[/size]

[ChibiHorsewoman]

[color=darkviolet]A few things I figure would happen if women were suddenly allowed to go topless and it suddenly became the hot summer trend would be the following:

1.) There would be a decline in breast enhancement surgeries and women who had large breasts would be flocking for breast augmentations so their backs wouldn't hurt as much when they went out with out their bras.

2.) People would start buying stock in Coppertone, Ban De Sole, and whomeever else sells sunscreen because nobody would want their bossoms burnt.

3.) There would also be a rise in nipple piercings. :eek: (Ouch!)

That's just some of my speculations. [/color]

[DeathBug]

[color=indigo][size=1][font=comic sans ms]Gah, like I want to see even more of people's bodies. Folks can already parade around half naked, and I'm a wee bit disgusted with it. Girls shouldn't be topless, and most guys shouldn't either. For God's sake, put some clothes on, people!

That being said, women were unfortunate enough to have organs closely associated with sexual foreplay on their chest, whereas men aren't supposed to. So, women being topless is a bigger deal than men.[/color][/size][/font]

[Lilt]

[size=1][color=purple]Actually, I don't think that there would be that many topless woman if there were more relaxed laws about toplessness in the western world. I mean guys can go around without a shirt on, and you don't see them not wearing a shirt all of the time. Besides, I don't know about everyone else, but I would only not wear a shirt if it was too hot outside or something. I wouldn't do it just because I could.[/color][/size]
[size=1][color=purple][/color][/size]
[size=1][color=purple]And DeathBug has opened my eyes on this topic. I think there's actually a reason we wear underwear on our chests and guys don't. We might as well discuss why we should be able to go around without pants on. :p[/color][/size]

[Hevn]

[QUOTE=DeathBug][color=indigo][size=1][font=comic sans ms]
That being said, women were unfortunate enough to have organs closely associated with sexual foreplay on their chest, whereas men aren't supposed to. So, women being topless is a bigger deal than men.[/color][/size][/font][/QUOTE]
[COLOR=RoyalBlue][SIZE=1]
[B]How can you say 'unfortunate' when, in fact, men drool over it? And don't you tell me you're not turned on when yours is actually played with. :D

But, yeah, I think the issue of toplessness is more controversial for women. I agree that it really depends on the culture of an individual whether they want to proceeed with the change or not.

Some tribes or indigenous people go topless right? And when we see them, we feel no malice because we know that it is in their nature to be like that. Likewise, they don't feel ashamed of it in front of any person of any other culture.Some culture are rather conservative while some are more liberated. Think about it, the fashion industry might collapse when people wear less clothes. ^_^x[/B][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Guest lavalamp]

I think many people are blowing European laws and customs out of proportion. In many European countries, it is illegal to go around topless.

Interesting: when my mother lived in Italy [somewhere in the 80s] it was illegal for women to show their breasts, while it was legal for transvestites to show theirs. An interesting spin on sexism but an amusing one at that.

[Gavin]

[SIZE=1]I suppose it's all a case of personal taste on the issue, we have establishments that parade women infront of drunken perverted men to dance for money (Strip Clubs) and then we have Laws that disallow that kind of stuff in public. The establishments are there to allow some men (and women possibly) to fulfill their sexual desires and the laws are there to protect those who would not like the see that kind of behavour become common place.

I think people are taking this idea that Europe is a haven for liberal acts of sexuality where anything goes slightly too far. I assure you that this is not the case, if anything the laws here and more conservative than laws in the Americas. Sure there are some places and countries where people are more liberal about the amount of clothing they wear, but the continent is not a giant landmass of perversion by a long shot.

The issue that womens breasts are seen as more sexual than mens is I suppose in the eyes of the beholder. Again I suppose it's all down to personal tastes on the issue but I couldn't see toplessness becoming commonplace, as I would find it quite distateful.[/SIZE]

[James]

[QUOTE=Lynx][size=1]the continent is not a giant landmass of perversion by a long shot.

[/size][/QUOTE]
[color=#707875]Exactly. The idea that most of the women in Europe are running around with half their clothes off is a complete myth. In many countries, people take great pride in wearing beautiful clothing -- as opposed to wearing very little at all.

But also, the whole thing about perversion...one person's perversion is another person's normality.

I mean, there was a really conservative Muslim speaker who came to Australia not long ago and basically said that Australians are morally corrupt because women wear bikinis at Surfer's Paradise.

Sure, maybe women don't wear that on a daily basis where he is from -- but it's part of the culture here. And where you'll see that in the obvious location (a beach), you'll also see people who are dressed much more conservatively in Melbourne for example. You just can't make judgement calls like that. There are lots of elements to it, not just some idea that people in one country are morally bankrupt or something.[/color]

[Baron Samedi]

[size=1]To be honest, I never even knew that Europe had any sort of rep as being some kind of 'landmass of perversion'.

But, I just recieved a picture which illustrates completely the topic at hand.

[center][img]http://img28.exs.cx/img28/2154/ethel.jpg[/img][/center][/size]

[ChibiHorsewoman]

[color=darkviolet]I just found this out on the 11:00 news that back in 1997 (I think it was 97, maybe 92) New York State ruled that women may go topless anywhere men are allowed to go topless.

However, despite that ruling there aren't very many women walking around topless, infact I haven't seen any at all and wasn't aware that it was legal. Still, I don't think I'll be taking New YOrk up on their offer any time soon. Although yesturday was a bit tempting (90 degrees and 70% humidity).

I don't know if the announcement on the news will cause more women to go around topless in New York. But I think that it shows that even though it's legal, not many women are going around without their shirts.[/color]