"They're Just Breasts"

It cannot be said enough that if any progress is going to be made in decriminalizing the human body in today's anti-nudity atmosphere, it is in the area of women's topfreedom.

Such a movement is currently afoot in Sweden, where women have organized a group called "Bara Bröst" network, which translates into English as "Bare Breasts" and "Just Breasts". Twice now seven of the women have gone topfree in public pools, but twice they were asked to leave and they cooperated. When asked why the women were not allowed to be topfree like the men, a spokesperson said:

"Swimming pools generally require men to wear swimming trunks and women to wear either bikinis or one piece swimsuits...There are three reasons for this. First, there is a security aspect, then there is a hygiene issue and finally there is what we call 'prevailing manners and customs'. It is above all this last point which is important here."

Security? What's going to happen? Are all the men who see the topfree women suddently going to riot? And hygiene? There's an argument that won't hold up in any court. Last of all, "prevailing manners and customs", while they might seem etched in stone to some, are really just transient social habits that invariably change with the wind.

This new topfree movement is a logical evolutionary step in the feminist movement, as women strive for equality. In the sixties, women burned their bras in protest, but few went topfree. Blame Playboy, blame the fashion industry, blame pornography, and blame plastic surgeons - all are to blame for sexualizing the female breast to the point where it is now commonly thought to be a sex organ or erogenous zone, something to exist only for the gratification of the male of the species. The sexual mythology of the female breast has reached a breaking point, and women have to take their bodies back and de-mystify the female breast in society.

Sweden's Equal Opportunities Ombudsman is expected to decide later this month whether or not to take up the case of the topless bathers."Our aim is to start a debate about the unwritten social and cultural rules that sexualize and discriminate against the female body," said Astrid Hellroth and Liv Ambjörnsson.

Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked