"This Isn't Europe"

It's the weekend for Comfest in Columbus, Ohio, where many women choose to exercise their right for topfreedom. Ohio state law allows bare-breasted women in state parks, but local jurisdictions can choose to outlaw skimpy swimsuits or topless women. In Columbus, topfreedom is legal up to a point, as long as nobody complains. At Comfest, which is a neo-hippie event, topfreedom is just no big deal.

The Columbus Dispatch explores the swimsuit dilemma in an article today. It's strange how something that simply is not a problem is treated like one. It's as if people are expecting a terrorist attack by stocking up on bottled water and duct tape, but in this case they are making rules and regulations in anticipation of a nipple attack.

At the beach with their children were Julia Sullivan, 36, of Lewis Center, and Kari Wydo, 28, of Pickerington. Both took a live-and-let-live attitude toward thongs but not topless women.

"If you've got the body for a thong, good for you," said Sullivan, who was wearing a tankini. "But topless? If you want to do that, do it at home. This isn't Europe."

"If you've got the body". The superficiality of the American mindset is sometimes stunning. We somehow assign the "right" for sexy people to show off their bodies, with less attractive people left to wear tankinis to the beach, or just stay home. We just don't want to see that. Ugh.

And what does it mean when the woman exclaims "This isn't Europe"? Does she mean that Europeans are more relaxed with their bodies, that they are far less hung-up, that they enjoy more personal freedoms, that the human body itself is not criminalized, that European children have a healthier attitude towards sex, that there are fewer gun crimes, and that the U. S. lags behind Sweden, Germany, the U. K. and many other European countries in terms of women's rights?

Yes, I'm sure that's what she meant.

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