I like a prizefight that isn’t a fake,
I like the rowing on Central Park Lake…
Lorenz Hart wrote those lines, in the beautiful (and, I stress, ironically titled) “The Lady Is a Tramp.” He also wrote
I like the free, fresh wind in my hair
Life without care…
Who doesn’t? Not us. We like it, and partook of it yesterday, first on a hillside overlooking the lake while the crew of “Person of Interest” finished shooting a scene for their show (thank you, crew guys, for bringing us bottled water!), and then renting boats ourselves for a bit of classic New York City romance.
There’s really nothing like it. The water may be strangely greenish, but the view…spectacular. We like to think we did our part to enhance it, too, though the staff of the Boathouse rowed out furiously to urge us to put our shirts back on. Think of the children! they implored us. We were. No better example for us to set for our children than to be at ease in our own skin and committed to equality.
Oh, yes: the hillside. Plenty of pleasure to be had there as well.
Once again you’re to be applauded for standing up for your rights in a beautiful and dignified manner. Looks like an amazing afternoon.
Good job ladies. Beautiful pictures as always.
Wow. They really rowed out there to stop you? What did you guys tell them? Think of the children. It’s so absurd.
Great! Note though, that the women of People v. Santorelli who made topfree equality lawful in NY used the frame “topfree” equality” rather than to use the word “topless.” It’s more than just words. Framing is metaphorical and goes right to the brain synopsis. Doesn’t “topless” evoke the thought that women somehow have less? Or doesn’t the word often evoke thoughts of topless bars, lap dances, and half naked waitresses- activities that objectify women and reduce their purpose to one of providing mindless entertainment to the same men who think that making cat-calls to strangers is acceptable behavior?
“Topfree equality” triggers an entirely different thought which is in some ways, opposite, thought. Since the breasts of men and women are anatomically identical, shouldn’t society hold men and women to the same standards of freedom?
On one hand, I agree with you that words matter, and that different terminology can influence perceptions (consider “pro-choice” vs. “pro-abortion”). On the other hand, I recoil from anything that smacks of dogma or political correctness (“The proper term is ‘topfree’…only ignorant souls say ‘topless’…”) or of the attempt to rename French fries “freedom fries” some years ago. We take your point and wholeheartedly endorse your use of “topfree” if you like it better, but as for us, we’re sticking with “topless.”
You have every right to say “topless”- as long as you believe that women are the lesser gender and should work in topless bars. However, if you believe that having more restrictive standards for women than for men because breasts of men and women are anatomically identical then you would be far more accurate to call it what it is- topfree equality- which is exactly what those who have actually made strides in topfreedom call it.
Remember- it was the Rochester Topfree Seven- not the Rochester Topless Seven- that made your activity lawful and there is no dogma or anything of the kind involved. Rather, it was well thought out activism led by my friend and mentor, Morley Schloss. .
BTW, framing and cognitive linguistics is MUCH more complex than political correctness or that different terminology can influence perceptions. There are several good books on the subject, George Lakoff’s Don’t Think Of An Elephant being one of the more popular contemporary references for beginners.
BTW, who is the “we” you are speaking for? IOW, who are you? My name is Phil Markham and you might be interested to know that I’m a pretty serious activist who has made some pretty decent strides in this and other related campaigns for social change.
Oh, for christ’s sake–shut up. We have every right to say “topless” if we feel like saying “topless.” You have the right to say what you like, and we have the right to say what we like, and you’re coming across as a pompous asshole by preaching your view as the objectively correct view, when all it is is…your view.
You’re certainly entitled to prefer your chosen terminology, but you’re not entitled to belittle the choices of people who happen not to share your preferences. Not on our blog, anyway. Consider this conversation ended. Any further responses on this topic (regardless of their content) will be deleted.
Bravo to you guys. At the point at which Phil confused “brain synapses” with “brain synopsis” (hilarious, really!) I stopped expecting any clarity of thought from this opinionated, hectoring person. Yes, indeedie, terminology matters … ah, the glorious irony of it all. I’m glad you didn’t hold back in your replies.
On another note, thanks for making our cozy Upper West Side neighborhood (and our favorite parks and lake and lawns) look so idyllic in all your photo essays.
Thanks. I thought about pointing out “synapses”/”synopsis” myself, but just didn’t have the patients. 🙂
So often I walk the park and anticipate running into your group. And on a day, time, and location where I find myself everry single weekday, working, I happen to completely miss you guys! Just wondering what books were in the mix this time around?
Well, we didn’t get much reading in while we were actually on the lake. But books out on the hillside included THE TWENTY-YEAR DEATH by Ariel S. Winter, THE GUNS OF HEAVEN by Pete Hamill, and THE FEMALE COMPLAINT by Lauren Berlant.
Pete Hamill…good choice. About to finish “Girl With The Dragon Tattoo”, and a John Gardner penned Bond thriller myself. Then onto “Gone Girl”. Always love finding out about new authors from you guys. Hope you saw plenty of red-ear-slider turtles on your sojourn.
The group seems to be growing nicely but what amazes me is there doesn’t seem to be a land slide of others wanting to join, even if at least for the day, while you are at the park. What this tells me is either most don’t notice or most don’t care one way or the other. Probably for the better that the group grows in a slow controlled fashion.
Wow, and great job ladies. I think we need to show more body acceptance and body tolerance
You often mention that you run into people who think your topless activities in public are either illegal or immoral. Do you guys have to deal with creeps staring or taking pictures?
Not too much, actually. Once in a while someone comes up to us and asks if he or she can take a picture; we either say no or yes depending on how the person asks, what their interest seems to be, how we’re feeling that day, and who’s in the group (some of our members are more shy about photos than others). Sometimes people snap a cell phone picture or two without asking as they pass us by. That’s fine; we’re out in public, and winding up in other people’s photos is part of being out in public. But it’s not like we’ve ever been surrounded by people taking photos or even accosted by one person who stubbornly insisted on taking a lot. If we ever did, we’d just pack up and leave.
Another nice travelogue . I am curious as to all the book marks on that one book. And the ‘do on that brunette was awesome.
And film photography, too? I notice in the last picture a rather charming vintage Olympus Pen. Hope you made good use of it.
When I visit NY next summer can I join you folks? I will bring my own books.
We don’t think that far ahead! We’ll start thinking about next summer in the dead of winter. I will say that we dole out invitations to only a few men each time, to ensure that the group and our events remain female-focused, and we dole out invitations to men we don’t already know even more rarely…and we get a LOT of inquiries from men, as you might imagine, so there’s a long virtual queue ahead of you. So I can’t be too encouraging. But who knows? Next summer is far away.
I WISH to suggest a few books:
“The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight” by Jimmy Breslin
“Prizzi’s Honor” by Richard Condon
Thanks – always glad to get suggestions!
[…] I Like the Rowing On Central Park Lake | The Outdoor Co-ed Topless Pulp Fiction Appreciation Society https://coedtoplesspulpfiction.wordpress.com/2013/08/06/i-like-the-rowing-on-central-park-lake/ […]
A beautiful day in the park and on the water! Almost makes me wish I lived in NYC, almost.
Rock on! Keep the US culture headed in the right direction; Towards an enlightened state. Towards an Equal State. And, god willing, a Free State.
I know it might not be strictly pulp, but do y’all ever read Stephen King or Dean Koontz while out & about? Something about the macabre stories and the beautiful scenery, ya know!
By the way, the brunette with the short hair and tattoos? Simply stunning! Can I ask how many tats she has?
Do we ever read Stephen King? If you look at the photos from the last few months worth of events, you’ll see a lot of us have been reading his newest book, JOYLAND.
I don’t remember seeing Koontz at any of our events, but we’d certainly welcome it if someone felt like bringing one of his.
And I don’t know how many tattoos any of our members has (though it might be fun to count them up some day).
Do you have anything to do with Toplessblading?
twitter.com/toplessblading
Seems like it is another person / group with topless activities in NYC, just rollerblading instead of books…
Maybe you could consider some sort of joint meet, maybe for camaraderie…
Nope, don’t have anything to do with her – but if she’d ever like to come to one of our events, we’d welcome her.
Such a lovely day to show so much beauty to the world around you. I would love to have the chance to photograph such beauty. A forest or mountain scenes would be so breath taking as well. An animal shelter with cute kittens and puppy’s would work too
If you poke back through past blog entries, you’ll find at least one with a dog in it. 🙂