Twenty-five years ago this summer — in July 1992 — a New York court ruling established that women can’t be punished for going bare-chested in public places if men weren’t punished for doing the same thing.
This landmark ruling changed lives. Not just the lives of the particular women involved in that particular court case, although it certainly did that. But the lives of all the women of New York, including women who weren’t even born yet. Maybe especially ones who weren’t born yet.
Some of our members are in college today. Some are still in high school. And they’ve never known a time when, as women, they had to hide their bodies while their brothers and male cousins were free to walk unashamed in the sun. They’ve known from birth that it is their right — their equal right — to inhabit the body they were born into and to display it or cover it as they choose.
Of course, not every woman does know this, even in New York; and not every woman who knows it has been brave enough to try it, even if she would dearly like to (especially on a day when the temperature inches up into the 90s and boob sweat is a thing). And some of those brave enough to try it have had to deal with stares and catcalls and unwelcome approaches from men if they’ve tried it by themselves rather than in a group of like-minded friends.
This is why we exist: to provide ourselves and other women an opportunity to exercise our rights, free from interference, safe, relaxed, and happy. That’s what we did yesterday, on Central Park’s East Green, and it’s what we’ll be doing all summer long. If you’re a body-positive woman in the New York area, we hope you’ll join us. All it takes is an email to toplesspulpfiction@gmail.com, and we’ll find an event we can get you to.
Some are more private, some more public; some more active, some more relaxed. Some are fully nude, if we’re somewhere where we have the luxury of doing that. We’ll find the right one for you.
In the meantime, enjoy this glimpse of the first really hot day of the Summer of 2017 — 25 years on from the momentous and eventful Summer of 1992. We had books (Girl on a Train! Turn on the Heat!)…
We had delicacies (strawberries! kombucha!)…
We had junk food (America Runs on Dunkin’!).
What we had mostly was a great time.
Bare your breasts. Breathe deep. Be free.
It’s your right.
Wonderful – enjoy.
25 years since the seed was sown, now you are magnificent branches of the wonderful tree it has became. This Spring keep blooming!
Hopefully, summer weather will arrive in NYC and, again hopefully, OCTPFAS will be not only exercising the right for all to be topless, but enjoying the sunshine and fresh air as well. Now, perhaps more than in recent memory, certain rights that are often taken for granted may vanish with as little as a late-night city council meeting and a stroke of the pen. We have elected and appointed officials who want to revert our country to the 1920’s. Not to put a damper on the celebrations to come, but please stay vigilant for any sign or nuance that may lead to the erosion or revocation of women’s freedoms.
The very first picture really expresses the joy of 25 years of liberation and equality!!
Or, as they suggest, someone who has never had to live under a discriminatory law. That’s cause for celebration too.
You know we love you, so please take this as constructive criticism.
Now that summer is almost here and you’ll be doing more activities, please encourage your participants to bring their own water bottles. We all know NYC has some of the best tap water in the world. You’ll be doing your environment a world of good, and you’d make this old, life-long activist happy.
Your group is really inspirational and important in the struggle for gender equality.
Wow!
The eyes 👀 on that third gal (later holding a doughnut), are simply stunning.
Please invite her back!
Often!!!
Congratulations on 25 years! Now if we can get the rest of the country to follow suit.
The picture with the girl who still has her top on, really brings it to life.
Just because you can doesn’t mean you need to, but if you want to you can
Congratulations ladies. Equality will only be achieved when women can do this all over the world.
Do you have any plans for a big 25th anniversary celebration in July?
We’ll be doing a bunch of events in July. No one of them is precisely a “big 25th anniversary celebration” — but if you have any suggestions for something we might do, we always welcome ideas.
Perhaps a picnic in Central Park, with a big group photo. Since it’s a special event, something with enough notice that folks not in the immediate area can make arrangements. I don’t know the chances any would accept, but you might even invite members of the original Rochester Seven to attend.
I remember right where I was when I heard from Mary Lou Schloss that they won their case at that level. It took years to accomplish – more than one demonstration and arrest, and lots of state-sponsored aggravation. But in the end topfreedom in NY state was worth it! Keep on celebrating!
Another flying visit to the USA – well actually it was by train and car from SF to NY with a deviation via Yellowstone and Mount Rushmore, where trains are an extinct species, hence the car. But our three days in New York before heading to the UK (yeah, on the QM2; eat your hearts out!) were dull and cloudy so we didn’t try to seek you out. A pity. It would be nice just to meet and congratulate you all but now that we’ve spent the children’s inheritance we probably won’t venture that way again. Have a great summer and keep up the reading.