Ew. I think a better solution would be that no one is required to register with selective service. Not going to happen anytime soon, though.

I really have never understood the sex phobia in the US. This thread kind of reminds me of all that uproar over Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction during the superbowl a few years back. I couldn't believe all those parents who freaked out because their pwecious widdle babies were traumatized by the sight of a breast. Yeah. I'm guessing they bottle fed, otherwise their kids would obviously be mentally scarred. Of course, the kind of people who would have that reaction to breasts in public also tend to think abstinence-only education actually works and telling teenagers how to protect themselves will just lead to them having sex. I've never thought they were particularly gifted in the common sense area.

Everyone should be aloud to be butt naked if they want. Now I'm not going to want to look at all of them, but that a matter of personal aesthetics.

In defense of this thread, it was probably created before the Janet thing happened. Is that really a defense? Not really, but it make me chuckle. Then again it is nearly 5 a.m. here and I'm awake so if it's not making me cranky it's making me giggle.

and [/end mindless spam]

Strange thing is, I was thinking about this topic the other day. Being the bashful little thing that I am, I still blush at the sight of a woman's breasts in public, but these days its becoming more and more a common sight here. Yesterday I went to a takeaway food place that does rolls, sandwiches etc, and they had a paper out on the counter for patrons to read, which I often do if I'm waiting for food. In this case it was the Sun, so the moment I open the thing, what am I greeted by?

Of course, this is something else entirely, its not a pro-feminine woman trying to get more rights, its a bunch of old-fashioned men using willing females to exploit their own rights to publish such images to sell newspapers. I'm not saying that the woman is being exploited, just the image of her breasts. I'm not sure that in this case Britain is much better than the U.S.; it may be more accepting of such things, but at the same time there exist hypocracies like this that regularly go unchallenged.

That said, just because its still there doesn't mean it is unchallenged, I suppose, and I'm sure there have been many petitions by lots of people to get rid of such public images.

Am I arguing with myself? Hmm. On a seperate note, my own opinion on the clothes/no clothes thing is a bit odd; I tend to find women dressed sexily more sexy than those that are completely nude. I have no idea why, but I like to think that its something to do with the power of suggestion vs. the possible anti-climax of actually getting what you want.

As for the right to go topless, I think that's a given. Rights should be equal, full stop, otherwise they're not rights, they're restrictions. Its not harmful or offensive, though it'd take a while for most men to get over, but I can't see it being a big issue here in Britain, where such an activity is an open invitation to pneumonia...

This very thought annoys me every summer. My guess is that it's still a bit tabboo to see ladies uncovered areas (Ohh, show us a bit of ankle love!), but it occurs to me which bit is it thats offensive, apparently? Because ladies are allowed to walk around in SKIMPY bikinis, but as long as the nippley bits are covered its fine?
It does annoy me, what you were saying that it was fine for ladies to be topless as long as they are thin and pretty. Everyone is saying now that it's all about size acceptance, with larger ladies fashion shows and popular crappy magazines (like Heat, etc.) saying that models are too thin, but it's just not the case. Larger ladies are still not as attractive as thin, scantily dressed ones, yet still no one has made a law to say larger men can't take their tops off.
It's all hipocracy and sterotypes that have repeatedly been beaten into people that now need to be beaten back out.

/rant.

hm.
i dont see why we all cant just go around naked all the time.
its not like its gross or anything.
its just a body.

IMO, it's really all about context.

In most situations, bare tit (to me at least) isn't something to get excited about one way or the other. Two examples: I had a girlfriend who stayed with me every weekend. When we would be getting ready for bed, she would go in the bathroom and wash her makeup off, which included her taking her shirt off. On more than one occasion, she'd open the door shirtless and ask where another bar of soap is or something and it didn't phase me. Similarly, if I go to a concert and I see some chick flash the crowd, I roll my eyes because it really isn't a big deal to see some random chick's boobs.

Quick digression: In the early 80s harcore punk scene, chicks who took their shirts off during shows were looked down upon.

It annoys me when my firends and I are watching movies and some chick gets shirtless and they all go apepoo over it. Meanwhile, I'm like, "Yeah, tits. Awesome. Normally, I prefer story or plot, but boobs are all right. Who needs to be entertained, right?"

I will say, though, that in a makeout or flirty situation, boobs can be a major turnon. I agree with Tarantio. Said turnon can often be achieved better wearing clothing. Even then, nudity has its place. If I'm in the zone and my partner takes her shirt off, I will get turned on. I love boobs, but only in the right context.

I say whatever. I'm really indifferent. It's not really something to get worked up about (this coming from a guy who hates going shirtless, bear in mind).

Penn and Teller made a thirty minute episode of their Bulls*** series dedicated to this topic. Apparently it has sommething to do with midieval class elitism that frowns upon bare breats in public.

Women in the U.S. are still looked down upon for breast feeding in public. Something I believe a woman should be able to do anywhere anytime. I was in Applebee's one time and I was getting some shunned looks by the people next to me, and I politely told them "You know, I'll go feed my infant in the bathroom if you'll grab your plate and go eat in the jon with her". And you couldn't see the nipple while I was feeding her, but I bet if I wore a low cut shirt that revealed just as much as my breastfeeding the man would be looking and not complaining.

I will say that the U.S. has made at least some steps in the right direction- its no longer exposure to breast feed in public.

And the reason why I bring this up is because, if woman are allowed to show a little nip while feeding an infant what's the difference if she's doing it just because? So now we're saying that woman can show their tits in public but only in certain circumstances?

I would like to add a male perspective on the subject, that being: WEYYYYYY BEWBS. I see women walking around topless as more impolite than indecent, sort of like men walking around topless, only more bouncy and round and... where was i?

How resoundingly mature.