City makes it official: Tops no longer mandatory for girls at pools

[Davin]

A rule which sparked a major outcry last summer is officially off the books in Guelph.

http://guelph.ctvnews.ca/city-makes-it-official-tops-no-longer-mandatory-for-girls-at-pools-1.2881237

[jasenj]

“

Whether it’s a girl or a boy, man or a woman, everyone gets to decide for themselves what is appropriate attire,” he said.

What they found, MacKinnon said, is that most cities didn’t mandate tops for girls or women of any age – and the absence of such a rule didn’t lead to significant volumes of either complaints or nudity at municipal pools.

Interesting. Are we starting to see real cracks in the topless taboo in North America?

[usuallylurk]

“

Interesting. Are we starting to see real cracks in the topless taboo in North America?

Doubtful. It's legal in a lot of places - has been for some time in Maine, but has not become part of the beach culture.

[Kouak]

Won't become "normal" until a few brave souls try it, and it catches on.

[Agde]

As Coun. Mark MacKinnon says: "It's a simple policy, easy to understand, very straight-forward and gender-neutral." Whether "a few brave souls" break "the topless taboo" is a totally separate issue -- a social matter of personal choice as should be, rather than a matter of legal enforcement of gender-discrimination. Simple. Easy to understand. Important.

[gunnisonfan]

I know topless is legal in parks and beaches in NY. On my adimttedly few trips to a park or beach in NY, I have never seen a topless female,

[usuallylurk]

I know topless is legal in parks and beaches in NY. On my adimttedly few trips to a park or beach in NY, I have never seen a topless female,

And you likely won't.

Top-freedom in law is one thing. Just because it's legal, doesn't mean that women are now rushing to the beaches or public places to doff their tops. Sorry, fellas.

It's been legal in Maine for quite some time now. We learned last summer, it's legal on state property in New Hampshire. But other than a public demonstration, like the one in Hampton, you don't see it happening.

It's nice that women have the choice.

It's also legal to paint your house in purple and yellow stripes, with red polka-dots, but you don't see people doing that. It's legal to worship Zeus, but people don't take the opportunity to do that, either.

[Agde]

I know topless is legal in parks and beaches in NY.... I have never seen a topless female,

And you likely won't....

Perhaps worth noting again that topfreedom for women is only "important" because of exaggerated social promotion of the sexualization of breasts, which in turn makes breasts a trigger to skewed psychologies and uncivil behavior, which in turn creates a self-confirming atmosphere of gender-specific risk. Since the solution is at the source, needing a major shift in personal attitudes, behavior norms and mainstream stereotypes, topfreedom is first of all a bellwether of public support for gender-neutral laws/rules, and subsequently can be used by women as a sort of litmus test to measure social change. Even one woman enjoying topfreedom in a park or at the beach without hassle is a full measure of that freedom. It does not require hundreds or thousands....