Why are men and women treated differently in this situation?

[netto]

Summer weather and men are walking around in public wearing nothing on their top half. It's not to everyone's taste but it's considered acceptable.

If a woman did the same what would happen? Would she be arrested for exposure, or some like that?

How can that be right? Has this law/rule ever be challenged?
Surely everyone should be treated the same regardless of sex and gender.

No, just a comment, because many women are criticised for exposing their breasts even when they are doing exactly what they are there for.

I've not seen any men without tops here, but there's women in very cropped tops and skimpy shorts

A woman doing this runs the risk of being leered at, mocked, harassed, photographed or worse.

The patriarchy trains us to police our own behaviour in a way that men just do not experience.

Its fine its not illegal, nobody would do anything unless the nudity was part of trying to upset/harrass someone or part of indecent exposure, like if someone was purposfully taking their top of at school children or something

Nothing to do with misogyny. Most of the blokes looked bloody awful as well. Just put a ruddy tee shirt on!!

If you don't like bare chested men then stay away from them. There aren't many around off the beach in Fowey, Blakeney, or the nicer spots in Europe. It comes down to class - and then it reverses a little - there are as many top less women as men on the beach at Juan Le Pins - rather fewer topless women at Newquay or Filey.

I used to work ar a drs surgery and I used to feel offended when men walked in shirtless in the summer.

Tbh even if it was legal , how many women would feel safe and comfortable enough to do it? Hell, many women won't even leave the house without a bra on.
It's definitely not a hill I'm willing to die on, even if I agree with the principle of it.

It comes down to class

By what wild stretch of MN class-obsessed imagination did you work that one out?

I saw a woman on YouTube in either Melbourne or Sydney standing peacefully topless in the street being arrested for this while at the same time men with no shirts on strolled on by. I think the charge was disorderly or something similar.

Obviously she was making a point but she also proved it without doubt. Sexism is alive and well and living in Oz and plenty of other places I'm sure, if it was tested.

Weirdly I live in Germany now and I never see topless men wandering around in the middle of town. I don't miss it. It was not pleasant working in retail and some gross topless man would come along, you could always smell their armpits. I know you can smell some people's BO anyway, but nowhere near as much as when they're wandering around without a top on.

Germany is very open to nudity - but in the appropriate place. It's fine on a nudist beach or in a spa/sauna, to wear swimwear by a pool/beach/lake. But walking around town half dressed would not be seen as acceptable behaviour.

I don’t think it’s acceptable for men to walk around topless. Uncouth imo. The only person I ever knew personally who did it was a tax uncivilised in all respects. The pool or beach should be fine for both and I think it is?

Would it actually be worth the hassle for a woman to walk around topless?

They'd be subject to endless harassment.

I’m sorry @netto
you’re going to absolutely hate this website.https://www.taps-aff.co.uk/

To all my Scottish peeps……it was taps aff here today. Hope you had great weather too!!

https://www.taps-aff.co.uk

sorry will try that again

A friend of mine used to go topless in the park to make this point. Why should she sweat while loads of blokes were walking around topless? The hassle she would get (mainly from men) was crazy though. Shouting comments, coming up and threatening her etc.

I don't want to see too much flesh, male or female!

It's not comfortable, either when it's too cold, or too hot, to wear no top.

Why does anyone want to dress like that? No way is it for themselves, its to get attention 🙄

I don't think it's the law or risk of arrest that stops us taking our tops off on a hot day. It's the incessant harassment and probable assault from men that stops us. Not right and I agree we should be able to, but (male) sexualisation of female breasts is the barrier.

Going topless is perfectly legal - there are only 2 offences associated with public nudity (Outraging Public Decency and Indecent Exposure). Men and women are treated equally in the eyes of the law as regards being topless unless women do something like flashing their boobs at someone to cause distress or alarm - just sunbathing topless isn't an offence.

inews.co.uk/light-relief/offbeat/naked-public-topless-legal-uk-laws-top-off-summer-weather-heatwave-290994

Most the blokes I know would love more women to walk around topless.

I don't think it's just boobs that men sexualise, it's women as a whole. (No pun intended) lol
I'm a lesbian but for me petsinally I don't look at women the same way men do because I have a female brain and don't think with my bits. It's more like 'she's beautiful' in a respectful way. Not sure men think that way really 🙈

personally

There are cultures where it's perfectly acceptable for women to be topless. Our approach isn't universal.

Equality doesn't mean we have to act the same when we're not the same. It's bloody uncomfortable to have big boobs let loose and swinging around.

To be honest women generally wear much more revealing clothes than men.

I think topless is a lot more revealing than a boob tube for instance! Generally speaking women don't walk round topless day to day. That's the whole point of the thread