by Shirley
More than two decades after a woman from Guelph, Ont., won the right to take off her shirt in public, a Toronto woman is complaining that organizers at a local beer festival told her it wasn't allowed.
Jeanette Martin was at the annual Toronto beer gathering on Sunday when she took up a dare from one of her friends and took off her shirt. She was wearing a bra but apparently that wasn't enough for organizers.
"Within 10 seconds flat I had a security guard telling me to put my top back on or else I'd be escorted out of the grounds," Martin told CBC News.
Martin was told that she would attract unwanted attention from men and her safety was at risk.
"I didn't feel unsafe," she said. "I just wanted to be comfortable."
The incident comes 20 years after Gwen Jacobs took off her shirt while walking in Guelph on a 33 C day.
Jacobs, who was not wearing a bra, took her fight all the way to Ontario's Court of Appeal where she was vindicated.
The court struck down a lower court ruling.
In part, the Appeal Court decision said "there was nothing degrading or dehumanizing in what the appellant did. The scope of her activity was limited and was entirely non-commercial. No one who was offended was forced to continue looking at her."
Since that 1996 decision it has been legal for women to remove their tops in public in Ontario.
Martin said the people who told her to cover up were looking at the problem the wrong way.
"Deal with the guys if there is a problem," she said, "but don't come over and pre-emptively tell me that I'm going to start a problem."
"This is the reason we have events like SlutWalk now — to bring attention to the fact that we're not just sexual beings, we're just out having a good time."
Martin's not sure why she got so much attention at the beer fest. The security team apologized and she's had lots of support, even from her parents.
"I actually think they'll be very proud of me for standing up for my rights — and it is an issue of rights for women to be able to do this without being sexualized," Martin said.
Thoughts anyone? Agree? Disagree?
23 comments:
Good Moaning~
I still can't git over the 700 degrees~ lmbo~
P.S. Leave ur shirt on~ ga!!!~
Thanks for sending in the blog Shirley~ :D
I am no stranger to topless women. People are not so uptight in other countries....
Right here in Austin at a very popular park right in the city...Barton Springs....it hasn't been unusual for women to be topless in 25 years!
Just as with men...if you look good show it off I say....there is certainly nothing unnatural about it...
My brother in law has a habit of sitting on beaches in other countries and photographing the topless woman. Of course he doesn't take pictures of the gorgeous women....he takes photos of the fat women with the tiny boobs...this amuses him greatly....and his silicone implanted capped tooth wife...
We are ...as a people...way too hung up about nudity...It doesn't matter to me...
I have never understood the hang ups with womens breasteses...or the interest...they are for feeding babies I thought....
fyi....I do reserve the right to point and laugh....
Good Morning everyone!
Hmm, like Michael said, other countries have no problems with topless beaches and so forth. I think because we make it a big deal here, it becomes a big deal.
Now that said, do I really want to see someones boobs swinging in the breeze? No. However on the other side of the coin, when we were in the Bahamas (when oldest son was 16) I think he thanked God everyday for the topless women!!
One day there was a big lady swimming at the beach when she noticed that she had lost her top. She thought that no one would notice if she covered herself with her arms and walked overto her towel. Then a little girl came running up to her.
"If you're going to drown those puppies, at least let me have the one with the cute little pink nose."
Sister Mary burst into the office of the principal...
Sister Mary burst into the office of the principal of Our Ladyof Perpetual Motion parochial school in an advanced state ofagitation. "Father!" she cried, "just WAIT until you hear this!"The priest led the sister to a chair, and said, " Now just calmdown and tell me what has you so excited?" "Well, father" the nunbegan, "I was just walking down the hall to the chapel and Iheard some of the older boys wagering money!""A serious infraction, indeed!" said the priest. "But that's not what has me so excited, father" replied the nun,"it was WHAT they were wagering ON! They had wagered on acontest to see who could urinate the highest on the wall!!""What an incredible wager!" exclaimed the priest, "What did you do?" "Well, I hit the CEILING, father."
"How much did you win?"
A husband and wife are on a nudist beach when suddenly a wasp buzzes into the wife's business end. Naturally enough, she panics. The husband is also quite shaken but manages to put a coat on her, pull up his shorts and carries her to the car. Then he makes a mad dash to the doctor. The doctor, after examining her, says that the wasp is too far in to remove with forceps so he says to the husband that he will have to try and entice it out by putting honey on his penis and withdrawing as soon as he feels the wasp. And so the honey is smeared, but because of his wife's screaming and his frantic dash to the doctor and the general panic, he just can't rise to the occasion. So the doctor says he'll perform the deed if the husband and wife don't object.Naturally both agree for fear the wasp will do any damage, so the doctor quickly undresses, smears the honey on and instantly gets an erection, at which time he begins to plug the wife. Only he doesn't stop and withdraw but continues with vigour.The husband shouts, "What the hell's happening?" To which the doctor replies, "Change of plan. I'm going to drown the bastard!!!
Good Morning Tina, Michael, Shirley and Goldie. Happy Monday. It's raining here and it looks like summer is over before it began. It's supposed to clear up later but right now it seems like November.
Thanks for the blog Shirley and for the funny stories Michael.
I am still getting used to all the elderly woman walking around nude in the change room at the pool I attend every Tuesday and Thursday. It use to be only the young ladies who stripped and dressed in front of people. Anyone over 30 waited for the little change rooms with locks. I was one of them. Now everyone except me takes off their bathing suits and walk around and rinse out their suits and dry their hair. I have seen more this month than I have ever seen in my life. I never knew breasts could grow so large or hang so low. Some of these ladies are very large.
I dress in the handicap bathroom. I can't change my ways now at my age.
I am late getting breakfast so I must run. Have a great day everyone.
Michael some days I read your posts and just shake my head. Today is one of those days.
Happy Monday Owls.
Shirley, My thoughts are that I am not interested in seeing a topless woman's tatas, however if they want to show them, it's their business. I can snicker at them with the rest of the folks.
Tina, good moaning back at ya.
Goldie, LOL @ your 16 year old.
Michael, LOL
Tinka, I don't change clothes in front of everyone in the locker room either. It's not as much for modesty, however, as it is that I don't want to subject anyone to that scene.
Zona, I hope your birthday was a wonderful day for you.
Have a great day and a great week everyone.
I can't stop giggling at Tinkas comments....lol
"so large or low".....and she is not trying to me funny...its just the truth...."seen more there than in my LIFE!"
classic Tinka...just good as gold thru and thru...not an impure thought...
Hi everyone! Just popping in to wave a wing!
Hi everyone. Hmmmm interesting blog. Guess I don't see anything wrong if people want to show boobs but I'm like Tink , I would be in little room.... Unless there was low music and a lit candle and a glass of wine. :)
SacBarb and Dianne - I am happy to know that I am not the only one who likes to be modest. I honestly was beginning to think I was "one in a million" when it comes to this subject.
Michael - I know some people think of modesty as hang-ups but when you spend 12 years of your life at a Catholic academy where we were not allowed to wear shorts when we played badminton. We had to wear our full school uniform. It consisted of white dress shirt with long sleeves (similar to men's shirts). blue tie, blue uniform that extended almost to our ankles, black stockings and shoes. Out of the school we had to wear a tam with the SAA emblem on it. If we were missing any item of clothing we had a detention. Jump from there to a room full of elderly naked women in a small room and you can understand my surprise. Childhood experiences never leave you.
Hi Guys!
SHIRLEY: Well..eventho it was 115 degrees here today..I kept my top on..and thousands cheered! ;D
The only worry I have about women flashing their boobs is that if Randy is driving by..he's gonna hit a pole..I just know it.. ;)
TINA: Gorgeous! :)
MICHAEL: "How much did you win?"?? LOL! I liked that one! :D
TINKA: My mom raised us to be modest too..I would be so uncomfortable in that locker room. You made me laugh so hard when you told me on the phone.."I've never seen so many naked women in my life..and most of these woman should never be naked.." :D
DI: a candle, low music, wine..and a..oh never mind.. ;D
BARB: Thank you..I did have a nice birthday! Have you been following BB on Joker's? Interesting developments!
HI GOLDIE! HI LYNND!
Gotta run and finish dinner..Have a good night everyone! :)
Tinka...not a hang up....lol
I would be uncomfortable as well...and snapping pictures with a hidden camera!!!
I came up and kind of sheltered myself and on my first tour of A&M Jay took me thru the locker rooms of G. Rollie White Coliseum and I almost couldn't contain myself. I have never seen so many naked men in my life! Big men..Little men...men that climb on rocks...fat men...skinny men...even men with chicken pox....
Oh wait...that may have been small pox....small cox, SMALL COX! thats it!
Jay said..."well why don't you just try looking straight ahead homo!!"
I related to what you were saying...guess it just came out wrong...
Speaking of coming out wrong...I have this boil....
Zona: Are you sure you meant Randy would "hit" a pole?
I really love this page specially it's background, very creative...
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