by Cara Dack

Created on: May 20, 2010   Last Updated: May 21, 2010

Two things happened recently which made me consider the bizarre inequality that still exists in our media and in life in general when it comes to breasts.

The first was seeing a man walk down the street topless. It was a rather unattractive sight; however, there was nothing I could do about it as he wasn't breaking any law. Then it occurred to me that if I, as a woman, were the one topless, I would be arrested for public indecency.

The second incident happened while watching TV program. There was a scene in a morgue with three bodies who had recently been autopsied. While the two men had the blanket down by their waist, the woman was covered to her shoulders. One wonders how that autopsy was carried out!

This got me to thinking about why it is deemed appropriate for a man to be topless but not a woman. In essence we both have the same parts. There are only two differences I can see;

A woman's breasts are generally more shapely.

A woman's breasts can produce milk.

Neither of these two facts seem to provide us with a logical reason. In fact when you consider these facts it would make more sense for women to be the ones allowed to run around topless. With regard to the first fact, even as a woman I can admit that women's breasts are generally more attractive than men's. And obviously not having to faff about with bras and tops would make breastfeeding easier. So far, no rational reason.

Now, the main point I keep coming back to is the fact that women's breasts have been sexualised in modern culture. Forgetting for a moment the fact that a man's nipples are just as sensitive and therefore just as sexual, there is one glaring point of hypocrisy. Walk into any newsagent's in the UK and sitting on shelves for all (including young children) to see will be any number of newspapers with topless women in them. Leaving aside the ridiculous notion that a half-naked woman classifies as news, I cannot help but wonder why it is okay for a woman to be topless in the Sunday papers where everyone can see anyway, but not in real life. Where exactly is the difference? I do have to confess that I am not sure whether pictures of topless women are so easily accessible in other countries. If so, then perhaps this last point will not be considered as valid; however, the first two still stand up.

The long and the short of it is that I believe that women should have the right to be topless just as men do, having one rule for one sex and one for the other just furthers inequality and hinders the feminist movement.

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