Isn't this a bit sexist?

[IanCG]

N.C. House bill: No bare breasts in public | CharlotteObserver.com

House Bill 34, filed Thursday, would make it illegal for women to bare their nipples in public.
It’s not about breastfeeding – which the bill would allow in public – but about clarifying that indecent exposure includes fully exposed breasts. Here’s what the authors write:
“For the purposes of this section, the term ‘private parts’ means external organs of sex and of excretion, including the nipple, or any portion of the areola, of the human female breast.” The male breast is not mentioned.
The bill was filed by Rep. Rayne Brown, a Republican from Lexington who is a medical social worker, and Rep. Tim Moffitt, a Republican from Asheville who is a management consultant. Its definition of women’s nipples as “private parts” would clarify that their public display runs afoul of the law and is a misdemeanor. Apparently there have been topless rallies in Asheville in recent years that have come to legislators’ attention.

This is pretty insane.

 

[variant]

N.C. House bill: No bare breasts in public | CharlotteObserver.com

This is pretty insane.

I think any law that has to do with secondary sex characteristics is likely to have some element of sexism.

 

[TheDag]

I'm just wondering how this is sexist? They mention organs of sex and excretion. For guys that is generally pretty clear cut if they showing or not so no clarification is needed. For women there is a lot more gray area as to what is or isn't acceptable. Some people would say any part of the breast showing is indecently dressed while others would draw the line at nipple showing so they have put in clarification so people don't get in trouble when they think they are doing the right thing. Seems reasonable to me.

As to the other comment about it being insane yeah it does seem like a bit of a waste making laws about this but I don't know the local situation to know if there have been problems regarding this.

 

[ChristOurCaptain]

This is another one for dumblaws-com

 

[Halfmaker]

Men on occasion will excrete fluid from their breasts. This law is baseless and has no place is a supposedly equal society.

 

[ChristOurCaptain]

Men on occasion will excrete fluid from their breasts.

Uhm....wut?

 

[Supreme]

The law is completely out of touch. Do most people even care about this? Nope. Exposed breasts in public are not something to legislate over. Go to any beach in Europe and see the droves of topless women and the indifference of people towards it and you will see that exposed breasts, aside from the initial shock factor, are no harm to society.

 

[Gadarene]

No-one better show any skin then - I hear that excretes a fair bit during hot weather.

What an utterly stupid law.

 

[yasic]

Someone should outlaw the excretions coming out of these politicians heads.

 

[Jade Margery]

Yes, very sexist. Obnoxiously stupid too.

And Captain, it's called 'male lactation' and it does happen to some guys. There are even recorded instances of men breastfeeding their children.

 

[ChristOurCaptain]

And Captain, it's called 'male lactation' and it does happen to some guys. There are even recorded instances of men breastfeeding their children.

 

[Svt4Him]

Yes, very sexist. Obnoxiously stupid too.

And Captain, it's called 'male lactation' and it does happen to some guys. There are even recorded instances of men breastfeeding their children.

Now you're putting up a pretty good argument as to why this law should pass!

 

[revanneosl]

Yet another law, written by men, trying to control women's bodies. Le sigh.

 

[elephunky]

*blind post*

I think that if women have to cover up men should as well.

 

[InnerPhyre]

I think the larger problem here is the sexualization of the female breast thanks largely (but not solely) to the pornography industry which treats women as objects with no purpose other than satisfying the base desires of men.

Arresting a woman for working in her garden or walking on the beach while topless is fairly stupid. Still, I think the issue is the society looking at a woman's bare breasts as a commodity, rather than seeing a woman getting a tan.

There are Icons in the Orthodox Church of Eve and St. Mary of Egypt with bare breasts, as well as the Mother of God openly breast feeding the Lord. These are not alluring in any way because of the context in which they are seen (not through the perverted eyes of our culture).

 

[IanCG]

I think the larger problem here is the sexualization of the female breast thanks largely (but not solely) to the pornography industry which treats women as objects with no purpose other than satisfying the base desires of men.

If that were true, why are the places that are most strict about female nudity are those places where pornography is either illegal or incredibly taboo?

 

[InnerPhyre]

If that were true, why are the places that are most strict about female nudity are those places where pornography is either illegal or incredibly taboo?

I don't think it's a black and one "one side or the other" argument. If you take Saudi Arabia for example, their desire to cover every woman head to toe does not come from a sense of ontological respect for the woman, but rather from a desire to assert male dominance over them. This is another form of the same kind of exploitation of women. In this case, however, their entire body, not just their breasts, are sexualized. A woman's bare neck is seen as pornographic and titilating.

The difference is one of cultural approach. What is each trying to accomplish? The Saudi culture is trying to diminish women by insinuating that they are evil or dirty. Therefore, it stands to reason that pornography would be seen as a social taboo. The American culture is trying to diminish women by insinuating that they exist only to be pleasing to male eyes but that their beauty will never be truly good enough. Mix this with conservatively minded people who are trying to control their fleshly passions, and it is understandable that they could come to see women in the way that the pornographic culture wants them to be seen....instruments of temptation who need to be covered up at all times, though not to the same extent as the Saudis. A woman working outside topless on a hot day ceases to be a woman who is fighting the heat and instead becomes someone who is trying to arouse her neighbors.

 

[TheDag]

Yet another law, written by men, trying to control women's bodies. Le sigh.

When I was last studying I was the only male in the course. Only one female student in the class actually didn't want to control others bodies. The rest of the females did. I wonder which side you are on. The side that have a hypocritical position but just don't realise it or argue thats different or are you that extremly rare person.

 

[TheDag]

A woman working outside topless on a hot day ceases to be a woman who is fighting the heat and instead becomes someone who is trying to arouse her neighbors.

and a guy working outside with no pants on would also be in trouble so where is the sexism in that?

 

[IanCG]

and a guy working outside with no pants on would also be in trouble so where is the sexism in that?

Because the man can go outside with no shirt and a woman can't.