Free the Nipple Movement Joined by Protesters in New South Wales for Gender Equality

As a part of the global Free the Nipple movement, topless protesters have turned heads in the northern New South Wales town of Byron Bay. The movement was inspired by a movie of the same name in 2012 and has spawned topless rallies across the world with the aim of de-sexualising women’s breasts and promoting gender equality. Byron Bay rally organiser Eva Judell was joined by about 50 topless protesters, including men and women who marched along Byron Bay’s Belongil beach.

Although the protesters were met with a lot of applause, they were also met with several criticisms online. Eva said she regularly bared her breasts at the beach but was sick of being made to feel uncomfortable by some passers-by. “We’re demonstrating the double standards that exist within our genders and fighting against the sexual objectification of women,” she said. She further added, “I’ve been harassed and shamed for being topless on the beach and that was enough to get me interested in how this is part of a larger narrative that contributes to rape culture and violence against women and oppression.”

Eva was criticised on ABC North Coast Facebook page. One user commented: “Put all this energy you’re putting into this stupid argument and help fight for a charity that empowers people, not walking around topless, grow up!” While another wrote: “If you like drawing attention to yourself, feel free, just don’t criticise people for looking.” Eva said that most criticism stemmed from people who considered breasts as primarily sexual objects.

“People need to grow up and remove themselves from toxic cultural conditionings,” she said. “Breasts are primarily maternal, that’s their first purpose. I’m not saying they can’t be sexual, our whole body can be sexual, but breasts are primarily maternal, and we should work towards normalising them for the safety of women.” Kendall Jenner Frees Her Nipples Yet Again! Fully Topless Photos and Video of Model for Love Magazine Are NSFW

The issue of nude beach-going is of particular interest to the Byron Shire community where police have been cracking down on public nudity following reports of women being harassed near clothes-optional stretches of beach. Police have charged at least two men in the past year with sexual assault and the local council has installed warning signs at the beach entrances as a result.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 12, 2018 11:22 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).