Dear President Obama,
My name is Lara Terstenjak and I am the director of
GoTopless, a women’s rights organization that claims women’s constitutional
right to go topless in public on the basis of gender equality. You once taught Constitutional Law at the
University of Chicago, so you, of all people, are most aware that our claim is
legitimate and that women in America are currently denied their constitutional
rights under double-standard laws that force them to cover their chests in
public while men don’t have to do this.
Therefore, unless these laws are changed, the only
constitutional way to resolve this issue is to apply the solution offered by
Rael, founder of GoTopless, fervent human rights activist and spiritual leader
of the International Raelian Movement. His position is simple: “Men must be
forced to hide their chests if women are forced to hide theirs.” A few years
ago, while you were vacationing in Hawaii, a topless picture of you appeared in
the media. Mr. President, how would you like being legally forced to hide your
chest on a nice, warm beach day? According to the Constitution, this is what
will need to happen if U.S. laws refuse to acknowledge a woman’s right to
freely go topless in public. Gender equality means “all or none.” One of the
major arguments against women going topless is that the sight of a woman’s bare
breast causes children psychological trauma, or even endangers them (the latter
accusation was actually made in the official statement of a New York City
police officer who wrongfully arrested Moira Johnston who was walking legally
topless in public on May 28, 2012). That is complete nonsense. The fact that
millions of European children routinely see topless women on European beaches
and experience no ill effects from it proves that the female toplessness in
public is completely harmless for children unless they are first made to feel
that there is something inherently bad about it. It is only when parents are
culturally conditioned to be upset by the sight of a woman’s breast that
children can be traumatized, for such parents convey fear, shame and other
negative emotions.
GoTopless is very respectful of other people’s personal
preferences. If a woman decides she is more comfortable wearing a top instead
of going without one, we respect that choice. But this should be a woman’s
choice, not a legal requirement imposed in the name of someone else’s morality.
Puritanical morality has hijacked our legal system by ignoring our
constitution. Therefore, it is your duty under oath, Mr. President, to
“preserve, protect and defend” women’s constitutional rights, even if they
challenge the greatest American taboo – nudity – and even if they challenge
your own moral upbringing. My naked chest has the same constitutional right as
yours, Mr. President; it’s no more damaging or threatening or traumatizing to
others than yours is! Americans need to learn the difference between nudity and
sexuality, but the current repressive, unconstitutional laws in this country
are counterproductive. They lead to deviant behaviors and pathology, for what
is hidden and forbidden often becomes an obsession – sometimes a very dangerous
one.
President Obama, this August 26, you will be honoring
Women’s Equality Day, which commemorates the 92nd anniversary of the passing of
the 19th Amendment. Our organization selected August 26 as GoTopless Day to
honor and coincide with this same special date. For Women’s Equality Day, you
will be signing a letter praising and encouraging women for their efforts to
obtain equal rights, equal pay, equal job opportunities, etc. But one more area
of women’s rights urgently needs to be addressed. This year, the hundreds of
thousands of people who support topless rights ask that you act promptly and
officially recognize our struggle to establish women’s topless rights legally,
in accordance with the Constitution. We will soon present a petition to your
government to voice this demand, which can no longer be ignored. Mr. President,
if you give us legislative support, we are confident that legally topless women
will proudly celebrate the hundredth anniversary of Women’s Equality Day on
August 26, 2020. Thank you so much in advance for your prompt attention to this
matter that has been so long unjust and neglected!
Respectfully yours,
Lara Terstenjak
Director, GoTopless
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