Two years ago, a documentary came out on Netflix and previewed a pink sign with breasts on it. Something as controversial as that could spark interest in just about anyone, and so I clicked on the documentary, sat down, and watched it in bed. Not only was it empowering, but it was very easy to understand and I could really relate to these women trying to get the message out. "Free the Nipple” is a saying and I sure do say it on a daily basis. After watching the documentary for the first time I started looking into this movement to see what it was all about.
I wouldn't really call myself a hardcore feminist, but I do believe in equality and what is right. The first 10 minutes of the documentary show these women running around Times Square in New York City with their shirts on, but eventually time goes by and these same women end up topless. Once the police caught up to them and saw what the women were doing they detained one of them and put her in a holding cell for a hour or so. In 1992 New York City legalized woman to be topless but after all these years you would think people would still remember.
Lina Esco the director of the documentary also starred in it and was very interested in starting this movement. She would follow around the character “Liv” and see what she would do to protest. By the time they became friends Liv wanted Lina to be comfortable with her shirt off. She would do it privately until she was comfortable, when things in the movement started falling in place.
I see myself as Lina or her character name “With” because I do stand for Free the Nipple and it just all boggles my mind at the fact that if a man can be hot and take his shirt off in 95 degree weather why can't women?
"Keep your shirt on because you're cold, because you’re shy, because you want to; but don’t keep your shirt on because it's against the law!”
This quote is my response anytime someone asks why I support "Free the Nipple" because I feel like it perfectly explains the reason. Life is all about being comfortable and if you're not comfortable with your shirt off that’s fine, if you're more comfortable with your shirt off that’s fine too. I am guilty of walking around in a sports bra around town and I started to be more comfortable with my body, so thats why I do it. These summer days are getting hotter and I’m comfortable with just a sports bra on.
The only problem with this is the sexuality part of it. Women are getting cat called or drooled over while proactively supporting this movement by freeing their nipples. Some are saying it’s a “distraction” and I think thats one of the main reasons on why it’s not legalized in the 35 states that are left. This is the human body we are talking about here, it's not a piece of meat to gawk at and disrespect. If more people showed some understanding and respect for the female body on a mature level, we would not have the sexuality and equality issues that are plaguing our society today.
I’m just saying if men can do it, we can do it too. We have the same parts just different sizes, what’s so wrong about that. Check out the documentary on Netflix you won’t regret it.
FREE THE NIPPLE
