Topless in HI?

[Todd H]

First, I know the thread is about four months old, but I've been off forum for awhile, and was just checking in to see what good stuff may have been missed.

Yes, topless (or "topfree" as the term is sometimes used) is legal in Hawaii. Others who have posted/responded have pointed out some truths, and some common fallacies:

1. Breasts are NOT genitals, genitalia, or reproductive organs.
2. Topless only is not naked nor nude.
3. One cannot technically be half-naked or half-nude.
4. Even though it is legal for either gender to be topless in Hawaii, one cannot be overt or lewd, or behaving offensively (which is the "iffy" part open to interpretation).

I have to agree that the missionaries really messed up Hawaii. Even though they may have brought education and modern medicine to Hawaii, they also forced their religion and ways of life (including attire) upon the natives. To that, and with all of the push for Hawaiians to rediscover and embrace their true roots with unapologetic pride, I'm surprised that more Hawaiians are not "testing" the waters by going topless more often (both men and women). But, I'm not native Hawaiian (just a haole), so it's not my place to cast a vote.

If you have some time on your hands, go to your web-browser and look up "Outdoor Co-ed Topless Pulp Fiction Appreciation Society." This is a group (mostly women) numbering perhaps 150-200 who have made a gigantic impact on normalizing female breasts. True, it's far, far away - in New York City - but the point being is that these women (of many races and backgrounds) are showing what can be done.

It would be wonderful if those who are Hawaiian in heritage would state so, and weigh in on this topic.
Aloha!

Todd

[DTisme]

I’m with you, MarkD - I’m a fuddy, too. Topless schmopless - I'm probably the only person on the planet who doesn't even want to see cleavage! (Sorry, I don't get it.)

"If men are allowed to go topless in public, why shouldn't women be able to do so as well?"... Some men oughtn’t go topless, either! Unless they’re buff guys with gorgeous tattoos doing kane hula, I don't want to see it.

But breastfeeding in public is ok. Babies gotta be fed. Otherwise, shirts, pants, a must.

Re: topless wahine at Merrie Monarch... “It was more than twenty years ago, 1993": What’s shocking here is that 1993 was over 20 years ago!

[MarkD]

Just re-read the comments--interesting topic. I was surprised how many folks here supported no rules on toplessness.

I commented: Do you really want to see topless women fronting Walmart and in Farmers Market? No problem, they said.

Some of the most enthusiastic posters for topless women were obviously 1) highly educated and 2) likely not born and raised in the islands. Maybe they are swayed by that old European legend about lust in Polynesia and willing women.

Here's what you get when you start down that road. (We have 2 sexes who are going to act out on this, men more so than women.)

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/nevius/ar...867094.php

First paragraphs of the story are quite humorous.

[TomK]

"Some of the most enthusiastic posters for topless women were obviously 1) highly educated and 2) likely not born and raised in the islands. Maybe they are swayed by that old European legend about lust in Polynesia and willing women."

Wow. Talk about creating a strawman. How about many understand that topless women in other developed areas is completely normal, acceptable and means that women are not discriminated against?

[MarkD]

What "developed area?" Name a major city worldwide (population over 1 million with cars, skyscrapers, subways, restaurants, etc.) where most women walk around topless into establishments and on public transportation.

Women topless in a rural village of 700 in Papua New Guinea or Nigeria or west Brazil, OK. That's fine for the environment.

"women...discriminated against." You sure that you want to advance this?

[TomK]

Now you really are attempting to create a strawman argument. Private establishments can make their own rules about who they let in, and on public services you'll only get into trouble for lewd behaviour which is rather subjective. As for developed areas, I'm talking about places like most of Europe for instance, since you brought that area up. You can see topless women in various places and it's accepted and quite normal. As are topless men. If you allow men to go topless but not women, then yes, I see that as discrimination. And as others have pointed out, it's legal for women to go topless in Hawaii.

[Petard]

Legal in Hawaii since 1979. https://law.justia.com/cases/hawaii/supr...791-2.html

[MarkD]

" I'm talking about places like most of Europe..."

There is indeed widespread nudity in Europe, but it is virtually all in parks, both coastal and in cities. No problem on this, as I said in the earlier debate. Indeed I like the idea. Time and place.

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/9bkjn...berlin-876

And when these folks are done sunbathing and head back to their offices, they put on clothes. (evidence to the contrary?)

Maybe it is legal for women to go topless in Hawaii. So far we can thank women for their wise decorum on this. I have yet to see a topless woman walking down Kilauea Avenue or on King St.

[TomK]

PS. Women going topless in New York city is perfectly legal - as long as men are allowed to be topless in the same place. I think that counts as somewhere with skyscrapers, more than a million people, has cars, subways and restaurants.

PPS. Perfectly legal in London and Berlin as well.

[MarkD]

I would not be out in front of a movement to make topless women illegal on dense city streets. I assert it is inappropriate.

Fortunately the vast majority of women seem to feel likewise (at least regarding themselves).