Free the Nipple (Without the Nipple)

Florence Ashley
Aug 28, 2017 · 3 min read

So today I went to a free the nipple event by tam tams. The event was in protest of the sexist double standards that paints some bodies — primarily cis women’s, but many other people get caught in the fold — as obscene while others aren’t. The status of toplessness in Quebec is somewhat unclear, and it’s this lack of clarity that allows the police to threaten women who go topless and keep women fearful of legal repercussions to going topless. Despite the large numbers of people who were supposed to attend, I don’t think there will be any media coverage and I’m wondering if it’s because people think it’s a frivolous cause.

There were much fewer people than I expected, despite over 500 people “going” on the event page. I’d estimate at around 20 the number of topless people. Of those, only a few were men. Of the men, only one was younger and he was the only one who actively sought to help by telling people not to take photographs.

Photographs are another thing. People were absolutely fascinated by us, and were completely shameless in recording us and taking pictures of us despite very clear signs saying “no pictures without consent” in multiple languages. Our bodies were pure sexualised entertainment for them. I’ve only been asked if it was okay to take a picture by two persons, both with professional cameras and seemingly interested in documenting the event rather than in sexualising us.

Easily fifty people took pictures without asking, perhaps more, and hundreds of people grouped next to us and looked at us like zoo animals. That’s why I wrote “lol perv” on my body, so that every time they look back at their pictures, they are reminded that this wasn’t consensual, that they were being disrespectful, objectifying, and… well, pervy.

As I’m writing this I’m wondering if I should post the picture on Facebook. This picture, which in no world could be taken as sexual… And yet I’m wondering if it’s too sexual for colleagues, classmates, and friends to see. I’m wondering if it might not come back and bite me in the ass. And it might very well: sexism is alive and well in Quebec and I’m sure many people will see my post as inappropriate and even report it.

By posting it on Facebook, I also hope to highlight the absurdity of rules like Facebook’s that bans “women’s” nipples even in non-sexual contexts, yet is completely fine with “men’s” nipples. Nipples are nipples. Apart from growing a little bit under the influence of hormones, my nipples haven’t changed much since the day I stopped being unequivocally read as a man. Yet they’re probably women’s nipples according to Facebook and will be deleted accordingly. Save this post. Save it and come back in a week, in a month, in a year, and see if it still exists. It probably won’t. And if it doesn’t, it’ll be because someone in my friend’s list reported it. Someone I trust enough to read all my posts, be acquainted with all my vulnerabilities, my values, my commitments. But for that person, my nipples will be too much.

Taking a stance against nipple bans isn’t just about the right to be topless. It’s also about not having our bodies constantly sexualised and objectified, turned into a zoo exhibit we can freely take pictures of for our spankbank. It’s about consent, it’s about autonomy, and more than everything else it’s about respect.

It’s long time past due we start giving everyone the respect they’re owed. My body isn’t for your consumption.

Initially posted on my Facebook wall. Picture omitted for the broad public version.

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Florence Ashley

Written by

Transfeminine activist based in Tio’tia:ke (also known as Montreal) and LL.M. candidate at McGill University. https://www.florenceashley.com/

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