Topless protest set for Asheville

Published 12:00 am Friday, August 19, 2011

Asheville, N.C. — Women who believe it’s unfair that men can take off their shirts while they can’t will bare their breasts at a demonstration for the right to go topless.
The Asheville Citizen-Times reports Thursday (http://bit.ly/qJghNW) that the demonstration is planned for Sunday in the city’s downtown park.
Asheville Police spokesman Wally Welch says bared breasts won’t violate state law since indecent exposure bans uncovered body parts below the waist.
Asheville protest organizer Livienne Love says the goal is raising awareness about gender inequality and pushing back against the social stigma that makes women uncomfortable to go topless. Women are asked to go topless and men to wear bras or bikini tops.
More than a dozen U.S. cities are part of the protest organized by GoTopless.org.