Is Toplessness Everyone's Constitutional Right?

Here is a very interesting piece out of Michigan about the double standard of toplessness in America. According to this writer (Bill Schroer), many women believe that the fact that it is socially acceptable in the U.S. for a man to be topless but is NOT acceptable for women . . . is gender discrimination. Well, interestingly, some courts in Ohio, New York, and Canada agree and have declared laws against toplessness for women to be unconstitutional!

Perhaps this goes back to our notion of the female breast (and lactation? reproduction?) as something dirty, or something of which we should all be ashamed. But interestingly, this was NOT the case in America before the 1930's, when toplessness was forbidden for everyone, men and women alike. But then men rebelled (and, presumably, women kept quiet), so men fought for their right to flaunt it--and won!

In Europe, as this writer points out, this topless double standard doesn't really exist and many women are free to go topless without incident. This Past Week was National Go Topless Day. I did not even know this was a holiday! (Now I will know for next year . . . .)

Bill Schroer: Women's Rights to Choose is About Gender Equality - Battle Creek Enquirer

British Feminist Comedian Wins Award

Congratulations to Bridget Christie, British feminist stand-up comedian, who won the UK's most prestigious comedy award, the Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Award, for her feminist comedy show. This is especially significant because professional stand-up comedy has long been a male-dominated profession. Christie is the third woman ever to win this award.

Feminist Wins Edinburgh Comedy Award with Show Poking Fun at Sexism - The Guardian

Women's Work . . . As Unpaid Interns

Here is an interesting piece about how women are disproportionately working as unpaid interns:

Women's Work and the Race to the Bottom - Huffington Post

This writer makes a good point about how there are fewer opportunities for fair compensation in female-heavy industries.

New Equal Pay Law in New Jersey

Here is a new law in New Jersey signed just yesterday by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (a Republican!), which will help women in New Jersey fight for equal pay. The law gives employees the right to discuss salaries openly in the workplace and prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who choose to discuss their salaries. Other states (including Colorado) already have these laws on the books. This is also what the Paycheck Fairness Act would do, which is a pending federal law. These laws are important because breaking the silence--you know, putting an end to that long-standing social taboo of discussing pay in the workplace--helps women to discover and prove the fact that they are still only earning 77% as much as men are!  Way to go, Jersey! (Incidentally, Jersey was also the only place where early colonial women were allowed to vote in the U.S. from 1790-1807--before it was banned in 1807.)

Chris Christie Signs Equal Pay Bill Into Law - Think Progress

Domestic Violence Outlawed in Saudi Arabia

Just yesterday, domestic violence was declared illegal for the first time ever in Saudi Arabia. Finally, some good news from Saudi Arabia--a country where women are still not allowed to vote! In fact, it is the only country left in the entire world where women are still not allowed to vote (except for, um, maybe the Vatican). But don't worry, King Abdullah promises voting IS on the agenda . . . in 2015. Now, for that pesky ban in Saudi Arabia against women driving cars . . . .

Saudi Arabia Passes Domestic Abuse Ban For First Time - Huffington Post

Saudi Arabia's Domestic Violence Law is a First Step to Changing Attitudes - The Guardian