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NANTUCKET, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — At Nantucket's Annual Town Meeting for 2022, among the citizen warrant articles submitted, one addresses the undressing of tops at the island's beaches.
The article, named "Equality For All Genders On All Island Beaches," was sponsored by Dorothy Stover of Nantucket, who says that any person should be allowed to be topless on all public or private beaches within town lines. WBZ's Tim Dunn spoke with Stover about the movement that has more than a dozen article signatures.
"Because of the law that's in place, there's a sexualization within society and at the moment, it's more acceptable for men to be topless than it is for women. A lot of women have reached out and thanked me, some said that they were uncomfortable breast feeding in public," Stover said.
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The proposal must receive a majority vote in the town meeting on May 2, at 5 p.m. at the Nantucket High School Mary P. Walker Auditorium and be approved by the Attorney General to be passed.
Locals say that an unofficial nude beach has already been established near Miacomet, despite nudity not being allowed there.
But Stover says that the movement to make all beaches top-optional is an issue of equality, and allows for future generations to honor island traditions of freedom of choice. Article supporters also say that the legalization of nude beaches would take away a regulation that police spend time and tax dollars on.
"We islanders have a strong and proud history of people, especially women, fighting for equality," Stover said.
WBZ's Tim Dunn (@ConsiderMeDunn) reports.
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