Nantucket residents will now vote on Tuesday on a proposal that would allow all people to go topless at the town’s beaches. The measure was among the 107 articles that were under consideration at the annual town meeting that began on Monday. If approved, the measure entitled “Gender Equality on Beaches,” would instruct the town clerk to change the island’s bylaws to add: “In order to promote equality for all persons, any person shall be allowed to be topless on any public or private beach within the town of Nantucket.”The topless beach proposal is proposed by island resident Dorothy Stover. Stover is the daughter of a former town clerk and runs the Nantucket Love School.”I wanted to bring this forward to bring equality,” Stover told NewsCenter 5. “Currently, men are able to be topless in all public spaces, including the beach, and so I was looking for equality on the beaches.”Current state law dictates that only men can go topless in public. Women can face a penalty of up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $300.Approval at the town meeting would not necessarily mean the change is adopted. Bylaw amendments ultimately require the approval of the Massachusetts attorney general.Watch a Chronicle feature on the remarkable women of Nantucket in the video below:
Nantucket residents will now vote on Tuesday on a proposal that would allow all people to go topless at the town’s beaches.
The measure was among the 107 articles that were under consideration at the annual town meeting that began on Monday.
If approved, the measure entitled “Gender Equality on Beaches,” would instruct the town clerk to change the island’s bylaws to add: “In order to promote equality for all persons, any person shall be allowed to be topless on any public or private beach within the town of Nantucket.”
The topless beach proposal is proposed by island resident Dorothy Stover. Stover is the daughter of a former town clerk and runs the Nantucket Love School.
“I wanted to bring this forward to bring equality,” Stover told NewsCenter 5. “Currently, men are able to be topless in all public spaces, including the beach, and so I was looking for equality on the beaches.”
Current state law dictates that only men can go topless in public. Women can face a penalty of up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $300.
Approval at the town meeting would not necessarily mean the change is adopted. Bylaw amendments ultimately require the approval of the Massachusetts attorney general.
Watch a Chronicle feature on the remarkable women of Nantucket in the video below:
https://www.wcvb.com/article/nantucket-to-vote-on-allowing-women-to-go-topless-on-beaches/39874470
