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Woman Promotes the Right to Go Topless
Los Angeles Times ^ | January 22, 2005 | Robert Salladay

Posted on 01/22/2005 1:05:48 PM PST by Ramonan

SACRAMENTO — As a Ventura County public defender, Liana Johnsson has handled many life-changing cases, but her biggest public crusade these days has been going topless.

For months, Johnsson has been fighting to allow topless women at California beaches and parks.

A group of lawyers, at Johnsson's request, has asked the Legislature to make topless sunbathing legal, saying the ban is the last criminal sanction that treats women differently than men.

The new movement has urgency: Because of a December court ruling, Johnsson and other attorneys contend, women convicted of indecent exposure could find themselves listed as sex offenders under Megan's Law, alongside rapists and child molesters.

The office of state Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer said women should not be concerned about being identified as sex offenders, given that California law considers topless sunbathing to be indecent but not lewd. Lawmakers may soon be tackling the issue to remove any chance of misinterpretation by local prosecutors.

Before her idea reached Sacramento this week, Johnsson presented her arguments to more than 400 delegates at an October bar association convention. She flashed images on a screen of the big-breasted male evildoer from "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me," as she spoke.

The issue goes beyond topless sunbathing. The conference lobbyist, Randy Perry with Aaron Read & Associates, questioned whether fraternity boys mooning out a car window or golfers caught urinating in the woods would also be required to register as sex offenders now, if convicted of indecent exposure.

"What we're talking about is common sense," said Perry.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: attorneys; law; socialchanges
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To: Drango
Great tag line :)


41 posted on 01/22/2005 1:20:27 PM PST by Graymatter
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To: garyhope

And no Speedos!


42 posted on 01/22/2005 1:20:28 PM PST by mlc9852
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To: Ramonan

This is okey-dokey with me as long as I get to pick which ones go topless.

 

43 posted on 01/22/2005 1:20:57 PM PST by Fintan (I wish someone would tell me what diddy-wa-diddy means...)
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To: Ramonan
I think a compromise can be reached. Women may go topless only if they are hot.
44 posted on 01/22/2005 1:21:08 PM PST by CzarNicky (The problem with bad ideas is that they seemed like good ideas at the time.)
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To: Bon mots

"but god forbid that they see a breast."

Well..now that you mention it! ;)

Matthew 5:27-28: Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.


45 posted on 01/22/2005 1:21:41 PM PST by melbell (There are 10 types of people in the world...those who understand binary, and those who don't.)
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To: doug from upland

There's not much left to the imagination with those tongs (sp)Tops are pretty skimpy/and you can see through them too. I thought they closed down nude beach


46 posted on 01/22/2005 1:22:37 PM PST by newfrpr04
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To: MisterRepublican

If you read the article, it mentions Breast Feeding.

Jerry Brown (Ex-Gov) started this ball rolling. He let his Secretary bring her child to work, and according to reliable sources, it was not unusual to have her breast feeding her child in a conference of high officials.


47 posted on 01/22/2005 1:23:37 PM PST by Ramonan (Honor does not go out of style.)
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To: melbell
----But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.----

I think I'm in serious trouble.

-Dan

48 posted on 01/22/2005 1:24:17 PM PST by Flux Capacitor (HOWARD THE DUCK in 2008)
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To: Ramonan

lets see what she's offering


49 posted on 01/22/2005 1:24:54 PM PST by freddiedavis
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To: Flux Capacitor

"I think I'm in serious trouble."

well...me too if you factor out salvation and the forgiveness of our sins...but I was counting on keeping those things! :)


50 posted on 01/22/2005 1:26:09 PM PST by melbell (There are 10 types of people in the world...those who understand binary, and those who don't.)
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To: newfrpr04

San Diego has Black's Beach ( Nude, not actually legal but inaccesable by motor vehicle)
You really do not want to see what is there. Usually the specimens are overweight or advanced in age.


51 posted on 01/22/2005 1:26:13 PM PST by Ramonan (Honor does not go out of style.)
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To: Bon mots

topless beaches pretty common in Europe. People don't think much of it. Our son's first experience in portugal beaches was put quit staring and pointing, close your mouth, put your eyeball back in. His day at beach was cut short-dragging kicking and screaming.


52 posted on 01/22/2005 1:26:45 PM PST by newfrpr04
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To: John Lenin
I see your four and raise you two.



53 posted on 01/22/2005 1:27:03 PM PST by ORECON (Condi Rice/Ann Coulter - 2008)
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To: shibumi
"I think it should be legal. There is nothing wrong with a topless woman"

Please try to remember, Helen Thomas, Hillary Clinton, Donna Shalala and Janet Reno are all (allegedly) women.

Yep. I know, I've seen some nasty old topless biddies in France before... but just the same, I don't believe that we should have laws telling women that if they do not cover their breasts or their hair, or whatever because a few of our own taliban don't like it.

Remember, when we pass a law, we are authorizing armed men and women to enforce that law - so all laws are enforced at the point of a gun.

I think that the occasions one may be threatened by a law enforcement officer should be pared to the minimum. Seeing a breast is not one of them.

I remember a few years ago in Milford Connecticut, a policeman arrested a woman for indecent exposure at the beach. She went to her car to breastfeed her baby. She got arrested.

PUHLEEEEZ. It's only a piece of skin.

54 posted on 01/22/2005 1:27:33 PM PST by Bon mots
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To: Ramonan

I'm floored to find that I am in agreement with a Californian government official.


55 posted on 01/22/2005 1:27:55 PM PST by Tarpaulin (Look it up.)
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To: ORECON

"worthless without pictures" No visual image ?


56 posted on 01/22/2005 1:28:58 PM PST by newfrpr04
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To: ORECON

That's got to hurt ...


57 posted on 01/22/2005 1:29:03 PM PST by John Lenin
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To: Ramonan
The issue goes beyond topless sunbathing.

It sure does.

We have so many freedoms in this country some people consider the lack of being able to do this an attack on their civil liberties.

We have a lot more important breaches of liberty going on in this country to worry about than this sort of pissant complaint, which cheapens the genuine complaints.

But then, we are talking about Kalifornia here...

58 posted on 01/22/2005 1:29:37 PM PST by Gritty ("Societal decadence prefers to obsess over fictional offenses rather than real ones-Mark Steyn)
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To: ORECON

Looks like another one is starting to grow out just below her neck.


59 posted on 01/22/2005 1:30:07 PM PST by No Blue States
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To: zzen01
CA again!

...don't know too many women in North Daktoa wantin' to do this at this time of year....

60 posted on 01/22/2005 1:30:56 PM PST by paulat
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