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A study published in the journal Sexuality & Culture examined U.S. residents’ attitudes toward women going topless in public places. The findings suggest that for some, female toplessness is intertwined with sexuality and represents a moral issue. In line with objectification theory, women were more critical of female toplessness compared to men.
Western societies tend to be far more disapproving of women going topless in public compared to men. The rationale seems to be that female breasts are inherently sexual and thus inappropriate for display in family areas like public beaches. This view fits within objectification theory, which suggests that a woman’s value is based on her appearance, as perceived through the heterosexual male gaze.
Researchers Colin R. Harbke and Dana F. Lindemann conducted a study to investigate Americans’ attitudes toward female toplessness in public. While past studies have focused on the public’s perceptions of the legality of female toplessness, the current study aimed to target people’s reactions to female toplessness itself. The researchers also wanted to explore whether attitudes toward female toplessness vary by geographic region, a phenomenon that has been previously reported in Canadian samples.
“We were interested in attitudes toward breastfeeding and disparate reactions to being topless in public, without nursing, came to the forefront as an potential contributing factor,” explained Harbke, a professor of psychology at Western Illinois University – Quad Cities.
“We began thinking of both of these behaviors as relatively simple and innocuous on the surface, but that each are quite complicated when women’s objectification, morality, and sexism are added to the mix. Also, around that time there were some legal decisions that highlighted differences in the legality of public toplessness between not only men and women, but also between one region or state and the next.”
Western societies tend to be far more disapproving of women going topless in public compared to men. The rationale seems to be that female breasts are inherently sexual and thus inappropriate for display in family areas like public beaches. This view fits within objectification theory, which suggests that a woman’s value is based on her appearance, as perceived through the heterosexual male gaze.
Researchers Colin R. Harbke and Dana F. Lindemann conducted a study to investigate Americans’ attitudes toward female toplessness in public. While past studies have focused on the public’s perceptions of the legality of female toplessness, the current study aimed to target people’s reactions to female toplessness itself. The researchers also wanted to explore whether attitudes toward female toplessness vary by geographic region, a phenomenon that has been previously reported in Canadian samples.
“We were interested in attitudes toward breastfeeding and disparate reactions to being topless in public, without nursing, came to the forefront as an potential contributing factor,” explained Harbke, a professor of psychology at Western Illinois University – Quad Cities.
“We began thinking of both of these behaviors as relatively simple and innocuous on the surface, but that each are quite complicated when women’s objectification, morality, and sexism are added to the mix. Also, around that time there were some legal decisions that highlighted differences in the legality of public toplessness between not only men and women, but also between one region or state and the next.”
Women are more critical of female toplessness than men, which may be explained by objectification theory
A study published in the journal Sexuality & Culture examined U.S. residents’ attitudes toward women going topless in public places. The findings suggest that for some, female toplessness is intertwined with sexuality and represents a moral issue. In line with objectification theory, women were...
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