Topless Freedom

Yes, it will be about the body. Again. But also about acceptance and freedom. About topless freedom. Because it's more important than it seems at first glance. Also because it affects all of us. But mainly because I made a discovery, and I feel I have to share it. However, let's go back to the beginning.

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Saturday afternoon, the beach in the center of the town, great weather and a holiday atmosphere. An ordinary weekend day in the south of France. For me, this is the day when I reached another stage of self-acceptance.

I was a loyal topless sunbather for quite a long time. It has begun in a very ordinary way, just because I was curious. Curious what it'd be like to not have those stripes of white skin standing out on my arms after a nice, sunny summer? How would I feel with my breasts exposed to the sun, wind and... the eyes of others? Would I even be able to do it?

The first rehearsals took place in the privacy of holiday terraces and sheltered clearings in the middle of nowhere. On vacation, far from home, in the middle of the week, in the middle of the day, as long as it's further away, as long as it's kept secret, as long as it's hidden from the eyes of others. And it was fun. Warm, nice, comfortable and with an even tan.

Then my partner introduced me to the second level of initiation - public topless sunbathing. I don't accept the idea that he did it for his own visual experiences, although I do not deny its existence. To clarify, I will quote his comment on the matter: why the hell do you even care?

Amen. It's done. There was no turning back.

Well, maybe not right away, not that I didn't care anymore, but I my transformation has begun. Topless sunbathes in Krakow's Zakrzówek during the season, topless on vacation as a couple, topless on vacation with a crew. Topless in a new house in the South, topless on the beach with a friend.

Topless eventually became my basic setting. At first, I was shy and very aware of my body, waiting for a surge of courage, examining the area and assessing its compatibility with the idea. I was preparing my head to take off my blouse and then the top of my swimsuit. Casually, but with a tight stomach, ready to absorb the blows of the surroundings that are not ready for a topless woman.

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At the same time, my conviction about the need for freedom was growing in strength. The need of expression and acceptance of one's body, but also of social understanding. I was increasingly outraged by the negative judgment of topless women, supposedly vulgar and degrading, while men were happily parading their torsos of all shapes and sizes in public. The same men eagerly stare at women's breasts at every opportunity, and at the same time, passionately condemn women's promiscuity and complete lack of dignity if any woman dares to go naked, just as they do.

The reason for such a strong condemnation of women living in harmony with their bodies is, of course, the unhealthy, psychologically violent relationship towards their own bodies in society. It is difficult for us to understand and accept something that's against all that we were taught and and which has always been presented to us as promiscuity. Moreover, female breasts have become a kind of sex symbol per se, anointed for this role, of course, mainly by men. As a result, showing them or simply emphasizing their existence is considered perverse. One should be a modest, dressed woman who respects poor, weak male souls which cannot protect themselves from the sin. Once again, it is women who pay with their freedom for the lack of self-control in the male part of the population.

Thus, somewhere along the way, my path crossed with the outbreak of the #freethenipple movement, born on the basis of nipples censored in social media, only female nipples, of course, and aimed at decriminalizing the female body. What was first a shy manifestation of an aesthetic approach to a tan, became an expression of my personality, as well as a form of a feminist manifesto.

My disagreeing with the status quo, my anger at gender hypocrisy and injustice, all this was in the background of every topless sunbath and photo I took on social media. Paradoxically, these small acts of rebellion helped me to accept myself more and more, to feel better and better in my body, which had been hated for years, and to enjoy it, even in such a public and exhibitionistic way as in the above-mentioned photographs.

At this point I must mention how surprisingly positive people are to my approach. All the comments I have received over the years have been positive, supportive and understanding. Most often, they came from very different women. Some of them had already experienced their freedom and we enjoyed it together. Others were inspired by my freedom and a completely neutral approach to topless sunbathing, without sexualization or objectification. The others admired and understood, but would never decide to do it themselves. And all these attitudes are absolutely great, because they are true to themselves. They all proved that it's not about showing your tits, as some say, but about something more. About ordinary, everyday femininity and freedom in feeling and expressing it.

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However, only now, on a beautiful May day in 2024, at the age of (almost) 38, did I realize all the simple beauty hidden in the idea of ​​being topless. I realized how much the everyday freedom comes from not worrying about conventions and social judgment.

An unplanned trip to the beach. On the way from the gym. No blanket, creams or oils, and above all, no bikini. Just because I felt like it, because I was passing by anyway. I took out a stale towel from my backpack, sat on it with my sweaty body after exercise, took off my T-shirt and... sunbathe in my shorts. On the beach. In the sun.

Relax. Unprecedented freedom. Light-headed chill.

It sounds strange or even trivial that such an ordinary event changed so much for me. And yet. Probably many women understand me perfectly. We all know the feeling of being overloaded with responsibilities, organization, planning and thinking ahead. And suddenly it turns out that we can be where and when we want. Enjoy the day, the nature and all the blessed laziness without a previously prepared daily plan and without an armful of junk lugging around everywhere. Spontaneously and freely.

We are so busy judging ourselves, meeting other people's and our own expectations, being the best version of ourselves (whatever that means) that we have forgotten what a true relax is. Constant fears, limitations and ideas about ourselves prevent us from enjoying everyday life, ordinary life and the body thanks to which we experience all these wonders.

Light head. Bare tits.

Yes. Topless is an ideology. An ideology of freedom. Feminist, human, ordinary, everyone's.

Discover your freedom. And free your breasts! Nipples forward, ladies!

xoxo Wero

PS

It is obvious that the presentation of men's attitudes in this text, in the context of toplessness, is generalized and does not fully represent the complexity of the topic. The negative impact of women themselves on the perception of our bodies was also omitted. This is a deliberate attempt to limit the number of references and excessive delving into details that do not affect the main topic of the text.

PPS

For inspiration, I would like to add that in the south of France, where I currently live, topless sunbathing is extremely common. On the beaches you can see ladies, or more precisely their breasts, of absolutely all ages. They're all beautiful. They are all ordinary. They all just take advantage of the day. Because it's ONLY breasts. We all have them, let's stop panicking so much when we see them.