Aside from men being horny in the 1800s, and this being a holdover since that time, is there any actual reason why this hasn’t changed?

If society was dominated by women, would this be more likely to change?

I was sweating my ass off hiking in the hot sun, and the question has been bothering me all day after my top soaked through with sweat.

  • dil@lemmy.zip
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    2 hours ago

    I personally don’t want a boner at the gym, I really wish men only gyms were a thing

    • dil@lemmy.zip
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      2 hours ago

      I’m a grower, I wear boxer briefs, it’s just all around uncomfortable to get aroused in public lol, it’s not a choice personally, if I could have no sexual feelings when outside id be down actually, men also have to wear shirts at my gym, think its a common rule

  • Mamdani_Da_Savior@lemmy.world
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    3 hours ago

    Man here

    If you ladies wanna walk around shirtless at the gym and work out I personally have no objection and I promise I won’t say a word to you.

    However you are going get looks, a lot of them.

  • teagrrl@lemmy.ml
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    5 hours ago

    They can, but harassment from men keeps lots of women from doing so. We already get harassed when we’re covered.

  • Global_Liberty@lemmy.ml
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    15 hours ago

    In much of Europe and North America, female toplessness is legal. As for why women don’t take advantage of it when exercising, breast movement varies from annoyance to uncomfortable and throwing off momentum depending upon size. As a result, many women exercise wearing what is most convenient: a sports-bra top. However, concerns about harassment are sadly valid.

    Women are the majority of voting age adults, but they aren’t a homogeneous group voting exclusively on gender. 45% of women voted for Trump in 2024.

    As a male who exercises in high heat on occasion (35-38c), I have never once thought that I’d rather be naked. I wear breathable, light colored clothing. I also wear a top. Sun burns aren’t healthy.

    • volvoxvsmarla@sopuli.xyz
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      14 hours ago

      breast movement varies from annoyance to uncomfortable

      As a teenager and young woman, not being able to find a good super supportive sports bra for my weird size was one of the reasons I stopped trying to exercise.

      I still hold my boobs automatically when taking the stairs or when I run somewhere. Otherwise it hurts and feels like my breasts are being torn away from my body.

  • communism@lemmy.ml
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    16 hours ago

    There was a movement to decriminalise women being topless (because it is actively criminalised in a lot of places). Unfortunately it’s fallen off. It’s particularly ridiculous because women are the ones who have an actual need to expose their breasts in public, ie some women need to breastfeed—no men need to.

    Some people get turned on seeing topless men but it’s not a sex crime for men to be shirtless in public. Free the nipple 2025

    • RBWells@lemmy.world
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      5 hours ago

      Pretty sure breastfeeding is protected all over the US. It certainly is in Florida.

      I’m not even big in that department, don’t wear a bra for yoga, but running? That needs a sport bra, and working outside I wear long sleeves to keep the sun off.

      I do think beaches here should allow topless suits for women though. That might go a long way towards desexualizing simple nudity, people would get used to it. I agree that it ought not be a rule that you have to cover your boobs at all if you don’t want to.

  • Modern_medicine_isnt@lemmy.world
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    21 hours ago

    Honestly, I don’t think it is the men saying you can’t be topless. It’s other women. I am pretty sure that even though I would get used to boobs everywhere, I would still be in a generally better mood. Boobs just make most guys happy. I don’t know if it would make women who are attracted to women happy too, but maybe.

  • CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org
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    24 hours ago

    Legally, a lot of places it’s been court tested, and you actually can. Culturally, it’s just kind of that way. Hair is banned in Arabia, tits can hang out in Papua New Guinea. The West says no boobs but hair is fine.

    A genital covering is the only cultural universal, although it can sometimes be overly revealing by Western standards, like with penis gourds.

    • marcie (she/her)@lemmy.ml
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      22 hours ago

      A genital covering is the only cultural universal, although it can sometimes be overly revealing by Western standards, like with penis gourds.

      retvrn

    • NKBTN@feddit.uk
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      9 hours ago

      A few women I’ve asked are happy with it being illegal - they say they just don’t want to see it. I don’t think I’ve ever met a man who wants it to stay illegal, because for the most part they do want to see it

        • NKBTN@feddit.uk
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          3 hours ago

          Yeah. There’s the dudes who have spent a lot of time at the gym, and really want the opportunity to let everyone know that. Then there’s the schlubby dudes who are just feeling too hot and DGAF what anyone else thinks. Not sure who’s more worthy of respect, there

    • Chrome@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      ^Real answer. It’s not just men, you’d definitely get stared at by everybody lol. It’s not bad but I notice a few stares here and there just going without a bra

      • stray@pawb.social
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        8 hours ago

        That’s only because it’s unusual though. If more people did it, people would stop noticing.

  • krunklom@lemmy.zip
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    21 hours ago

    They can where I live.

    They don’t.

    Because men. And very aggressive lesbians too, I’m guessing, but mainly men.

    • Flickerby@lemmy.zip
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      20 hours ago

      They can pretty much everywhere. The areas where it is against the law are in the minority. Every woman who wants to go topless in public, can and usually does. That’s just such a small subset no one sees it.

  • FuckFascism@lemmy.world
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    18 hours ago

    I would love it if women could go shirtless and braless but maybe not kids eh, that shit would be not so cool.