Topless At The Beach: Is It Still Cool?

Sunbathing topless is becoming less popular these days but it’s still causing embarrassment. During the 60s and 70s exposing breasts at the beach was a way to show that women were liberated from patriarchy and sexual restraint but apparently, for several people, it is still a taboo and if you are a middle-aged woman enjoying a bit of freedom you might encounter all sorts of criticism. Even if you are a top model.

Heidi Klum’s topless photos on Instagram upset several fans calling the 46-year-old out for being a poor role model and even suggesting that she’s going through a midlife crisis. Why? Why can’t a beautiful woman go topless in her middle-age if she feels to? Probably some people didn’t like her showing off such a great body.

Indeed, nowadays going topless at the beach is not considered as cool as it used to be. It’s more than a fear of skin cancer. Among the reasons for giving it up are avoiding unwanted male attention and shame on social. According to a recent survey by the French Institute for Public Opinion (IFOP), the number of women who regularly sunbathe topless has plunged in the past three years from 29% to 19% (in 1984, 43% did so), especially in France.

You can say there’s a #MeToo effect on the beach- Francois Kraus, who directed a survey of 5,000 female respondents, said-. The movement prompted by the sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein, the Hollywood producer, has had a huge effect in France. French women have formed their own campaign under the Twitter hashtag #BalanceTonPorc, which translates as ‘denounce your pig’, and encourages women to go public with the names of men who have groped, threatened or harassed them.

On the Costa del Sol (Spain), however, topless tanning is still very trendy. The survey showed that nearly half of Spanish women have bared their breasts on the beach.
In Germany, 34% of women have gone topless, compared to 22% who say they have done so at least once in France, 19% in Britain and 15% in Italy.

And you? Are you still happy going topless in your 50?