Topless march draws thousands to peaceful protest
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FARMINGTON - Thousands of spectators swarmed the downtown to get a glimpse of 25 women and a half dozen men without their shirts on.
Traffic came to a complete halt at 1 p.m. as the topless marchers left Meetinghouse Park, crossed Main Street and walked south towards Abbott Park, a half mile away.
March organizer Andrea Simoneau, 22, a University of Maine at Farmington history major from Brooks, held the event today as a protest against what she sees as society's bias; with shirtless men in public being seen as acceptable in public while topless women are not. There is no law in Maine prohibiting bare-chested women in public. A similar topless march was held in Portland on April 3. In the weeks leading up to the march, Simoneau caused a stir in downtown when she stood without a shirt on at Main and Broadway to distribute flyers announcing the march today.
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"I'm really excited about all the people, both for and against this, who came today," Simoneau said standing in a little plaid skirt before the march began. Surrounded by a crowd of mostly men who smiled and took photos of her and a few other topless women, Simoneau looked around and said she'd wished more women had shown up. Her disappointment was short lived when several ladies standing in the crowd suddenly pulled off their shirts at 1 p.m. for the start of the march.
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Standing up on the gazebo's railing she told the big crowd that there are two reasons for the march.
"It's highlighting that it's legal for females in Maine to be topless," which brought much applause and, "to protest the social double standard when topless women go outside, it causes a stir," she said lifting her arms as the crowd hooted and clapped.
The marchers crossed Main Street to the sidewalk, passed four women holding signs that read "Save your tatas for your luva," "I'd like it better if you put on a sweater," and "Be a pal - cover your gals." The signs were held by Jennifer Kelley, 37, Syrena Clark, 15, Jacqui Clary, 27 and Kaitlyn Dufour, 17, all of Farmington, who said they want everyone - guys and gals - to keep their shirts on downtown.
"If they don't want to wear clothes, why don't they go live in a nudists' colony?" Syrena Clark asked.
Spectators with cameras and cell phones filled both sides of Main Street, snapping away as the topless marchers passed by. Elaine Graham of Farmington, brought a blue blanket and, spreading it wide as she walked with the marchers, tried to shield the view from traffic.
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As many as 20 officers from the Farmington Police Department, the Franklin County Sheriff's Department, the state police and UMF Department of Safety either marched along with the group or were stationed along Main Street. Most of the officers were wearing street clothes.
Lt. Jack Peck of the Farmington Police Department wore his uniform as he walked with the topless marchers. He estimated the crowd to have been two or three thousand strong.
"Our biggest concern was for the safety of the marchers and spectators," Peck said afterward. "There was a lot more people than we thought were going to come. Thank goodness there wasn't any trouble." Counter demonstrators had made inquiries about coming and participating in the event, which had law enforcement worried that anger against topless women in public might create a dangerous situation.
One group led by Dovey Balsam of Industry, silently prayed in a counter protest as the marchers made their way down Main Street. Others, applauded the marchers as they passed.
As the marchers arrived at Abbott Park on the south end of UMF, Ted Blais, UMF's Department of Safety director, stood in uniform with five or six more uniformed officers.
"Multiple agencies all worked well together," Blais said afterward. "I'm very impressed that everyone got along here," he said of the marchers and spectators.
Simoneau led the marchers to a shaded knoll in Abbott Park and thanked everyone for coming.
"The march was peaceful, safe and fun," she said after coming down from the knoll to a crowd of spectators. "Even the lady with the blanket had fun," she said of Graham, who continued to hold the blanket up in front of Simoneau.
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Entries(RSS)
Where is the line drawn for indecent exposure? Next they will be wanting to prance around in the nude. All they want is to draw attention to themselves. I am a women and I really don't give a rats butt if a man gets to walk around with his shirt off. Their are really more important issues in life to focus on. Grow up!
The poems, above, illustrate how very sexual breasts are, how arousing they usually are (to most men, most of the time)..................how private, not public, they should be.
Actually, there were several thousand here that were interested in attending this event.
Well, Farmington made the Dallas TX newspaper. How impressive!
Okay, Farmington Tax Payers...do you know what this stupid march cost
us??? And we've got to swallow the expense. You, me and everyone else
who pays taxes in Farmington. The police department didn't work for nothing,
you know! THANK GOD it's over.
I'm living in Arizona right now, but found this link on one of my favorite websites. I've never been prouder of my hometown! I love you, Farmington!
We love you too Kate
I understand why they were doing this but if its not legal for women to walk around topless then why were they making such a big deal out of it? Just go do it instead of protesting, if people are going to protest about anything it should be about something more important
. What really gets me is that the girl who was putting this stupid march on didnt want people to stare. She wanted it to be a "normal" thing. Well just so you know guys are going to stare because its not every day they see a woman walking down the road topless. If you dont want people to stare either ignore them or put your shirt back on and shut up. And you cant tell me that when you see a guy walking around with out a shirt on and he has an amazing body that you dont stare at him and go "wow that is hot." I personally would not walk around topless.
Aspen I want to reply to what you said about "Wonder if parents are going to want to send their kids to THAT college after this?" I wouldnt put this on the college, a few other towns like portland and augusta have done the whole march thing. So dont put this on the college.
Oops.... I just re-read what I wrote, I meant to say if its not illegal to walk around topless.
Wow! Won't that look great on their resumes! The maddening part is, that most of these students aren't from this area, they just attend UMF! And these same idiots are allowed to vote & affect our local issues? I wonder if they will go to their own home towns & have topless parades there?! I sure hope SAD #9 is smart enough not to ever hire any of them! What a waste of time & tax dollars! There are so many more important issues that should get this much attention! So now we are forced to get a new law passed for all sexes to wear shirts in public? More wasted time & our tax dollars! I sure hope we have record turnouts for the Memorial Day & 4th of July parades this year !!!
Ann D, pornography? really I think not.
I went to the parade because I happen to be in town and Im glad I went. It was fun ! fun to see so many people in our town and fun to see other people 1/2 naked. We are all curious what other people look like and these girls wanted to show everone. It was also good for business. Why is everone so conserative.
Disgusted, if you are not marching shirt with those brave women then you are against freedom. I support these women standing up for their rights to be shirtless.
Farmington is a vibrant and diverse community. After the tension of last Friday, I hope that UMF's President Kalikow may invite Mrs. Graham and Ms. Simoneau to tea. Senator Gooley might attend such a
f----ingly decent party.
A History major decided to make her own historical event. She should do a thesis on this march.
Henry, I would think and hope that UMF's President has better things to do than to waste another single second on this foolishness.
Nancy Johnson: You, of course, are right! Onward...................
In response to Dave: I know for a fact that some local businesses did suffer do to the toppless attention seeking females. I know that a lot of people avoided the downtown area for the last two weeks in fear of having to explain the foolishness to their childeren, and also because they just plain did not want to see it. How can they call it a protest if it IS LEGAL? If you want to show yourself do it your own backyard that way we don't have to see you while we are out getting groceries with our families.
Angelica I agree with you! And I find it kind of dumb how they did protest about it. I can understand why they would if it wasnt legal for women to walk around topless. Cool I understand what you are saying. I am not against peoples freedom but I dont understand why people are making such a big deal about it. If they want to walk around topless then they should go for it but stop making a big fuss about people staring. If they dont want people to stare either put the shirt back on or ignore them.
Penis, testicle, virgina??!!!!!!
Shows the mentality of those "aroused" by this topic......
I am so ashamed that you dissenters and I are from the same nation. Please do us real Americans a favor and move to the Middle East - there you will never again have to worry about seeing a breast in public.
Of course, you won't like the fact that you'll have to convert to Islam, and follow their moral codes because they are written into law... do you not see that this is exactly the same thing you'd be doing by forcing your views about nudity on your neighbors and countrywomen? If you aren't being harmed by something, why can't you just live and let live?
Remember, the breasts' function is not purely sexual. Do you intend to charge a nursing mother with "exposing herself" to her infant? Of course not! The only reason those men were leering is because the censorship of a normal part of female anatomy has *made* it seem exclusively sexual.
When America as a nation finally grows up and stops acting like an idiot teenaged male, maybe women and men can share equal legal status. Until then, thank the founders for THE BILL OF RIGHTS, so we can all express our opinions - even when that expression comes in the form of a bared breast! (Look it up, it's been ruled that exposing one's breast as a sign of protest is in fact protected speech.)
Cheerfully,
A True American Patriot
Perhaps they should walk more and lose some weight (with their clothes on)
Friday evening after the march I was enjoying a nice dinner at the Homestead when outside the window I observed a teen boy spit on the sidewalk. Needless to say that I was horrified to see such a display on our public streets. I blame, of course, Senator Gooley for not taking a stand on this kind of obsenity. And I have heard that our school system is allowing groups and activities for teen male spitters--our tax dollars at work. But I really blame the Farmington downtown merchants for not taking a stand against this kind of spitting, and I think we should boycott them. It's only a matter of time until Farmington sees parades of teen male spitters walking down Main Street.
It's just so sad that I can't control everyone's behavior. Farmington would be a better place. Wouldn't it?
accomplished one thing...made fools out of themselves...way to go girls! dont you look smart! haha
In response to "embarressed american" Yes a breast is a normal part of the female anatomy, a penis is a normal part of the male anatomy, so let me guess you think that's o.k. to wave around in public too?
Embarrassed American,
You are certainly free to travel to another country and take your views with you if you are so embarrassed by the majority of other citizens in this country. Canada will love you. Europe, too. In fact, go ahead and move to an Islamic nation and see how your protests are treated there. Or better yet, travel to Tanzania, where Amber Kapiloff just returned from. You'll realize some people have real problems and that working to solve real issues is a much more productive use of time that walking around topless for no other reason than to show off. These topless protesters really should use their excess energies for something that actually matters. That what REAL Americans do. All they'll do is force a law to take their right away, and they'll end up losing the right. The breasts are a sexual/reproductive organ and hopefully our state will follow the other 45 that do not allow sexual/reproductive organs to be exposed in public. I suspect that the majority of TRUE patriots support this law, too, since it is law in a majority of states.
@Angelica - Have you seen the public urinals they have elsewhere in the world? Here's an image (no one is using it in this picture - no worries!) http://farm1.static.flickr.com/139/351207261_c178d40525.jpg
Other places in the world don't make such a big deal about public nudity. I feel that in contrast, the general American public seems horribly immature.
I feel that the tactic of marching topless is in fact shocking, but only if you let yourself be so easily shocked. However, I feel also that the protest is justified. It is still illegal in most of the country for a woman to be outside shirtless, and one of the few ways to try to normalize the situation is to just get people used to it. Again, it's doing literally no harm to anyone, so why do you even care?
Remember, if you really can't stand the sight of a bare breast, you could always move somewhere even more oppressive!
Embarrassed American, or you could move somewhere more liberal. It is interesting that those of us who have conventional morals and values are called immature. The immaturity is in the clueless women so deceived by comtemporary culture that they are willing to trade their dignity for some crass exhibitionism. This is in no way mature. Maturity is respecting others and considering their perspective before your own. To flaunt a "right" that many find offensive in public where we cannot avoid it is selfish to the extreme and immature. Seeing that this march and topless foolishness will only lead to more restrictions is very short-sided and shows a lack of reasoning skills. This is far from maturity. You just don't understand that by walking topless in public, these girls are forcing THEIR beliefs on those of us who don't want to see it. We DO NOT want to to be dragged down to this debased level. You may call it enlightenment- we call it depravity.
and all the area business thrived!!!!!lets do it again the gals looked like they could lose some weight
Embarassed in Farmington,
You nailed it right on the head, even though you didn't mean to. You referred to "comtemporary culture". In doing so you inferred that the contemporary culture endorses or at least condones/permits such activity. Cultures change over time. Just as it was once part of our culture for men to wear full length bathing suits, now it is part of our culture for them to wear much smaller attire. In the Victorian Era, women were to wear corsets and full length gowns, but now the contemporary culture looks at such attire as prudish. If you wish to return to the Victorian Era, that is your choice, but please don't force your standards upon the entire community. .
"majority of TRUE patriots support this law"???
WOW, now it is UN-AMERICAN to be topfree, or even condone top-freedom. So now, Embarassed in Farmington claims to speak not only for the entire Town of Farmington, and the State of Maine, but claims to be able to set standards for patriotism (and eventually citizenship, or even the right to be in this country). With delusions such as this roaming the gray cells within EiF's head, it is difficult to take any statement he/she says with any level of seriousness. Next EiF will be declaring him/herself as the exalted leader of the world. I have some friends in Augusta who can help you.
This is now OLD NEWS. Time to move on.
Some people liked it, some people didn’t, and some of us thought that what happened was no big deal. I enjoyed last Friday because of the carnival like atmosphere; this obviously doesn’t happen everyday. But the truth is that I have mixed feelings about all of it.
To those of you who are offended that such a display would come to Farmington I would offer that we live in an area that was partly settled by rainbow people and is still rumored to have some of the best marijuana growing in the state. Farmington has survived this and other “depravities” and is still a nice place to live.
To those of you who are offended by prudishness and are all about people’s rights to demonstrate topless: I love this town, and a part of that is that we don’t have to deal with adult bookstores, strip clubs and women (and men) soliciting sex on the street. I have enjoyed raising my kids in this environment. I am aware that adult bookstores and strip clubs enjoy protection under the constitution, and I’m not fighting to take away anyone’s rights. I am also mature enough not to be offended or sexually paranoid of such places, but I still do not want them here.
I do not know if Farmington will pass a law about this topless foolishness. It would be interesting if it was put to a vote. I think if it was, I might vote in favor of such a law. But I certainly wish that we could just show respect for each other and just live peacefully. If you want to go topless don’t disrespect those who don’t want to see it. If you don’t want to see someone topless, just look the other way.
Gary,
Just look the other way? The time I saw her she made sure everyone in the barber shop on the other side of the glass got a good look. No one in there liked being put in that position. She was there before any of us knew what happened.
Hypothetical: driving my kids through town to do business. Hey kids close your eyes quick. Wow, what a way to live. No, thanks. I will move first.
But I certainly wish that we could just show respect for each other and just live peacefully.
If you want to go topless don’t disrespect those who don’t want to see it.
If you don’t want to see someone topless, just look the other way.
Hey all of you conservative folks out there, I think you should take your own advise,and find a more worthy cause to donate your time to. 25 females out of how many in Franklin County choose to march, I don't see this as becoming the latest trend. And as far as being worried about your poor kids having to see a breast, they could be seeing alot worse. If it wasn't for the college they would be seeing boarded-up storefronts and homeless people huddeled around a barrelfire in the park, or perhaps their own parents in the welfare line because there were no jobs in town. Were those ladies foolish for marching ,YES, but no more so than you all are for making such a big deal out of it. You are giving them more attention than they could have ever hoped for.