The sight of men wearing bras or bikini tops hardly causes a ripple in San Francisco anymore, but on Sunday, a group of guys did so for a different purpose - to demand that women be allowed to legally bare their breasts in public.Not because men want to see them, the protesters said. For justice.
"If we're supposed to be equal across the board, then women should be allowed to show their breasts," said Michael Staley, 43, who was topless except for a bustier and a straw hat. "Why can't they? Men can, women should, period."
The San Francisco resident was one of about 14 men and six women who took part in the protest at Justin Herman Plaza. The event was part of the third annual Go Topless Day held in other cities around the country, but this was the first time it was held here.
Some of the men covered their nipples with red tape. One man had a watermelon, which was cut in half and tied together with bungee cords across his chest.
And for women like Angela Oliver, 23, of San Francisco, it was a chance to fully enjoy a warm summer's day.
"We should be able to do everything that men can, and I like my boobs and I like being naked, so here I am," she said. "I don't feel like I'm being sexual right now by being topless. It's completely natural."
The event was organized by the Raelian Movement, which according to its website believes "that life on Earth was the result of scientific creation by an advanced, extraterrestrial human civilization, the Elohim, mistaken for gods in the Bible."
On the GoTopless.org website, the group said those scientists, "both male and female, used their mastery of genetic engineering to create humans in their own image (breasts included)."
People in the United States fear that kids will be traumatized "by seeing boobs around," said Logan Starman, a member of the Raelian Movement and a spokesman for the local protest.
"Nothing can be further from the truth," said Starman, who donned a floral bikini top. "I'm from Europe and children see topless women at the beach all the time and they've never been traumatized by it. Nudity is beautiful."
Oakland's Luna Baron, 45, circulated a petition among the small crowd of spectators.
"There were people who wouldn't sign the petition, but they were happy to stand there taking photographs, which is part of the problem," Baron said. "It's so sensationalized that a woman has her shirt off. It feels good to me just to be out here without my shirt on. I just want this to be normal. I don't want this to be a big deal, especially when it's hot out."
San Francisco police came by to check on the action, but didn't bust anybody for public nudity. In fact, they determined the only disturbance of the peace came from a small band that played music for the demonstrators.
Ann Martinez, a bystander from Hollister, was amused by the sights, but said her husband Nick wasn't about to let her doff the Steve Young 49ers jersey she wore. "He says yes to them, but no to me," she said.
Tourist Mary Kelley said the event would make a fun Facebook moment to share with her friends back in Fresno, where a topless event "might not fly so good."
"If someone wants to do that, that's their prerogative," Kelley said. "But keep it in San Francisco, OK?"
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