In some states, it is legal for women to be topless. Yes, this means nothing covering their breasts.

Hawaii, Texas, New York, Maine, Ohio and some parts of California allow women to go bare-chested in public.

But not here. No, not in Illinois. Women must continue to suffer from extreme heat, tan lines and bra discomfort.

Men are able to be topless in public, and some of them are not so appealing, but that’s beside the point. The point is, if this nation is about equality, then where is the equality in top freedom?

“Our basic claim is that women deserve equal rights,” said Paul Rapoport, director of Topfree Equal Rights Association, on the association’s website.

“We do not suggest that women or men should go about with bare breasts,” Rapoport said. “That is every individual’s decision. We do believe that since men may choose to do so in many situations, women must also be able to at least in the same situations without penalty of any kind.”

Think about the possibilities top freedom could provide.

Not only would gender equality be improved, but no more tan lines! Women would be able to sit at the beach and not adjust their bathing suit top every five minutes.

They could cut the grass just like men do–shirtless.

Women could finally participate in shirts vs. skins sports.

There is an endless array of possibilities just waiting for women if only they had the right to be topless.

One argument against top freedom may be that breasts are sexual organs. Well… men also have breast tissue and nipples too. Granted, breasts can be erogenous zones, but if we were to cover up every erogenous zone, then almost the whole body would be covered – including the ears and neck.

Both men and women have chests. Both have breast tissue. Both have nipples. Both have erogenous zones on their chests. Both sweat. However, women have to sweat with a shirt on, and men can sweat with a shirt off.

From the founder of GoTopLess.org, Rael, “As long as men are allowed to be topless in public, women should have the same constitutional right. Or else, men should have to wear something to hide their chests.”

That’s the bottom line- is it not? Either women should have the right to go topless, or everyone should have to cover up. Personally, I’m for the first one.