Transgender Women Go Topless At Delaware Beach

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. (Associated Press) -- Rehoboth Beach in Delaware isn't a topless beach - but a few transgender women caused a stir by treating it like one. Police say passers-by complained after several individuals removed their tops and revealed their surgically enhanced breasts over Memorial Day weekend. A lifeguard asked them to put their tops back on. They initially refused, but covered up before police arrived.

Even if they hadn't, though, Police Chief Keith Banks notes the group was doing nothing illegal. Since they have male genitalia, they can't be charged with indecent exposure for showing their breasts. Banks says there's no need for a specific law to address the issue.

Rehoboth Beach commissioner Kathy McGuiness isn't so sure. She says the matter will be discussed at a town hall meeting next week.

___

Information from: The (Wilmington, Del.) News Journal, http://www.delawareonline.com

Editor's note: References in this story to "transgender men" have been switched to "transgender women" because the subjects prefer to be identified as women. The original wire story did not reflect that.

Comments

[braillecat]

09:23 PM on 06/08/2010

i would rather see men with implants that look nice than ulgly fat men with men boobs.

[blickblocks]

11:19 AM on 06/08/2010

To everyone hemming and hawing about validity of trans women's identities, the people in question in the article are trans MEN. As in female-to-male trans people.

By "surgically enhanced" they mean "surgically removed". These guys were just doing their thing, being on the beach without a top on like most men on a beach, when the cops wanted to hassle them.

[CmdrTomalak]

01:41 PM on 06/08/2010

That 'fact' has been debated several times throughout the course of this discussion. All of the articles in question are poorly worded and thus have caused a lot of confusion. The consensus has been however, that in all likelihood these are trans-women.

If 'surgically enhanced' breasts meant 'surgically removed' breasts, why would anyone even make it an issue?

By suggesting the article meant otherwise, then you're basically agreeing with most people here; the article is poorly written.

If there's ever a follow-up to this story, everyone hopes clarification with come with it.

[nichotal]

08:03 AM on 06/09/2010

You really don't know how to read, they had surgically enhanced breasts, and still have a penis, these people are trans women (Male to Female) not trans men, I know this for a fact as a Trans Man (Female to Male) myself.

I have never seen a single case of what your suggesting considering most trans guys who have had top surgery their scars aren't that noticeable and if they are can be written of as any other type of surgery involving the chest wall.

[kinogod]

07:54 AM on 06/08/2010

Take it off, take it all off.

[dben]

04:34 PM on 06/07/2010

FIRST of all, "transgendered women" is an oxymoron.

SECOND, these "transgendered women" should be glad they were unironically percieved as biological women and treated as such. Isn't that what they wanted in the first place? Wasn't that the entire point?!

THIRD, this is what being a woman in means. It's not running through a field of daisies in a feminine hygience commercial. If these men want to be "women" they need to deal with what being "women" in patriarchy means.

Aren't "transitioning" people required to undergo lengthy psychological/psychiatric evaluation to ensure they understand all aspects of what a gender change means? This is so typical of those who "transition" - subconsciously expecting a customary level of privilege from a society that treats some people (i.e. women) very, very differently. You're second-class humans now guys. Deal with that.

FOURTH, calling them "women" is like calling Michael Jackson "white"

[CmdrTomalak]

09:10 PM on 06/07/2010

Awesome!!! Un-fanned!!!

[invirginia]

02:47 PM on 06/07/2010

You go girls! Why is a pen!s a requirement for going topless? Our society is ridiculous.

[dancucich]

01:35 AM on 06/08/2010

"Our society is ridiculous. "

-------------------------------------------------
no doubt the feeling between you and our society is mutual.

[Douglas Campbell]

03:02 AM on 06/13/2010

why are there so many full frontal women in R rated movies and so few men?

[SukiTheCat]

10:03 AM on 06/07/2010

if women aren't allowed to expose their breasts, then these transgendered individuals should not be able too as well...since they want to be considered women, they should have to follow the same rules

[invirginia]

02:48 PM on 06/07/2010

They don't want to "be considered" women -- they are women in gender. And why should there be a rule against women going topless at a beach and not men?

[dancucich]

07:03 PM on 06/07/2010

"They don't want to "be considered" women -- they are women
why should there be a rule against women going topless at a beach
and not men? "
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I support women having the same right as men to take off their top at the beach, .
breasts are not sex organs

However, to say anyone who "feels" or "believes" themself to be a woman, (when they are in a male body) should have a legal right to be considered a woman is absurd.

Such a subjective definition would allow any man to proclaim himself a woman based on how he "feels".

*He* would then he would be free to invade the privacy of women
in sensitive areas, and also demand to be on a womens sports team
in college and demand to receive certain governmental perks
such as govenment help for women (considered minority) owned businesses.

I can't believe someare so dense they cannot (or refuse to )\see the obvious potential for widespread abuse-if just "feeling" and believing one is a "woman" is all that
is necessary to be legally afforeded the privileges and rights afforded to woman only.

fortunately this idea is going nowhere fast,

what thecity should do if their constituents cannot deal with female
breasts on the beach, is rewrite the ordinance to ban women and also "transgendered" men from expoixng their breasts-and let the PV crowd take it to the
Supreme Court" where it will receive the
summary rejection such a frivolous complaint deserves.

[dancucich]

08:53 PM on 06/07/2010

"they are women in gender. "
-----------------------------------------
lets examine that statement:

1. They have male genitalia.

2. male Chromosmes.

3.they haven o uterus

4. They have No cervix

5. They have no ovaries.

6. They have No menstrual cycle (or menopause)

yet they are "women" ??

Why?

(because they say so, and because they "feel" like "women trapped in men's bodies".)

by that criteria any man can insist upon access to womens' facilites, womens' colleges,womens sports teams you name it.

You make the case for a genderless society and coed public facilities

[dancucich]

03:05 AM on 06/07/2010

."Each person has the right to call themselves whichever gender
they choose to be.
A man is someone living as a man.
A woman is someone living as a woman '
-----------------------------------------------
yes, they can call themselves anything they like.

But to live as a woman, means going into places where women
have a reasonable expectation of privacy from men.

So are you saying that anyone who exercises their right "
to "call themselves" a woman -despite being in a male body-
can enter these places such as women;s fitting rooms.
, public restrooms, where women who were a in fact born into
female bodies may feel terribly uncomfortable and threatened???

Keep in mind that most male bodies are quite frequently
considerably larger and taller and more muscular than female bodies

so when a women is a public restroom or locker room,
and in walks some much larger person "imprisoned" in a male body,
who then proceeds to expose "her" penis, the women would be wrong
to feel intimidated or object????

I hope you are not serious. Because if your definition is
what it seems, then anyone who feels and chooses to call
themselves a woman, IS a woman.

Do you realize how subject to abuse such a *subjective*
definition of "woman" really is????

[CreativeKitty]

03:28 AM on 06/07/2010

yes, and thats why this is a complicated issue.
And until a transsexual has had their genital surgery, they should not try to join a female only health club. And IF they are respectful of others, they may have to find an unoccupied bathroom.

But if a transsexual has had her surgery, and her legal id, drivers license, changed to female in the court of law, then she has the right to go into a womens dressing room. Thats the law.
And if that makes you uncomfortable, thats your problem

And yes, I DO accept anyone who chooses to live as a woman as a woman. And I accept anyone
who is living as a man as a man.
Because thats my choice. I do not judge people.
We are all human beings, And I won't discriminate against transsexuals because I don't have any desire to discriminate against transsexuals, if they have had their genital surgery, or not.

But it seems you feel a strong need to judge people who are different, like transsexuals.
And you obviously feel very uncomfortable around them if they look like a man. But that
is your problem to figure out, not mine

[dancucich]

07:11 PM on 06/07/2010

"yes, and thats why this is a complicated issue.
And until a transsexual has had their genital surgery, they should not try to join a female only health club."
------------------------------------------------------------------
====that's correct, and that is all I am saying===

------------------------------------------------------------------------

"you obviously feel very uncomfortable around them if they look like a man. But that
is your problem to figure out, not mine"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

===Sorry its your (and their) problem-you are the ones unhappy with the law.
Unfortunately for folks like you who make decisions based on "feelings" and subjectivity, most laws are not solely based on how anyone "feels" they are based on objective criteria,that allows a consistent application based on something objective-not how someone "feels" or how you think somone feels.
fortunately the law is on the side of people with common sense...I know that makes you unhappy,

"But that is your problem to figure out, not mine "===

[joannmp]

05:39 PM on 06/07/2010

Privacy in a restroom is at the stall level. That being said, I would not expect pre-op or non-op trans women to have unlimited access to non-private women's showers or locker rooms where genital exposure is unavoidable without a "reasonable accommodation." Reasonable access can be had by way of time-slicing or providing some privacy.

Trans people should have reasonable and dignified acess to bathrooms and locker rooms just like other people.

It's one thing to object to an exposed penis, and quite another to object to someone who just looks a little odd.

[dancucich]

08:46 PM on 06/07/2010

"Privacy in a restroom is at the stall level."

--------------------------------------------------------------
in which case there is no reason to have separate restrooms
or lockers rooms for men and women.

[MISTERUNCONVENTIONAL]

12:38 AM on 06/07/2010

"Revenge of the Man-Boobs!"

[dancucich]

02:46 AM on 06/07/2010

Revenge of the Man-Boobs!"
----------------------------------------------
boobs in more ways than one.

[Cassandrawept]

12:26 AM on 06/07/2010

I really have doubt about women exposing their breasts to the sun.And if you are using hormones to develop your breasts or nipple area, male or not, you probably shouldn't be exposing them to the sun either.

[CubfanBudman]

12:12 AM on 06/07/2010

Conservatives don't want the Government telling anyone what to do.

Conservatives want the Government to tell these people what to do.

I might consider believing in their philosophy if THEY believed in their philosophy.

[CreativeKitty]

12:36 AM on 06/07/2010

ha! The Never ending non-philosophies of the right! Were here to talk about the Right to Keep and Bear Beasts!

[dancucich]

01:09 AM on 06/07/2010

Conservatives don't want the Government telling anyone what to do.

Conservatives want the Government to tell these people what to do.

I might consider believing in their philosophy if THEY believed in their philosophy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am not a conservative on most issues. And I think women should have the right to go topless on the beach or at a swimming pool.

But, I am totally opposed to legally accepting these men
as women when they clearly have not made the full transition
and are still in possession of an intact penis.

I think allowing them into the ladies room would be very unfair
discomfiting and offensive to most women.

If they want to go out for the women's team, they have to make the cut.

[invirginia]

02:49 PM on 06/07/2010

Hear ! Hear! Indeed!

[CubfanBudman]

12:09 AM on 06/07/2010

"Don't Tread on Me"

[cbvani]

11:47 PM on 06/06/2010

The sexualization of breasts is stupid. 1. It leads to things like this. 2. It means the really nice breasts are covered up.

[Indra]

11:36 PM on 06/06/2010

Gee that is going to confuse a lot of people.

[CreativeKitty]

12:44 AM on 06/07/2010

Transexual women have their facial hair and chest hair removed by laser or painful electrolysis. Transsexual women start taking estrogen to soften their skin. Transsexual Women may choose to get breast implants. Then they save up the $30,000 or so for their genital surgery (BUT, IF they go to Thailand or South America, Its around $18,000 plus air fare.)

Then, hopefully, they can just get on with living their lives, like the rest of us!

[dancucich]

01:32 AM on 06/07/2010

"Transsexual Women may choose to get breast implants. Then they save up the $30,000 or so for their genital surgery (BUT, IF they go to Thailand or South America, Its around $18,000 plus air fare.)"
---------------------------------------------------------
maam, women dont need genital surgery-unles they
have been injured, or suffer foimr cancer, etc.

Men who aspire to be women *do need to have their penis
inverted or removed.

Incredibly. these men who are protesting because they are not recognized as women
when it fact they are *not* women. (unless ome hasa deranged definition of "women" that contradicts medical sciece and genetics

it seems only fair and reasonable that if they are sincere about wanting to *become*
women, then they need to deal with the intact male genitalia-before demanding to be legally considered women.

[IfIonlyknew]

11:35 PM on 06/06/2010

This is outrageous.....definitely the most humorous story today.

[invirginia]

02:55 PM on 06/07/2010

Humorous from the point that the local police and mayor are so befuddled at what to do.

[cjm1000]

11:19 PM on 06/06/2010

LOL... this is just funny. I love it!!