Phoenix Feeley Public Nudity Case: New Jersey Court Rules Against Bare-Breasted Beach Goer (POLL)

Ladies, consider yourselves warned: You best pack a shirt on your next visit to the Jersey shore.

A New Jersey appeals court considering the case of a Manhattan artist twice arrested for her failure to cover up says that going topless at the state's beaches is a violation of "the public's moral sensibilities," the Star-Ledger reports.

Phoenix Feeley, real name Jill Coccaro, brought the case forward after Spring Lake police arrested her twice in 2008 on charges that she violated a borough ordinance against public nudity.

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"I’m disappointed," said Feeley. "It seems like there’s such a headache over it, but not to be able to reveal my chest when a man can reveal his, it doesn’t make any sense to me. Therefore, I just do it naturally and I pay the consequences later."

Authorities fined Feely $750 for that first offense, according to ThirdAge.

The 31-year-old actually has a history of drawing the collective attention of by-passers, as well as the law. In 2007, New York City awarded the women's rights activist a $29,000 settlement two years after cops arrested her for walking topless through the Lower East Side, according the New York Daily News

Feeley says she intends to bring her current battle to the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

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Should women be allowed to go topless at public beaches?

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Comments

[Thaag Tidestalker]

10:09 AM on 09/24/2011

If men can go topless in public, women should be allowed to as well. (Trust me, we ain't gonna fling off our tops and run through the streets flapping in the wind.)

If women must cover their nipples, so should men. (When I lived in Korea, this was the case. Even the upper nudity of a man is offensive there.)

[Wojo Walter John Deptuch]

09:13 AM on 09/21/2011

here is a video of top free day in NYC
They do it right over there

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHDxY8Hw8aI

[holyghostie]

08:25 PM on 09/19/2011

why should all the boobs be visible only in Trenton?

[cosmiCataclysm]

05:37 PM on 09/19/2011

It's not as if it's universally legal to go topless in Europe. Please don't be intellectually dishonest people.

[Bruce Forbes]

03:25 PM on 09/19/2011

In Maine, it is not illegal for a woman to go topless. Since the t.eapa.rty has taken over Maine, this is one of its few redeeming features.

[Nerdiac]

10:14 PM on 09/17/2011

... aaaand Europe laughs at us yet again.

[Eddie Bryan]

06:44 PM on 09/17/2011

Ever think a woman was coming on to you just to learn it was just your dirty mind. This is my feeling about sun bathing au naturale. I have found nudity healthy and natural for both the body and the mind. Why not just let it be?

[Laxsmi de Potrero]

12:43 PM on 09/17/2011

and what the does the court of appeal think about "jersey shore?"

i guess the prudes in the black dresses don't have any connection to the real world. i mean talk about public morals? didn't realize that new jersey had many left.

[Puro Purepechas]

07:22 AM on 09/17/2011

A topless women "offends the public's moral sensibilities". Is the USA turning into a country like Saudi Arabia? Shouldn't private prison offend public moral sensibilities, or interest rates so high as to be extortion? There are so many more things to offend our moral sensibilities not a woman's breast!

[yoyodyne666]

11:18 PM on 09/17/2011

It comes down to a few men with small willies that want to keep everyone covered up .......

[JustAGurlinSeattle]

11:22 AM on 09/18/2011

Fanned and Faved....

[Samantha Monteleone]

02:45 AM on 09/17/2011

Seriously, lady? Just go to a nude beach.

Gunnison Beach, NJ FTW.

[shane hackett]

03:18 PM on 09/17/2011

Yeah but nude beaches are usually full of wrinkly old people. Who wants to see that? Women go topless at public beaches in Europe all the time. Why should we be any less progressive?

[GaspingForAir]

04:14 PM on 09/16/2011

I think the key is to get past body image and start accepting most personalities are the real issue!

[blueherron4]

03:02 PM on 09/16/2011

With the yes votes so high it must be men doing the votes. They have beaches for that. I would not like my young son if I had one ( he is 22 now ) to see boobs flopping around.

[GaspingForAir]

04:10 PM on 09/16/2011

I'm female and just voted yes. It's a question of equality.

In a country like Norway women regularly swim an sunbath topless. When something is common no one gives a rats arse.

[Ron111]

08:28 PM on 09/16/2011

Equality is deeper than "OMG I want to play football too" or "Why should I have to cover up my boobs?"

There will always be differences. Men and women are not the same, but are ***equal*** citizens. I would focus on the true issues instead of issues like this that are basically "faux" issues... they really don't matter and make the fight for equality look silly. Go fight for equal pay and breaking the glass ceiling at work.


It's like if a big ol hairy dude wore a g-string. Would you want him next to you? I mean come on if we're talking equality.

[grapost]

08:48 AM on 09/19/2011

Hey if you want equality, then sign up for the Military Draft!

[yoyodyne666]

11:15 PM on 09/17/2011

Really, you have a problem with nudity, funny I was born nude and take that personally.

[salesdude]

02:50 PM on 09/16/2011

It's amazing what power a nipples can hold. It's not as if we ALL haven't seen nipples before, now granted some are on bigger foundations than others, but after all, they are at the end of the day just nipples...

But what about the children seeing them you ask? My daughter was quite fond of her mother's not too long ago when she depended on them for her meals.

But what about creepy men leering? The fact that viewing them excites many of us doesn't matter either since other men love beautiful legs and no one [with any sense] is calling for the outlawing of women exposing their legs.

When will we ever grow up?

[justin7122]

04:03 PM on 09/16/2011

Totally agree

[mad world]

02:46 PM on 09/16/2011

She has every right to want to stand around topless in public. It might not be very wise, but at least it's not my t!ts on display.

[VashS5]

05:46 PM on 09/16/2011

Yaybies should be for EVERYONE! LET THEM FREE!

[alettaflowers4u]

02:37 PM on 09/16/2011

Well, I see the issue and think there should be fairness....Fairness being that men should have to wear shirts too.....Many times men go shirtless at the dinner table or out in public, and it is not always attractive....plus....seeing the burly underarm pits isn't exactly by cup of tea especially if they are all sweaty and stinking....but men don't pay much mind to the thoughts of how other people view their nakedness. Personally...I don't want to be sitting next to a naked person at dinner, unless we are both naked and planned it that way.... As for the beach....I think the same should apply....although we've become used to the idea....but what about the less attractive that won't take off their shirt and feels shame for whatever reason....would it not be a good idea to help those who lack the self esteem....and feel less than perfect...unfortuneately, not all people are confortable with being half naked....Rather make everyone cover up some...that way those less fortuneate, won't feel so left out....less worthy, and left embarrassed. What would it hurt for you not to show your nipples....you can still show your arms.....lol.....but there are many people who are suffering....maybe they can't work out.

[jetjocki]

05:51 PM on 09/16/2011

Excuse me, but I really don't like that dress that woman over there is wearing.

PLEASE, will somebody make her cover up so I don't have to look at it.

[Nerdiac]

10:16 PM on 09/17/2011

Couldn't agree more! Men need to keep their shirts on, unless they have 6 packs and trimmed armpits. But since that won't be written into law, just SHIRTS FOR ALL.