Charlotte Gillis is a 30-year-old student and mother of two who happens to be passionate about what she believes in—so much so that she got arrested on April 8 for indecent exposure near the corner of Speedway Boulevard and Stone Avenue. Gillis stood topless to challenge indecent-exposure laws that discriminate against women. She’s charged with a misdemeanor classified a sex crime, and she’s facing a pretrial hearing on Friday, May 2, at Tucson City Court. To learn more, check out Gillis’ MySpace page at www.myspace.com/rptlgrl.
What do you want to see happen when you go to trial?
For the court to rule on (my arrest) as unconstitutional. … If they (just) dismiss, then I did all of this for nothing. The arrest will be an arrest on my record; even if there isn’t a conviction, it’s still an arrest, so it still could be a problem for my teaching career. That’s neither here nor there. I knew the risks when I did this.
What are you protesting?
The way the indecent-exposure law is written, it says his or her genitals or anus (cannot be exposed), or if a woman exposes the areola or nipple of her breasts, that is against the law … except for breast-feeding; there is an exception. It is so gender-specific. … We should have laws that apply to everyone equally; isn’t that what equal rights are all about?
Did you go with anyone else to protest?
It was just me. The reason I didn’t have anyone with me is I didn’t want someone who was going to get mouthy with the police or something like that, or who might have been intoxicated or might have had a police record. And, no, I have never been arrested and never had a traffic violation. I knew I could talk to the police in a manner that wouldn’t get me into more trouble.
What did you do that day?
I had a sign that I was holding under my breasts that said, “Breasts are not obscene.” And then I had another sign I was holding up that said, “Equal rights.”
What made you decide to protest?
I talk about this issue all the time … but I never do anything. Something came up, and I said that “vocalism is not activism.” And then I said, “Wait, all I ever do is talk. What have I ever done?”
What happened when you protested?
I understand some calls went out to 911. The complainant is a woman. The victim. It says “victim” on my arrest report. It’s a girl.
Does that mean that they had to go through all those 911 complaints and find someone to press charges against you?
I don’t know. I’m not sure how that works; all I know is that it says “victim.” … I wonder if she feels victimized and feels like calling 911 every time she sees her breasts in the mirror. And she’s younger than me. I think it said she is 24, but it was hard to read the chicken-scratch of the officer. How could a 24-year-old be victimized by a 30-year-old mom’s boobs? Hers are probably much nicer than mine.
For people to react to boobs by calling 911 seems a bit much.
I was raised in a very liberal home, and we would go to hot springs and Native American sweats, and nudity was never an issue. I was never taught to be ashamed or told there was anything weird. To me, it’s always fascinating. Why would you be offended by boobies? I don’t get it. They feed children; they are just there. There’s nothing sexual about breasts in my opinion, not any more than a man’s chest. It probably boils down to insecurity. … It’s really the only thing I can think of.
After the arrest, were you taken to jail?
I did get taken to jail and was in for 18 hours before being released on my own recognizance. Did you know (the jail is) co-ed? It’s called the pit at the Pima County Jail, and it is co-ed. … It was a little intimidating, but I just kept a positive outlook. I knew I was going to be released. … I was actually sitting next to a man who beat the crap out of his wife.
The day of your pre-trial hearing (May 2), you’re going to have a protest at 8 a.m. that same morning. Only women?
I’m hoping for a large group of people, all people. I don’t want this to be a feminist issue. This is a humanist issue.
And women should come with pasties on? Is that what you’re hoping for?
However they are comfortable. I don’t want to encourage anyone else to get arrested. … It would be pointless at this time. I already did that. But pasties or T-shirts that say, “Breasts are not obscene,” or anything that shows solidarity that we are all human beings. Our breasts are all biologically the same. Don’t discriminate because I have a chromosome that is different.
This article appears in Apr 24-30, 2008.
I don’t see breastfeeding women being discriminated against – in fact they got what they wanted at the state level. Bottom line, I don’t want to see your (non-breasfeeding) breasts any more than some guy’s hairy cojones. I would have reported you too.
“What do you want to see happen when you go to trial? For the court to rule on (my arrest) as unconstitutional.” That ain’t gonna happen. The Arizona Court of Appeals has already ruled on “whether Tucson City Ordinance § 11-25.1 violates the state and federal guarantees of equal protection under the law because it prohibits females, but not males, from exposing the nipple and areola regions of their breasts.” The case is City of Tucson v. Wolfe,185 Ariz. 563, 917 P.2d 706 (App. 1995). The court ruled the law was constitutional.
I am supporting Ms. Gillis for the simple reason that anyone who can inspire a blog posting that includes both the phrases “Tucson City Ordinance” and “nipple and areola regions” is Ok in my book.
I wonder do you people really belive that I should be sent to jail and have a sex crime on my record? Is this not excessive? Do you belive there should be laws that discriminate against any group of people? Not wanting to see my breasts and thinking that this should be a crime are not the same thing.
Honestly, how can you equate seeing a man’s hairy testicles to seeing a woman’s breasts? A man’s nipple is no less sexual or potentially offensive than a woman’s. I have seen plenty of man boobs fully exposed that I wish I hadn’t. Am I scarred for life? No. I see plenty of things every day that I disagree with and don’t like, it doesn’t mean I get to make them illegal and force my opinions onto others.
In 1995 the AZ Court of Appeals made a ruling, so we never try to challenge it ever again? That was over 10 years ago. What would our country be like if people had given up on every civil rights appeal that was denied? It is that type of fatalist attitude that keeps people from empowering themselves and making change. We all have the power to help shape our society, we just don’t all have the “hairy cojones”.
Eroticism, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder, it is not universal. Some people are turned on by feet, do we make sandals illegal? Pedophiles are out there, do we not allow children in public? Just because some of the populace can’t separate the female nipple from sex, does that mean women should be arrested and charged with a sex crime? No. Breasts are not obscene.
I’d just like to say that I fully support breast exposure.
Jim–wouldn’t breast exposure, by definition, be unsupported?
Titillation–and no, I honestly don’t intend that to be a pun–depends on context, and I’ve seen enough public nudity (in Europe) to know that ordinary people prancing around in the altogether on a beach, and topless women on billboards, are not much of a turn-on. As with violence, we can quickly become desensitized to nudity; prudishness leads to prurience, but exposure leads to boredom. If women want to go topless, let ’em, and the sooner the better. Then we can quickly get past this issue.
On the other hand, most people, male and female, look a lot better covered up.
What you or I want to see or dont’ want to see does not affect anybody’s rights to simply be. What gives you the right to bring down the civilized violence of the State, just because there’s something you don’t want to see?
Liberty requires that we live peaceably and leave each other alone. Liberty requires that we respect each others right to get it wrong occasionally.
How did Americans come to hte freedom so much?
Charlotte Gillis,
thank you for your encourages action very much!
I am a gender expert from Germany and I am working with male students in seminars to extend there social behavior manifold.
I know Tucson as a visitor since 1988. Many times I monitored there males exposing there naked bodies in public. Many times I disused this with my friends: We all agree upon that this is not right: What is the difference between a male sex nipple and a female sex nipple? Why is the one legal to show and the other not? This is a strange setting for the so called society of the free!
As long straight males are going to be educated to have sexual desire while perceiving pretended female “illegal” body parts and as long this will bring any danger for anybody none of the nipples should be shown in public. As soon society will be healed more from this appearance both should be legal to show and it should be not an issue anymore at all. May be this is a ventured thesis for some of you and I am interested in other opinions very much.
All my respect for your action Ms. Gillis!
I hope everybody will understand my medium-sized English!?
I fully support Charlotte Gillies for her action.I am also of the opinion that exposure of breasts are not obscene.There is nothing sexual about a woman’s breasts or nipple or areola.It is just same as it is in men.Only difference is that in women, breasts provide food for babies.If men can expose his breasts in public, surely then women can expose it in public.Like ‘breasts are not sexual in man’, it is also similarly not sexual in women.So there is no role for breasts in sex or breasts should not be for husband(during sex).Only function of breasts in women is breastfeeding.This function of giving the best food(including all nutrients and antibodies)to her baby(and it also helps bonding between mother and baby very much)can be done very proudly by her.The only needers of breasts are babies.So women can proudly completely expose her breasts in public as very normal.Only problem against this is that breast is considered as a taboo in our society.People should see toplessness in public as normal.So, Chorlotte Gillis, go ahead with your work.
I support absolute gender equality in the law, and this woman’s right to protest this bit of inequality vis-a-vis nipple exposure.
This is, however, a completely vacuous exercise when compared to the gender discrimination against males perpetrated by the current Selective Service Systems registration of only those with testicles. Those without testicles, i.e. with breasts, are not forced to register for conscription. Is this woman, by exposing her breasts, making a statement that she will never be drafted because of her gender???
I welcome comments here abd at davebehrens@gmail.com
If you are going to go around Tucson with your boobs out, be sure to wear sunscreen. This has been a public-service announcement.
How can she be arrested for a “sex crime” when she did not expose her sex organs or conduct a sex act?
That is the point C.S. Larson – the female areola and nipple under the law are just like those good old fashioned sex organs.
The female areola is a sex organ. I know because I “play” them all the time. Beautiful music is made.
Women can orgasm from nipple stimulation. Only some women can. Others are either too sensitive or not sensitive enough. Again, I have tested this. I have repeated my findings. It’s all very scientific.
Studies also show that exposed breasts and nipples cause male to become sexually stimulated. This has been known to disrupt normal social interaction.
Other, very different studies have also proven that some women — and some men! — should keep their stuff covered up. For the aesthetic good of everybody else. Otherwise many perfectly enjoyable days could be ruined by the sight of discolored and distended scrotums, or sagging, stretch-mark-marred mammaries flopping upon the offender’s bulging belly.
We do not need this. The world has enough trouble as it is.
Cover your junk.
The issue is very simple. Both men and women have breasts. References in laws to “female breasts” explicitly acknowledge this medical fact. If a community wants breasts covered in certain situations, then all breasts should be covered in those situations. Any time or place that men publicly bare their torsos, then a community standard is established allowing bare torsos — for everyone. Anything else is pure gender discrimination.
Sexual behavior is a separate issue. It is readily identifiable and can be effectively regulated on its own merits. Singling out any non-genital body part as particularly sexual — for example breasts as opposed to, say, toes or tummies — is pure invention. It has no place in law. The bottom line legally is again straightforward. Punish sexually threatening or aggressive behavior, not the victims of such behavior.
I think that display was merely for attention. There are so many issues that affect woman such as reproductive justice, the glass ceiling, equal pay for the same job, more education opportunities so women can make more informed decisions about their life. The current epidemic unmentioned by the press regarding missing and murdered indigenous woman Ms Gillis did not even think about arranging an attorney for her legal consequences. A big indication of white privilege. People and especially white people expect everything to be provide for them. We do not have that privileged in the world of women of color.
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I think men and women should be treated equally on all aspects. It’s long over due