France has long been known for its custom of topless sunbathing. It’s not as frequent anymore and Morwenna Ferrier looked into why:

• Concerns about skin cancer have made the activity seem less appealing.
• Going topless used to be seen as a sign of class and female liberalization. These days however with mainstream culture increasingly “pornified” it seems less innocent.
• Sunbathers also have to deal with photos of them being immortalized on the internet through social media.
• Breasts have, in some cases, become political statements. The group Femen uses them to attract attention to various causes, and this can make stripping on the beach seem like a political statement.
• And then there’s the lure of traditional romance. One writer notes that covering up “makes uncovering them for a lover more interesting”

Read more about the countries where topless sunbathing is still popular, what French commentators have to say, and why gravity is a significant concern over here.

Source: The Guardian