The Nantucket Island Gender Equality Act has been approved by the state Attorney General. Now, officially, everyone can go topless on local beaches.
At the annual city meeting in May of this year, residents of Nantucket voted for an amendment to Article 71 “On gender equality on beaches” of the Charter. It was decided: “In order to promote equality of all people, anyone should be allowed to walk topless on any public or private beach within the city of Nantucket.”
However, the office of Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healy officially recognized the amendment only last week.
“We emphasize that our approval in no way implies any lobbying of political views and trends that could lead to the adoption of a by-law,” the Prosecutor General’s Office explained in a letter addressed to the Nantucket City Hall. The limited functionality of the Prosecutor General’s audit requires that the decision be made based solely on the compliance of the amendments with state law, and not on any political views.”
The Attorney General also found that the charter of Nantucket does not contradict two laws of the state of Massachusetts, “which, under certain circumstances, may allow breast exposure.”
Last week, Massachusetts state official Dylan Fernandez, who represents Nantucket in the state legislature, wrote on social networks about his support for the new amendment.
“The beaches of Nantucket have been officially recognized as territories where both men and women are allowed to be topless. This is a victory for gender equality.”
The amendment to the Charter on Gender Equality on Beaches is the first of its kind in the state of Massachusetts. It is currently unclear what kind of picture can be observed on the island’s numerous public and private beaches after the onset of the summer bathing season.
