Nantucket Island Authority Allows Topless Tourists on Beaches

JAKARTA - It is now legal for male and female tourists to go bare-chested on the beaches of Nantucket Island, a popular offshore tourist destination, which includes the State of Massachusetts, United States of America.

Earlier this year, a locally led “Gender Equality at the Beach” campaign proposed amendments to regulations that would legalize anyone of any gender to be naked from the waist up while on the island's beaches.

Although Nantucket voters voted yes to the proposed law in May, the decision became official when Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey approved it on December 6.

Under the previous law, women could be fined $300 and face up to three years in prison if caught topless on the island.

In documents issued by his office, Attorney General Healey said the Nantucket decision may be controversial, but does not conflict with any state law.

"We approve a City vote allowing anyone to be shirtless on any public or private beach in Nantucket, as we see no conflict between the vote and the Constitution or Commonwealth laws. The City has the power to choose what activities to allow city ​​beach," he wrote.

Attorney General Healey added that the American Civil Liberties Union had sent a letter in support of the law.

It is known that public nudity, particularly on beaches, is still debated in many parts of the United States.

In 2021, British swimwear brand Pour Moi created a map showing the different rules around topless and/or nude sunbathing in different states of Uncle Sam.

Massachusetts is categorized as a place where "public nudity is deemed unacceptable, but there are unofficial nudist beaches or reports that topless sunbathing is permitted in certain locations."

Nantucket, which has an area of ​​105 square miles off the coast of Cape Cod, is one of the most popular summer travel destinations in the US.

Musician Carly Simon, Google executive Eric Schmidt and reality star Kourtney Kardashian are some of the celebrities who are reported to have homes on the island.