Book club publicizes NYC's topless law

A topless book club is urging readers to burn their bras, but not their books.

NYC's Outdoor Co-Ed Topless Pulp Fiction Club meets regularly in public parks and has about 60 members, ages 18-45.

The members, who are mainly women, say the club appropriately publicizes NYC's law that allows women to be topless in public.

The club has been around for a few years now, but one member says they still get mixed reactions from the public.

"Often times we get concern from older women who say, ‘what are you doing is that okay?’," said one member, Tiana, "Then, with guys, they kinda take pictures or nod or guys get really up in our space."

The club meets year-round, moving in-doors as the weather gets cooler.

This isn’t the only group that’s promoting women’s rights to be topless. In Times Square, there are topless performers with red, white, and blue body paint going around taking pictures with tourists for money.

Now, because they receive money, critics have said topless panhandling is inappropriate. But Tiana, advocate for women's rights, has a different outlook.

"I respect their right to topless panhandle. The Naked Cowboy has been topless panhandling for a decade and no one said anything. So it’s their right and it’s different and I just think there should be less of a stigma and fewer issues around women taking their shirts off because it’s not a big deal," Tiana stated.

If you're interested in some al-fresco reading, you can go to the club's website at www.coedtoplesspulpfiction.wordpress.com