21/09/2016

Press Release: Free the Nipple Auckland

Free the Nipple Auckland is organising a public event on the 4th of December starting at11am in Albert Park. We will then march to the bottom of Queen St and back to Albert park to talk and entertain ourselves. We recognise that this march takes place on the land of the local Tangata Whenua, and that censorship was forced upon the greatly more egalitarian traditional Māori culture via colonisation. The march demands equal rights for all genders in both legal and social realities. While it may be legal for people with breasts to go topless in New Zealand, it is illegal in many places around the world and in some countries is very dangerous for anyone who tries it. Free the Nipple Auckland aims to bring awareness to these issues and to normalise/desexualise the female nipple. Currently the only place people are introduced to female nipples are in sexual environments: hollywood sex scenes, porn, strip clubs, and their intimate partner. The result is people often feel uncomfortable revealing their breasts and bodies outside of these sexual settings, while others feel sexually entitled to their breasts and bodies. This has flow on effects into domestic violence and creates stigma against breast feeding mothers in public. Free the Nipple demands social media organisations such as Facebook and Instagram, and wider media producers such as TVNZ, change their content rules and regulations so as not to censor bare breasts. We also call on the government, private sector, and society at large to provide support for breast feeding in public.

On Thursday the 15th of September Newshub published an article covering our upcoming event. While we greatly appreicate the coverage, the lack of communication with Free the Nipple Auckland has meant the event has become misrepresented. The article includes the trailer for the Free the Nipple documentary, however the still image in place before the trailer runs is not associated with Free the Nipple Auckland. It depicts middle aged men taking photographs of topless women at some sort of public event. The image and the comments section of the article’s Facebook post proves the inequality that currently exists between genders in New Zealand. Free the Nipple Auckland is not an exhibitionist event and does not support the wider porn industry; we are seeking to provide a safe and comfortable environment where people are free to express themselves, and not for the benefit of anyone else. New Zealand is a multi-cultural society and people express their rights in a wide variety of cultures and ways, Free the Nipple Auckland does not require anyone to attend the event topless and welcomes everyone in any form of dress.

We welcome any and all people to attend our event on the 4th of December, feel free to bring along any banners or share any messages that align with our movement. The only requirement for participation is that you support the progression of human rights around the world.

Written by Andrew Rose for Free the Nipple Auckland

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