Topless sunbathing

As a parent of two children in the UK, the last thing I want is to dictate to other adults about how they should bring up their own kids but it fascinates me how someone can post an article in a Dominican Hotel Forum (not this one) which is listed below. Surely, during their upbringing, your own kids actually (shock-horror!!) see you without your clothes on. Maybe, by some innocent accident your own children come to realise that Mom has breasts. Why then should someone actually avoid going to a Resort where other women are seen to have breasts? What is the problem? Most people say that after a few days they don't even notice so why go through your life being shocked and horrified about those who find it convenient to go topless and, moreover, what damage does it do to the children's minds?

Extract of article in Forum:
"The only thing that people should realize is that there is topless sunbathing. We were not warned, (through AAA) and we have children of the age that could be really uncomfortable. (15,14 & 10) We did regroup after the initial shock and tried to ignore it. And, like I say we were almost glad that we weren't warned because we might have cancelled our trip."

REGROUP? Sounds like a battle situation! For the first time in their lives the kids must have discovered that whilst Mom wasn't prepared to walk around topless, many others wished to. What a culture shock! Never mind, one day they might travel beyond the bounds of their parents apparent disgust to discover that it is totally acceptable in most other countries outside the USA, and that their vacations should not have been decided upon whether women feel inclined to go topless or not.

For those who feel that it is objectionable, let me say this. I have known many women, all of whom are respectable ladies. Every one of them has preferred to go topless and never have I detected the slightest objection from others. In Europe it is the norm and yet those same kids who are held in that 'regroup' are brought up to accept guns which kill, but not topless women.
Where is the sense in this?

Bob...remember the old axiom "when in Rome," etc??
Respectable (and less-than respectable) Dominican females do not go topless; in fact, young girls there frequently wear a t-shirt OVER a swimsuit when on the beach. Cannot we, as thoughtful and respectful visitors, honor this tradition? There are ample opportunities when on private vessels, deserted beaches, or ones own sundeck to shed the shirt if that is a woman's wish. Let's not even GO near the fact that nearly all topless sunbathing is done for the express purpose of garnering the male reaction, and not for a woman's own gratification.(Read: sunburned nipples...ouch!)
So, if you and yours (or me and mine) are comfortable with upper-body nudity, go for it! But please don't try to change an old, established custom for the week or two that you visit.
IMHO
Regards,
WBD

I generally wear shorts over a one piece when I'm at the beaches in the DR, as that's the end that seems to be objectionable. But yes, I've noticed t-shirts too. I think it depends on the beach you're at and who you're with as to what you wear or don't wear.

WBD

Thank you for your response. I fully accept what you say and would not wish to offend local tradition.
If I was a woman, I would check the local acceptable conditions before I visited the DR to ensure that my 'dress' was acceptable.
My dispute was not so much about local acceptance, more about general acceptance, and to that end I still maintain that in many areas of the civilized World we should 'live and let live'.
In other words, if a country has tourists which go topless (and it is very common in the West) we should accept it without resorting to utter shock and horror, as if it might corrupt our children. Maybe American people adopt the same principles as the folks in the DR. So be it, but what I have difficulty getting my head around is the fact that there are far more life-threatening habits which Americans indulge in and accept as 'normal' and yet they feel they have to 'regroup' to accept topless women.
My children have never seen a gun in their lives. I hope and pray that they never do but, please, if a country can accept that every citizen can walk around with an instrument which can kill, and feel comfortable about that fact, how in God's name can they go on vacation and have to 'regroup' to discuss the 'shock and horror' of seeing a woman topless?
Maybe, in retrospect, this Forum is the wrong place to discuss such matters.

Bob,
what does being american have to do with seeing guns? Guns are not bare titties. you can't compare apples to oranges. It is a matter of children seeing things they shouldn't see until they have grown up. Guns have nothing to do with this situation. All of us "yanks" don't carry guns Bob. But if we choose to it is no concern of you brits. Since we beat you brits 220 years ago and bailed you out of 2 world wars, you should be more thankful to us and a little less critical of us. Remember, without us you would be speaking german right now.

sincerly yours,

EL RUBIO

EL RUBIO

Oh, thank you for your kind and considerate remarks! I will not stoop so low as to respond to your inaccurate facts about 'bailing out'. In the UK we always maintained that we fought together but, if it makes you happy, you saved the World. Yes, the USA is a saviour of all. It has the finest army, navy and airforce and can move in to resolve any issue, anywhere.
Pity you don't make movies which tell the truth! Even our own history has been distorted from the truth by producers who choose to favour fiction from fact. My God, our History goes back far beyond your 200 years of minimal existence and at least we know how to elect a leader!

QUOTE " It is a matter of children seeing things they shouldn't see until they are grown up" END QUOTE..

So your philosophy is that children should be denied of the fact that all female species have breasts and in this 'pretend world' both male and female are equal? A bit like Santa Claus hey? Wonderful! And in doing this they realise over time that this is a fantasy? Wonderful! So, deny a child the fact that it's Mother doesn't have breasts and, somehow, by hiding away basic human facts of life, you bring up children to believe that bare 'titties' as you describe them are 'things they shouldn't see'? No wonder they need 'regrouping'! It defies all that you have taught them!
If you could only accept that 'titties' are parts of human anatomy which both male and female are born with, perhaps you could overcome this inhibition. Never mind, if you have such distorted views about History, what chance have you got to even begin to accept natural physiology?

If one is so concered about nudity,go to disneyland with your kids!

One would be hard pressed to find two countries that shared a mutual appreciation than that of the US and UK 9With the exception of that little misunderstanding back in 1776), but to deny the US it's true place in deciding World affairs (be they right or wrong) is completey blind.

If it were not for those "4 stackers" and P-40's in WW II, I fear it would have been too late to save England from Hitler.

I would never denounce some of the finest fighting men in the World (Brit Royal Marines, SBS, SAS) but the unfortunate inability to sustain anything short of a quick strike (Falklands, which IMHO the Argentinians would have won had they not hauled their Mirages and Super Entendardes back to Port Stanley)places England in a quandry when facing a large nation with much greater rresources such as Germany and Italy.

All in all, there are no two nations more allied than the States and Isles

Tom

Bob...I agree that shock and horror and regrouping were very poor choices of verbage. As far as live and let live; as a child of the 60's, I say Right ON! But I think you'll agree that a child's acceptance of and comfort with nudity are best taught at home, at least to start. A sun/sand resort where alcohol and merengue are such a big part of the day is probably not the best place for their education to proceed, IMO. Instead, take your kids out of the resort and visit the batey; let them interact with local kids and maybe spark some lifelong interests and humanitarian concerns! (You might see nudity there, too; the little ones run naked if there isn't enough $ to clothe them.)
Re: the gun issue...you won't find any Charlton Heston sticker on my car!! But if the thought of firearms bothers you, the RD may not be your oyster in all seriousness. The military and local police all sport large weapons from huge shotguns to automatic rifles and handguns, and many are not old enough to have facial hair. Also, in Santo Domingo and other towns of any size you will see a large number of men carrying poorly-concealed handguns. Whether they carry for a reason or simply for machismo, I don't know, but there you are.
And this board is a GREAT place for these dialogues; read the archives and you'll get quite an education on the RD as well as more than a few laughs.
Regards, WBD

Did you know that the USA has the highest percentage rape in the world? That's because children are not exposed to the natural
look of the human body, and when grown up, they need to see,
feel, touch etc. And because sex/magazines and flesh exposure
in the USA is a sin, rape is the only alternative. There is
NOTHING more natural than our naked body and our feel for sex.
And if you are from the USA, GOD gave it to us all to use, not
to hide. You just can't stop this natural feeling! what's wrong with you??