Political Passion From The Topless Ladies

The ladies of The Outdoor Co-ed Topless Pulp Fiction Appreciation Society, being residents of New York City (poor things), are lamenting the passing of summer.

We'll come to that in a minute.

First, the serious stuff.  In a Post on September 11th, entitled "On Modesty", they write:

“One of our old friends returned to New York recently after spending time in Egypt and Turkey and Israel and India. As it happens, she can pass for a native of any or all of the above—in Egypt, Egyptians think at a glance that she’s Egyptian, in Turkey a Turk, and so forth. And so, while travelers from, say, Japan, or lighter-skinned, blonder-haired travelers from the U.S., got a pass, what our friend got was a great deal of unsolicited advice about what she shouldn’t do outdoors. Such as exist, outside the company of a man.

In Egypt in particular it wasn’t advice, it was exhortation: a woman in the street without a man by her side—either father, brother or husband—is any man’s, to do with as he will. And if she makes the mistake of dressing provocatively to boot, she is taking her life in her hands.  (How many rapes per day are there in Cairo? Do you just want the official, reported figure…? How shall we count gang rapes?)

Of course, there is more going on in Cairo right now than attacks on women. But when the revolution passes (and it will, they always do), the plight of women will remain. On the “women’s car” on a train—and, my god, I could just stop there, couldn’t I? that there even is such a thing, in 2013—on the “women’s car” on a train, women covered from head to toe stole curious, eager, wondering glances at the western women, the ones who dared to wear short sleeves, and pants. But only glances, only peeks, and then they returned to their covered-up existence.

Why do we go topless in the park at the end of summer in the middle of New York City, where it is legal and any woman may do so if she wishes?

That’s why.

That’s fucking why.”

No point in my adding anything, except possibly to say that when I visited Egypt in the 80s, it wasn't like that.  Oh well.

****************************************

And now to The Rites Of Autumn - Topless Pulp Fiction-style.

Evidently the Ladies had a party to mark "A Wake For Summer" -

and marked the occasion with an Ode, no less -

“When morn in late September sunlit dawns, 

Presentiments of autumn nowhere seen,

Nor wintry breezes, nor the touch of rain 

That lately has defiled so many days,

And in its stead the warm caress of air 

As temperate and all-embracing as 

At summer’s peak, but with a plangent strain

For well we know its like won’t come again

For many months, we take ourselves outdoors 

And share with friends of vintage old and new 

A draft of vineyard’s fine fermented crop

And orchard’s too, together with a feast

Unmatched in time’s remembrance; yea, we glut

Ourselves on flavors fair and, fairer still, 

The gentle hand of Helios on our all-

Unburdened bodies; 

                 ... thus we meet the end

Of summer’s season with defiant mien.

You say tomorrow beckons, cold and drear,

And well you might; but for today we play

In summer’s final bounty of delight.”

Isn't that just darling?  I'm sure we could find room for their poor, pale bodies here in the Land of Endless Summer....

See the rest of their Blog here.