CITY TO LIFEGUARDS: Lifeguards in Ocean City are expected to have their eyes on the ocean, as the safety of our swimmers is their first priority
Attorney General says tough titty to a babe who wanted to bare boobs on the beach!
Ocean City Receives Advice Letter from Attorney General on Matter of Toplessness
Ocean City, Maryland – (June 15, 2017): The Worcester County State’s Attorney has received a letter of advice from the Office of the Attorney General about the application of Maryland’s indecent exposure law. The letter, which was requested when the Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office received a request from a woman who believed it was her constitutional right to be bare-chested on Ocean City’s beach, states that “it is our view that Maryland courts would hold that prohibiting women from exposing their breast in public while allowing men to do so under the same circumstances does not violate the Federal or State Constitution.
Ocean City officials, who passed an emergency ordinance on Saturday, June 10, to prevent female toplessness in public areas, were delighted about the letter. “We are pleased to see the Attorney General’s Office has advised that prohibiting topless women sunbathing is not a violation of equal protection,” commented Mayor Rick Meehan. “We have a responsibility to protect the rights of thousands of families who visit our beach and Boardwalk each summer season, and the letter of advice agreed with our position.”
Also satisfied with the advice was Worcester County States Attorney Beau Oglesby. “The Office of The Attorney General has provided me with a well-reasoned and comprehensive analysis of this legal question,” commented Oglesby. “This issue has statewide implications and unfortunately has created division and unrest in our community during our busiest time of the year. Individuals on both sides hold passionate and sincere beliefs in their positions. However, having reviewed and considered the Advice Letter, I agree with its conclusions. My Office will continue to work with the Ocean City Police Department and the Town of Ocean City as this issue develops further.”
The advice letter mentions numerous court findings where the constitutionality of indecency statutes applied to topless women, but not men, on the grounds that there are “real physical differences” between men and women. Further, it noted (United States v. Biocic) “the important government interest is the widely recognized one of protecting the moral sensibilities of that substantial segment of society that still does not want to be exposed willy-nilly to public displays of various portions of their fellow citizens’ anatomies that traditionally in this society have been regarded as erogenous zones. These still include (whether justifiably or not in the eyes of all) the female, but not the male, breast.
MAYOR: Ocean City Is Not a Topless Beach & Will Not Become A Topless Beach
RESORT TOWN IN A TITTY TWISTER AS BARE BOOB ADVOCATE STIRS EMOTIONS
EMERGENCY SESSION OF TOWN COUNCIL BANS BARE BOOBS; VOWS TO KEEP RESORT COVERED
STAY ABREAST OF TITILLATING DEVELOPMENTS – CHECK BACK OFTEN!
Ocean City Council Passes Emergency Ordinance While Awaiting Attorney General Opinion
Ocean City, Maryland – (June 10, 2017): While the Worcester County States’ Attorney waits for an opinion from the Maryland Attorney General’s Office, the Ocean City Council has passed local legislation after a woman expressed her desire to be bare-chested on Ocean City’s beach. The woman, an advocate to “normalize bare-chestedness,” believes it is her constitutional right to equal protection to be bare-chested in public.
Ocean City officials disagree. The Council met on Saturday, June 10, to pass an emergency ordinance that prohibits offenses involving public nudity or those in a state of nudity. The ordinance states “there is no constitutional right for an individual to appear in public nude or in a state of nudity. Whatever personal right one has to be nude or in a state of nudity that right becomes subject to government interest and regulation when one seeks to exercise it in public.”
Further, the ordinance reads, “equal protection clause does not demand that things that are different in fact be treated the same in law, nor that a government pretend there are no physiological differences between men and women.”
The council voted unanimously in favor of the emergency ordinance.
CITY TO LIFEGUARDS: Lifeguards in Ocean City are expected to have their eyes on the ocean, as the safety of our swimmers is their first priority.
Ocean City, Maryland – (June 9, 2017): PUBLIC MEETING SET FOR HIGH NOON ON JUNE 1O AT CITY HALL
Despite many reports and social media posts, the Town of Ocean City is not a topless beach and will not become a topless beach, town officials pledge. The intent of the policy that is being reported on was strictly for our Beach Patrol employees. Lifeguards in Ocean City are expected to have their eyes on the ocean, as the safety of our swimmers is their first priority. The town’s police department, on the other hand, will respond to calls from the Beach Patrol and complaints from our beach patrons, should any activity of toplessness occur.
“While we respect Ms. Covington’s desire to express what rights she believes she may have, Ocean City is a family resort and we intend to do whatever is within our ability to also protect the rights of those families that visit us each year.”
“The Mayor and City Council are unanimously opposed to women being topless on our beach or in any public area in Ocean City,” stated Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan. “While we respect Ms. Covington’s desire to express what rights she believes she may have, Ocean City is a family resort and we intend to do whatever is within our ability to also protect the rights of those families that visit us each year.”
This matter was brought to the town’s attention when the Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office received a request from a woman, Chelsea Covington, who believed it was her constitutional right to be bare-chested on Ocean City’s beach. At that time, the State’s Attorney reached out to the Maryland Attorney General’s Office for an opinion on the matter, which the Town of Ocean City is still anxiously awaiting.