Colorado Woman Wins Fight to Continue Topless Gardening Work
Catharine Pierce has won a fight to continue topless gardening work, wearing only a yellow thong and pink gloves.
The Colorado woman had been feuding with her landlords, who wanted her to cover up. But now Boulder Housing Partners officials are backing off their plans to change the rules in the Foothills Community, prohibiting residents from being topless when they're outside their homes, DailyCamera.com reports.
Catherine Pierce, 52, and her husband Robert caused neighbors and passers-by to complain and call police about their nearly naked bodies.
Catherine was seen topless tending to her garden down the street from a school and in front of a busy road wearing only a yellow thong and pink gloves.
Although it is not illegal for women to be topless in Boulder, Boulder housing authority officials threatened to make the public display of female breasts against the rules for the Foothills affordable-housing community. In addition, they threatened to evict Pierce and her husband.
However, the city council recently approved a law banning public nudity in Boulder -- which continues to exempt female toplessness. This was apparently enough to convince those housing officials to drop the matter.
Though it won't ban topless gardening, the city's new anti-nudity law does give police a new charge against people over 10 who show their genitals in public (though violators of the new law won't have to register as sex offenders).
The Boulder branch of the American Civil Liberties Union says the ordinance is a war on fun at annual events including the World Naked Bike Ride and the Naked Pumpkin Run.
But, the Pierces' said they support the nudity ordinance and are pleased with the housing authority's decision.
- Boulder City Council could defer to state lawmakers on public nudity (Dailycamera.com)
- Nudity ordinance a war on fun in Boulder, says ACLU (Westword.com)
- Naked Guy found Not Guilty of Breaking Indecent Exposure Law (FindLaw)
- Classifications of Crimes (provided by The Law Offices of Judith Wayne & Associates)