“The Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office received a request last summer from a woman 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 we are still anxiously awaiting. The Mayor & City Council are strongly opposed to this idea and are taking the matter very seriously by exploring what legal actions can be taken to prevent this from happening. While we respect Ms. Covington’s desire to express what rights she may have, Ocean City is a family beach resort and we intend to do whatever is within our ability to keep it that way.”
There was a request to the Worcester County States Attorney last summer by a woman who believes it is her constitutional right to be on Ocean City’s beach without a top.
The states attorney has reached out to the attorney general’s office and is waiting an opinion. The Police Department is working closely with the states attorney and Beach Patrol on how to properly enforce any incidents that arise. The mayor & city council strongly oppose this idea (one assumes they mean toplessness and not working with the states attorney and beach patrol–Ed.) and are working to determine what legal actions can be taken to prevent this from occurring.
I do believe Ocean city is a family resort and if you decide to allow this you will lose alot of those families.. I know I will not go anymore . dont ruin it for those who grew up going to Ocean city and would love to continue
If it goes topless my family will never go back.
This is a family town where people from all over come to visit. If topless occurs in OC. I will sell my condo and move to Delaware and will not support any activities in Ocean City.. I pay taxes and I certainly dont welcome this thought at all.
There is always one idiot that wants to ruin the place for everyone else.
Well. I’ll tell you what, if it’s allowed I’m selling and getting out of “family oriented Ocean City”. And as a taxpayer in Ocean City I feel someone should do something about this behavior. I have grandchildren who don’t need to see hanging boobs or whatever boobs on the beach . Seriously if someone wants to go topless go to a private beach somewhere!
Well. I’ll tell you what, if it’s allowed I’m selling and getting out of “family oriented Ocean City”. And as a taxpayer in Ocean City I feel someone should do something about this behavior. I have grandchildren who don’t need to see hanging boobs or whatever boobs on the beach . Seriously if someone wants to go topless go to a private beach somewhere!
No way!!!.I’m not going to oc if it goes topless!!
Remember to also enforce non-permitted photos. many other locations have a very heavy fine for posting non-approved photos online. I think San Antonio, TX has a $10,000 fine. still have to protect from the ” people ? ” glad to see O.C. is allowing the girls to match the guys in this. great job council !
No as this is considered a Family Resort…
No ocean city MD is suppose to be a family place. If they allow crap like that then people like me that has kids will not be bringing my children there anymore. At that why would people want to teach young girls and boys that its OK to be outside naked? Its not there’s perverts and etc all around.
To Whom it May Concern,
My husband and I will be in OC the week of the 18th, of this June, with our 9 yr old son.
I do not want to have to leave the beach because someone chooses that nudity is ok for my son.
Beachwear is skimpy enough. Leave some room for the imagination and leave your clothes on.
We are looking forward to OC. Please don’t make nudity, of any kind, in public ok.
thank you,
A concerned mother
So much for the “family atmosphere”. OC has gone to crap in the last 20 years.
As an older couple my husband and i will NOT return to Ocean City if this happens. There is enough garbage going on there already. They need to control what is driving people away. If this is just a hangout for the younger generation to get attention, count us OUT.
NO TOPLESS. NO THONG SUITS. KEEP THIS A FAMILY FRIENDLY TOWN. BRING BACK COVER-UPS FOR LADIES AND T=SHIRTS FOR GUYS FOR BOARDWALK AND TOWN. SICK OF LOOKING AT NASTY JUNK.
I totally agree!!!
To avoid the years of battle…just designate a section of beach for those who feel inclined to be barebreasted. There are many nude beaches in other countries. Everyone respects each others choices. I do realize O.C. is a small area compared to other places that do have many beaches….put this area at the far end….families and people that are not interested in seein boobs can rent further up the beach.
Perfect solution
Why is it OK for a man with 40DD breasts to walk around with out covering them? But it’s ILLEGAL for women to go bare chested! !!!!
if a woman has to cover up then the men do to fair is fair
You are right!! Those men should have to wear shorts or bro’s!!
Sick to even think it’s ok, kids are all over that beach .As a mother my kids would never go back there.
People should stop being ashamed of their bodies and those of others. Well adjusted children will grow um with a healthy appreciation that the human form in its natural state is nothing to be ashamed of in its viewing. Rather it is an architectural marvel and a thing of artful beauty. People should begin to see beauty in all things rather than projecting their negative guilt-ridden shame onto it.
No I think the women should have the same rate of a man if he chooses to take his shirt off or leave his shirt on I think the woman should have that same constitutional right as a man if he desires to show her breasts then so be it her breasts are no different than my breasts as a man some a big summer small some around some you’ll see it all I think that it should be all right to do as we wish as long as we’re in the compound of the law if we choose to go topless and we choose to go topless the law should not have a say in this matter
If you want nudity, go to a nude beach.
Ocean City has always been a family beach. I own a condo there and always look forward to going there on vacation but I may think twice about keeping the condo if the beach goes topless. My family goes there also and I don’t think they would appreciate taking their children to the beach if it goes topless.
I don’t have a problem with women going topless but OC has been a family beach forever and i think it needs to stay that way if a women is at home and wants to go outside topless or places that allow it fine I really don’t have a problem seeing a woman topless but my wife and i go to OC about every year on vacation and it would be very uncomfortable walking with my wife and all these women topless cause a man is going to look and i think it would just cause alot of problems like fights cause a man sees another man looking at his wife or girlfriend it would just lead to alot of problems. PLEASE LEAVE OC THE WAY IT IS
This is a FAMILY beach! I get the whole women’s right thing but really! Sometimes too much is just TOO MUCH!!!!! NO to topless!
Women’s breasts are only viewed as obscene because we have been conditioned to think so. We should get over it.
Please do not ruined the family beach all our morals have almost gone please don’t take a family vacation spot and turn it into trash.
Bottom line is…whether fair or not (to each their own w/this topic), the fact remains it is socially acceptable for men to go shirtless, even if i do or do not like looking at them. So therefore our youth doesn’t think its “normal” to see a woman’s breasts (or any normally covered areas for that matter),with that being said i do not want my son who’s 10 looking at that! If this is such a HUGE issue..designate an area somewhere where this can occur (and they can choose to go to that beach or not) that beach will NOT family oriented , i LOVE OCEAN City as a family vacation spot. Please keep it that way!!
OH YEAH IF OCMD BECOMES A TOPLESS CITY IM DOWN! OCNJ IS A DRY TOWN SO THAT SHOULD BE THE FAMILY ORIENTED TOWN, TITTIES FOR DAYS!
You see whats happened to Jersey Beaches. People dont want to go there anymore. Too much partying, no rules on the beaches, and so on. now their trying to clean things up, but once people get wind that its no longer a family atmoshere, its hard trying to bring it back. Leave things alone, the needs of many should always outweigh the needs of a few.
Several years ago the issue of allowing gambling in OC was raised and most opinions favored against it claiming OC was a family resort and gambling would blemish OC’s reputation. I was so glad decision to NOT allow gambling was reached!
Now the issue of topless chicks “showing off” and “making their equality” statement is before us. What is the problem with keeping things nice for family oriented fun? There are so few things left that are still pure and decent for kids, leave OC alone! The Jersey shore is not far away. Go expose your breasts on the beach there.
Would these women lay out in their own back yards sunning themselves topless?
Probably not. It’s against the law. There are more children on the beach than in our own neighborhoods.
These women have no common sense!I
I hope that I never see this happen in.OC.