Evanston City Council debates proposal to allow anyone to go topless in public spaces regardless of gender

EVANSTON, Ill. (CBS) — At any given Lake Michigan beach, you’re sure to see lawn chairs, beach towels, coolers – and of course, people in swimwear.

But in Evanston, the City Council is debating a proposal that would reduce how much swimwear is required in some instances. It would strip an ordinance on public nudity from the books to allow women to go topless at beaches there – as men are already allowed to do.

As CBS 2’s Marissa Perlman reported Wednesday, the proposal was introduced earlier in the summer – but a city committee will debate the issue next week. Evanston Ald. Devon Reid (8th) said it is all about equity.

He said the change to the suburb’s nudity ordinance would allow anyone to be topless regardless of gender – on all city beaches. It would also apply to other public spaces such as city streets and parks.

The Public Nudity Ordinance in Evanston has been in effect since the 1950s, and doesn’t allow “female breast exposure.”

Reid said the city code violates the Illinois Constitution, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex. A violation of the ordinance comes with a $750 fine and the potential for a misdemeanor criminal charge.

Reid points out other lakefront suburbs do not have bans that specifically mention women being topless – and Evanston shouldn’t either.

“This is a regulation that regulates women’s bodies in a way that we do not regulate men’s bodies,” Reid said. “To me, that double standard in our ordinance needs to be eliminated.”  

In an August meeting, council members asked Reid to do more outreach and get back from the community on the issue.

Reid’s proposal is tabled for the Sept. 6 meeting of the Evanston City Council Human Services Committee, of which Reid is a member.