This Los Angeles Neighborhood Is Fighting to Allow Topless Sunbathing on Its Beaches

A neighborhood council in California wants to let women sunbathe topless. After a vote on Tuesday, Venice Beach became one step closer to giving topless tanning the green light.

The charge to bring nearly nude sunbathing to Venice Beach is being led by a community officer who’s calling it an equality issue, according to the Los Angeles Times. The council also says topless sunbathing will bring the beach more in step with the Italian city it’s styled after.

“Venice Beach was founded and designed around the European culture of Venice, Italy…topless [sun]bathing is commonplace throughout Europe, much of the world, and many places within the U.S.,” the council argues. In Los Angeles, however, it’s illegal to bask in the sun in one’s birthday suit.

Though the vast majority of the Venice Beach Council voted for the measure, the city council member who represents Venice says he’s got more important issues on his plate. “Right now my priorities for Venice are increasing public safety, housing the homeless, and protecting affordable housing,” Mike Bonin said, according to the LA Times.

Read more at the Los Angeles Times.