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Protesters keep their shirts on

2 min read

PITTSBURGH – A Pittsburgh rally planned by a group hoping to Celebrate Women’s Equality Day by having women march topless alongside men in bikinis turned out to be anything but.

Fewer than a dozen protesters showed up Sunday, and none of the women bared their tops – though a handful of men did.

The organizers of GoTopless.org argue it’s unfair that women cannot be topless in public while men can. Still, the female protesters wore pasties, duct tape, bras or bikini tops after being advised that it’s against the law for them to expose their entire breasts.

“We want to be respectful,” protester Judith Sherwood, 35, of Hamilton, N.J. said. “We aren’t trying to shock people. What we’re trying to do is raise awareness of equal topless rights for men and women.”

There were a few hecklers, and some men with cameras left after the protesters didn’t bear all.

“I think people expected complete nudity,” said Sherwood, who wore a bikini top. “This is my first time in Pittsburgh and, apparently, nothing happens here.”

Organizers expected about 60 people protesters based on Facebook posts, but less than one-fifth as many marched from a hotel to Point State Park.

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