TORONTO: In a country which pioneered the world’s green movement and the women’s rights SlutWalk, three Indo-Canadian sisters may have unleashed yet another global movement for women’s rights to bare themselves.
Hundreds participated in a topless rally called “Bare With Us” organized by the three sisters – Tameera Mohamad, Nadia Mohamad and Alysha Brilla – in the city of Waterloo – more famous for its Blackberry invention – on Saturday in support of the women’s right to go with their breasts bare in public.
While there were many topless women among the protesters, others wore just transparent bras to assert their right to go topless in public.
Protesters carried placards and banners in support of the women’s right to go topless in public. Many protesters had body spray with the slogan: `Bare With Us! They’re just boobs!’
Though Ontario – the biggest province in Canada – granted the women the right to go topless in 1996, the protest was triggered after a police officer stopped three sisters – Tameera Mohamad, Nadia Mohamad and Alysha Brilla – biking topless a week ago in the nearby city of Kitchner. The three sisters were cycling without shirts on July 24 when a police officer told them to cover themselves.
Without wearing any shirt at Saturday’s rally, Tameera Mohamad wore the slogan on her torso: `My body, my choice.’’
Her sister Nadia Mohamad, who was also bare, said the aim of the `Bare With Rally’ was to force people “to see breasts in a non-sexual manner.’’
The third sister Brilla, who wore her top, said, “I just want to see women’s body-shaming stop.’’
Alysha Brilla is a Juno-nominated musician and Juno is Canada’s highest award for music. The Indian-origin family of the three sisters came to Canada from Tanzania.
READ: Canadian TV reporter takes her bra off in the middle of interview
