Flava Breakfast host, Azura Lane goes topless at a European beach – would you?

Could topless sunbathing become a norm in New Zealand? Photo / Scott Webb, Unsplash
THREE KEY FACTS
It is completely legal for men and women to be topless in public in New Zealand, but those going naked could face charges such as indecent exposure.
In 2023, swimwear company Pour Moi analysed Google search data to reveal which nation of beachgoers is the most likely to take it all off and catch some rays – and New Zealand is, per capita, second only to Australia.
There are local Kiwi beaches where nude bathing is accepted. In Auckland, these include Little Palm Beach on Waiheke Island and Ladies Bay at St Heliers.
OPINION
Imagine a world where everyone can free their nipples at the beach if they choose. Well, that world already exists, writes Flava Breakfast host, Azura Lane
I’ve recently returned from a month-long vacation in Europe where I experienced more freedom on a beach in Portugal than singing in the shower to my favourite song.
I’d heard about women being topless on European beaches, but I thought it was a thing of the past since we now all hold high-resolution cameras in our hands. You can imagine my surprise when I stepped onto the sandy shores of Praia da Ingrina on Portugal’s Algarve coast and saw women, just like me, topless.
For an alternative view: Tim Roxborogh’s travel bugs: Topless sunbathing in Bangkok
The beach could only be reached by narrow one-way roads, often without tarmac, which gave me confidence I was en route to somewhere special. As I twisted and turned toward the ocean, my rental car displayed the temperature as a hot 33 degrees. Once the beach came into view I paused to take in the golden sand, dark blue ocean, and rocky terrain on either side of the shoreline. Distracted by the view, I stepped onto the soft sand and was met with the temperature of the day beneath my feet. I moved quickly to set up my spot next to everyone else, my beach umbrella and packed lunch making me blend in with the Europeans.
READ MORE: Best beaches in the UK and Europe
It became obvious very quickly that not many tourists make the 30-minute drive out of Lagos to come here. The most telling sign was the number of women with their breasts out. Women of all ages and sizes were sunbathing and swimming topless. Whereas the day before at Praia dos Estudantes Beach, a tourist hot spot in Lagos, I only spotted one. In that moment, I decided that I wanted what they had: freedom.
I had been at the beach no longer than 10 minutes before I mustered up the courage to take my bikini top off, and when I did nothing changed. The earth didn’t fall off its axis, I wasn’t fined for indecency, and even better, no one seemed to care. It. Was. Liberating.
Who knew that applying SPF 30 sunscreen to my nipples on a Monday afternoon would be one of the most empowering moments in my life? I felt like Lina Esco, the film-maker who ran through the streets of New York in 2012 topless, beginning the viral campaign ‘free the nipple’.
But, as liberating as ‘free the nip’ is, it’s important to remember that being topless starts and ends at the beach. In fact, beach etiquette in Europe can be quite strict. Most of the countries in Europe that allow topless sunbathing also have anti-swimwear ordinances in their towns. You may be able to bare all on the beach, but if you wear a swimsuit or swim-trunks in town you could be fined up to 500 Euro ($NZ$900). So, cover up when walking around in places like Croatia, Spain, and Italy.
Even though I think being topless on a beach is an incredible thing, I still felt a sense of uneasiness exposing my nipples in front of others. It’s no secret we have nude beaches In New Zealand, in fact, it’s not illegal to be nude on any beach in New Zealand. But that didn’t shake the uncomfortable feeling I had as I untied my bikini top and put it in my bag beside me. I had to strip away all the years of social expectations and normality and see it for what it was – not a big deal.
Even though Kiwis are regarded to have a friendly and laid-back nature, I don’t think we could implement the same ‘boobs out at the beach’ culture as other countries. Some would argue it’s our missing ozone layer or they’d be too many creeps with mobile phones, but I think we don’t do it because no one else does. Because let’s be real, if we saw 20 sets of boobs every time we went to the beach, within one summer that number would double.
Would I be one of those sets of boobs in NZ’s very own ‘free the nipple’ movement? Yes. Do I think people could find boobs uncontroversial enough to make this the new norm? No. Would the government step in to remove the grey areas about nudity in public? Probably.
So for now, I’ll live vicariously through my own memories and stick to our unspoken rule here in New Zealand… Togs, togs, togs, undies!