Island’s OK with nipples, but leave the nips at home
Town approves topless sunbathing, state must now act
If you leave your bathing suit top on the fast ferry to Nantucket this summer, don’t worry you may not need it.
The island’s Town Meeting members passed a bylaw allowing sun worshippers to go topless on public beaches by a vote of 327242.
“So, zipping right along from nips to nipples,” Town Meeting Moderator Sarah Alger said as she introduced the article after mini bottles of booze — called “nips” — we banned.
Nantucket has been on a roll this week. The Town Meeting banned hot tubs and spas in the downtown and historic districts. Citizens voted 347-105 to oust fertilizer island-wide, with the exception of farmland, to help keep the harbor clean. That debate forced a constable to step between a landscaper and boat captain.
Town Meeting also approved the regulation of about 2,000 short-term rentals that will require approval from the Board of Health. It’s a compromise, with other proposals being sent for more study.
“We applaud Nantucket Town Meeting voters for the overwhelming passage of Article 39, which calls for the implementation of a local registration mechanism and a framework of commonsense regulations to govern short-term rental properties on the island,” said The Alliance to Protect Nantucket’s Economy.
The alliance is made up of homeowners, small business owners and realtors who want to see the flow of vacationers coming — along with the ice cream, T-shirts and dinners they’ll spend cash on.
But before you buy extra suntan lotion for a top-free beach excursion to Nantucket, Attorney General Maura Healey’s office must rule on the legality of the bylaw.
The island has 30 days to submit the bylaw change and the AG has another 90 days to rule on it. That puts us well into summer before anyone can peel off their bathing suits.
And, the Herald was told, the AG will weigh the legality — not the policy decision — of the bylaw change.
It’s probably safe to say John Adams, author of the Massachusetts Constitution, didn’t see this one coming. He penned the charter in 1780 making it the world’s oldest functioning written constitution. It served as a model for the United States Constitution, history tells.
A passage about exposing nipples does not pop up in the charter.
The state constitution does say Massachusets should “furnish the individuals who compose it with the power of enjoying in safety and tranquility their natural rights, and the blessings of life: and whenever these great objects are not obtained, the people have a right to alter the government, and to take measures necessary for their safety, prosperity and happiness.”
Was he thinking about carefree summer days feeling the breeze on your chest in Nantucket? We’ll find out.