Poll: We want topless women at Venice Beach

Women should be allowed to sunbathe topless at Venice Beach.

That is the opinion of the great majority of MyNewsLA.com readers who responded to the site’s online poll about the controversial proposal from a local Venice neighborhood group.

The poll results showed 68.25 percent of MyNewsLA.com visitors favored the ideas, while only 31.75 percent were opposed.

The poll results were released Friday, and MyNewsLA.com Editorial Director Chris Jennewien said the response from hundreds of readers was “overwhelmling” in favor of allowing topless sunbathing on Venice Beach.

While he cautioned the poll was not considered scientific, “the fact that the number of people favoring the idea was so overwhelming certainly could mean city officials may have to face public demand at some point in the future.”

Despite the poll results, the proposal did not find immediate support at Los Angeles City Hall, with the councilman representing the area saying this week there are more important issues to address.

“While I appreciate the idea, right now my priorities for Venice are increasing public safety, housing the homeless and protecting affordable housing, reining in over-development, enhancing mobility and improving the delivery of core city services,” Councilman Mike Bonin said.

The Venice Neighborhood Council voted Tuesday night in support of the idea, and is planning to send letters to Bonin, Mayor Eric Garcetti and other city officials proposing the idea.

“It’s an equality issue,” the resolution’s sponsor, Melissa Diner, told the Los Angeles Times. “There’s a conversation we’re trying to start. … What do you want to see on Venice Beach?”

It is illegal under city code for people to sunbathe nude or expose their breasts at public parks, including Venice Beach.

The beach is annually the site of a “Go Topless Day” rally, this year scheduled for Aug. 23, in which women and men march shirtless along Ocean Front Walk and call for a change in the law to allow women to sunbathe topless.

— Staff & Wire Reports