From sunny parks to sweltering streets, the recent warm weather has seen a parade of flesh worthy of an episode of Love Island, as men with gym-toned bodies and dad bods take the opportunity to take their shirts off.
However, any man thinking of strolling down the nearest street, proud as a peacock, might be disappointed to learn that going shirtless in public has been deemed the ultimate faux pas.
This week, a poll found that three-quarters of people find it completely unacceptable for men to remove their upper body unless they are at the beach or pool, while one in three think there should be a total ban and 22 say those found guilty should be prosecuted or fined.
What’s more, women have firmly stated that being in top physical condition is no excuse for flaunting a shaved chest, and that the mere sight of a man walking down the street without a shirt on is enough to turn their stomachs.
Here, FEMAIL speaks to women who bemoan the double standards that allow men to go topless without reproach, and issues a rallying cry for them to stop exercising topless.
Shirtless Simon Cowell strolls through Barbados after suffering a painful sunburn
Poor people! Paul Mescal was seen shirtless and wearing a chain and an Otiumberg pendant around his neck.
Looking good: Harry Styles showed off his toned, tattooed physique as he worked up a sweat during a training session in north London – but critics insist being fit makes no difference.
Orlando Bloom opted to go topless during a hot day in New York (left). Donald Glover shows off his toned physique as he walks shirtless and wearing shorts in Manhattan (right)
“It’s a case of double standards”
Living next to a park has its advantages, but one thing that never fails to amaze me is how all the men strip completely naked as soon as there’s a ray of sunshine.
Tiny shorts, crocs, and distressed grey pants seem to be her go-to outfit, and to be honest, I’m not comfortable in it at all.
They walk around with their hairy chests and strut as if they were in Benidorm and not in the centre of London.
There is also a case of double standards. If women were to strip down to the same level, they would be looked at from all angles and it is not worth having averted glances.
People should think about having some personal etiquette when leaving the house: it’s okay to be naked in the comfort of your garden, but men owe it to the public not to be so naked in public spaces, especially if there are people eating!
Writer Anette Kellow (pictured) is not impressed by men’s enthusiasm for stripping off when the sun comes out.
“Shirtless men are intimidating”
I find shirtless men more intimidating than those with clothes on.
I hate walking down the street in the center of my city in the summer and seeing one walking towards me, I feel like they are trying to show how strong they are by showing off their bodies.
If I’m walking alone and I see some of them shirtless, I feel disconcerted. It’s a bit like a gorilla beating his chest, it seems like they’re showing off and trying to make themselves look big.
I think it has less to do with heat and more to do with strutting and arrogance!
At the beach and at the pool it’s fine because we’re all wearing swimsuits and there’s a good reason not to wear a shirt, but on the street, no! There’s a time and a place for it.
Samantha Priestley (pictured), a writer living in the UK, is intimidated when she sees shirtless men on the street in summer.
“They could be the most attractive man on the planet, but they still disgust me”
It always disgusts me to see men running errands or walking down the street without a shirt on. They could be the most attractive men on the planet and it still disgusts me.
It’s never about looks and I find myself muttering “yuck” to myself even when they’re conventionally attractive. I think I’m especially grossed out by the sweat factor in bars or shops.
Women are not allowed to walk around topless unless it is on a nude beach and generally people would be horrified to see a woman walking around and saying that she is indecent or lacks self-respect, regardless of whether they find her attractive or not.
The same rules should apply to men who are seen topless if it is deemed indecent.
Ashley O’Neill (pictured) feels ‘grossed out’ when she sees men walking around shirtless, no matter how attractive they are.
“It is a lack of respect”
There’s something about shirtless men in public that makes me cringe. It seems unnecessary and gives the impression that they’re trying too hard.
Whether walking down the street, at the gym or at an event, it’s not a look I want to see.
There’s a time and a place for everything, and in my opinion, going shirtless should be reserved for private spaces.
I actually watched an episode of MAFS Australia where Lucinda was equally upset because her partner was questioning why she was topless when he was too – men’s double standards are real!
It’s not about being nervous, but about respecting shared spaces and understanding that not everyone wants to deal with it.
It’s one of those things that immediately disgusts me, and I’m sure I’m not the only one!
“People who exercise topless are the worst offenders”
Stephanie Bridger-Linning (pictured), 33, from London, believes men should keep their shirts on unless they are by a pool, on a beach or sunbathing in a park.
The temperature rises slightly and suddenly no sunny street or train platform (yes, really) is safe from men who feel compelled to take off their shirts and share their bare chests with the world.
In my opinion, the worst culprits are those who exercise topless, particularly runners. I know it’s hot and working out makes you sweat, but do us all a favor and keep your midriff covered.
There’s something about it that just makes me sick. I don’t care if you’re proud of your dad bod or Chris Hemsworth’s body double!
Of course, there are exceptions, such as the pool, the beach or even sunbathing in the park, but in general I think we can all agree that toplessness has no place in public.
