Topless sunbathing has nothing to do with "women's rights" and should only be allowed at certain beaches, says The AM Show's co-host Mark Richardson.
His comments come after a woman was allegedly assaulted on Auckland's Pt Chevalier beach last week for sunbathing without a top.
The woman told Stuff she was sunbathing for less than 10 minutes when she was approached by a group of around 20 people telling her to cover up. She says she then had "copious" amounts of sand thrown over her and was sworn at.
Discussing the incident on The AM Show on Monday, Richardson said he didn't think topless bathing was acceptable in New Zealand.
"It should only be at specific beaches allocated for this," Richardson said. "Because in New Zealand society boobies are still naughty. That is why you have bikini bottoms and bikini tops, while blokes only have shorts.
"Women have two naughty bits, men have one naughty bit."
Richardson says if you're going to "have your things out" in public, then it is exhibitionism.
"Sorry, I know there's all these people who come out and say women's rights and all that, but this is exhibitionism in public. You can't just go 'it's her right' - it's not."
There is no law prohibiting women going topless in public.
Richardson also weighed in on the Boobs On Bikes parade, where topless men and women ride on motorbikes in various cities around the country.
Rather than normalise toplessness, the parade makes headlines precisely because "it is not normal", Richardson said.
"We go along to look because it's fascinating... I went for a perv like every other bloke did."
