A group that is holding a protest advocating for the rights of women to go topless in public supports population control.

GoTopless and Equaltitty have scheduled a protest near the Massachusetts State House from noon to 2 p.m. Tuesday, August 26; GoTopless is the pro-population control organization, not Equaltitty.

The protest is scheduled to start near the Martin Luther King Jr. Embrace statue on Boston Common before protesters march to the nearby Massachusetts State House, where they will continue their advocacy, as NewBostonPost previously reported.

"If men can be topless in public, women should have the same constitutional rights," the event description on the GoTopless web site says.

Currently, exposure of female breasts in certain circumstances constitutes Open and Gross Lewdness and Lascivious Behavior in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, according to Chapter 272 Section 16 of the state's general laws; it carries a prison sentence of up to three years. There are exceptions to the law, including for breastfeeding mothers.

It is not clear whether the law has been enforced in recent times.

Just one municipality in Massachusetts allows women to legally be topless in public:  Nantucket. The town's voters approved the measure at Town Meeting in May 2022. Yet, that rule is limited to beaches.

GoTopless is an organization founded by Raël Maitreya in 2007, the founder of Raëlism, as an extension of the Raëlian movement. It's a UFO religion that says humans were created by aliens, according to Business Insider.

Raëlism says the world, which has eight billion people, is overpopulated.

The religion issued a statement last month, coinciding with World Population Day, reiterating this belief.

“Raël has long warned us of the need to reduce overpopulation to ensure humanity’s survival, reminding us that if humans fail to take action, nature will intervene,” Princess Loona, a Raëlian spokesman, said in a press release. “An ethical reflection on birth and reproduction is just as vital as our reflections on environmental protection and resource conservation. It is an urgent issue, and the Raelian Movement continues its worldwide campaign to raise public awareness about the risks of overpopulation.”

Princess Loona said the movement must come up with ways to reduce the human population.

“In just twelve years, one billion additional human beings have been born on our planet," she said. "As social, ecological, and environmental challenges grow more acute, and with the preservation of life on Earth increasingly at stake, we are calling for a global awakening. We must identify ways to halt population growth, which continues to increase pressure on resources, drive mass migration, and fuel new geopolitical tensions."

The written statement said families shouldn't have more than two children.

"Ideally, education campaigns should begin immediately to encourage the public to have no more than one child per person (two children per couple) — the only immediate solution capable of defusing the exponential spiral of overpopulation, a major factor in future social unrest and international conflict," the press release said.

The religion has 90,000 members across 90 countries, according to Newsweek. Its members generally have a dim view of having children.

"Raëlians believe overpopulation is a world crisis," the Religion Media Centre, which reports on religion and is based in London, England, wrote. "Therefore, birth control and abortion are highly recommended. Most Raëlians are said to not be interested in having children and do not strive for parenthood. Raëlians also hold summer courses and summer camps to help members discover their own sexuality. The focus here lies on sensual meditation."

Spokesmen for GoTopless and the Raëlian movement could not be reached for comment on Sunday or Monday. Nor could Equaltitty.