Indecent exposure
From Freepedia
Indecent exposure is the display of unclothed parts of the human body in a manner that is contrary to local custom and law. In most places (other than areas where nudity is acceptable, such as in nude beaches), exposure of an adult's genitalia is the most blatant example of indecent exposure.
What qualifies as indecent exposure varies depending on the definition of decency within a particular jurisdiction.
Toplessness or bare chestedness is the quality of appearing in public without clothing on the upper body. Women in some parts of the United States and Canada seek topfree equality, the right to be topless in public, wherever males are legally permitted do so.
Exposure of the breasts of an adult woman is considered indecent in some jurisdictions, but not in others. Breastfeeding does not consitute indecent exposure under the laws of the United States, Canada, or Scotland. In the United States, the federal government and the overwhelming majority of states have enacted laws protecting nursing mothers. Even in those states that have no such legislation, breastfeeding is neither indecent exposure nor illegal. However, mainstream ambivalence toward breastfeeding prevents many women from exercising the right.
During the Victorian era, exposure of a woman's legs was considered indecent in much of Western civilization. As late as the 1930s, many public beaches and swimming pools prohibited men and women from bathing topfree. An adult woman exposing her navel was also considered indecent. Many societies enforce strict standards of bodily modesty. From the viewpoint of westerners, a particularly extreme example is the Burqa that was imposed by the Islamic Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
Indecent exposure is a criminal offense in many jurisdictions, and is sometimes regarded as a sex crime. In some jurisdictions, indecent exposure, even without erection, differs from mere public nudity, in that the intent of the former is often to shock or harass. In most jurisdictions there is a very thin line (if any) between these two behaviors. Before the Labour Party revised the law, indecent exposure was defined exclusively as a man exposing his erect penis in public.
Flashing is a term that describes a type of exhibitionism in which one deliberately exposes one's genitals, buttocks, or breasts, whether for shock value, personal amusement, rebellion against societal norms, or an attempt to seduce another person. Displaying ones buttocks in this manner is more specifically known as mooning. Running nude through a public place while exposing oneself is known as streaking.
