In a landmark decision, the Minnesota Supreme Court has ruled that women exposing their bare breasts in public does not constitute “lewd” behavior under state law.

According to CBS News, the ruling, issued on May 15, 2025, clarifies the legal boundaries of public nudity and has sparked widespread discussion on gender equality and personal freedoms.

The case originated from a 2022 incident in Rochester, Minnesota, where a woman was charged with indecent exposure after appearing topless in a public park.

The defendant argued that her actions were not inherently sexual or offensive and that the law unfairly targeted women, as men are permitted to appear shirtless in public without legal repercussions.

The case progressed through lower courts, with the defendant challenging the application of Minnesota’s indecent exposure statute.

In a 5-2 decision, the Minnesota Supreme Court overturned the lower court’s ruling, stating that the exposure of women’s breasts does not automatically qualify as “lewd” conduct under the state’s indecent exposure law.

The court emphasized that the statute requires behavior to be sexually explicit or offensive to be considered lewd, and simply being topless does not meet this threshold.

Justice Emily Thompson, writing for the majority, noted, “The exposure of a woman’s breasts in a non-sexual context does not inherently violate community standards of decency.

To equate bare breasts with lewdness perpetuates outdated assumptions about gender and sexuality.”

The court further highlighted that men routinely go shirtless in public spaces without facing similar charges, pointing to a need for consistent application of the law.

This decision has significant implications for gender equality in Minnesota. It challenges longstanding norms that have criminalized women’s toplessness while permitting similar behavior by men.

Advocates for gender equality and body autonomy have hailed the ruling as a step toward dismantling discriminatory laws.

“This is a victory for fairness and personal freedom,” said Sarah Mitchell, a spokesperson for the Minnesota chapter of the Women’s Rights Coalition. “Women should have the same rights as men to express themselves without fear of prosecution.”

However, the ruling has also drawn criticism from some community groups who argue that it could lead to public discomfort or normalize behavior they consider inappropriate.

The court addressed these concerns, clarifying that the ruling does not prevent localities from enforcing other regulations, such as public decency ordinances, provided they are applied equally to all genders.