New Hampshire Votes To Keep The Nipple Free

The New Hampshire state legislature on Wednesday voted down a bill that would have made it illegal for women to expose their breasts and nipples in public, bringing an end to a contentious debate in which some lawmakers suggested unfettered nudity would lead to women going topless at Little League games.

Lawmakers proposed the legislation after after two women were arrested for going topless on a beach in Gilford, New Hampshire, while participating in a "Free the Nipple" protest. The charges were thrown out by a judge who said the state had no anti-nudity laws, leading conservative lawmakers to push a ban on toplessness over concerns it could tank the tourism industry and lead to widespread impropriety.