16 April 2015

Decent exposure in Montana

Rep. David Moore on Tuesday introduced House Bill 365 in the House Judiciary Committee in response to a group of naked bicyclists who rolled through Missoula in August.

The proposal would expand indecent exposure law to include any nipple exposure, including men’s, and any garment that “gives the appearance or simulates” a person’s buttocks, genitals, pelvic area or female nipple.

The Republican from Missoula said tight-fitting beige clothing could be considered indecent exposure under his proposal.

“Yoga pants should be illegal in public anyway,” Moore said after the hearing [...]

Rep. Virginia Court, D-Billings, said she is concerned that the provision prohibiting garments showing the outline or appearance of a woman’s nipple unfairly targets women. “I think you are kind of being a little prejudiced against women,” Court said.

- Billings Gazette (Montana), 10 February 2015, spotted by Brendan O’Byrne & quoted in Private Eye no. 1388, 20 March-2 April 2015

[Moore later claimed it was all a joke, but the AP reporter disputes that. Here's the original bill, which goes into quite a lot of anatomical detail about the bits Mr Moore isn't keen on seeing in public. The bill was quickly voted down by legislators.]

No comments: