Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Was Mysterious "Topless Bowery Woman" Illegally Ticketed?
By
Ben Yakas
Published Jun 12, 2011
Modified Jun 12, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Ben Yakas
Published Jun 12, 2011
Modified Jun 12, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
There is "bad" topless, like certain congressmen who feel the need to sext pics of their gym face to blackjack dealers and porn stars. And then there is elusive, magical, perfectly legal toplessness: this week, a woman, since nicknamed "Topless Bowery Woman," took a causal stroll in lower Manhattan sans shirt in the sweltering heat—here's a NSFW pic of her. And while most seemed amused by her exercising her right to do so, Bowery Boogie reports that the woman was stopped and issued a fine by cops...which is illegal.
According to the original NY State Penal Code:
Exposure of a person. A person is guilty of exposure if he appears in a public place in such a manner that the private or intimate parts of his body are unclothed or exposed. For purposes of this section, the private or intimate parts of a female person shall include that portion of the breast which is below the top of the areola.
However, the NY State Appeals Court ruled in 1992 that exposure of a bare female breast violates this law only when it takes place in a commercial context. In 2005, police arrested Jill Coccaro and held her for 12 hours for walking around topless. She sued, and the city eventually settled the incident for $29,000, or $14,500 per breast.
In addition, women celebrate their legal right to walk around the city topless every year on "National Go Topless Day." So unless the mysterious "Topless Bowery Woman" was handing out coupons for the buffet special at the West Side Gentleman's Club, she wasn't breaking any laws. Although, maybe cops were worried that by flouting society's conventions, she might cause a car accident:
Tagged
bare breasts
bowery
breasts
manhattan
ticket
topless bowery woman
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Ever wish you could get paid to walk through a stranger’s house? ‘The Scout’ is for you.
A new film focuses on the strange career of a location scout in New York City.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Sep 26, 2026
There are 100s of places to visit during Open House New York. Here's 5 of our favorites.
See the entire lineup for the weekend when the city opens its doors.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Arts & Entertainment
There are 100s of places to visit during Open House New York. Here's 5 of our favorites.
See the entire lineup for the weekend when the city opens its doors.
By
Hannah Frishberg
A massive MTA archive ended up in a Virginia warehouse. A Brooklyn man brought it home.
By
Hannah Frishberg
How a Harry Styles pop-up in the East Village led to a nearby bookstore owner's arrest
By
Sonia Rao
NYC’s creative workers are increasingly self-employed, report says
By
Hannah Frishberg
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .