New Hampshire 'nipple bill' seeks to make topless sunbathing or boob bearing illegal

Dubbed the “nipple bill,” a planned law seeks to make it illegal for women to show off their breasts or areolas in public in New Hampshire.

More and more women are defying convention and stripping off on beaches – but some lawmakers fear this will deter tourism and are pressing for a crackdown.

"I filed the bill on behalf of moms and dads, grandparents, with young children, that felt as though this kind of behavior in public places that all people are entitled to share is not the direction that the live-free-or-die state wants to embrace," said ouraged New Hampshire politician Brian Gallagher.

The draconian clamp down comes in response to the #FreeTheNipple social media campaign which wants to put women on par with men when it comes to going topless.

Activists have been targeting beaches in New Hampshire with topless demos.

But Mr Gallagher said: "This is about a movement to change the values of New Hampshire society.

"It's a shame that some folks are more conceed with exposing their breasts in public places than they are conceed about how families and children may be impacted by being forced to experience this evolving societal behaviour."

Mr Gallagher said: "I just wonder if this were to accelerate as a movement, whether or not that could have unintended consequences on our tourism industry."

But topless sunbather Kari Stephens said: "We are not lunatics, we are not radical, we're not looking to go to football games topless or libraries or school meetings.

"If there is a man in a public space who is obviously comfortable enough, then why should I not have that same right?"