Toplessness refers to the state in which a woman's breasts , including her areola and nipples , are exposed, especially in a public place or in a visual medium. The male equivalent is barechestedness , also commonly called shirtlessness. Exposed breasts were and are normal in many indigenous societies. However, western countries have social norms around female modesty , often enforced by legal statutes , that require women to cover their breasts in public. In many jurisdictions, women who expose their breasts can be prosecuted for indecent exposure , although public breastfeeding is often exempted from public indecency laws. Social norms around toplessness vary by context and location.