There is also a gender divide on this question. While most women (51%) think that it is fair that women’s toplessness is generally not allowed when men’s is, men are nearly evenly split, with 44% saying it is fairly while 42% think it is unfair. 

The offensiveness of seeing topless women with bare breasts varies greatly based on context. While 73% of Americans would not be that offended by seeing a woman breastfeeding in public, 60% say that they would be offended ‘a lot’ or ‘somewhat’ by seeing a topless women walking on the sidewalk. 58% say the same about the front page of a newspaper, on TV before 6pm (56%) and while sunbathing in a park (50%). Most Americans would not be that offended, however, by seeing a topless woman on the cover of a fashion magazine (51%) or on TV after 11pm (60%).