Jen Moss, the "Naked Lady," to March Topless in July 4 Parade

Jen Moss, a.k.a. "the Naked Lady" of Ashland, Oregon, is intent on marching topless in the town's annual Fourth of July Parade. According to a June 18 Chicago Tribune article, despite local laws that normally allow citizens to go topless during their daily activities, the Ashland Chamber of Commerce insists that the parade is a "family event," and thus Jenn Moss must remain clothed. According to Jen Moss, this interpretation of the event infringes on her Constitutional rights and, in her view, is "un-American." If she is not allowed to parade topless, she says she will contact the American Civil Liberties Union about the possibility of a lawsuit.

Moss is known around Ashland for her regular nude bicycle rides, and originally hails from Ojai, California, where nudity laws are more strict.

Nudity laws vary throughout the U.S., and even by individual cities. In Illinois, for example, public indecency laws prohibit both public sexual acts and "lewd exposure of the body with intent to arouse," though certain types of nudity (such as the breast-feeding of infants) are not to be considered acts of public indecency.

Jen Moss has already received a number of citations from both California and Oregon state police, so she must know that indecency charges are considered serious crimes. They are listed as Class A misdemeanors, and those convicted of three or more charges are guilty of a Class 4 felony. This type of offense carries jail time of up to ten years, as well as fines of up to $100,000.

Would Jen Moss face similar charges for nude cycling in Chicago? In terms of the Chicago Municipal Code, the answer is yes. The Code states that any female person that appears in public with their breasts exposed is breaking the law. Violators receive fines between $100 to $500 for each offense.