But other state and local authorities don't see it that way. Battles like Iowa's are going on across the country, and they're not limited to the provinces. Employees, patrons and owners of more than 100 sexually oriented businesses in New York City, backed by the New York Civil Liberties Union, are suing to overturn a new zoning ordinance that would confine their activities to a few industrial areas and wetlands. Proponents of nudity restrictions argue they're not out to crush freedom of expression among consenting adults, only to protect neighborhoods, women and children. Those include prostitution of female dancers and an increase of indecent exposure, rape and assaults on police officers in the area.
Civil libertarians say the evidence supporting such claims is flimsy and inconclusive.
They also point out that the courts have demanded higher standards when it comes to censoring forms of expression. Both the Iowa and New York cases may end up converging at the U.S. Supreme Court, and it won't be the first time the Court has considered the First Amendment rights of nipples and pudenda. Meanwhile, juice bar dancers and owners in Iowa are bracing for the worst. One club in the appropriately named town of Mount Joy attempted to sidestep the impending law in May by changing its name from the Southern Comfort Lounge to the Southern Comfort Free Theatre for the Performing Arts. Local law enforcement raided the place as soon as the ink from the governor's pen had dried.