City in Washington State Bans Thongs and See-Through Dresses

Under new laws passed by the city of Yakima in Washington state, women who bare too much flesh by wearing thongs and showing off what officials call "cleavage of the buttocks" now face a fine up to $1200 and being thrown in jail. The city has also passed a law making it a crime for women to wear see-through dresses in public.

Yakima Mayor Dave Elder proposed the law in response to what he calls an explosion in coffee shops featuring scantily clad women. At least three coffee shops in the city recently opened up and use attractive "baristas" that serve customers wearing bikinis or skimpy clothing that exposes their thongs.

City council voted five to two Monday to make it a crime for women to be caught in public exposing a thong or g-string. Under the new laws, women exposing too much flesh face up to 90 days in jail and a $1200 fine. The penalty increases if the person exposes themselves to a child under 14, with up to one year in jail and a nearly $5000 fine.

While the law is aimed at the "sexpresso" businesses, it could affect other women. A number of women in Yakima have said that the mayor should be focused on other things rather than women's underwear, while one said that he was trying to impose Taliban-like restrictions on the city.

Elder, however, defends his position, stating that he did not intend the laws to affect women other than those working in the coffee shops:

"If you want to create an environment where crime can happen. You turn a blind eye to adult businesses. And that's why this is important to me," he said.