A person commits the crime of indecent exposure by exposing the person’s body or private parts (usually genitals, anus, buttocks, or female breasts) in a public place and in the presence of another person who might be offended, alarmed, or annoyed. Laws vary from state to state—including definitions of exposed body parts—and some states require the exposure to have been made with the intent to attract attention or to sexually gratify the person making the indecent exposure, or to sexually gratify another person, or to offend another person.

Indecent exposure laws are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the penal or criminal code.

In Tennessee, indecent exposure is defined under Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-13-511. The law states that a person commits the crime of indecent exposure when they intentionally expose their genitals or buttocks to another person in a public place, or in a private place where they can be reasonably observed by the public, and the exposure is likely to offend an ordinary observer. The law also covers the exposure of female breasts in a public place or in a private place where the exposure can be viewed by the public. The intent behind the exposure is a key element of the crime, and it must be done either to cause sexual arousal or gratification, to offend others, or for the purpose of sexual gratification of another person. Indecent exposure is considered a Class B misdemeanor for a first offense, but can escalate to a felony with subsequent offenses or if the exposure is directed towards a child under 13 years of age. It's important to note that local ordinances may also have additional regulations regarding indecent exposure.