While nude dancing is a form of expressive conduct, public indecency laws regulating or prohibiting nude dancing are constitutional because they further substantial governmental interests in maintaining order and protecting morality. Decided June 21, 1991 (argued January 8, 1991). Opinion of the Court: William Rehnquist → go there Dissenting: White. Applied: the First Amendment → go there Topic: Freedom of speech and of the press. Barnes v. Glen Theatre, Inc., 501 U.S. 560 (1991), is a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court concerning the First Amendment and the ability of the government to outlaw certain forms of expressive conduct. It ruled that the state has the constitutional authority to ban public nudity, even as part of expressive conduct such as dancing, because it furthers a substantial government interest in protecting the morality and order of society. This case is perhaps best summarized by a sentence in Justice Souter's concurring opinion, which is often paraphrased as "Nudity itself is not inherently expressive conduct." Wiki link