Topless sunbathing hasn’t disappeared from Austin law. But for some Barton Springs Pool regulars, the longtime Austin tradition no longer feels as carefree as it once did.
A recent Reddit post asked why topless women seem less common at Barton Springs, with the original poster saying she had gone topless there in the past but recently felt uncomfortable after receiving “dirty looks.” The discussion drew hundreds of comments, with many users offering the same explanation: the law hasn’t changed, but the culture has.
Many commenters said smartphones, camera-equipped glasses and the ease of sharing images online have made people less comfortable going topless in public. Several described concerns about being photographed or recorded without their consent, while others said they’ve noticed people staring or lingering around topless sunbathers.
One commenter said she had seen men taking photos of women in bikinis around Lady Bird Lake and no longer feels comfortable being partially clothed anywhere in Austin.
Barton Springs Pool, the three-acre spring-fed swimming hole in Zilker Park, is one of Austin’s best-known landmarks. The city describes it as one of its “crown jewels” and notes that it has attracted “free-spirited, topless sunbathers” since the 1970s.
The city’s posted pool rules encourage visitors to bring a swimsuit, towel, sunscreen and water, and prohibit alcohol, glass containers, pets, food, coolers, tobacco, hard balls and portable speakers. The rules do not prohibit topless sunbathing.
Texas law also does not classify simple female toplessness as indecent exposure. The state’s indecent exposure statute applies to exposing the anus or genitals with intent to arouse or gratify sexual desire while being reckless about whether another person would be offended or alarmed. A separate public lewdness statute applies to sexual acts in public.
Many Reddit commenters pointed to the loss of practical privacy in public spaces rather than any change in the law.
Some blamed smartphones, while others mentioned camera-enabled smart glasses, saying nearly anyone can secretly record or photograph strangers before those images are shared online.
Several commenters compared Barton Springs with Hippie Hollow, the clothing-optional Travis County park on Lake Travis. Travis County specifically asks visitors to respect others’ privacy and obtain permission before photographing people. Barton Springs’ posted visitor guidance does not include a similar request.
Texas law does address some forms of nonconsensual recording. The state’s invasive visual recording law defines a female breast as an “intimate area” and, under certain circumstances, makes it a felony to record or transmit images without consent and with intent to invade another person’s privacy.
Whether that law applies depends in part on whether the person had a reasonable expectation of privacy, making public settings such as Barton Springs more legally complicated than places like bathrooms or changing rooms.