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Should public nudity be legal?

The AANR (American Association for Nude Recreation) has the view that public nudity should be legal as long as the person is not doing anything with the intent of sexually arousing either themselves or anyone else.

The most stated reason by members is to get over "body shame", because doing so helps boost self esteem and confidence. There have been studies showing that children raised in nudist family have higher self esteem and confidence and are just generally more comfortable with who they are as a person.

On the other side there are those persons who seek out nude beaches and nudist events who have seual agendas. AANR nudist clubs don't tolerate such persons, and forcibly remove them shoudl they show up. I refer to such persons as "swingers" because they seem to fit the swinger lifestyle more than they do the nudist lifestyule

However, as a point of freedom. A freedom of expression, which does tno do harm to anyone, shoudl public nudity be legal? As atheists are nto burdened with religious mores , I was just wondering what the people here think?

I am a natuirst (nudist) and I have ridden the Portland (OR) World Naked Bike Ride, which has over 10,000 participants each year, and I have gone on nude hikes, visited clothing optional beaches

So, what are your thoughts?

snytiger6 9 Oct 18
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308 comments (226 - 250)

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0

My question really is where in public? Buildings? Parks? Streets? It would be insanely to allow public nudity in the streets. Parks maybe a better place, but not in the same area as people with families. You might feel free, but everyone in public has to take everyone else into consideration, before pulling the act. Buildings, like malls, movie theaters, grocery stores, etc., etc.. What about those people with un-pure thoughts when they see a naked person, and take it too far?

2

Public nudity should be acceptable so long as it doesn't violate public health or safety standards.

I can totally agree with that!

0

Last time I was on a nudist beach there were some who should never be naked in public. Seriously though personally it doesn't bother me but its a bit cool for it to be an all year round activity.

I find that usually those persons who people don't wan tot see naked, also prefer not to see those sam,e person wearing clothes either. It is a learned cultural bias. Once Irealized that, I became a lot less judgemental myself.

1

We certainly should allow women to go topless everywhere that men can go topless, but there's other issues that would come up - like how would restaurants deal with the change in rules? Would you really want to sit on chairs that had been exposed to hundreds of other people's unclothed posteriors?

People bring up the "not everyone looks like what you're hoping to see with nudity", without digesting the part where you talked about "no sexual agendas". While I think that for the most part, people would be a lot more modest in a clothing-optional society than the "everybody's naked" model, the existence of the web site peopleofwalmart.com suggests it would be more uncomfortable for everyone than our current set of circumstances is. That, and we already have problems with people who feel that seeing women in jeans or a revealing skirt is all the permission they need to catcall or grope them - of course those sorts will equate exposure with permission.

It is true that people will be rude whether or mot other pe9o0le are clothed or not.

Persons who are older and/or over weight will be denigrated whether or not they are wearign any clothes. Those who have bodies which their culture thinks is beatiful will get unwanted attention and ti will brign out the immaturatity of others.

Culturally, at least in the U.lS., we have a long way to go in terms of equality and personal freedoms. I think that the freedom of choice of whether or not to wear clothing falls under freedom of expression or freedom of speech under the U.S. constitution an dlaws that prohibit nudity are unconstitutional, in part also because they are based on religious beliefs, and also infringe on freedom of religion.

Women are still getting harassed for discretely breastfeeding their kids in public so your idea is very appealing. Breasts really are there mainly to feed babies after all.. In some cultures they are, or were, not seen as sexual, making National Geographic magazines popular reading material for American boys back when I was young.

0

Public nudity...really, no. most nudists are saggy baggy old folk and i do not want to see turtle heads or goffers.

Not sure if I really want to know what a goffer is....

1

My schlong isn’t long

0

It depends where you live. If you are in Equatorial anywhere or between the tropics sounds like a good idea. Scotland, Siberia, New York. Nah!

2

I think it can be distracting, possibly could cause traffic accidents. I think it should be allowed in designated areas like parks and bars and gyms.

If nudity were a common place thing it would nto be so distracting,..

In Oregon the Oregon supreme court ruled tha tnudity is a right, but the language of the ruling is only clear when a person is protesing, but uses rather grey language for other circumstances. Anyway, one thign the ruling did was make it legal to be nude on state and federal lands, but nudists are generally respectful can considerate. The unspoken rule is that you dont' go nude within site of a parkign area or paved road. This istt' law but just local custom/culture.

Nude bars--oh my...

1

I too am a naturist. But I don't believe "public" nudity is a good idea. If society as a whole embraced the nudist philosophy then yes it should be legal. However shame and fear are too deep-rooted in the world. It would be a distraction that could have deadly results.

Yest another reason to oppose religion which indoctrinates and teaches people to feel guilt, fear and shame about their bodies. I think the purpose of their doing that is to lower self esteem and self worth, so that they won't dare question church authority.

Freedom has to get its start somewhere. Why not here and why not now?

2

I used to go to nude beaches & I feel it's appropriate in designated areas (or events in your case) like that. Then people who want to avoid seeing naked people know where not to go. I think it's kind of different for little kids though. I spent part of my childhood in Europe, & at that time at least, most people didn't have their very youg kids (maybe under age 4?) wear swimsuits. So I always had my babies & toddlers naked at beaches & lakes here in the US, or playing in the sprinklers. Got a few 2nd looks but nobody seemed to be at all bothered by it. When they decided they wanted swimsuits I got them right away.

Carin Level 8 July 10, 2018
1

There is no control on a nudist's secretions. Not good.

Or on your speach. Want to trade?

2

Yes but... aesthetics can count as visual assault. People ought to understand that unless their parts look good, or there's a practical reason, they shouldn't be on display. This goes equally for buildings and cars. Ugly ones can have character but they aren't beautiful and most people who care don't want to see them. A proper view of self-worth, dignity, and aesthetics seems a proper prerequisite. Spandex is a privilege, not a right!

There are no ugly bodies, only insecure and/or unkind vewers.

The original post is designed to combat the type of narrow-minded view that you express ?

@Tompain1 That is factually incorrect.

@SimonCyrene You call it narrow-minded, i call it having aesthetic standards. Down with post-modernism.

@Advocate subjective opinion is not fact and therefore cannot be ruled as correct or incorrect. You can disagree but you'd be wrong.

2

Yes on nude beaches

I think we need more nude beaches, or other designated area where people are free to choose whether or not to wear clothing.

2

Of course but if you think about it who cares? I'm essentially an anarchist so I can't understand why anyone would want laws governing behavior of humans that are doing things that are not hurting anyone else.

2
1

Yes!

1

Not in the town l live in.

1

Not for me, I feel safer clothed thanks. Ok for the spa, with my partner.

1

It would be a loooooong winter here ⛄⛄⛄⛄

5

NO-o-o-o-o-o , please ! Especially when in Walmart, there are times I'm really grateful there are clothes - brief thought they might be ...

1

IT's fine........ as a matter of fact, the whole breast feeding thing is getting hypocritically silly. If I wanna suck on a tit in public, it's between me and the titowner.

If you are an infant that is cool. Otherwise it is either creepy or sexual and either has no place in a walmart!

2

Body autonomy is very real and should be practiced by everyone everywhere

2

It should be legal but I'm happy to not see everyone naked. Just being honest.

2

Maybe not within sight of traffic.

1

Legal is fine with me, as long as they're not right next to me, ever how that's controlled.

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