Legalize public nudity?

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

A good question to see where people fall on the moralistic spectrum.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

It's messed up we are all disgusted by the human body in the first place.  Yea, legalize, but put some signs up.  

And I offer a challenge to anyone to convince be being naked is somehow ammoral.  

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

It's messed up we are all disgusted by the human body in the first place.  Yea, legalize, but put some signs up.  

And I offer a challenge to anyone to convince be being naked is somehow ammoral.  

I think you mean "immoral."  Amoral would mean that it is neither right nor wrong.

[angus]

If you had asked me this question 20 years ago, before I'd ever visited a nudie beach, I'd have said Yes.  Now that I've been to a couple and had to stare at some octogenarians shriveled wrinkled elevator-button penis, and at some overweight sow's oversized asscheeks, I can honestly say that I'm glad most americans aren't walking around nude.

I do favor egalitarianism in this respect though.  I favor the right of women to walk around shirtless, and I think that woman in NH who sued the city for giving her a ticket for using her riding mower topless did the right thing.  She argued that it was discriminatory against females, and she was right.  It is.  

[bergie72]

I like nudity, but I voted for "No, except on private property."  

My biggest concern would be with minors -- how to explain to the young ones what's going on, and how to control the older ones (teens), who you know are going to act up around any public places where it's posted (another option).

Again, just my $.02 worth  :-)

[7,052,770]

I'll go with option 4

[angus]

Did I mention we came upon one in Maui.  It's called Little Beach, and is just south of the town of Kihei.  I don't want to be misconstrued.  I have no philosophical objections to what they're doing.  I do know how silly I felt when I was completely naked and surrounded by other naked folks.  I felt so silly that I didn't even get the normal physiological response when a hot chick walked by.  Not that there are too many hot chicks on nudie beaches.  That's the real disappointment.  What there are is lots of fat old farts.  I admire their lack of shame, but I do not envy it.  My wife was so shocked at the situation she couldn't speak and wanted to leave, but even she doesn't feel it should be made illegal.  That which is tasteless shouldn't be made illegal.  Otherwise we'd never have seen the rise of Reality Television.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

I like nudity, but I voted for "No, except on private property."  

My biggest concern would be with minors -- how to explain to the young ones what's going on

Little kid: "What's that, mommy?"
Mommy: "That's a (name of body part).  (You/Your brother/sister) have one too."

Not really a problem.  Kid grows up with a healthy outlook on the human body, unlike what we have today.

, and how to control the older ones (teens), who you know are going to act up around any public places where it's posted (another option).

Again, just my $.02 worth  :-)

This isn't really a problem within the nudist community.  A common thing you will see at nude beaches is familes bringing their kids.  No trouble whatsoever.  Actually, the teens rebel from their nudist parents by insisting on wearing clothes, and refusing to go to any nudist activities with their parents.

[Kodratos]

I like nudity, but I voted for "No, except on private property."  

My biggest concern would be with minors -- how to explain to the young ones what's going on, and how to control the older ones (teens), who you know are going to act up around any public places where it's posted (another option).

Again, just my $.02 worth  :-)

I agree with all of that

[angus]

Beef,
I'll vouch for that.  Lots of families there and it didn't seem to be a problem.  I agree that there are worse things for your kids to see than a triangular patch of hair.  But you kid yourself if you think that single young mothers outnumber flaccid old geeks at those nudie beaches.  Ewww.  Some old guy in Negril, Jamaica, on a naturist beach came over one day, hands me a beer and starts checking out my package and commenting on it and such.  Now, I'm no homophobe, and certainly don't advocate clothing for the attractive, but that was just downright creepy for me.  I was too damned stoned to realize it at the moment, but in days later I found that I was disgusted by the whole episode.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

Beef,
I'll vouch for that.  Lots of families there and it didn't seem to be a problem.  I agree that there are worse things for your kids to see than a triangular patch of hair.  But you kid yourself if you think that single young mothers outnumber flaccid old geeks at those nudie beaches.  Ewww.  Some old guy in Negril, Jamaica, on a naturist beach came over one day, hands me a beer and starts checking out my package and commenting on it and such.  Now, I'm no homophobe, and certainly don't advocate clothing for the attractive, but that was just downright creepy for me.  I was too damned stoned to realize it at the moment, but in days later I found that I was disgusted by the whole episode.

I agree that most people who go naked have no business whatsoever doing so, but does that mean it should be illegal?  Most men who go shirtless look like hairy pregnant women.  Not very pleasant to look at, but do you think it should be illegal for them to go that way in public?

As a college student in Madison - the San Francisco of the Midwest - I've been hit on by so many dudes, it no longer bothers me in the least.  Although, had it been some old guy, I admit it would be a bit disturbing.

[angus]

I think we're in complete and total agreement on this issue.  Anyway, I chose the first option.  I only mention because I, too, was once a teenager who had a gross misimpression of what it'd be like to go to a nude beach.  I have been to several, and I can tell you that it's not what you might think.  And the few attractive women there are usually young mothers with their children, and husbands.

I also recall the Boston Globe story of the NH woman very well.  Progress of the case was reported once in a while in the Globe for some time till it was resolved.  I was reminded that as late as 1950 men in Massachusetts were being cited for public indecency for going shirtless to beaches.  Now men are (generally) allowed to do so while women are not.  I'm not sure that one isolated NH case really made a difference, but it did occur to me that whatever laws we do have certainly amount to a double standard, which I think might be an even bigger story than the story that there are a few places in the world where nudity is allowed (a handful of beaches in CA, FL, TX, Jamaica, etc.) but in most of the world it's not.  Try going nude on a beach in Egypt sometime and see what you get!!!

[The Dowager Mod]

I don't have any moral objections to it but i wouldn't want to be grossed out either.

[PBrunsel]

Nudist are fine to be nude in a commune or a camp. Many chose to live with people who think as they do about nudism.

Public nudity goes to far. I guess towns could be set up for nudists (wouldn't they be fun to drive into durring a road trip ), but beyond that it goes to far.

[Nation]

Too many fat people in America, hence, I'm against public nudity.

[Nym90]

I say option 3. It should be legal, and laws against women being topless but not men are clearly sex discrimination. I do think that it should be legal to be completely nude but only in certain areas. Children should not have to be exposed to it in public, unless parents choose to expose them to it, thus having nudity be legal everywhere tramples on parental rights. However, it certainly should be legal in designated areas.

[The Dowager Mod]

Perv.

[Giant Saguaro]

No, absolutely not, no way. I don't live in the jungle, I live amongst civilized human beings. Ya hafta keep yer clothes on, 'nother words.

[Schmitz in 1972]

Option 4, but I came close to voting for option 1 or 2. And I'd like to comment on option 5: no one is making you look at naked bodies, you can simply close your eyes or look away if you please.

[YoMartin]

Option 4, but I came close to voting for option 1 or 2. And I'd like to comment on option 5: no one is making you look at naked bodies, you can simply close your eyes or look away if you please.

I agree with your prefered options, but I don´t see how you could close your eyes in the streets (e.g., while driving).

[Josh/Devilman88]

number 3

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

Perv.

Who?  Me, for asking the question?

[they don't love you like i love you]

I believe that it should be legal for only attractive females.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

I believe that it should be legal for only attractive females.

Attractive to whom?  Do you propose a Federal Board of Female Attractiveness?  Or maybe a reality TV show...

[they don't love you like i love you]

Yes, that's actually what I would support, a board to determine so. of 9 heterosexual males + 1 lesbian to get the ratio right.

And I voted option 3. This is the type of thing I might think sounds good, but after seeing some nude beaches I realize it probably isn't.