You serious? What law do you think I'd be breaking?
Are you not familiar with the Public Order Act?
The offence is created by section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986:
"(1) A person is guilty of an offence if he:
(a) uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or disorderly behaviour, or
(b) displays any writing, sign or other visible representation which is threatening, abusive or insulting,
within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress thereby."
If you started banging on in public about hating black people or stating that homosexuals will burn in hell, dontcha think that might reasonably cause harassment, alarm or distress to people in those demographics?
Maybe it would seem less threatening if we were more relaxed about recreational nakedness, in parks and on beaches for example.
That seems to work for many europeans.
Wiki.{{United Kingdom[edit]
In England and Wales, the offence of "indecent exposure" and other sexual offences were replaced by the more specific and explicit Sexual Offences Act 2003. The Act does not mention nudity as such and is worded so as not to apply to skinny dipping, nude sunbathing, and similar activities. Current laws apply only to genital exposure with intent to shock those who do not want to see them. The maximum penalty is two years' imprisonment, but this is extremely rare as most cases are dealt with by a fine.[7][8] Public nudity can also be punished as "disorderly behaviour" under the Public Order Act 1986.[9]
The situation in Northern Ireland is complex as some parts of this Act apply but others do not and the Assembly is considering new legislation.[citation needed]Under Scots law, public indecency is covered by Crimes of indecency}}
So if I went with my partner to a very quiet out of the way place on a nearby National Park as I have done in the past on a very hot day, I am not breaking any law, even though it is not a designated naturist area. Nudity is in itself not illegal.
If you started banging on in public about hating black people or stating that homosexuals will burn in hell, dontcha think that might reasonably cause harassment, alarm or distress to people in those demographics?
Your memory appears to be deserting you. Here's what you wrote in #511:
given that i am publicly allowed to state that i can't stand one race of another, or homosexuals should burn in hell or any offensive bile, that is definitely offensive to the vast majority of people and break no law....
Hence my response:
If you started banging on in public about hating black people or stating that homosexuals will burn in hell, dontcha think that might reasonably cause harassment, alarm or distress to people in those demographics?
Call it a hunch but I reckon the majority would find someone walking around the streets with their dick hanging out offensive.
Indecent behaviour is offensive.
Of course they would, I 100% agree. The majority would be shocked and some quite alarmed. It's aberrant, weird behaviour, which I'm sure most would recoil from.
I have thought about it. I am still not sure what is threatening about a naked man.
Are you saying you honestly can't think of any situation or reason why a person or persons might feel threatened by the public presence of a naked male stranger? Really? Wow.
Are you saying you honestly can't think of any situation or reason why a person or persons might feel threatened by the public presence of a naked male stranger? Really? Wow.
Yes.
And I'm asking you why a naked man would be threatening.
And I'm asking you why a naked man would be threatening.
Please elaborate.
I'm having difficulty believing you're being sincere, but I'll humour you.
It's inappropriate to be naked in public, except in designated areas. Everyone knows this. A man who does it knows he is not supposed to do it. If a man wonders naked into a public area, everyone knows he's not supposed to do it. Immediately there are concerns over his intent and his state of mind. It's entirely reasonable that someone would feel threatened in that situation - especially if that someone were a child or a woman.
According to Wiki, he apparently broke down in court in November but has since refused to let social services assess his mental health so maybe all of this is finally starting to get to him ?
In England and Wales, the offence of "indecent exposure" and other sexual offences were replaced by the more specific and explicit Sexual Offences Act 2003. The Act does not mention nudity as such and is worded so as not to apply to skinny dipping, nude sunbathing, and similar activities. Current laws apply only to genital exposure with intent to shock those who do not want to see them. The maximum penalty is two years' imprisonment, but this is extremely rare as most cases are dealt with by a fine.[7][8] Public nudity can also be punished as "disorderly behaviour" under the Public Order Act 1986.[9]
The situation in Northern Ireland is complex as some parts of this Act apply but others do not and the Assembly is considering new legislation.[citation needed]Under Scots law, public indecency is covered by Crimes of indecency}}
So if I went with my partner to a very quiet out of the way place on a nearby National Park as I have done in the past on a very hot day, I am not breaking any law, even though it is not a designated naturist area. Nudity is in itself not illegal.
Must admit I'm a bit behind the times on this and hadn't realised the old crime of 'indecent exposure' had been dumped.
Still the ever present danger is that naturists may come across other people who are shocked and feel threatened by their nakedness.
I despair that the 'norm' seems to be to instantly assume the worst when this happens.
But it is not necessary to wear anything in appropriate circumstances, such as a naturist beach, sauna or swimming pool. The swimming costume is absolutely useless. It doesn't keep you dry or warm, quite the reverse. It is uncomfortable. It is also unhygienic and pointless in a sauna, akin to taking a bath with a bikini on, and yet in the UK it is expected in most circumstances that you cling grimly on to swimwear which is completely counter productive and stupid. The Germans and Dutch think it is beyond comic, and many go naked as a matter of course in their spas, but might not necessarily be 'naturists.' It is just the accepted cultural and polite thing to do there by all ages.
But we have a very tediously over sexualised society that automatically sees the naked body as something that is always sexual.
As a fellow naturist I have to agree that the swimsuit is the most illogical garment, certainly wherever possible my girlfriend and I go to naturist beaches and it feels much more comfortable to be able to swim or sunbathe without restrictive bits of material.
Saunas are one place you definitely don't want to be wearing a sweaty swimsuit or trunks - it kind of negates the whole effect by trapping sweat against the skin. Unfortunately though there are very few opporunities to partake in the UK in a normal gym or sauna - although there are ways around it...
But even though we are both naturists, we do keep this to areas where it is deemed appropriate - so wouldn't walk down the high street or around the supermarket.
According to Wiki, he apparently broke down in court in November but has since refused to let social services assess his mental health so maybe all of this is finally starting to get to him ?
Maybe he should grow up and put some clothes on then? Problem solved.
I won't be seen in public unless covered up, the most I do is bare arms from short sleeves down, so I am the last person to walk around naked.
But for anyone else that wants to do it, I completely understand. Only reservation I would have would be in places like shops and restaurants etc, but out in country areas, the seaside etc, I have no problem with that.
Maybe he should grow up and put some clothes on then? Problem solved.
Completely agree, but I suppose if you look at it from another angle, this issue has somewhat defined his whole life. If he admits defeat and starts wearing clothes, it could, and probably would, utterly devastate him.
Ironically, naturism is unnatural human behaviour. We began wearing clothes well over a hundred thousand years ago, to cope with reduced temperatures. The only communities left where near-nakedness in everyday life is normal are the tribes in the rainforests and equatorial regions. In all other climates the natural thing to do is to wear clothes that help regulate body temperature, keep us clean, dry, and protected from the elements.
Naturism is not "unnatural" human behaviour at all.
You are correct, humans did start to wear what have become clothes for warmth as they moved north to more temperate climates.
However apart from the last 150 years or so clothes were worn where appropriate. A person swimming in the river or the sea would have been naked, underwear is also a very recent invention. It was only the arrival of the railways to many seaside resorts and the start of tourism that lead to councils requiring bathers to wear clothes to go in to the sea, to protect ladies modesty.
The original naturist concept was to stop wearing clothing when appropriate, so sunbathing, swimming, etc, for health reasons.
If you think about it, the concept of wearing special clothing to swim in the sea is a stupid one, however today it is in the interest of a multi-billion pound swimming costume industry to perpetuate that concept.
I'm having difficulty believing you're being sincere, but I'll humour you.
It's inappropriate to be naked in public, except in designated areas. Everyone knows this.
It's more accurate to say that everyone's been conditioned to think this.
I get that society functions on a thin veneer of social norms, but there's no harm in taking a step back every so often and questioning how arbitrary a lot of our assumptions are.
However apart from the last 150 years or so clothes were worn where appropriate. A person swimming in the river or the sea would have been naked, underwear is a very recent invention. It was only the arrival of the railways to many seaside resorts and the start of tourism that lead to councils requiring bathers to wear clothes to go in to the sea, to protect ladies modesty.
It's evident when you look back at 18th/19th century paintings, how women bathing or swimming were pretty much always naked.
Honestly, if someone were to walk down the high street naked, my response would be to laugh discreetly. I think most other people would have the same response. No harm done.
In this weather, the best of luck to them! The rambler sounds like a troubled and lonely man, and continued prosecutions for harmless behaviour aren't helping.
As a fellow naturist I have to agree that the swimsuit is the most illogical garment, certainly wherever possible my girlfriend and I go to naturist beaches and it feels much more comfortable to be able to swim or sunbathe without restrictive bits of material.
Even the skimpiest budgie smuggler speedos would cover the genitals on men, and would not restrict that person in any way. No offence, but it's just rubbish (and excuse making) to suggest that they would. Just say you'd prefer to be naked.
Even the skimpiest budgie smuggler speedos would cover the genitals on men, and would not restrict that person in any way. No offence, but it's just rubbish (and excuse making) to suggest that they would. Just say you'd prefer to be naked.
Comments
Are you not familiar with the Public Order Act?
If you started banging on in public about hating black people or stating that homosexuals will burn in hell, dontcha think that might reasonably cause harassment, alarm or distress to people in those demographics?
Wiki.{{United Kingdom[edit]
In England and Wales, the offence of "indecent exposure" and other sexual offences were replaced by the more specific and explicit Sexual Offences Act 2003. The Act does not mention nudity as such and is worded so as not to apply to skinny dipping, nude sunbathing, and similar activities. Current laws apply only to genital exposure with intent to shock those who do not want to see them. The maximum penalty is two years' imprisonment, but this is extremely rare as most cases are dealt with by a fine.[7][8] Public nudity can also be punished as "disorderly behaviour" under the Public Order Act 1986.[9]
The situation in Northern Ireland is complex as some parts of this Act apply but others do not and the Assembly is considering new legislation.[citation needed]Under Scots law, public indecency is covered by Crimes of indecency}}
So if I went with my partner to a very quiet out of the way place on a nearby National Park as I have done in the past on a very hot day, I am not breaking any law, even though it is not a designated naturist area. Nudity is in itself not illegal.
Yeah I am.
If i hate the French I'm allowed to say it.
I have thought about it. I am still not sure what is threatening about a naked man.
Your memory appears to be deserting you. Here's what you wrote in #511:
Hence my response:
Does it all make sense now?
Of course they would, I 100% agree. The majority would be shocked and some quite alarmed. It's aberrant, weird behaviour, which I'm sure most would recoil from.
Are you saying you honestly can't think of any situation or reason why a person or persons might feel threatened by the public presence of a naked male stranger? Really? Wow.
Yes.
And I'm asking you why a naked man would be threatening.
Please elaborate.
Those were spare inner tubes.
They have a massive hardon?
I'm having difficulty believing you're being sincere, but I'll humour you.
It's inappropriate to be naked in public, except in designated areas. Everyone knows this. A man who does it knows he is not supposed to do it. If a man wonders naked into a public area, everyone knows he's not supposed to do it. Immediately there are concerns over his intent and his state of mind. It's entirely reasonable that someone would feel threatened in that situation - especially if that someone were a child or a woman.
Must admit I'm a bit behind the times on this and hadn't realised the old crime of 'indecent exposure' had been dumped.
Still the ever present danger is that naturists may come across other people who are shocked and feel threatened by their nakedness.
I despair that the 'norm' seems to be to instantly assume the worst when this happens.
As a fellow naturist I have to agree that the swimsuit is the most illogical garment, certainly wherever possible my girlfriend and I go to naturist beaches and it feels much more comfortable to be able to swim or sunbathe without restrictive bits of material.
Saunas are one place you definitely don't want to be wearing a sweaty swimsuit or trunks - it kind of negates the whole effect by trapping sweat against the skin. Unfortunately though there are very few opporunities to partake in the UK in a normal gym or sauna - although there are ways around it...
But even though we are both naturists, we do keep this to areas where it is deemed appropriate - so wouldn't walk down the high street or around the supermarket.
I don't necessarily agree with this.
Well, when was the last time you walked round naked in public?
Maybe he should grow up and put some clothes on then? Problem solved.
But for anyone else that wants to do it, I completely understand. Only reservation I would have would be in places like shops and restaurants etc, but out in country areas, the seaside etc, I have no problem with that.
Completely agree, but I suppose if you look at it from another angle, this issue has somewhat defined his whole life. If he admits defeat and starts wearing clothes, it could, and probably would, utterly devastate him.
Naturism is not "unnatural" human behaviour at all.
You are correct, humans did start to wear what have become clothes for warmth as they moved north to more temperate climates.
However apart from the last 150 years or so clothes were worn where appropriate. A person swimming in the river or the sea would have been naked, underwear is also a very recent invention. It was only the arrival of the railways to many seaside resorts and the start of tourism that lead to councils requiring bathers to wear clothes to go in to the sea, to protect ladies modesty.
The original naturist concept was to stop wearing clothing when appropriate, so sunbathing, swimming, etc, for health reasons.
If you think about it, the concept of wearing special clothing to swim in the sea is a stupid one, however today it is in the interest of a multi-billion pound swimming costume industry to perpetuate that concept.
It's more accurate to say that everyone's been conditioned to think this.
I get that society functions on a thin veneer of social norms, but there's no harm in taking a step back every so often and questioning how arbitrary a lot of our assumptions are.
It's evident when you look back at 18th/19th century paintings, how women bathing or swimming were pretty much always naked.
In this weather, the best of luck to them! The rambler sounds like a troubled and lonely man, and continued prosecutions for harmless behaviour aren't helping.
Even the skimpiest budgie smuggler speedos would cover the genitals on men, and would not restrict that person in any way. No offence, but it's just rubbish (and excuse making) to suggest that they would. Just say you'd prefer to be naked.
You almost sound angry about that...