The Naked Truth and Public Nudity in San Francisco

By Selwyn Duke

There currently is a debate raging over public nudity in San Francisco.

It’s not what you think.

It’s already entirely legal to parade about in the buff on the city’s streets, and no one is discussing the resurrection of indecent-exposure laws. Rather, the question is whether sanitary behavior — namely, posterior protection for public seating — should be required of nudists by law.

Reports the Los Angeles Times:

Retired math teacher David Goldman and his husband, Michael Koehn, were sharing a pleasant alfresco moment at a public plaza in the heart of the Castro district this week, passing a slender joint between them (medicinal, of course), as Eric Anderson sunbathed one table over. Naked.

Resplendent in flip-flops, hoop earrings and a sheen of Coppertone, the out-of work retail manager, 44, had draped a lime-green sarong between flesh and public seating.

Naturists call such posterior protection “normal etiquette.” But San Franciscans soon may call it the law.

Read the rest here.

Comments

[Philip France]

You neglected to mention the SS' intent to outlaw circumcision. I am a mere 90 miles from this once-great city and I will never visit it again. Too many lunatics (not the mention their cover-up of violent crime).

[Lurker]

I, too, have wondered at the poor judgement exercised by those who like to be seen naked in public whether it be those who bare all when possible or those who like topless sunbathing on European beaches. It seems that the beautiful avoid public nudity so they can safely mingle while the relatively unattractive want to indulge their God given right to be seen naked.

You really needn't be afraid of public nudity as a social contagion, however. Weather conditions throughout most of the world preclude going without protective covering which is probably why we invented clothes in the first place. Even on those few days when weather would permit walking while naked, sitting while naked is pretty much always gonna be a problem due to grass allergies, grass pokiness, insects, bird droppings, benches and rocks that are hard places as well as benches and rocks that are hot places, etc.