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Subscribe to RSSGoing bare on the streets of San Francisco could legally become taboo, if a city official's proposal to ban public nudity gains support.
Supervisor Scott Wiener, who represents a district in the city and county of San Francisco, introduced the ordinance Tuesday, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Wiener's coverage area includes the Castro District, which is notorious for nudity.
Under the proposed law, nudity would still be allowed at San Francisco's street fairs, festivals, parades and beaches (which are under federal control). The ordinance is instead targeting an increase in daily occurrences of nudists around the district.
"We've always had some public nudity in the Castro," Wiener told NBC on Thursday. But Wiener said there has recently been a significant increase in the neighborhood's Jane Warner Plaza.
"Our town square [is] becoming an ad-hoc nudist colony," Wiener said, adding that on a slow day there are two to four nudists at the plaza, and on a busy day, upward of 10 to 12.
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Since California state law does not ban public nudity outright, but only "lewd" public behavior, these rules are left for cities and counties to decide, according to The San Francisco Examiner. The Examiner noted that San Francisco's parks and port property already ban nudity, but this proposed ordinance would also include public transit, sidewalks, plazas and smaller "parklets."
The proposed ordinance would fine people in the buff up to $100 for a first offense, up to $200 for a second offense within a year, and either a misdemeanor or up to $500 ticket for the third strike.
To pass, the plan has to be approved by a majority of the city's supervisors and signed by San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, the Examiner noted.
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But not everyone in the city is too happy about banning birthday suits in public.
George Davis, a former nude candidate for mayor in San Francisco, told the Chronicle that he believes the proposed ban is "an attack on freedom."
"I walk all over the place nude," Davis told the Chronicle. "The most common reaction is oblivious."
This is not the first time Wiener has targeted the city's public nudity. According to the Examiner, last year he successfully helped encourage a law that stipulates nudists must place a cloth buffer between their body and any public seat they sit on.
Public nudity bans are already in place in the Bay Area cities of San Jose and Berkeley, Calif., the Examiner reported.
NBCBayArea.com's Chris Roberts contributed to this story.
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Leave a Comment:
Really, I mean who wants to see your nasty naked rear anywhere in public - come on people, but the ban in place and move on, really a waste of everyone's time.
Another blow to the pot smoking and gay communities.
Comments like that make me suspect either you've given both communities many blows, or would like to if you weren't so repressed.
You have to remember that it is rarely the young pretty people walking around nude. It is normally the old fat guys or people you would rather not see naked.
I think it is beautification project more than anything else.
In all reality if this is the most pressing issue in San Francisco, other than crime, jobs, taxes, jobs, drugs, schools, and streets then let them spend time trying to take further control of our lives.
If you think Nudity is good just imagine being on a sidewalk Cafe and trying to eat and here comes Nancy Pelosi and she has forgotten to put a Bag over her head.
Reminds me of the deluded fool who decided to be a streaker at an ice hockey game. In bare feet he of course fell on his head and knocked himself out.
This is core democratic thinking there..pelosi reid obama... Only an idiot would walk naked in public for NO apparent reason. Streaking is a reason, but not just because its friggin monday.
I would consider having to see some naked person in public Visual Assault. I dont wanna see your barbelled pierced whatever because GOD KNOWS wheres it been. GTFO.
I've avoided the Castro District or Haight Ashbury area. And for good reason... I have zero interest in what's going on there. So I guess this doesn't really concern those of us like me who live, work and play elsewhere. I believe it should be left to the citizens who live in the district to decide... with the exception of threat to health and safety. The majority wins. Well.. not always I guess.
I feel for residents who live in the district and do not want to see the significant increase in nudity in their neighborhood. Afterall, they are the ones who will have to live with it every day. The media isn't doing these folks any favor by turning this into a national story either. Those who insist on their freedom to expose themselves in public are going to fight one hell of a battle and will probably win to some degree (after all nudity is already permissible in the hood... this is not a new concern). So now its got to be regulated. Right?
On a side note... wanna see an example of half naked, ugly, filthy, disgusting bodies... shop Walmart.
OMG! Voyeurism in SF will never be the same.................. :-(
I have to sign onto that law!
one more point. saying 'people in europe are accepting and tolerant of nudity" is only something a complete imbecile would say. there are almost 755 million people in europe, including over 53 million muslims. there are a variety of political and religious beliefs. in may of 2011 barcelona, spain, passed a measure that allows the police to fine even individuals in skimpy clothes or men bare-chested walking in the street. i am from europe. stop making generalizations about my homeland. it would be like me saying 'all american's are stupid' which i know is not the case but some are as you have proven!
missioncreekman, I agree. I was in Barcelona 3 years ago and there were two male nudists walking around Port Vell. They raised a lot of eyebrows and drew a lot of amused glances as well as shocked looks, and not just from tourists. When they reached the Columbus statue where all the football fans were gathering for FCB's homecoming parade, many of the young male fans were pointing, laughing, and taking photos of the two men. I checked online to see what the law on nudity was, and everything I read said that nudity was fine in Barcelona as long as you didn't create a disturbance.
Who wants to go nude in SF anyway, where the average year-round temp is about 55, and you maybe have 10 days out of the year when it's 70 or above? Sure, the temps vary from neighborhood to neighborhood, but if you were traipsing around town you'd be alternately putting on and taking off various articles of clothing. I'm all for the cloth buffer law but I'd go a step further and require loin coverings on public transportation. Really, do you want to be sitting on the aisle with someone's whang hanging next to your face?
So, that must be why you can't have a concealed weapon in SF, it's impossible!!! I wonder when those ultra-libs are going to ban straight sex???????????? Nothing is normal in that town. The freakier you are, the more you're accepted.
Mostly a homofag thing.
Butt Butt, I just don't understand!
Thank you SF!!!! Once you have banned ALL public nudity we will once again be able to book out conventions at your beautiful and well dressed hotels!
Our hotels are booked with all the conventions we need. In fact, companies fight over space here. So stay home, we don't need or want you.
Sooo...a guy named Weiner wants to ban nudity...hilarious!
Public nudity... nothing gets the Holier-Then-Thou crowd's panties in a bunch then the thought that some of us are 'original-sin' free, and perfectly comfortable going about our daily lives clothing-free. There's nothing we can do for these people. It's not unlike trying to talk reason with a Jihadist - a complete waste of time.
And while most of these people are just dried up bitter old farts waiting to die, and the rest of the normal world is waiting for them to die off as well, they continue to poison generation after generation with their fairy-tale taboos, and impose their will on our elected officials.
Here's the bottom line:
There's nothing wrong with nudity, public, private, or otherwise. From a safety standpoint, local law enforcement should be overjoyed at the sight of people going about their business in the nude. It's pretty obvious they've got nothing to hide.
However... I also have nothing against clothing either. It has many practical applications. It keeps you warm when it's cold, keeps campfire sparks off your junk if you sit too close, and let's not forget the convenience of things like Pockets. There are, after all, only so many places you can put your wallet, cell phone, keys, and other essentials when you're nude.
The TSA should also welcome the nude with, uh, open arms, again for the same reasons as law enforcement. If we all flew nude, 9/11 would never have happened.
But as long as we remain a bassakwards, jeudo-christian dominated nation clinging the the ancient tales of a bunch of nomadic middle-easterners no nation ever wanted, we're going to have these kinds of problems, and countless others that would be so easy to overcome simply by waking up to reality.
I love the one who wrote this articule "Wiener's coverage area" great writing right there.......
Kind of ironic the guy all riled up is named Wiener. Could it be that the bastion of free expression has a limit. We may finally be reaching the tipping piont. My right not to have to see your junk may supercede your right to show it.
So the Wiener doesn't like to be naked.
I think the freaks in SF should keep it legal. They deserve it.
Most nudist i have seen in my life really need to be covered up. Yuk Practically everyone over about 45 to 50 for sure.
way too much information. people don't want to get to know each other that well. yikes!
did I read that correctly? Wiener targer public nuidity? thats just wrong
Wait it ok to be naked in public there?