San Francisco nudists might have to cover up if new ordinance passes

Going 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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What are the health risks of someone going nude?

    Reply#55 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 2:44 PM EDT

    all public nudity.......topless/bottomless...all should be banned!!!!! i can't believe it's legal anywhere in the usa. it's terrible!!!!! i think you're all weirdo's....sick ones who want to show yourself off this way!!!!!!!! nasty @!$%#!!!! put your damn clothes on and act right!!!

      Reply#56 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 2:45 PM EDT

      That is not right you shoud be alowed to where you want to go Naked or clothed

      • 1 vote
      Reply#57 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 2:45 PM EDT

      Yeah Indigo, that's what I like most about public exhibitionists; their stinky, sweaty ass lubricating the bus seats, park benches, restaurants and everywhere else that I might end up sitting on. These freaks are likely to have aids or any number of other diseases they spread around like animals. It's nothing but a cesspool around there and I'm sure glad I don't have to attempt raising my kids in scumtown.

      • 1 vote
      Reply#58 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 2:48 PM EDT

      Since they are required, by law, to place a towel between themselves what they are sitting on, you are far more likely to catch drug resistant TB or whooping cough from an illegal alien here than anything from a nudist. So just relax....

      • 1 vote
      #58.1 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 4:34 PM EDT
      Reply

      No...you shouldn't be allowed to go where you want naked...you fool!!!!!!!!!!!! Something is wrong with you...and everyone else who thinks this. Why don't you all go to some island and get off there!???!!!! You're sick people.

        Reply#59 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 2:49 PM EDT

        San Francisco the granola city. What isn't fruits and nuts there are flakes.

          Reply#60 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 2:52 PM EDT

          Don't drop the soap. I always heard SF was full of queers.

          • 2 votes
          Reply#61 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 2:54 PM EDT

          Aha, this story has given us evidence of a government cover up. Damn those Democrats and Republicans! I think Obama did it but maybe Mitt just tried to make it look like Obama.

            Reply#62 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 2:54 PM EDT

            Why do wrinkely pasty ol gay white guys think anyone wants to see their wrinkley junk!! uck!!! Another reason to skip San Francisco on my tour list.. well that an botox Pelosi

            • 1 vote
            Reply#63 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 2:54 PM EDT

            Since you seem to have a lot hate for whites and gay, we're better off if you stay where you are. Hopefully you can live in your little cocoon without having to deal with any kind of diversity whatsoever. Good luck with that.

              #63.1 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 4:38 PM EDT
              Reply

              Walking around naked in public is gross. It is even grosser having to sit in a seat after some fat, hairy naked guy with bowel problems. Nasty! Don't EVER try to come into my city to do it!

              FYI---I am a democrat, so don't blame democrats and equate democrats with ultra liberals.

              I vote on each issue, not the party.

              • 1 vote
              Reply#64 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 2:56 PM EDT

              I think they are going to have Pelosi stuffed when she goes to the great liberal beyond and have it placed in the city park to be popped on by the pigeons. I sure hope they put clothes on her!!!!!!!!!!!

              • 1 vote
              Reply#65 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 2:58 PM EDT

              Come on San Francisco even Berkeley has nudity laws! We live in a society and everyone doesn't get to do what they want all the time. There are plenty of other places to go nude. Your own home comes to mind. Next up--let's clean the human waste off the sidewalks. Hmmm I'll let you guess which neighborhood I'm talking about--coincidence?

              • 1 vote
              Reply#66 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 3:01 PM EDT

              There's a lot of human waste on the sidewalks of the Tenderloin district but I haven't seen anyone naked there........so your inference is disingenuous.

                #66.1 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 4:43 PM EDT
                Reply

                How will the nudists show I.D. when the police ticket them? And where will they put the ticket?

                  Reply#67 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 3:01 PM EDT

                  They can always arrest the naked pervs who don't cooperate.

                    #67.1 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 3:03 PM EDT

                    They have a couple of dependents to vouch for them but I personally think they are nuts.

                      #67.2 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 3:06 PM EDT

                      Inquiring (perv) minds want to know.....

                        #67.3 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 6:06 PM EDT
                        Reply

                        Please pass the nudity ordinance. No one wants to see a bunch of hairy dongs allover the place. Everyone knows the only people who go nude in public are homely men. You never see an attractive woman or man nude in public.

                        • 1 vote
                        Reply#68 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 3:02 PM EDT

                        All of the nude guys are actually clean shaven. You won't have to worry about seeing "hairy dongs". See...you didn't even know what you are talking about.

                        • 1 vote
                        #68.1 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 4:45 PM EDT

                        And they have cock rings, betcha didnt know that either....

                          #68.2 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 6:07 PM EDT
                          Reply

                          I would leave the communist state.

                          • 1 vote
                          Reply#69 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 3:02 PM EDT

                          Wow, that's interesting. I never knew people went publicly naked the United States, let alone San Francisco. I never knew they could. I wonder if nudist people only don't wear clothes when the weather is warm...I mean, even if they don't want to wear clothes, it still gets cold in California.

                          I might be able to get used to people going naked....as for me, though, I'd want to keep wearing clothes.

                          • 1 vote
                          Reply#70 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 3:04 PM EDT

                          There is no way I would ever go to San Fransico, there's nothing more disgusting then seeing a fat person naked. I don't like laws that take away more of our rights, however I would not do any business where people go to naked because their body fluids smears every where. I have my own DNA and don't want no one else's. Of corse S.F. has been the biggest retarted ran city in the U.S. !.

                          • 1 vote
                          Reply#71 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 3:05 PM EDT

                          I have lived in San Francisco for 27 years. For most of this time, I have lived near the Castro district. I have seen naked people walking around on the streets four times. Once saw a group of about 8 naked people riding their bikes in the Financial district. Not all of them were men either.

                          It is not as though there are naked people everywhere. And...you may not eat naked in any restaurants.

                          Also, you may want to rethink your little rant about how "retarted" we are here in San Francisco when you cannot even spell or write correctly.

                          • 2 votes
                          #71.1 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 5:02 PM EDT

                          Merlin -

                          I have my own DNA and don't want no one else's

                          Thats just funny

                            #71.2 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 6:09 PM EDT
                            Reply

                            having been to San Franweirdo a number of times...it just needs to fall off into the ocean ASAP.....it just keeps getting more fu#ked up all the time

                            • 1 vote
                            Reply#72 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 3:07 PM EDT

                            ........... but profanity is ok?

                              #72.1 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 3:36 PM EDT

                              Then why do you keep returning to SF? You'd be much happier if you just stayed home and the city would be a friendlier place without you as well.

                              • 2 votes
                              #72.2 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 4:49 PM EDT

                              It tried to fall into the ocean a few times but the midwest sucked so bad, it pulled it back.

                              • 1 vote
                              #72.3 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 6:10 PM EDT
                              Reply

                              I have no problem with public nudity as long as your in shape. I was camping on Independence pass in Colorado once, walked down the trail along the river, and there were a few bathing beauties playing in the stream naked. That was a pleasure to watch. (Then my girlfriend caught up with me and slapped me upside the head) LOL

                              But if your old, saggy, pasty, PLEASE cover it up, nobody wants to see you.

                              • 1 vote
                              Reply#73 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 3:17 PM EDT

                              And they wonder why people call California the land of fruits and nuts.

                              • 1 vote
                              Reply#74 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 3:17 PM EDT

                              Even the English these days say americans have become total prudes...

                              How sad is it that we are afraid of our own bodies...

                              • 2 votes
                              Reply#76 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 3:24 PM EDT

                              Where do they put the tickets when they get them? Where do they keep their photo id?

                                Reply#77 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 3:25 PM EDT

                                They keep them...down south?

                                  #77.1 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 6:03 PM EDT
                                  Reply

                                  To PatriotJane comment #1.5

                                  Just tell the truth Jane. You were never planning on visiting San Francisco in the first place. You won't be missed here at all. Neither will anyone that thinks the same way you do about our beautiful city. If fact, we're VERY happy that someone like you is staying away from us. You're the kind of person that most San Franciscans were trying to get away from, when we left the "Poedunks" that you live in to come here. Stay home Jane!

                                  • 1 vote
                                  Reply#78 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 3:30 PM EDT

                                  Thanks, "down with big brother",

                                  I'll take that as a complement, (even though it wasn't meant as one). Yes, I'm glad I'm here too. The "granola state" is always on the leading edge of the country. Sooner or later, as California goes, so goes the rest of the nation. It just takes you guys a little longer to catch up with us.

                                  • 1 vote
                                  #78.2 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 4:55 PM EDT
                                  Reply

                                  How ironic that the supervisor's name is Weiner

                                    Reply#79 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 3:33 PM EDT

                                    I understand the desire to be naked, as the few times I went skinny-dipping I felt completely free and liberated :)

                                    However, we cannot forget that there are children in that city. Would you want to live somewhere that made you constantly on guard to hide such things from your small children? If I'm understanding correctly, the nudists can pretty much be naked anywhere in public that they desire.

                                    Why not meet half-way? Build subdivisions or divide certain public sections and designate them as accepting nudity, and no children allowed. I can't say I have much of an opinion of these nudists if they're naked in places where children are allowed. Disgraceful! Wonder if they could be charged with a sex crime and added to the sex offender registry? I bet that would curb this nonsense. There are beaches, and resorts, and colonies for this type of behavior.

                                    • 2 votes
                                    Reply#80 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 3:37 PM EDT

                                    You know why the dumberment wants to control where and when you can be naked? Because they want you thinking that what they say is wrong, is wrong. It's just more BS nanny state garbage that means nothing to anyone.

                                    • 1 vote
                                    #80.1 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 4:26 PM EDT

                                    "There are beaches, and resorts, and colonies for this type of behavior"

                                    We have a definition for "marriage" also but that dosen't stop the true liberal. If it's not IN-YOUR-FACE, they're not happy. People need to understand that liberalism is a cult, not a party and it always comes at someone elses expense. This is a prime example.

                                    • 2 votes
                                    #80.2 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 4:35 PM EDT

                                    Interesting......so you'd make sure that a man couldn't have a steak because a baby couldn't chew it, right? It's the same reasoning.

                                      #80.3 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 5:01 PM EDT

                                      Babaloui

                                      Your definition of marriage probably comes from your (re-written a hundred times by monks and kings and popes) bible.

                                      Doesnt mean its everyone elses.

                                      And when you speak of cults, look to whatever neo-bible thumping organization you belong to.

                                        #80.4 - Fri Oct 5, 2012 6:16 PM EDT
                                        Reply
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