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incorporated toplessness in its public fashion show, which brought comparisons to Public nudity is Nudity in Public Space s, environments, or events. Another common reference is '''nude in public (NIP)'''. It can also refer to '''clothing-optional activities on public lands'''. It is less commonly referred to as '''public Naturism ''' or '''public Nudism ''', '''free-range nakedness''', or '''free-range nudity'''. This is in contrast to nudity in areas that are not generally accessible to the general public without prior permission, including nudity at Home , in privately held offices or studios, in Fitness facilities (such as Swimming Pools , Sauna s, or Gym nasia) and nudity in privately held areas such as nudist or naturist Clubs or Resorts . Cultural and Legal Acceptance of public nudity varies regionally. For nudity in public areas, there are in many countries areas such as Nude Beach es, officially designated or tolerated. People who unexpectedly encounter nudity in a public place outside these areas tend to be taken by surprise. Some opponents, including law enforcement, claim that it is Indecent Exposure when nudity occurrs in lewd (or otherwise sexualized) contexts. In particular, opponents sometimes protest that it is inappropriate for children to encounter public nudity. In recent times, however, it appears that public nudity is on the increase with outdoor sporting activities such as Naked Hiking , the World Naked Bike Ride , Bay To Breakers , Solstice Cyclists , and modern art movements as seen in the work of Spencer Tunick and others. DISAMBIGUATION The term "public nudity" or "naked in public" (NIP) has two general Vernacular associations. Internet searches yield a majority of references with Sexual ized contexts, often focusing on young women. However, much of the nudity that occurs on public lands is in non-sexual contexts. In those contexts, social norms dictate that people behave in a certain way to conform to social Mores to avoid conflict between different people and organizations. A common example of this is Clothing-optional Beach Etiquette , which takes different forms in different locales, usually spelling out bans on all forms of Sexual Harassment , overtly sexual behavior (such as Masturbation or Sexual Intercourse ), Predatory behavior, and aggressive Voyeuristic photography. Establishing expectations Activities are generally thus classified by whether or not the activities are done in Sexual ized or non-sexualized contexts. In high visibility events, this disambiguation often helps determine whether participants can be cited for Indecent Exposure or whether the activities may be legally deemed Obscene , lewd, or Lascivious . This also helps potential participants who are concerned about sexual activities avoid events that they deem inappropriate. By definition, organized naturists or nudists generally operate in contexts of non-sexualized nudity when in public or social (non-intimate) situations. Generally, an activity or event has a reputation or is widely known to be of one type or the other or is known to include both. In cases of the latter, areas of concern can be segregated with restricted access or by proper signage to warn people of the nature of the activities. In cases where organizers want participants to be clear about what to expect, they will either explicitly advertise and label the event as being done in a family-friendly, non-sexual, naturist, or nudist context to avoid unwanted behavior and to garnish community support and/or enforce good manners and appropriate behavior as problems occur. Association with movements or organizations Not all people who engage in public nudity see themselves as Nudists or Naturists or belong to traditional naturist or nudist organizations. Several activists, such as Vincent Bethell , claim that associations with naturism or nudism are unnecessary. Others will point out that many people who participate in events such as Clothing-optional Bike Rides or visit Clothing-optional Beaches do so casually and without association or formal affiliation to groups or movements. Activist Daniel Johnson believes that labels and affiliations overly complicate a relatively simple phenomenon, alienate others from a fear of over-commitment or undesirable stereotypes, and thus get in the way of integrating nudity into everyday life. Non-sexualized Terms such as "family-friendly" are often invoked when people wish to establish that open sexuality is unwelcome. "Adult" often implies the opposite -- that sexual expression is tolerated or may be the focus of a particular occasion. Artistic expression See Also: Nudity in art
Recreation and Sport 1981.]] See Also: Nudity in sport Certain activities in public areas are more readily accepted to be done while naked, such as bathing and swimming. Hiking, bicycling, and other sports may also not be viewed as unusual to be done while nude, especially in rural areas in northern Europe. Everyday activities such as riding a train or bus, shopping, or attending school or work are almost never considered by the public to be appropriate without clothing.
Public Nudity in History Throughout history, poverty has forced some warriors and sailors to be without clothing,Chris Fitter, ELH 72 (2005) Emergent Shakespeare and the Politics of Protest: 2 Henry VI in Historical Contexts, p. 136 but these instances are unlikely examples of public nudity. The closest western historical example of free public nudity was ancient Sparta , a society with rigorous codes of training and physical exercise, yet also having art and music. Spartan women wore briefer clothing than other Greek women, yet they sometimes dispensed with these garments and went nude in the town if they wished.Plutarch's lives, the Life of Lycurgus. (Customarily, they and other Greek men and women were nude at festivals of the Classical period). In Spartan society naked women or men in the city would probably have been treated with the same respect as clothed people.Though they lacked freedom in choosing a partner for marriage, the women were free to practice Polyandry . In general, however, concepts of either shame or offense, or the social comfort of the individual, seem to have been deterrents of public nudity in the rest of Greece and the ancient world in the east and west, with exceptions in what is now South America, and in Africa and Australia. Activism and Protests Public nudity has sometimes been used to attract more attention to a public Protest , a tactic used by the Doukhobor s in the early 20th century, and later (particularly from the 1960s onwards) used more widely. Modern slogans include "Disrobe for disarmament", "Nudes, not nukes!", "Naked For Peace", and "I'd rather go naked than wear fur!". , 2005 , a topless Political Protest ]] At a Lollapalooza appearance in 1993 in Philadelphia , rather than perform their music, members of the band Rage Against The Machine stood onstage naked with duct-tape on their mouths and the letters "PMRC" painted on their chests for 15 minutes in protest against censorship by the Parents Music Resource Center .
Formal nudity dancing naked through the streets.]] Although ceremony and traditions usually involve dressing up, often with some preferential attire, certain cultural or religious traditions actually prescribe(d) nudity, e.g., in the Gymnopaidia or the sect of the Adamites . This may be symbolic, especially for 'rebirth' to a new life phase, as in the case of Baptism (originally taken by an adult, later often as a child -- to wash away the original sin -- and/or at least partially covered up) or certain Coming Of Age rites, such as cow jumping by young men of the East African Hammer People before they are eligible for marriage. Another example is the neo-pagan tradition in some Wicca n covens of going Skyclad for certain rituals. In other cases, the physical exposure is a functional part testing endurance, e.g., to undergo Scarification , as among various Australian Aboriginal and Sepik River tribes in New Guinea. Clothes free people Legend Further reading
Timeline VARIABLE SEXUALIZED ENVIRONMENTS Includes phenomena that ranges from being non-sexualized to sexualized in nature.
SEMI-SEXUALIZED OR SEXUALIZED CONTEXT Flashing and Mooning can be offensive to some, but in many contexts, these are not considered offensive or, to those who are offended, generally not nearly as offensive as overt sexual behavior. Forms of Indecent Exposure include ''flashing'' (as suddenly removing one's coat, under which one is completely naked or at least displays uncovered genitalia and/or breasts), Streaking (running completely naked through a non-nudist Public Place , usually for fun or as a Practical Joke ), and Mooning (exposing the buttocks). Activities such as Dogging , Exhibitionism , Indecent Exposure , and Voyeurism are generally considered to be offensive to many and are also widely considered to be outside of naturist and nudist practices. Engaging in these activities can put people at risk for prosecution. SEE ALSO
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