Nudity as Carnival

[jbeegoode]

In that latest issue of “N” magazine (40.4 summer 2021), there is an article in the N-sight section “Public Nudity as Carnival.”

 It brings up a question and attempts to answer it. Why there is tolerance for nude events like WNBR or Monte Gras, but the next day, a single individual could be arrested for even discretely being nude?

One of a few answers is that these events, going back clear into medieval times, were a sort of cap and place for a social something to let out steam. Sort of like football letting certain primitive tribal parts of humanity get out in a socially acceptable manner.

The acceptance actually puts the behaviors and the nudity in a box, in its place, and the message that it isn’t okay the rest of the time is reinforced. It is sort of like placing nudity in a pen and under control.

It is however, also to be considered a beachhead. It brings nudity to light. It shows it as okay and harmless and good clean fun to others that might not be exposed to nudity, as just that. It gives people a chance to practice nudity in more public areas, who wouldn’t have an outlet otherwise. It helps the concept and acceptance of free range nudity to grow into the more general society. It educates.

This nudity in a carnival situation and the idea of free beaches seem to go hand in hand and equally are tools towards an end.
Jbee

[Greenbare Woods]

Hmmmm?  I don't seem to have received issue 40.4 yet.  I've still only got 40.3.   

That does seem to make sense, that nude events limit nudity and let people do unusual things without allowing general acceptance. 

[NudistMetalHead]

That's just it though, they are only for specialized events.  Life goes back to where it was the next day.  It seems that's as much as society is willing to tolerate.

[Fishandchips]

I don’t know this magazine so I assume it’s only heard on in the US. Interesting theory as to why it’s acceptable to have nudity in WNBR and carnival events. But it does seem absurd that it is acceptable when it is used as a spectacle in carnival or protests but if you dare do a nude hike or bike ride even in the country then the police swarm in if someone sees you.

[jbeegoode]

"N" magazine is the  official mag of "The Naturist Society" a sort of BN counterpart in the US.

I don't think that life would ever be the same after Joe on the street did a WNBR, at least for Joe. It does bring participation and a new perspective and embracing of nudity to the Joes. It lasts in the minds and seeds the minds of the public. But, it sure doesn't seem to affect the status of the law enforcement.

Here in Arizona, it is legal to protest nude as Constitutional "Right" to free expression, but not to protest anti-nude laws in the nude...go figure.
Jbee

[Fishandchips]

"N" magazine is the  official mag of "The Naturist Society" a sort of BN counterpart in the US.

I don't think that life would ever be the same after Joe on the street did a WNBR, at least for Joe. It does bring participation and a new perspective and embracing of nudity to the Joes. It lasts in the minds and seeds the minds of the public. But, it sure doesn't seem to affect the status of the law enforcement.

Here in Arizona, it is legal to protest nude as Constitutional "Right" to free expression, but not to protest anti-nude laws in the nude...go figure.
Jbee

I’ve seen stuff in San Francisco with that mad cow gypsy taub protesting for various stuff.

[jbeegoode]

She had several creative protests in favor of nudity. It appeared to get very frustrating for her. Standing naked on the tables in the counsel chambers shouting, cussing and chanting slogans, took guts. It all didn't get her much of anywhere, even backwards.
Jbee

[Fishandchips]

She had several creative protests in favor of nudity. It appeared to get very frustrating for her. Standing naked on the tables in the counsel chambers shouting, cussing and chanting slogans, took guts. It all didn't get her much of anywhere, even backwards.
Jbee

I can’t say I like her, she’s psycho.

[Peter S]

As someone famous said, the world isn’t changed by reasonable people but (to paraphrase) psychos standing on desks on council chambers.

[Fishandchips]

As someone famous said, the world isn’t changed by reasonable people but (to paraphrase) psychos standing on desks on council chambers.

The world isn’t going to be changed by a woman who makes allegations against men at her rallies making sexual advances to her daughter then seemingly stalking a minor herself. I know she denies it and has her own version of events but think of this, the man she accused of making advances to her daughter by email was called out while he was at one of her rallies. She is accused of similar and is in jail.

[jbeegoode]

Her feelings of outrage about nudity restrictions was always appropriate: her tactics made awareness, circus, and often gave the movement toward body freedom a less desirable image, I suppose. All good and bad.

She is odd to most, but in Berkley, she fits in. I don't know about psycho, but she sure has radical opinions and solutions to her angst and sense of proper social behavior. We need some psychos, sometimes. We need uppity people to be uppity. We don't have to like them. She got out and did what she thought might work, she follows passions, and is true to her personal beliefs. I've got to hand her that.

The last I heard of her, she was in Mexico, helping drug addicts with unusual methods that were illegal here, and probably there. I see that she is back and making trouble for herself without a cause this time. I could imagine the exasperation that she gives her attorney!!!
Jbee

[Fishandchips]

Her feelings of outrage about nudity restrictions was always appropriate: her tactics made awareness, circus, and often gave the movement toward body freedom a less desirable image, I suppose. All good and bad.

She is odd to most, but in Berkley, she fits in. I don't know about psycho, but she sure has radical opinions and solutions to her angst and sense of proper social behavior. We need some psychos, sometimes. We need uppity people to be uppity. We don't have to like them. She got out and did what she thought might work, she follows passions, and is true to her personal beliefs. I've got to hand her that.

The last I heard of her, she was in Mexico, helping drug addicts with unusual methods that were illegal here, and probably there. I see that she is back and making trouble for herself without a cause this time. I could imagine the exasperation that she gives her attorney!!!
Jbee

I suspect the attorney just sees dollar signs 🤣

[nuduke]

I don’t know this magazine so I assume it’s only heard on in the US. Interesting theory as to why it’s acceptable to have nudity in WNBR and carnival events. But it does seem absurd that it is acceptable when it is used as a spectacle in carnival or protests but if you dare do a nude hike or bike ride even in the country then the police swarm in if someone sees you.

That's a sad but very true observation, FishNC.  There is a complete dual standard in our society that tolerates sexually driven nudity in the media in such shows as Naked Attraction and, as you say, that mass nudity seems to be tolerated widely.  Yet individual nudity is as persecuted as ever.
We need to fight for liberation!  Lets have a mass naked protest march to Parliament. I bet the 'Met' will take a dim view of that because its political as well as naturist!
John

[jbeegoode]

What's "Met"?

I thought that nudity had been codified and police educated to the law in the UK and Scotland got that, too. NAked walks in et countryside are safe. Have urbanites been getting harassed with no change in the behavior of the authorities?
Jbee

[Fishandchips]

What's "Met"?

I thought that nudity had been codified and police educated to the law in the UK and Scotland got that, too. NAked walks in et countryside are safe. Have urbanites been getting harassed with no change in the behavior of the authorities?
Jbee

The police in the UK are divided into individual regions. Metropolitan Police, or ‘Met’ are the force that serve Greater London, excluding City of London. Apologies for going off topic