September 6, 2011

News of the Strange: Public Nudity Legislation

Just in time for the return of Burners to SF, today Scott Wiener introduced this legislation:
SUPERVISOR WIENER TO INTRODUCE PUBLIC NUDITY LEGISLATION

Legislation would require nudists to cover public seating before sitting down and would require clothing to enter restaurants

At today's Board of Supervisors meeting, Supervisor Scott Wiener will introduce legislation to ensure that public nudity comports with basic concepts of public health.  While there are many opinions about the appropriateness of people going nude in public, there is little disagreement that public nudity should be sanitary.  Supervisor Wiener's legislation will help accomplish that goal.

Supervisor Wiener represents, among other neighborhoods, the Castro, which has seen an increase in public nudity recently.

The legislation will address two issues.  First, it will require people who are nude in public to place an item -- for example, a towel -- underneath them when they sit down.  This will avoid situations, as currently occurs, where nudists sit down on public seating without placing anything between their body and the seat.  Second, the legislation will require nudists to don clothing before they enter a restaurant.

"San Francisco is a liberal and tolerant city, and we pride ourselves on that fact," said Supervisor Wiener.  "Yet, while we have a variety of views about public nudity, we can all agree that when you sit down naked, you should cover the seat, and that you should cover up when you go into a food establishment."

For more information, please contact Supervisor Wiener's office at (415) 554-6968 or scott.wiener@sfgov.org.
[Image: Demotivational Posters]

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

So what about breast feeding in a restaurant - does that count as nudity?

Anonymous said...

Yes, I would say breast feeding counts as nudity, and I definitely do not like seeing it in a restaurant while I'm eating. She can take the rug rat to the rest room to do the feeding.

sfthen said...

Dang, if there'd been one of these fabulous Andres Power "Parks" at Noe/24th then you wouldn't have to go all the way over the hill to see a naked man sitting outside in the neighborhood.

murphstahoe said...

Tell you what, since you seem so unhappy about that, I'm going to bring my towel and sit my naked butt on the bench in front of Starbucks this weekend.

Anonymous said...

I dare you.

Todd David said...

Stating that breast feeding in a restaurant is equivalent to public nudity is like claiming Michelangelo's David is the same thing as pornography.

Anonymous said...

Todd: It is the same thing.

Anonymous said...

It is the same and should not be done in public eating areas.

Anonymous said...

sorry Todd David, it appears that more than one person here disagrees with you.

It should not be done in public. Bringing any baby that small, in need of breastfeeding, to a restaurant just should not be done.

Get a sitter. go out and enjoy your meal, and let US enjoy it without any nakedness.

Anonymous said...

sorry Todd David, it appears that more than one person here disagrees with you.

Case closed! Blogocracy!

Bookmom said...

"Anonymous" is just putting us on. He no more believes that breastfeeding and nudity in public are the same thing than he believes the moon is made of green cheese....we are talking about hygiene, spread of germs or infection from a totally naked person sitting with his/her bare bottom on chairs in public places where you might sit next. Yuck.

Breastfeeding in public is done modestly, with a shirt on, and most often with additional nursing covers or blankets. That activity does not spread germs.

Let's not take a deliberate put-on by the "anonymous" seriously.

Anonymous said...

So, bookmom, which anonymous are you complaining about?

some of us, perhaps many of us still feel breastfeeding should not be a public event, blanket or not.