Nude Legally

[shãybare]

Is this cool or what?

Nude people in town center could prompt ban

August 21, 2006

BRATTLEBORO, Vt. --Complaints about young people who spend time in downtown naked have prompted the Select Board to explore an anti-nudity ordinance.

Groups of young people have been congregating in a downtown parking lot and enjoying the warm summer weather without clothing, and that bothers some local residents.

"A parking lot is not a strip club. It's a parking lot," resident Theresa Toney told the Select Board last week. She said she has seen repeated instances of naked people hanging out downtown.

"This is a problem. What about children seeing this?" Toney asked.

Vermont has no law against nudity, though some cities and towns ban it by ordinance.

News that the Select Board had asked Town Attorney Robert Fisher to research a possible local ordinance drew a protest of sorts Friday, as five young men gathered downtown and stripped their clothes off in protest.

"There's no real valid way to justify the banning of nakedness," said one of the men, Adhi Palar, between licks on his clarinet. "Nakedness does not violate any human rights whatsoever."

With no law to enforce, Police Chief John Martin was taking a laid-back approach.

"What's the harm?" Martin asked. "It's a problem to the extent that it bothers people, but we've always had it here."

"We get calls and we check out what's going on. Even though there's often no criminal violation, we want to be sure there isn't a confrontation. Or that someone is not emotionally disturbed."

A criminal charge might result if the nudity is sexual in nature, with the purpose of "gratification or the intent of arousing oneself or another," Martin said.

Nudity has put the town in the headlines before. A group of women held "Breast Fest" in Brattleboro in the early 1990s, marching down Main Street with no clothing above the waist.
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[shãybare]

Is this cool or what?

Nude people in town center could prompt ban

August 21, 2006

BRATTLEBORO, Vt. --Complaints about young people who spend time in downtown naked have prompted the Select Board to explore an anti-nudity ordinance.

Groups of young people have been congregating in a downtown parking lot and enjoying the warm summer weather without clothing, and that bothers some local residents.

"A parking lot is not a strip club. It's a parking lot," resident Theresa Toney told the Select Board last week. She said she has seen repeated instances of naked people hanging out downtown.

"This is a problem. What about children seeing this?" Toney asked.

Vermont has no law against nudity, though some cities and towns ban it by ordinance.

News that the Select Board had asked Town Attorney Robert Fisher to research a possible local ordinance drew a protest of sorts Friday, as five young men gathered downtown and stripped their clothes off in protest.

"There's no real valid way to justify the banning of nakedness," said one of the men, Adhi Palar, between licks on his clarinet. "Nakedness does not violate any human rights whatsoever."

With no law to enforce, Police Chief John Martin was taking a laid-back approach.

"What's the harm?" Martin asked. "It's a problem to the extent that it bothers people, but we've always had it here."

"We get calls and we check out what's going on. Even though there's often no criminal violation, we want to be sure there isn't a confrontation. Or that someone is not emotionally disturbed."

A criminal charge might result if the nudity is sexual in nature, with the purpose of "gratification or the intent of arousing oneself or another," Martin said.

Nudity has put the town in the headlines before. A group of women held "Breast Fest" in Brattleboro in the early 1990s, marching down Main Street with no clothing above the waist.
©

* Globe City/Region stories |
* Latest local news |
* Globe front page |
* Boston.com

[shãybare]

Here's an update.


A politely rebellious collection of teenagers passing time in the Harmony Parking Lot this summer has taken to disrobing. Seemingly on a whim, they shed clothes and soak up the sun, nude.

What began as a lark or an ode to youthful exuberance has now turned into a municipal quandary, because public nudity is permissible in Brattleboro.

In the words of Town Manager Jerry Remillard, if you're naked in public, and you're minding your business, you're legal.

``We're quite a bit different than a lot of places," Remillard said.

Spurred by complaints, the town's Select Board will consider changing that, although no changes are expected soon. In the meantime, some pedestrians avert their eyes. Some youths cheer on their naked friends, and a few adults are so offended that they become nearly hysterical.

If the two-dozen or so youths, 16 to 19 years old, are seeking to make a social statement, the manifesto needs some work.

``We just thought it'd be a little fun," said Charles Corry, 19, who said he stripped to nature's own Friday and hung out for about 45 minutes with five like-minded friends as shoppers, diners, and walkers made their bemused way through the lot. ``I don't see it as a serious statement."

Serious or not, the teenagers have made nudity something that can show its pale or sun-burned self with no warning. Rachel Brooks, who works at Everyone's Books, sees some of the action on the sidewalk outside the shop's rear door.

``Personally, if I wanted to be naked, I wouldn't sit around in a dirty parking lot," said Brooks, 22. ``I wouldn't want to get cigarette butts on my butt."

The nudity began in earnest this year, Brooks said, when one young woman decided she wanted to bare her chest in public, just like her male friends.

Since then, the no-clothes fashion has gained popularity and has expanded to include group bike rides, skateboarding, hula-hoop contests, and a grass-roots music event that the group dubbed the Brat Fest.

One girl even sat partially nude on a newspaper vending box in the middle of downtown.

``I think most of Vermont wants Vermont to be nude," said Hannah Phillips, 15, who added that she has not disrobed. ``People have a basic human right to be naked if they want to."

Nearby, older teenagers sat on the sidewalk, fully clothed, their backs propped against a brick wall, munching on a pizza they found in its box. A car belonging to one of the group was parked nearby, a skull-and-crossbones on its hood and the words, ``Chaos Infiltration Squad," on a side door. On the opposite side of the lot, the Back Side Cafe looked down on the scene.

Although members of the group said they don't intend to offend anyone, one woman has filed a complaint with the Select Board.

But the wheels of legislation grind methodically here, and the board must hold two public meetings, followed by a waiting period of nearly a month before a ban on public nudity can be implemented and enforced.

Vermont does not forbid public nudity, as Massachusetts does, but some liberal communities in the state have banned it. Remillard said that outsiders should not begin to think of Brattleboro as a haven for the behavior. It's just that Brattleboro never had cause to ban nudity before.

``I would suspect that if it were OK, you'd see it in Boston," he said.

Andrew Wdowiak, who works at Everyone's Books, said that he's not put off by the nudity, but that the act has become a little tired. ``I think it was more for the shock value," he said. ``They weren't flagrant about it."

But last week, when about a half-dozen naked teenagers congregated outside the store, ``it was like they were baking a cake, and they really frosted it," Wdowiak said. ``All the men were naked, and the women were topless. I needed about three drinks to erase that vision."

One patron of the bookstore let loose with hysterics of Academy Award proportions, he added.

If the town passes an ordinance this year, cool weather will have begun to settle in this slice of the North Country.

But Remillard, for one, doesn't think the bracing air will accomplish what Brattleboro's laws have been so far unable to do.

``That isn't necessarily going to bother this group of people," he said of the cold.

[nimrod]

I hope that the ban is not passed, it is good to see the young people there are exercising their right to be nude. I cannot see the draw to a parking lot, but maybe there is not a local park. Well maybe I can see the draw to a parking lot, I used to hang out at a turnout by the road, it had a view of the city below, but it was still a turnout.

[tinner666]

I don't think teenagers have a chance of fighting this without help from AANR or ACLU. Anybody here able to hook somebody up. I hardly have time to work or sleep myself. They need help that I'm unable to give.

[naturalmanwa]

I think that if they went to a park or other place such as a swimming pool it would not be a problem. I for one would be very cautious about using a city street or parking lot for reasons of sanitaton and health!

[shãybare]

I e-mailed Nicky Hoffman Lee with The Naturist Society and got back the following:

> Shaylin,
NAC is aware of the issue and is, of course dealing with it. I am forwarding your message on the the NAC Chair, Bob Morton and Morley Schloss who is the board member for that area.
Nicky Hoffman Lee
The Naturist Society
>

[NakedGary]

I'm pleased the TNS repies, AANR sure is lax in that area.

[tinner666]

I re-read my post and I should say I wasn't advocating nudity in the parking lot. I figure that if AANR or TNShelp, a comprimise good for everybody can be worked out. A park area or something.

[Rabid_Clam]

These fellow New Englanders pretty much hit the nail on the head with the definition of proper nudism. That is just being naked is no crime if no one is in the process or act of self gratification or that of others. That removes the sexuality out of the picture leaving the bare fact the preson is just being nude. This falls pretty much under the terms of our constitution that grants us the freedom of self expression.

Someone asked 'what if young kids see this?;. The answer is simple. Even pictures in the bible depict totally nude males and females as do some text books and other non sexual art and/or photos that are used in educational forums in schools. The human body is not a thing to be ashamed of and if we treat it that way, as do these folk in Vermont, then we reduce the covert curiousity that usually invloves sex and unwanted results.

So they are naked!! So what !! Go fight something that is hurting someone like drugs, gangs, war and crime.

[Naked In Florida]

I'm moving to vermont!!!!

[Nude and Tanned]

If it wasn't for those cold snowy winters I would consider moving to Vermont also.

[Rabid_Clam]

How many other states are so appointed in like laws? If there are others, which ones are they?

[Michjoe]

News story on this ran in today's Detriot Free Press.

[gymnoboi]

I wish them all the best, I almost feel like driving up there just to get naked with them and encourage them to stand their ground.