‘Clothing optional’ parties: Virginia council finds no reason to ban them

[Davin]

“Clothing optional” private parties will be allowed to continue in the Iron Range city of Virginia, after council members could find no reason to ban them.

http://bringmethenews.com/2015/12/16...n-to-ban-them/

[Guest]

I find this interesting not because I participate in this sort of activity, but because I am very familiar with the area. It's a great location to be a nudist during the summer and fall as there are many isolated areas from this town and north perfect for nude recreation. With a little knowledge, you can find countless logging trails and smaller lakes where you can spend hours hiking, fishing and enjoying nature as God intended. Congrats to the group for keeping their composure and winning a just cause. And congrats to the city for recognizing this for what it is...responsible exercise of personal rights.

[jasenj]

I'm opposed to copying full articles, but there's something goofy about their site and the "Top Stories" sidebar covered up the article on Chrome.
So here it is:

“Clothing optional” private parties will be allowed to continue in the Iron Range city of Virginia, after council members could find no reason to ban them.
The delicate subject was brought to the attention of the council in October by a local pastor, who had expressed concerns over a “Sexy Halloween Party” being held at the Coates Plaza Hotel toward the end of the month.
But after allowing a committee to investigate the issue, WDIO reports the Virginia City Council found no legal grounds to stop the company, AttractionUSA, from operating in the city.
“We just don’t have the authority to do that nor do I think we have to be able to legislate privacy or morality or anything like that,” Mayor Larry Cuffe said. “There are some things in law that allows it, but this is a stretch for us to do that.”

The weekend party in October comprised of a “Bar Meet and Lingerie Party” on Friday, followed the next day by a “Pool Party, Sexy Halloween Party” during which those in attendance “can swim in the buff.”
AttractionUSA is based out of the Two Creeks Campground near Sandstone, which advertises itself as a “private, 100-acre, totally-secluded property for adults over the age of 19 who enjoy a nude campout experience,” according to its website (graphic content warning).
The company intends to host another “clothing optional” party in Virginia over Valentine’s Day weekend, which it’s calling “A Pink Passion Valentine Poolside Hotel Takeover Retreat.”
The Associated Press reports AttractionUSA’s Glen Williamson had written to the council saying his parties aren’t illegal or a public nuisance, but that they would move on if the city wanted them to.
The controversy in Virginia has sparked a debate on the Iron Range about the morality of parties of this nature.
Some former attendees spoke to KBJR on the condition of anonymity, saying they had been forced to take part in sex parties by their abusive husbands (note – the TV station did not give any indication they went to the parties in Virginia).
Melissa Scaia, a domestic violence advocate in the Northland, told KBJR that some of the women who ended up at such parties are “constantly living in fear” of violence at the hands of their partners.

"Virginia" is in MN. It's a city, not the state.

Also, it sounds very clear the company involved caters to swingers, not nudists/naturists.

[usuallylurk]

If they're so scared - what about just saying "I won't go!" ????

[jasenj]

If they're so scared - what about just saying "I won't go!" ????

Did you miss the "abusive husbands" line? But I think that is a straw man. By the same reasoning, we ought to ban alcohol - some people become violent when drunk, some people drink & drive & kill others. And credit cards, and gambling, and a whole host of other things that are abused and cause problems.

[usuallylurk]

Did you miss the "abusive husbands" line? But I think that is a straw man. By the same reasoning, we ought to ban alcohol - some people become violent when drunk, some people drink & drive & kill others. And credit cards, and gambling, and a whole host of other things that are abused and cause problems.

Yes, it is a straw man. First of all, I'm not into the sex party scene.

A nudist perspective = I have seen a husband's desire to get into nudism act as a wedge in a marriage. I have also seen reluctant wives "dragged" into nudist events - out of intimidation. I was on a reluctant partner forum where one guy had a wife who had multiple physical and psychological problems - his wife wouldn't even undress in front of him - and thought a day at a nudist park would "cure" her ills.

My most famous memory was a discussion with a southern nudist park owner - she told me of a couple that drove in, and the husband came into the office to register. The owner asked "is your wife with you?" - yes, she's out in the car. The owner/manager then said she'd like to meet her. She went out to the car to do so. The wife was crying in fear, shaking - nervous, to scared to even talk, at which point she just said to both of them - I don't want your money, and this is not the time or condition for you to visit. Take the brochure home, but please GO HOME, talk it over. And if and when you are ever BOTH ready then come back, not before. And gave a re-assurance to the wife that it was ok to NOT want to come in.

So I can understand the fear/intimidation factor, women might go along to get along. But I would think - not from experience but from discussion - most "swingers' groups" would interview BOTH the husband and wife together, and if they suspect such a situation exists, then they don't extend an invite. Not worth their time, not the type of people they'd want there. And this group should be able to defend itself by saying that they do a screening to prevent wives from being "forced in".

And a woman should be able to put up a persuasive, categorical "NO" to any situation that makes her feel uncomfortable.

[Eldernude]

Yes, sounds like a swinging group to me too. But the city councils did the right thing by not interfering. We never got involved with swinging. But they should be able to live their lives their way. I'm glad at least the companies campground website didn't claim to be nudist or naturist.

[joeallen]

Of course the issue was brought up by a "Pastor". One reason I ditched religion is its obsession with clothing, or rather the lack of clothing. Religions spread so many mental illnesses that sometime I think it should be banned. But as long as those bigots stay away from me they can do what they want, and so will I.