San Francisco is known as a city where anything goes—including clothing. But the California city may be readying to introduce a little more morality to its law books with a partial prohibition on public nudity.
It seems gays, however, would get a few exceptions to the impending public nudity ban.
According to the Associated Press, city lawmakers are scheduled to vote Tuesday on an ordinance that would prohibit nudity in most public places, a blanket ban that represents an escalation of a two-year tiff between a devoted group of men who strut their stuff through the city’s famously gay Castro District and the supervisor who represents the area.
“Supervisor Scott Wiener’s proposal would make it illegal for a person over the age of 5 to ‘expose his or her genitals, perineum or anal region on any public street, sidewalk, street median, parklet or plaza’ or while using public transit. A first offense would carry a maximum penalty of a $100 fine, but prosecutors would have authority to charge a third violation as a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine and a year in jail. Exemptions would be made for participants at permitted street fairs and parades, such as the city’s annual gay pride event and the Folsom Street Fair, which celebrates sadomasochism and other sexual subcultures.”
Wait, what? Let me get this straight. Although Wiener initially resisted the ordinance, he said he felt compelled to act after constituents complained about the naked men who gather in a small Castro plaza most days and sometimes walk the streets au naturel. But apparently he sees nothing wrong with gays flaunting their family jewels while they celebrate their blatant immorality. Really?
Of course, the proposed ban is producing outrage, according to the AP, and a lawsuit. It seems many in San Francisco are willing to fight tooth and nail for indecent exposure.
What’s your take? Should San Francisco do more to stop the immorality on its city streets? Will a nudity ban really do any good? Are you surprised that San Franciso is even doing anything to curb the immorality? Is it enough?
Jennifer LeClaire is news editor at Charisma. She is also the author of several books, including Did the Spirit of God Say That? You can email Jennifer at [email protected] or visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.
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Larry Tomczak