Submitted 1 year ago by Kolanaki@yiffit.net to nostupidquestions@lemmy.world
You’re not quite naked, but you’re not quite dressed either. Is it legal? I don’t know and I’ve always been curious.
Location is everything to answer your question. In the Middle East, you would be stoned to death. In Middle Alabama, that is just a common sight.
Defining “underwear” probably would come into play too.
A dude in a pair of boxer briefs would probably be fine. A dude in a full on dental floss thin bathing suit like Borat might get into trouble.
Same with a woman. Wearing granny panties and a bra would probably be fine. Wearing exposing lingerie would probably get you arrested for indecency in most places.
If you are a man I think it is.
krayj@lemmy.world 1 year ago
It depends entirely on the jurisdiction. Take the city of Seattle, for example (I know this because I planned an executed a nude photo shoot in public view inside the city limits and sought legal council ahead of time to ensure I wan’t risking being charged with any crimes). The general rule for Seattle hinges on whether the activity is intended to tittilate or sexually arouse observers - and if that is obviously not the intent, then even full nudity is not illegal. Many other large cities have very similar ordinances.
The smaller the town, and the more conservative the region, the stricter and less flexible the ordinances. There are beaches in South Carolina, for example, where they even regulate the minimum amount of coverage for bikinis and beachware.
ultranaut@lemmy.world 1 year ago
It’s not city ordinances but state law, you can legally be naked in public throughout Washington state as long as your intent isn’t to sexually arouse others.
Cstrrider@lemmy.world 1 year ago
So is it illegal to be in Washington to intentially arouse others fully clothed?
krayj@lemmy.world 1 year ago
You are mistaken. City ordinances absolutely comes into play here. In the US, you are subject to federal law, any additional state laws, any additional county laws, and then any additional city municipal-codes/ordinances.
Here’s the Seattle city ordinance that applies:
Seattle Municipal Code, Chapter 12A.10.130, Paragraph A.
source:
clerk.seattle.gov/search/ordinances/124301#:~:tex….
AA5B@lemmy.world 1 year ago
I was about to put out a throwaway comment about it depending on whether you look cute, but I guess that’s Reddit toxicity and @krayj brings the goods
kersploosh@sh.itjust.works 1 year ago
IIRC in Seattle it effectively depends on whether anyone cares enough to report you. If your neighbors don’t mind you gardening naked in your front yard then you’re fine. If they gripe about it then you have to put clothes on. Which seems reasonable to me.
San Francisco has actually been tightening their rules on public nudity because it was getting out of hand.
kirklennon@kbin.social 1 year ago
That’s not the case. You do not have to put on clothes just because your neighbors don’t like it. Gardening nude is fully legal even if someone complains.
Nudity itself is not obscene, only obscene actions can make it obscene.
archaix@lemm.ee 1 year ago
Ah yes the classic “planned and executed a nude public photoshoot. There’s so many of those though…which one was yours so we can really pin down these jurisdictional laws?
krayj@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Well, I already named the jurisdiction: Seattle, Washington, USA.
The date/time shouldn’t matter since the ordinances haven’t changed, but it was Aug 12, 2012 just in case anyone reading this just happened to be in Seattle at the time and saw us.
owatnext@lemmy.world 1 year ago
!nothingeverhappens