The parallels to the times of Anita Bryant are pretty striking. And I don’t imagine the brothers care much about the harm of their words if the consequences don’t impact them... but it’s a good reminder that rage is peddled on both sides.
I wonder how much longer Haulover CO beach will be available to naturists with Florida's Governor, Ron Desantis, banning everything aligning with gay or nudity.
Or Playalinda Beach. It has already gotten some negative press recently when access to the northern parts of the beach were cut off due to a storm. Nudists and textiles mixed together in one of the southern lots. Bad media resulted.
I live in England and we have seen our basic human rights eroded by anti-sex bigots since the 1960s. Sadly the toxicity of the US culture you describe reinforces our politicians' determination to emulate yours. Here, now, it feels as if freedom is a commodity that we have to earn by subservience to bigotry
Nice article! Thanks for putting it together. In regards to where FL is headed in relation to its love/hate relationship with naturists…I think it depends on who you talk to. Locally, it’s still seen as big business to some, mild curiosity to others. But there are segments of society that can be convinced to believe nearly anything. For a politician wanting to stoke fear, hate, and intolerance cloaked in moral purity and protecting youth, particularly to a national audience, anything is a possible.
I think that’s exactly it: In a social climate where people can be convinced to believe anything, common sense arguments in support of naturism don’t mean much. It’s up to the whims of the public, the media, and politicians, and that’s a precarious spot to be in.
There is more than a touch of irony in “the land of the free”. So much energy is spent trying to control human behaviours, actions and interactions through invasive and punitive legislation. In Canada, the countries of the European Union and other peer countries, this is not the case.
Your call to activism is spot on, as is the need to think and act beyond legislation that might impact oneself. Women’s rights, intellectual rights, voting rights, the right to be who we are and to love who we wish, the right to wear what we wish or be naked, and so on are all connected. These rights and others require recognition and protection in a “free” society. Without them individuals and societies are both diminished. The current limitations and the trajectory in the USA are both sobering. Much collective and collaborative work is needed!
Absolutely. It is an immense mistake to view nudist interests and rights as an island unto themselves. Everything is connected: when rights for marginalized groups are challenged, when we start outlawing “vice” and “immorality,” nudists will suffer along with the rest. If we want the world to care about nudist issues, we must also care about the world.
So do we could pull back and hope that in trying to destroy the GBLTTIQA+ Community of Florida Governor DeSantis Shoots a percentage of his state's budget in the foot and temporarily shoots his state's GBLTTIQA+ In the head and make Disney move to California and make Oscar Quality GBLTTIQA+/Naturist/Nudist Movies which I don't think is such a bad idea if it saves The World from another term of President Trump.
We don’t really know his thoughts on nudists/naturists, but we do know how he feels about anything that touches the LGBTQ community, even if they are major corporations that contribute massively to Florida’s bottom line (Disney, for example), and we know how he scores political points by scapegoating anyone he can claim he harming children. Regardless of his specific thoughts, what is more cause for concern, in my opinion, is the increased public outrage that may be very apparent in Florida but is impacting laws and sentiments all over the country. I’m worried about Haulover, sure, but I’m more worried about every other unofficial nude beach and park where simply enforcing existing laws would effectively end nude use of the beach altogether.
I’ve seen three Anita Bryant references today. We live in trying times if she keeps coming up like a bad meal.
The Krassenstein attack is galling. I’ve emailed the brothers about their irresponsible rhetoric. Not that I expect it to change anything.
The parallels to the times of Anita Bryant are pretty striking. And I don’t imagine the brothers care much about the harm of their words if the consequences don’t impact them... but it’s a good reminder that rage is peddled on both sides.
The Outrage Olympics don’t care about the collateral damage. Clicks clicks clicks!
I wonder how much longer Haulover CO beach will be available to naturists with Florida's Governor, Ron Desantis, banning everything aligning with gay or nudity.
I can only hope it evades his attention, and that those who support the beach are ready to defend it if necessary.
Or Playalinda Beach. It has already gotten some negative press recently when access to the northern parts of the beach were cut off due to a storm. Nudists and textiles mixed together in one of the southern lots. Bad media resulted.
I live in England and we have seen our basic human rights eroded by anti-sex bigots since the 1960s. Sadly the toxicity of the US culture you describe reinforces our politicians' determination to emulate yours. Here, now, it feels as if freedom is a commodity that we have to earn by subservience to bigotry
Nice article! Thanks for putting it together. In regards to where FL is headed in relation to its love/hate relationship with naturists…I think it depends on who you talk to. Locally, it’s still seen as big business to some, mild curiosity to others. But there are segments of society that can be convinced to believe nearly anything. For a politician wanting to stoke fear, hate, and intolerance cloaked in moral purity and protecting youth, particularly to a national audience, anything is a possible.
I think that’s exactly it: In a social climate where people can be convinced to believe anything, common sense arguments in support of naturism don’t mean much. It’s up to the whims of the public, the media, and politicians, and that’s a precarious spot to be in.
There is more than a touch of irony in “the land of the free”. So much energy is spent trying to control human behaviours, actions and interactions through invasive and punitive legislation. In Canada, the countries of the European Union and other peer countries, this is not the case.
Your call to activism is spot on, as is the need to think and act beyond legislation that might impact oneself. Women’s rights, intellectual rights, voting rights, the right to be who we are and to love who we wish, the right to wear what we wish or be naked, and so on are all connected. These rights and others require recognition and protection in a “free” society. Without them individuals and societies are both diminished. The current limitations and the trajectory in the USA are both sobering. Much collective and collaborative work is needed!
Absolutely. It is an immense mistake to view nudist interests and rights as an island unto themselves. Everything is connected: when rights for marginalized groups are challenged, when we start outlawing “vice” and “immorality,” nudists will suffer along with the rest. If we want the world to care about nudist issues, we must also care about the world.
Really excellent article.
So do we could pull back and hope that in trying to destroy the GBLTTIQA+ Community of Florida Governor DeSantis Shoots a percentage of his state's budget in the foot and temporarily shoots his state's GBLTTIQA+ In the head and make Disney move to California and make Oscar Quality GBLTTIQA+/Naturist/Nudist Movies which I don't think is such a bad idea if it saves The World from another term of President Trump.
Is Governor Ron Desantis against Naturism and Nudism as well as the GBLTTIQA+ Community?
We don’t really know his thoughts on nudists/naturists, but we do know how he feels about anything that touches the LGBTQ community, even if they are major corporations that contribute massively to Florida’s bottom line (Disney, for example), and we know how he scores political points by scapegoating anyone he can claim he harming children. Regardless of his specific thoughts, what is more cause for concern, in my opinion, is the increased public outrage that may be very apparent in Florida but is impacting laws and sentiments all over the country. I’m worried about Haulover, sure, but I’m more worried about every other unofficial nude beach and park where simply enforcing existing laws would effectively end nude use of the beach altogether.
Alternatively we could just stand with the GBLTTIQA+ Community and scream "Minorities United Will Never Be Defeated.