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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU or is this a MAJOR safeguarding issue?

744 replies

Whatthefudgeisthis · 08/03/2019 03:40

NC for this,

I’ve been absolutely stunned at the ignorance shown by the organisers with this one! A naturist night at the water park 😱 this place is designed for kids entertainment, it’s basically loads of water slides a wave pool and play area etc
Who in their right mind would take a child to such an event. Obviously I’m not shooting down naturists, each to their own, but this is an event that ANYONE can attend. Known paedophiles have attended these events, with one saying that he can’t even swim. What the actual fuck is going on? Who thought this one up?
If adults want to swim naked that’s their call, but why open the event to children too?

I’m pretty sure I’m not the one missing the blindingly obvious here, but I’m so amazed at the stupidity I had to share and maybe raise some awareness.

www.stokesentinel.co.uk/whats-on/family-nude-swimming-session-coming-2589946

These events are being held across the country, so there’s possibly one near you.

OP posts:
Meandmetoo · 08/03/2019 12:35

"What if the child feels uncomfortable with it, because they know that 'what's in your pants is supposed to be private'?"

This. Making these things 'normal' is going to take away that initial feeling of "I don't like this and it makes me feel uncomfortable and I want to tell someone"

Be a naturist etc, no one gives a shite at your "look at how cool and liberated from the chains of fabric I am" when in your naturist gatherings, but let's not pretend there are zero nefarious intentions by bringing it into a children's aqua park.

UnspiritualHome · 08/03/2019 12:36

OP, the person referred to in the Alton Towers report also goes to swimming pools and beaches. Is the fact that children are allowed at swimming pools and on beaches therefore a major safeguarding issue?

UnspiritualHome · 08/03/2019 12:37

And, of course, paedophiles have notoriously been particularly active in the church context. Does that make children's services and choirs major safeguarding issues?

Comefromaway · 08/03/2019 12:37

If a child is uncomfortable with being naked and a parent forced them to be then there would be an issue. but there is no evidence that this has happened ior is going to happen.

(I don't know any young children uncomfortable with being naked mind, it tends to start at the teen age.)

But naturism is a right protected in law.

Ribbonsonabox · 08/03/2019 12:38

I think the outcry is ridiculous over this.
The event only lasts a couple of hours and children are supposed to be supervised by their parents at all times.

eyeswideshit · 08/03/2019 12:38

rockyflintstone you’re absolutely right, there should be a happy medium! But maybe that will only happen when one side concedes that naked doesn’t (always) = sexual and the other side concedes that not everyone is comfortable with nudity and should be allowed to wear what they want without fear of being judged as either a prude or a pervert.

Surely naturists already concede that not everyone is comfortable around nudity by not walking around nude all the time, they dress so as not to offend anyone, and generally stick to naturism within clubs and events, even though it is their legal right to be naked.

What is happening now is that 'activists' are trying to shut down naturist events. Naturists aren't going round ripping peoples clothes off and trying to convert them, so why not leave naturists to do their thing at clubs and events?

Alieeeeeens · 08/03/2019 12:39

**So do people disagree with the NSPCC PANTS message then?

Not at all. I think in this situation here we’ve got the issue of choice. If a kid is forced to this event and is forced to be naked then that’s absolutely appalling. Just being forced to go would be appalling in fact.

If a kid wanted to go to a non-naturist beach/event and wanted to get naked, I guess it would depend on the age of the child and the location (south of France e.g has a very liberal stance as opposed to a U.K. beach for example)

If a child was part of a naturist community and actively wanted to go to a naturist event they likely wouldn’t think twice about the genitals on show but should be allowed the choice of wearing swimwear themselves or not. Are they too immature to make that decision themselves? Maybe but that’s a whole other discussion.

RockyFlintstone · 08/03/2019 12:40

Making these things 'normal' is going to take away that initial feeling of "I don't like this and it makes me feel uncomfortable and I want to tell someone"

THIS!!!

Meandmetoo · 08/03/2019 12:43

Have people missed where this event is open to non naturist club members?

If it's all about naturists sticking to their own stuff, why open it up to non members?

Alieeeeeens · 08/03/2019 12:43

eyeswideshit

You’re absolutely right, I was just trying to show balance and not just say that non-naturists could be a bit less judgmental because naturists tend to keep themselves to themselves!

RockyFlintstone · 08/03/2019 12:43

Naturists aren't going round ripping peoples clothes off and trying to convert them, so why not leave naturists to do their thing at clubs and events?

Naturidts can do what they like, just leave kids out of it.

Comefromaway · 08/03/2019 12:44

Becasue non members are welcomed into the community on a non pressure basis.

clairemcnam · 08/03/2019 12:44

Naturist events where kids are there have been running for years. I wonder why these issues are being raised now?

BigChocFrenzy · 08/03/2019 12:45

I'm in my early 60s and it used to be much more usual for kids to be naked on beaches until about 5

  • I remember I always was, back around 1960 -
and for many more women to sunbathe topless on ordinary UK beaches (on the few days per year when our knockers didn't freeze)

Social attitudes seem to have changed

(I stopped sunbathing many years ago, but that was due to becoming aware of the risks of skin cancer, not a sudden acquisition of shame)

eyeswideshit · 08/03/2019 12:45

*Naturists aren't going round ripping peoples clothes off and trying to convert them, so why not leave naturists to do their thing at clubs and events?

Naturidts can do what they like, just leave kids out of it.*

Children are born naturists (not seen a baby come out wearing a three piece suit yet), so maybe those that like clothes should leave their children out of it until they have an opinion.

Ribbonsonabox · 08/03/2019 12:46

Why is there any more issue here than at beaches where people are naked. Or in countries where people arent as uptight about nudity so kids play naked? Etc

This is such a non issue... as long as the children are supervised at all times by their parents there is absolutely no need to cancel this event.

RockyFlintstone · 08/03/2019 12:47

Are they too immature to make that decision themselves? Maybe but that’s a whole other discussion.

Well yes, because it leads onto what else children may or may not be mature enough to make decisions about.

For me this isn't really about adults getting a kick out of it (although a place where you know there will be tonnes of naked kids and you know that all those kids will be able to see your genitals as well does sound like a paedophiles dream to me). It's about eroded children's boundaries of what they are and aren't comfortable with, and normalising something that a child might be (and would be perfectly within their rights to be) uncomfortable with.

RockyFlintstone · 08/03/2019 12:47

Eroding

clairemcnam · 08/03/2019 12:48

Kids should not be made to be naked for this kind of event. But with lots of young kids the issue is more getting them to wear clothes.

RockyFlintstone · 08/03/2019 12:51

I would be uncomfortable with being naked in front of a man I don't know. Is that because I have been brought up to be 'ashamed' of my body?

Meandmetoo · 08/03/2019 12:53

So why not allow people to naturally drift towards the club if they have an interest in naturism? Why hold open events at a centre aimed at children? Have they guaranteed it will only be families allowed entry and no one without children with them? I'm guessing not based on the pricing structure.

The comment about kids being born naturists in this context made me feel a bit ick. I've read something similar before somewhere.

Comefromaway · 08/03/2019 12:56

Waterworld is not a centrer aimed solely at children. It is just as popular with adults and there have been events for adults held for years.

This event is a private hire. The naturists hired the centre so they can use the facilities without bothering the general public with their way of life.

eyeswideshit · 08/03/2019 13:00

So why not allow people to naturally drift towards the club if they have an interest in naturism? Why hold open events at a centre aimed at children? Have they guaranteed it will only be families allowed entry and no one without children with them? I'm guessing not based on the pricing structure.

Its a naturist event which children are allowed to attend. I wouldn't say it is aimed at children. I love watersides, as I'm sure lots of other adults do, so I don't see the connect between swimming pool and child-centered. Why should naturists miss out on a day at the water park, just because it makes you feel uncomfortable?

RockyFlintstone · 08/03/2019 13:01

Why should naturists miss out on a day at the water park, just because it makes you feel uncomfortable?

Why can't the naturists just put a swim suit on if they want to go to the water park that bad?! 😂

Aeroflotgirl · 08/03/2019 13:01

Adults can do what they want, but kids have no choice, this is awful :-(