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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think the RSPB shouldn’t say if you don’t want to see naked men stay away from the woods/public footpaths?

269 replies

CovidCorvid · 07/08/2021 14:26

So 2 years ago I visited Sherwood forest and was by myself in the forest when I came across 3 naked men. Which was a little unsettling for a woman by herself. It was in a quieter part of the forest so at that moment nobody else about and I hadn’t seen anyone for a while. On a public footpath.

I spoke to some (clothed) men about it further along the path and they said it’s a common occurrence and that the police are frequently getting called and tell them to get dressed.

It’s in the news currently as larger groups of naked men have been seen again. Seems the main areas they stick to are managed by the RSPB who seem to be encouraging it. The land may be managed by the rspb but they’re public footpaths, not a pay as you enter nature reserve. The bit I actually saw the men in wasn’t the rspb bit but there’s no fence/demarcation between them.

RSPB say if you don’t want to see naked men then stay away! Ffs. Why is it the naked men get to ruin things for other people? The police say it’s illegal if someone is offended. 🤷‍♀️

www.visitsherwood.co.uk/plan-your-visit/naturism-on-rspb-reserves/

OP posts:
Jorrris · 07/08/2021 18:20

@SuperSecretSquirrels

If this was 2 years ago and still bothering you I think maybe you are dwelling on it too much.

I also can’t believe how many people are upset by the human body.

And if you don’t want to “have to see a cock”, don’t look at the cock! Despite what many men might think, it’s a relatively small part of the body. Maybe look at an arm, shoulder, or even face instead.

Ahh, another one with poor boundaries who thinks it's completely ok for naked men to be wandering around naked in front of women and kids.

No thank you.

They can put their cock away or stick to the designated areas thanks.

didihearthatright123456 · 07/08/2021 18:23

If you’ve only seen them once in 2 years, and apparently they are very prevalent, then you aren’t visiting that often. I’m also local and visit regularly with my children & dog & I’ve never seen them, but friend who run/cycle have seen them and they’ve always been off the beaten track

SuperSecretSquirrels · 07/08/2021 18:23

But they weren’t wanking, we’re they? They were walking.

If they had been wearing swimming trunks would that have been OK? Speedos? A thong? Where is the line?

Hugoslavia · 07/08/2021 18:25

If you Google 'Sherwood Forest Lewd' loads of links crop up to porn sites/dogging videos. It doesn't seem like a very nice family friendly place.

1forAll74 · 07/08/2021 18:25

You need to protect all the birds from this shocking behaviour moreso !!

PuppyMonkey · 07/08/2021 18:28

Don’t be ridiculous @SuperSecretSquirrels - going for a walk in Speedos? I mean I can’t imagine anything so weird.

*apart from going for a walk with no clothes on.Wink

Hugoslavia · 07/08/2021 18:33

A small number of naturists have been infrequently walking in the wider Sherwood Forest landscape for several decades. This includes Budby South Forest.

Well, he's a very hairy sounding chap!

LakieLady · 07/08/2021 18:37

@QueenofDestruction

I have no issue with nakedness, its the way we were born to be fair. The british are so victorian about it.
Same here.

If I saw naked men in the woods, I expect I'd laugh!

Jorrris · 07/08/2021 18:38

If they had been wearing swimming trunks would that have been OK? Speedos? A thong? Where is the line?

The line? The line is having their cocks covered up in a public area. It's really not that difficult to understand. Hmm

Blossomtoes · 07/08/2021 18:38

It’s hardly having “poor boundaries” when someone disagrees with you @Jorrris. We all have different boundaries, mine are no poorer than yours. I’m probably a bit less judgemental too.

Jorrris · 07/08/2021 18:39

If I saw naked men in the woods, I expect I'd laugh!

That's great. For you. Many women would be frightened.

Jorrris · 07/08/2021 18:42

It’s hardly having “poor boundaries” when someone disagrees with you @Jorrris. We all have different boundaries, mine are no poorer than yours. I’m probably a bit less judgemental too.

Your boundaries are poor. Sadly you don't even see it And gaslighting other people into eroding their boundaries is pretty rubbish too. If I'm judgemental because I don't want to see cock when I'm going out for a walk, then goodness me, that's fine my dear.

Yesitsbess · 07/08/2021 18:43

I don't think I've ever heard of naturists attacking anyone but I take your point...kinda?

I'm genuinely concerned more about fully clothed blokes who could make a reasonable getaway attempt after a crime though. Guy with a backpack and no clothes on would probably be quite obvious?

This thread has my head spinning for sure.

Blossomtoes · 07/08/2021 18:47

@Jorrris

It’s hardly having “poor boundaries” when someone disagrees with you *@Jorrris*. We all have different boundaries, mine are no poorer than yours. I’m probably a bit less judgemental too.

Your boundaries are poor. Sadly you don't even see it And gaslighting other people into eroding their boundaries is pretty rubbish too. If I'm judgemental because I don't want to see cock when I'm going out for a walk, then goodness me, that's fine my dear.

I have no wish to erode anyone’s boundaries any more than you have the right to call mine poor. They’re plenty good enough for me.
Jorrris · 07/08/2021 18:57

As long as you don't inflict your poor boundaries on other people who know it's not ok for men to be wandering around naked in public places, then I don't really care.

Blossomtoes · 07/08/2021 19:01

@Jorrris

As long as you don't inflict your poor boundaries on other people who know it's not ok for men to be wandering around naked in public places, then I don't really care.
I. Do. Not. Have. Poor. Boundaries. They’re different to yours and, unlike you, I don’t judge other people’s boundaries, let alone attempt to inflict them on other people.
Emilyontmoor · 07/08/2021 19:07

I have no wish to erode anyone’s boundaries any more than you have the right to call mine poor. They’re plenty good enough for me.

This, I will admit my boundaries were poor in that on the occasions I was flashed at I didn’t report it to the Police, and one wanker groped me and the other was in his car. I had no reason to believe they would do anything and every reason to expect them to take the piss. Now, since Sarah Everard was taken in one of the areas where I experienced this behaviour my boundaries are very clear and if it happens again I will be making sure the Police know about it, and if they laugh in my face as they did to one woman reporting a flasher in the vicinity of the vigil, I will make sure neither they, or the flasher goes unreported.

But harmless nudists in a nudist area? No, I don’t think every cock is a threat, because it isn’t.

Jorrris · 07/08/2021 19:10

I'm not spending the night arguing with you about this. Men wandering round naked in public spaces where unsuspecting women and children can see them is wrong. Anyone that thinks it's ok, with flippant comments about prudishness, or Victorian Britain, or what's wrong with the human body, is spectacularly missing the point, and they are either male, or have poor boundaries.

I don't really care if you fall into that category or not. If you dont. Fine. But if you do fall into that, then understand that many women do not feel the same way and do not want to see cock when we go out for a walk.

And with that I'm done.

Jorrris · 07/08/2021 19:13

But harmless nudists in a nudist area? No, I don’t think every cock is a threat, because it isn’t.

Apart from the fact they are straying out of the nudist area. And no, not every cock is a threat. But if I encounter a naked one on a walk with my kids, in a place where they are not supposed to be, I'm not going to be thinking, oh well, it's probably just a harmless cock. Out for a walk. With its owner. I'm going to be thinking quite the opposite.

ShitPoetryClub · 07/08/2021 19:14

I walked along beside the stream,
Along it's grassy banks.
I put my foot on a fellas arse
And a woman's voice said "Thanks".

sueelleker · 07/08/2021 19:16

@CovidCorvid

I’ve been to a nudist beach before and didn’t have an issue with that. But the beach I went to was very secluded. You wouldn’t have random people passing through accidently.
The nudist beach near us has warning signs too.
Gwenhwyfar · 07/08/2021 19:16

"I’ve come across a naturist couple walking in my local woods. The chap touched his hat in greeting and the lady smiled and said a breezy “afternoon” and DH and I responded in kind. They simply weren’t threatening in any way. I’ve felt more threatened by fully dressed people to be honest."

You were with your husband and you came across a couple. Do you think that's the same as being a lone woman/girl and coming across a group of men???

ilovesooty · 07/08/2021 19:17

@Jorrris

As long as you don't inflict your poor boundaries on other people who know it's not ok for men to be wandering around naked in public places, then I don't really care.
Why should anyone be able to sit in judgement of other people and where they draw their individual boundaries?
Gwenhwyfar · 07/08/2021 19:18

@MiddlesexGirl

"It's the intent that matters"

It's also the effect. If the act causes distress or alarm then it's indecent exposure.

And how would you ever prove intent? Surely any person who did intend to cause distress would just deny it.
Jorrris · 07/08/2021 19:21

Why should anyone be able to sit in judgement of other people and where they draw their individual boundaries?

How do you propose to stop people doing that? And I don't care about their boundaries. As long as they don't impact on safeguards and basic decency.