AIBU to think this is absolutely disgusting and unecessary.

[Gettingbysomehow]

So this happened a few miles away from where I live.
Call me old fashioned but I think this is totally inappropriate and somebody should have called the police.
I have been a naturist for 40 years but the old fashioned kind who doesn't think dangling your genitals in front of families and young children who have gone for a meal is at all appropriate.
I would question why they found the need to do this. There are plenty of naturist clubs in the area.
People go to naturist clubs to get an all over tan and be a member of an organisation that usually has a pool and cheap membership.
My non naturist friends think I'm being stuffy and ridiculous am I?
Diners shocked as naked pair enjoy meal in Burnham-On-Sea pub

That doesn't make sense to me.

If I was out with Gran and a naked bloke walked into the pub whilst we were enjoying our Sunday carvery it would probably shock her more than it would me if I received a dick pic. It would still have been a surprise for her.

And I would argue that if someone sends you a dick pic you can just delete it. If someone sits beside you in a pub when you are half way through your meal it is much harder to ignore.

Yes. When you see children present in a public place and a naked adult fails to cover up, I'd suggest that's a deliberate act. They're deliberately attempting to sexually intimidate a child by exposing their genitalia. It's a safeguarding issue and the fact that there are adults on a parenting site dismissing this is a real worry.

Yeah and they're all unpleasant, but other people don't require our consent to do those things in public either even if I don't want to see it. My consent is irrelevant. I'm not sure what your point is.

My non naturist friends think I'm being stuffy and ridiculous am I?

Actually that does not surprise me - they won't be affected by any negative backlash, crack down or reduction in tolerance in designated areas.

I bf and did experience negativity out in public and I really don't think stunts like this help anyone with greater acceptance they erode tolerance.

@Lockheart I bet a few adults would escort the naked idiots out of the pub though especially if there were young kids in there.

Ok I’ll spell it out slowly.

Just because something is not illegal doesn’t mean other people want to see you do it in public, especially when they’re eating. So if you go ahead and do it anyway, you might not be breaking the law but you’re still being obnoxious.

Does everything have to be enshrined in law or does common sense and decency never apply?

You are not wrong - this is absolutely vile and should be banned. It screams attention seeking to me. There’s a reason it’s called private parts and should be bloody kept private. Where’s the bloody respect for yourself and others - complete public indecency, and totally wrong. People are ridiculous

Also, it would be hard to explain to my 4yo as we've been learning about 'pants being private' from the NSPCC. If he'd seen this he'd have been very confused.

Exhibitionists. You're not being stuffy, you sound like you have the right balance. These people are just entitled pricks.

You're going to have to point me to where I said they weren't being obnoxious, or even that they were being sensible. You're arguing against a point I haven't made.

I'm saying that consent isn't relevant as a concept in this scenario because no law is being broken.

Also the tolerance of the pub/venue of this behavior would mean I think many people would think twice about booking/going in future.

If I was local and knew this might happen and could go elsewhere I just would - think most of our older relatives would as well.

Are you saying it’s ok for people to do whatever they want in an enclosed space where people are eating and can’t easily get away, even if you know that most other people find it disgusting? As long as there isn’t a law against it? Or what’s your point?

The offence of indecent exposure (i.e flashing) also hinges on intent to cause alarm or distress. Simply being naked in public and going about your business does not in and of itself meet this definition.

There is no 'simply being naked in public'. It's deliberate transgression of an obvious social norm. It's deliberate intent to cause alarm and distress, of course it bloody is, they wouldn't do it otherwise (or they'd be doing it among other naturists, where this would not be an issue).

Look at me! LOOK AT MEEEEEE! I'M NAKED!! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

Pathetic attention seekers.

I haven't said it's OK. I've said consent doesn't apply as a concept as no law is being broken. I wouldn't want to see them when I'm eating either. But they don't need my consent to be naked, even if I don't think it's ok in a pub setting.

What you think is ok and what other people need your consent for are two separate concepts.

Yep.

Explain to a child the difference between a naked couple in a pub where everyone is clothed and a flasher. What's the difference?

Of course the Laurie Penny school of thought is we should teach our children not to look.

Presumably so is the Met Police policy when it comes to officers flashing McDonald's staff.

My general rule is that any man who wants to get his cock out around unconsenting women and/or children, I’ll view with suspicion.

I'm not particularly prudish and don't usually care but I think in this case there's two things that make this a problem:

1. It is an actual crime. It's public indecency whether they mean it sexually or not.

1. I don't want to see people's genitals when I'm eating. Go somewhere that food isn't served.

Oh and 3. It's unhygienic. I don't want to sit on a chair that their naked genitals have also sat on.

Of course there is.

There are lots of nudist friendly places in the UK, apparently this pub is one of them. There are nude mass charity events. There are mixed nudist/regular beaches.

(I'm not a nudist myself and frankly can't think of anything more horrifying, if it's relevant.)

@Lockheart I thought it was a crime if at least two people are offended by it? No matter their intent?

Wrong. You seem to keep implying it’s all about intentions, but that’s not what it says at all

In the case of naturism a balance needs to be struck between the naturist’s right to freedom of expression and the right of the wider public to be protected from harassment, alarm and distress.”
The guidance adds: “In the absence of any sexual context and in relation to nudity where the person has no intention to cause alarm or distress it will normally be appropriate to take no action unless members of the public were actually caused harassment, alarm or distress.”

Members of the public WERE alarmed and distressed, therefore, it’s a crime.

There are lots of nudist friendly places in the UK, apparently this pub is one of them. There are nude mass charity events. There are mixed nudist/regular beaches.

The OP say she a* *naturist of 40 years is in the area and there are many areas for this - but this pub is not usually one of them and was full of children and people who weren't expecting this behavior.

The picture I have that this pub was prior to this not known for nudists and that was the whole problem - people not expecting this behavior.

It's pushing boundaries and absolutely done to provoke a reaction. Would you let anyone just sit their bare arse on your couch? So unhygienic let alone unsociable.