AIBU to think neighbours should not be naked in their garden?

[babypickles]

For context: Our house is on a new build estate and the houses are pretty close together. It’s fairly easy to see into neighbours gardens because the trees etc are not well established yet.

AIBU to say my neighbours shouldn’t be naked in their garden. They are often out in the garden totally naked taking photos of themselves. They have parties quite often and it’s not uncommon for them and friends to be out in the garden naked / using the hot tub etc.

Am I being a killjoy ? Seems excessive to me.

Yes so many things that is so awful about the state of the UK now comes back to Thatcher for me: "'There's no such thing as Society" Just mainly a collection.of selfish individuals who don't care a damn about anyone apart from themselves.
And those of us who do still care about the communities we live in and about maintaining standards and decency and about other people are mocked and derided and labelled judgemental.

Im surprised at the number of people saying you are the problem. The neighbours obviously want to be seen naked and are forcing it on their neighbours. Where does this natural activity end? If they started having their poos on the grass, must you put up with that too? And what's wrong with sex in the garden - its only natural after all - why should they be ashamed of it? They could argue that the garden is their property to have sex on. Yes, some things are natural, including your body, but the rest of us dont want to see it, so put it away. How is this any better than flashing? Yes technically its their property but they know they are overlooked and will surprise people, including by children.

pearl clutchers
I'd never known anyone use this ridiculous phrase until I joined MN. It says more about the pp who use it than ever it says about the person they are trying to belittle and insult.

It’s a bit weird to be honest but I don’t think they are necessarily doing anything wrong. I wouldn’t love it though!

Men are able to wear absolutely nothing except a small pair of shorts and it is perfectly acceptable in public. I’ve seen plenty of them running around the park this week.

And yet, still with the pushing the boundaries, still with the need to set free the genitals.

I remain unconvinced this isn’t another men’s right movement masquerading as liberation.

Eh? The woman is also naked, what you on about.

I totally agree with OP, I've had similar and no trees at all. Not naked but topless and my windows face their garden so unless I keep curtains closed every time I go by windows I see them. (Teenager girls). Not nice when you have visitors. They could at least grow trees or put some screening up. At least 4 houses overlook their garden.

I know that predictable visibility doesn’t in itself mean a s66 offence has been committed! That’s why I specifically emphasised the word ‘potentially’ in my post.

Other posters have set out the ingredients of the offence of exposure fairly well; I wasn’t seeking to do that. I was making the point that it is perfectly possible to commit the offence through being naked on your own property. Possible. Because many posters are talking as if it definitely isn’t.

I don’t advocate calling the police, I never mentioned that. But while we’re on the subject of committing offences, the poster who recently said calling the police would get you charged with wasting police time is wrong. They ironically set the bar for that particular crime extremely low!

I think you misunderstood all these hours ago. I specifically cited case law that aligns with OPs situation.
Think about it. If it were perfectly legal to partake in public nudity we’d have people going to the shops naked in this heatwave. It’s not meant to cause distress or for sexual gratification, it’s just that hot so what’s the harm?

Tits out by the tomato trellis... Free the nipple!

No problems with the nudity, but they could put up some beach screens ?

Exactly. Thank you.

So I could go shopping without clothes?

Do my housework in front of a big picture window without clothes?

It is overlooked though- by the OP and her family.

It’s weird, OP. Being in the garden naked is weird. Being in the hot tub naked is weird - just have a bath?! Having other nude people is weird. All of this is weird in a new build. Less weird in a sprawling estate, but still not usual. You can’t not see - to say ‘stop looking’ is so juvenile. I don’t know how much hotter they’d be in some swimwear/cool kaftan/shorts etc. Exhibitionism.

I've been thinking about and reading this thread, quite a bit, reconsidering my own views.

But I still don't want to engage someone's genitalia without my consent. Particularly the male variety, which nakedness renders clearly visible in all it's ridiculousness, if the intent to display is not sexual, and threatening, if the intent to display is sexual.

Those who say "don't look". The act of ignoring still requires mental effort and engagement on the part of the reluctant observer; you're still engaging, so your bondaries have been trampled and the penis has now become part of your milieu.

100% agree with PP who cite social and cultural norms, as being exactly that; part of the social and cultural contract that we implicitly sign up to, if we want to live in this country and benefit from membership. It's not up to us as individuals to import social norms because we watched "Disappearing Planet" or read "National Geographic"

If you hadn't said there was a hot tub, I thought this might be a party I was at recently. On a new build estate, so it was possible people may see (if they looked) so I didn't go too far outside naked myself, but many did. But I did walk around the house naked, including in the kitchen and patio area.
I go to a lot of parties like this, generally we try to not annoy neighbours and keep nudity to more covered areas (one of my friends houses has a hot tub behind a wall at the bottom of the garden, so we cover up for the more obvious bit between the house and hot tub).
I don't think I saw mention of sex acts taking place, which would make it different, but AFAIK you can be naked in your garden as long as you're not causing distress.

I think people should be allowed to look out of their bedroom windows without seeing dangly bits!

Anyone who does this is being deliberately performative unless their garden is huge and it's really difficult to see in. If I did it in my garden at least four houses would be able to see without trying to if they looked out of their bedroom windows.

This

The shopping thing, probably not. Thee cleaning thing, probably yes.

Is it illegal though? Just happening to be undressed, you don't think is illegal, just socially unacceptable?

I think the intent behind it is the issue where by it becomes illegal..

https://library.college.police.uk/docs/college-of-policing/C849IO118-public-nudity-aid-revised.pdf

wish i could join them in this heat! we have a communal garden and i do not want any old pensioners round here having a funny turn!

I don't think it's illegal*

Shopping would be down to each stores policy.

A bit like restaurants who set a dress code.

They can control who enters their premises so they get to decide.

This.