Meeting naturists when hill walking - would you be worried?

[JGACC]

Hi all, I'm interested to gather women's thoughts on this. I read a Facebook post by Macclesfield police this morning asking people to report if they see a male naturist in the Peak District (screenshot attached) as there has been a lot of reports over the last few weeks. I was really surprised that the vast majority of the comments are saying it's legal (which yes it is) and to leave him alone. As a young female who often walks in the Peaks on my own my first thought was...I'd be worried and extremely uncomfortable if I came across him and would probably hide behind a tree or rock and try to call someone. Am I paranoid or is this actually fine and something I should take as lightly as the majority of the (mostly, but not all male) commenting public seem to?

I'll admit I was surprised to learn that it is entirely legal to wander round anywhere nude. It does seem a lot of naturists have no sexual intent and are more interested in being at one with nature. The man in question doesn't seem to have been reported as carrying out threatening behaviour and is probably harmless but it still makes me worried and I don't know if I'm ridiculous or not. (I would rather be ridiculous than not in this case!)

I wouldn't want to come across a naked person when I was just trying to have a nice walk. I don't see at all how it's anything but a sexual thing.

You can wear clothing and feel at one with nature. You can wear clothes that are made entirely from the bounty that Mother Nature provides.

Why do you have to feel at one with nature on a right of way in the Peak District? Hire a private field to feel at one with nature. Like people, have to do with dogs they can't control or when they want to have a party.

I think someone with intent to cause physical harm would have clothes on. Doing a runner with nowt but a bum bag and trainers seems like asking to be caught.

A place near where I live sometimes hosts naturists' conferences, or jamborees, or gatherings or whatever. The group always put a polite letter in the paper beforehand noting that they will be walking in x woods on these days, will cover up if they come across anyone but please don't be alarmed. Which I think is fine. They're saying where they'll be, when, and they are clearly not trying to alarm anyone.

So, I think it depends on the circumstances. I can see why random nude walkers might be alarming. I can equally see how nude encounters could be very accidental - skinny dipping, etc, is perfectly fine and often just practical.

I'd probably be a bit taken aback but not frightened or upset, particularly since the chap in this case appears to be a runner rather than a hiker, so blink and you'd miss him.

There was a 'flasher' reported near me a few years ago, all kicked off on Facebook as you can imagine, people calling for him to be hung drawn and quartered in the town square. Turns out he was a European holidaymaker just minding his own business changing from his day shorts to his swimmers on the beach, not a flasher at all, but some pearl clutching old dear had phoned it in and near enough caused a riot. Poor guy

Context has an awful lot to do with whether nudity is intimidating or not.

No matter the supposed reason, it smacks of attention seeking at best, pervy behaviour at worst, unless in a designated naturist area. Otherwise why not wear undies at least? And as already noted, it's always going to be men ...

It's not always intent to cause physical harm though. People, are turned on by your reaction to being put in that situation. Flashers aren't interested in touching you necessarily but I still don't want to be in that position! That's why we don't want people wanking into the knickers in M&S changing rooms. No physical harm but I still don't want it to be happening!

I once had a TV delivered from Curry's. They brought it in and one bloke went back to the van whilst the other was doing the paperwork with me. Then he undid his trousers and got his penis out. In my hallway. I don't want to be subjected to that in my home or walking in the Peak District.

He's forcing people to look at his naked body without their consent. If he wanted to avoid people and just be naked in nature he could.

I remember the first time I saw naturists in Fuerteventura. They had sun hats on. I found it strange that they'd protect their heads from the sun but not their genitals (arguably more sensitive). I'm a little suspicious of naturists, it just can't be comfortable and practical, and they must be at a higher risk of injury?

Regarding naturalist beaches do any attract old fashioned naturalists these days?

'Naturist' beaches and 'naturists' -- 'naturalists' are interested in animals, plants etc. Virtually always heavily clothed.

I've been a naturist for years and I think it is completely inappropriate to do this and unecessary and I'd feel extremely uncomfortable if a naked man appeared out of nowhere as I'd have no idea of his intent, is he a pervert or a naturist?
I wouldn't want my child (now grown up) to suddenly be confronted by a naked person out in the countryside either.
I belong to a naturist club and that is where nudity should stay.

So long as he didn't approach me I'd just look away. It wouldn't worry me.

There are signs up in our local woodland "warning" of a flasher. I don't know if it's true but if all he's doing is exposing himself, that doesn't worry me either. It's all a bit warped but it doesn't harm me, I'd be more worried for him and his mental health.

The Naked Rambler only got repeatedly arrested in Scotland because his behaviour counted as an offence here and he kept being bound over to not repeat it but then ignoring police instructions, in England he was left to get on with his wanderings because beind nude does not necessarily count as offensive.

Honestly, in my experience naturists tend to overlap disturbingly with people who like organised fun, like jolly evenings of boardgames, which strikes me as far more sinister.

I think the law states that there has to be an intent to cause fear/distress/alarm/intimidation for public nudity to be an office...?

Its funny though that only men do this, you never see naturists like me - fat, wrinkled and old - wandering about in the nude in public.
I go for the sunbathing and the pool, naturist clubs have lots of land and a pool and you can really relax without people staring at you at a fraction of the price of a country club.

@AlbusSirius

How does anyone know whether he is a naturist or a flasher? I don't suppose he has a useful label

If he's naked he is, by definition, behaving suspiciously. Any man who forces an unwilling woman (or child) to look at his genitals is performing an aggressive act.

He's not forcing you to look at them. Just keep your eyes at eye level, it's that difficult, surely? And even if you do inadvertantly catch sight of a naked penis, it's just a body part, FFS. Obviously if he was acting in an overtly sexual manner then that would be different, but being naked in itself is not sexual.

Of course he's forcing everyone to look at him if he's walking in a public place - especially on hillwalking trails which are often narrow and ensure close proximity when passing.

If he doesn't want to force people to see him, he can go somewhere private.

As to all this "at one with nature bollocks" - if someone is wearing boots and/or a sunhat they aren't "at one with nature" and they can bloody well put on a pair of underpants

@StuntPond, intent to alarm is not required, the test is whether a "reasonable" person would be upset by it. At least in Scotland.

I remember hearing a Radio 4 news item on the naked rambler. It concluded (in serious Radio 4 voice) "He has no intention of stopping. He'll wander up hill, down dale, and in all probability, back to jail."

I think he's just oblivious, perhaps wilfully so, to the cultural context of male public nudity. A lot of women have been flashed by men intending to threaten, and a penis can be used as a weapon to rape, impregnate or infect people, in a way that female genitals can't. And when it's not in the context of a designated nudist space, it's hard to separate it from sexual exhibitionism and fetish, which is a common thing in itself.
I think it would be harmless if it weren't for abusers meaning we had to be wary of it, but as it is, it's a pretty thoughtless and insensitive thing for a man to do.

Blaming women for a perfectly natural, evolved-over-millennia response, eh, feelingverylazytoday? Asking women to change their behaviour and responses so that some exhibitionist man can have his jollies? This is the feminism chat board.

Don't be ridiculous. Of course he's forcing people to look at him.

I agree with the poster who said if he's wearing boots and a hat he's not at one with nature. He could wear shorts, swimwear or underwear.

That sounds terrifying. I don't get naturists at all.

I wouldn't be concerned for my safety any more than I would be meeting a clothed man if I was out walking alone. If anything it's probably less of a risk than a clothed man because somebody who is out to attack a woman is probably not going to want to attract attention from other hikers by being naked; assuming you aren't going somewhere extremely remote and walking alone the chances are there will be other hikers around who will notice a naked hiker.

He is forcing people to look at him

Put your clothes on naked man.

I don’t want to be out and about with my kids and a guy is walking about naked.

This is not ok. At all

@Suffrajester

I think he's just oblivious, perhaps wilfully so, to the cultural context of male public nudity. A lot of women have been flashed by men intending to threaten, and a penis can be used as a weapon to rape, impregnate or infect people, in a way that female genitals can't. And when it's not in the context of a designated nudist space, it's hard to separate it from sexual exhibitionism and fetish, which is a common thing in itself. I think it would be harmless if it weren't for abusers meaning we had to be wary of it, but as it is, it's a pretty thoughtless and insensitive thing for a man to do.

It's the context. You don't need to be a feminist (I'm not) or even female to question this behaviour (my husband for example had no sympathy whatsoever for The Naked Rambler)

It's behaviour which is so far from the norm that it causes distress to other people. In Scotland it's a breach of the peace. The behaviour might be entirely innocent or it might not. The benefit for the naked person from the point of view of fresh air or whatever can still be achieved by wearing short shorts, swimwear or underwear without causing upset.