One local is asking why the police haven’t charged this lady in the Lawson Arcade, Byron Bay who has been exhibiting her naked beach bottom to the public on a daily basis.
If it is ‘zero tolerance’ for nudity on the beach then shouldn’t it apply to everyone? Or is this a matter of police using their discretionary powers?
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Why is the Echo focusing on sensationalist stories about nude bathing instead of rationally discussing how the law can be enacted by police in an effective way. From past experience it is almost impossible to distinguish a pervert from a nudist until one is suddenly beside you dangling their genitals, masturbating, having sex with a pal or propositioning you. It is vice it is illegal and if the only way to stop it is one law for all then we should support police in their efforts to make our beaches safe and sane which the community has called for..
I think the point being made is what constitutes an offensive act, and it surely can’t be just nudity in itself. I certainly don’t want my taxes used by police hiding in the bush or going to remote beach spots and claiming they are offended by simple nudity. They sought it out for goodness sake. Sure harassment and perverted behavior but that is not what the fines have been issued for.
this has nothing to do with byron nudist beaches
they are selling jeans……… its a denim store that has nothing to do with your lame skewed journalism.
seriously give us something with substance and a great outlook on the future.
your sensationalism is grade 9 standard. report on the facts not your emotional blah blah..
as you mentioned its one persons opinion….not really what most people are interested in.
lift your game
larry
A more nuanced approach has been considered on The Echo’s front page available online here: https://www.echo.net.au/2018/01/mayor-calls-tolerance-naturists-police/. Also see the letters and this weeks editorial for further consideration of the issues.
Shouldn’t the question be “Why charge naked people on the beach when it’s clearly not considered offensive by the majority or local people – evidenced by the picture displayed daily in Lawson Street”. Has anyone complained to police or written to the papers about this image? Has anyone approached the shop owner? And the big question “Why should there be zero tolerance of beach nudity in the first place?”. I think it’s a little misguided to ask why someone, who isn’t doing anything wrong, isn’t being prosecuted.
Get over it. The police are doing a good job cleaning up the seedy mess at Tyagarah. It’s long overdue. I went there on the weekend and it was the first time in years I felt safe enough to have a swim and sunbake. I fully support the police and their actions. I’m sure those that have been fined can make a case to have the fine waived if the circumstances of their offence are questionable.
Few sights as beautiful as that!
If I looked like that I would flaunt it too! Hope she’s been paid a mint too!
Er bang on Jennifer Innes. Well put. It’s time. We can now take our kids to the beach. Young naked flesh is attractive in fashion photos. Old blokes flashing their bits around on a remotish beach with kids around is not. Cheers
Reminds me of the days back in the 1970’s when men thought it was ok to have posters of nude women on their office walls. And the Daily mirror published ‘girly’ pics on page 3. Just more of the same Echo. Really disappointing journalism.
The latest frenzy about nudity that seems to have gripped Byron Bay has cultivated a plethora of polarising, yet age-old arguments to flourish. The argument of ‘think of children’ inevitably is used as a stalwart of the principled puritans. The nudists counter with a right for individual freedom that should be our right as it’s the way we were born. The difference in these arguments are that one is logical and based in fact and the other is based is repressive societal teachings based mostly in religious fiction. There is no evidence whatsoever that a child is harmed by the site of nudity. Humans were nude for many thousands of years without harming anyone. It has only been enforced on society by religions and the wealthy aristocrats of the past which has been handed down by society. You only have to look at the changes in the last century form neck-to-knee clothing, veils, hats and gloves to what is accepted as ‘normal’ today. Slowly people are being released from the shackles of puritan repression. Now on the subject of skin. Most skin looks pretty much like most other skin on our bodies. My Nanna’s tuck shop lady underarms do look a bit like scrotum skin. It would be absurd to arrest her for having her arms uncovered. My dad’s hairy man boobs are way bigger than many women I know and he’d happily walk down the main street shirtless knowing that he might get glared at in disdain. However, he can do so quite legally. Women on the other hand would likely be scorned and called abusive names. Where is the logic in that? A bottom isn’t that much different to a thigh or a penis to a finger. I fail to see the logic in being afraid. Nudity is often incorrectly equated to sex. It’s true that nudity is usually required in order to have sex. It’s false to say you are being sexual if you are nude. It is wrong to label nudists as perverts.
So that brings us to the other conundrum. In March Byron Bay will hold the World Naked Bike Ride through the town. Will there be signage all over the town saying that nudity is allowed? Will you warn all the city that they could be offended if they venture into the street? Should those that are offered call the police, who of course will be duty bound with their new ‘zero-tolerance’ approach to arrest 200 innocent nudists? Nude people enjoying a fun bike ride like the innocent sun bakers and skinny dippers that have been fined $500 each? That should easily net the city $100,000 in the coffers. These are the absurdities we live in today because we listen to the vocal minority who complain the loudest.
Aslan your so called more nuanced approach on this weeks Echo front page seems only minimally less sensationalist than the Surf Shop photo. Surely the Echo does not have to resort to cheap journalism to maintain its circulation. If you do maybe you could get a photo of the vice going on at the beaches and put that on your front page.
Double standards much. So you attack a carnival. Promoted protesters who are against images like this. But promote this image. so a actual female naked advertising is OK in Byron Its ok ? If this was suppose to be nudity on the beach get real where is the old people female male. This is Hypocritical so and where is the crowd who have burning stakes at a carnival over this image or is it OK holidays over Can we have an article EXTREMEASS
To go naked does not entail moral entitlement and the word naturism is misleading when used to suggest moral superiority. Indigenous peoples traditionally wear body covering for cultural or spiritual reasons or for warmth examples being Papuan, Pacific Islanders, South American, African, Maori, Arctic and American Indian cultures. In contemporary society indigenous peoples have an elevated sense of decency and dress. Locally Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Maori communities have conservative dress codes. For a man to expose himself inappropriately to a woman or vice versa is considered of grave consequence. and deserving of retribution. Human nakedness cannot be assumed in a historical sense to carry any particular ethical entitlement.
If men start wanking or having sex with each other along the footpath during the bike ride I guess the community would be considering banning the bike ride, a clothing optional exclusion zone and or requesting police support to get rid of them.