The aptly named Mr Weiner, Supervisor of San Francisco, has taken on a long running dispute with a group insisting on their right to be nude in public by initiating a public ban. A New Zealand judge has allowed as legal a naturalist jogging in public; and a recent ‘artwork’ was removed from a public exhibition for sporting a large wooden penis. DPF at Kiwiblog (2nd link above) relates good-humouredly tongue-firmly-in-cheek that the necessity of clothes is down to the weather (tui) which presumes Aucklanders are all naked while Invercargill-ites are never naked. Actually public nudity is related to the threat of blindness.
Nudity has always been a hot (or goose-bumps) issue. I co-wrote this article in January 2003 which traverses the issues (particualarly as it relates to art) from my perspective. Ironically the cover of this publication was showcased in the public foyer of a NZ library; the periodical went to all NZ libraries, galleries, art schools, and high school art dept.s. Hope you find it interesting.
The two ‘offending’ artworks mentioned in para one:
Kees Bruin
Linda James
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About coNZervative
A blog about politics, life, culture, literature, music and thought from Christchurch, New Zealand [NZ] (the home of 10,000 earthquakes since 4 Sept. 2010) built because of the bullying and cajoling of Liberal opinion-makers (journalism and Hollywood) against conservative-minded people who are as entitled to opinion and a perspective as anyone; and because Conservativism has served the world well.
John Stringer is a New Zealander (Christchurch) in his 40s married to an American from Taco Bell; they have 5 adult children in 3 diff. countries. John is an ex-Anglican pastor, a teacher, published author (NZ), novelist (USA) and cartoonist (Aust, NZ), and has spent the last 25 years in NZ politics with the National party (he was a parliamentary candidate in 1999). There was a stint in London working for the British Conservative party as well, where he did media minding and campaign work with several Brit cabinet ministers, including Baroness Thatcher, Baroness Blatch, Michael Howard, Tom King, among others. He has an MA (classical studies, Victoria); is a graduate of the New York Film Academy; and has various awards for writing. His passions include British bulldogs, fly fishing, and history (Ancient and WWII).
Winston Churchill was mainly a “Conservative” but also a “Liberal” MP between 1900-1964. A Member of Parliament for 64 years, he contested 21 parliamentary elections (for Oldham, Manchester North West, Dundee, and Epping/Woodford). Throughout his career Churchill stood for liberty. He believed in open debate and freedom of speech, and opposed any system or ideology that tried to dictate the way one should think. Churchill felt deeply that disagreements within the democratic system should not degenerate into personal animosities.
RIDER: This site is not connected to nzconservative, a Catholic site, or NZ Conservative Party, although from time-to-time I share some of the views espoused by both groups and other sites I follow, as published; I am an independent thinker and blogger.
ps, as a happily married mother and RN, I’d have to say that most naked bodies, male or female, look better clothed than naked: mine included. heh
Nudity in art galleries, and other adult areas does not bother me. I leave that bothering to other, more easily offended people. But I strenuously object to the prospect of encountering a stranger’s flopping genitals when I take a young child out for a walk. If nudists insist on exposing their genitals to fresh air, let them, but not where I might walk my child. Their so-called rights are imposing on MY expectation to not have to see this feeble display of a stranger’s ego and to explain it to a too young child.