Anti-Nudity Ordinance to be Presented in Brattleboro, Vermont

An attorney reportedly will present an anti-nudity ordinance at the Select Board's regular Tuesday meeting this week in Brattleboro, Vermont. The move is in response to the groups of nude teenagers which have been congregating in the town over this summer. The high-level of media attention will likely increase, with Dr. Phil, Bill O'Reilly, The Washington Post, The BBC and others already covering the story. The Dr. Phil segment is scheduled to air on 9/8 and is supposed to include interviews with some of the rebellious teenagers.

Select Board Vice Chairman Richard DeGray said some residents he has spoken to are outraged about the nudity. Others think investigating an ordinance is a waste of the town's time, he said, especially since there are pressing financial matters to tackle."The nudity isn't the issue as much as it is a lack of respect for other people," DeGray said. "Just because you can do it legally in Vermont, doesn't mean you should."

A spokesperson for www.nakedinvermont.com is quoted as saying that it is not "normal" for nudists to be naked in public and is puzzled by the motives of the teenagers, but a visit to their website shows that they are supportive of the teenagers and have set up a Yahoo Discussion Group. I'n not sure if it's wise for a naturist group to be fully supportive of the teens since the generally accepted naturist philosophy includes respecting the wishes of others. The absence of any sort of lewd behavior is not a sufficient reason to give unconditional support. Consideration has to be give to the majority of the population who feel that any sort of public nudity is "indecent", and it is unwise to cause a confrontation that will stir anti-nudity emotions. It's not the nudity that's the issue, it's where and how the activity is taking place.

The Tuesday meeting is likely to be contentious due to the outrage that has been shown by some residents. The Select Board will likely find it hard to ignore a group of angry people, but many are hoping for cooler weather to force the kids to cover up and maybe the whole thing will quietly go away. With several weeks of warm weather left, and the media coverage heating up, it looks like the situation is likely to move from a simmer to a boil.