I ask this question after reading that Richard Collins was accused of indecent exposure by an off-duty police officer while seated nude on a bench in Hastings, Sussex. He didn't see the problem. "I've been naked in pubs and pub gardens without any problem. There's nearly always a positive reaction from the public" he says.
But why the craving to be naked? What does he get out of it, apart from a lot of attention from other people? Maybe that's part of the attraction. Personally I try to avoid attention, I like to be as anonymous as possible.
If people don't want to see my naked body, I'm quite happy to keep it covered up. I don't feel hard-done-by if I've got clothes on. I don't feel I'm hiding my real self or being deprived in some way.
Fair enough if you want to be naked on an established nude beach, where the only people around are other nudists. That's not going to bother anyone. Jenny and I once stumbled on a male gay nude beach on our travels. It was just amusing to see all these blokes disporting themselves, hoping to be admired and seduced.
I'm certainly not shocked by nudity. I saw plenty of naked boys at boarding school. And of course I've seen a few naked women. What's to be shocked by? I could think of many things that are genuinely shocking. Like widespread poverty in a very wealthy country.
