NZ- Skinny dip record attempt slammed as 'indecent'

[Danee]

Skinny dip record attempt slammed as 'indecent'An attempt at breaking a world-record for skinny dipping planned for Mount Maunganui is being labelled unacceptable and indecent.
 The idea was raised by The Edge radio station after listeners voted the nudie run at the Bay of Plenty beach would be the best way to herald the start of summer.
 Marketing manager Emily Hancox said the skinny dip world record attempt would, hopefully, be held on December 1 "as a bit of fun".
 "It's not for people to be shy or embarrassed. If people can see the fun in it and try to get New Zealand on the map for that [world record], it will be great," she said.
 However, national director of Family First NZ Bob McCoskrie said holding the event in such a public place would be "completely unacceptable".
 "Show some decency and have respect for families that are going to be there, especially at the beginning of the peak summer season," he said.
"If they want to do that and can do it in a discreet way then well and good, but when they are doing it in such a public place it's inconsiderate and unacceptable.
 "When it's full nudity like they are proposing it's highly offensive."
 The world record for a collective skinny dip was set by 413 people in the United Kingdom last year.
 Ms Hancox said she hoped there would be more at Mount Maunganui and suggested bringing bus loads of people from Auckland and Hamilton to take part.
 "It's just an opportunity to be proud of your body and who you are and it's a fun opportunity to do something different that probably most of us won't have done in our lives." A Tauranga City Council spokeswoman said The Edge had made an initial approach but an event plan had yet to be lodged.
 Event planners needed to book space on the beach with the council to ensure they did not clash with other planned events, the spokeswoman said.
 An event plan typically covered parking and access, toilets, safety, whether amplified sound was required, any environmental effects and compliance of food or alcohol requirements.
 A skinny dip event was also expected to take place in Christchurch on the same day.
 Earlier this year, Papamoa resident Shaun Gallagher called in police to help his neighbourhood deal with unsavoury nudist behaviour on their stretch of beach.
 While Mr Gallagher still held concerns about nudists in his neighbourhood sand dunes, he had no problem with the group skinny dip.
 "If people are brave enough doing that, fine. Good luck to them all," he said.
 "It doesn't appear to be devious or unsavoury. It's definitely in a different category."
 Mr Gallagher said his concerns lay with nudists parading in front of children or on a remote beach where others felt victimised.
 Mount Maunganui co-ordinator for Neighbourhood Support Reverend Marie Gilpin said it was not illegal to be nude but if people were offended they could call the police.
 "I think it's personal responsibility," Reverend Gilpin said.
 "If people know it's going to be on and if they don't like it, they can stay away."
 People would only have themselves to blame if they went to have a look and complained afterward, Reverend Gilpin said.
from: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10840904

[DaveK]

Family First is the scariest, far right, conservative political party in NZ.  In my view if your doing something they call "highly offensive" and "Completely unacceptable"you're probably off to a good start.  They have no concept that their views are held by less than 3% of the population, you think they would start to understand this after failing to gain any seats election after election.

He can call the police if he likes, but it's not illegal and what are they going to do anyway arrest 500 people!  Better yet if he doesn't want to see nude people on the beach he can stay at home.  It's not like anyone's going to be shocked to see nude people on that day as it is a nationally advertised event.

[Hamish]

The radio station did a great job of organizing these two events despite being unable to break the world record. 200 hundred plus people at each skinny dip is pretty good going I think, and I bet they all had a great time 

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/237558/world-record-skinny-dip-bid-fails

Despite a nippy first weekend of summer, 299 people stripped off at Papamoa Beach near Tauranga in a bid for the Guinness World Record for skinny dipping at a single venue.
The record - currently at 413 people - was also tackled at Christchurch's Sumner Beach on Saturday but they also fell short of the target, with a turnout of only 226.

But participants said it was all a bit of fun, despite a few last-minute doubts.
 
"There were a couple of things that made us half think of not doing it, but we did it in the end anyway," one skinny dipper from England told 3 News.

For the record to count, Guinness World Records required all swimmers to be in the water at the same time for a group photo.

The skinny dips follow a recent court decision upholding the right to be naked in public for innocent reasons.

Andre Pointon's conviction for offensive behaviour was overturned last week in the High Court in Tauranga after he was seen running naked along a forest track.

He hoped the decision will change attitudes in New Zealand.

"Hopefully this sets a precedent for people that use their discretion in the naturist world, to go out into the country and be naked," Pointon said.

Pointon joined the other 298 skinny dippers at Papamoa Beach yesterday.

The current world record is held by Llangennith in Wales, where 413 skinny dippers took the plunge at the same time.

[nudetrail]

  hope it has changed attitudes and may be given people the thought of trying it.

[cc71]

Good on the organisers for holding this event. Family First really needs to 

[nudetrail]

Good on the organisers for holding this event. Family First really needs to 

[nzmj]

Here is the link on YouTube for this event, that I found through another post on a different topic...

(You need to be logged in for YouTube's age verification)

[Nude_not_rude]

If both groups held the event at the same place that day, the record would have been smashed. It's a shame they didn't think of that.

Also I agree with the reverend arguing against Family First's claim of people's right to not be offended,

"I think it's personal responsibility," Reverend Gilpin said.
 "If people know it's going to be on and if they don't like it, they can stay away."
 People would only have themselves to blame if they went to have a look and complained afterward, Reverend Gilpin said.

[Archaewok1]

It's nice to see how many non-nudists were there, especially younger people. lol, so many people covering themselves. Though if you aren't a nudist and don't want your nude picture floating around the internet, I can understand.

[nzmj]

...Though if you aren't a nudist and don't want your nude picture floating around the internet, I can understand.

Yeah true, even though i'm a nudist, I still would't want to be full frontal nude on YouTube... especially after coming out of cold water... ;) hehe.

[Dario Western]

I don't see why not - you got it, flaunt it! ;-) 

[mikeisnude]