Public sexuality is an issue that is coming back to the forefront
of discussion due to issues of Gay Marriage and similar. So how far is
too far when it comes to sexual expression?
Sexuality: For our purposes, sexuality will be
defined as any public display of affection and exposure of various forms of
cleavage of the body. So can a women bare her breasts? Well the
libertarian answer is yes. It is her chest and not a sexual organ. In
fact, if she so wishes it, she may breastfeed her baby in public if the need
arises. None of these are sexual acts and women already show midriff and
cleavage already (things that were previously banned in public and in some
places still are). In fact hugging and kissing in public was once banned
as well. But that has changed for the better with people being able to
pretty much hug anyone in public and kissing, while still restricted (frowned
on and discriminated) with respect to male same sex couples, is fine for everyone
else. But what about people's rear ends? Their butt. When I
was in comic con this October, there were a lot of girls wearing some very
"revealing" outfits with respect to their butt cheeks. Of
course the anal cavity was hidden, but in some cases that was the only part
hidden. Women openly wore underwear including thongs. However, this was
ok. Reason being that underwear is basically a bathing suit that cannot
go in water. At least that is the mentality today with my generation and
younger. So this is no longer too far and while also still against the
law, it is generally accepted and ignored in some places. But what about
public nudity. And I am not just talking about nude beaches.
Cultures around the world have public baths, and of course we have
communal showers at gyms (suitably sex restricted). In this instance,
these nude spaces are in areas that have been designated as ok to go in the
buff. However, increasingly people are challenging this norm like in
Oregon with their nude bike race. So I would argue that if this trend
continues, people will be able to dress in any way they wish including butt
naked. Remember, this sense of modesty and laws supporting it are based
on people's sensibilities and societal trends focused through both religion and
culture. But what is too far if we are all going to be allowed to go nude
in public and kiss and hug whomever we wish? Simple, public defecation,
and public sex. No one wants to see someone piss or crap in public
(unless you have some sort of fetish), and while it may be entertaining to
some, oral, anal, and vaginal sex and its kinky variants are not meant for
public display. At least this is my view, as if it is in the privacy of
one's home, I do not have a right to say anything, but in a public park, is
well, iffy.
Conclusion: People have lost the modesty war.
The trends will continue where even men and women can bath together
(Japanese hot spring anyone?) and share bathrooms and gym locker rooms.
So sexually speaking this means we are more tolerant and that the human
body becomes less of a mystery to opposite sexes and genders. It is
possible that in this case, people will be less curious about things like sex
at this point which could benefit people socially with respect to tolerances (though
that remains to be seen). However, the moment we allow public sex and
defecation, we may be in for trouble. My reasoning is that all modesty
will be gone and it will be a sign that people do not care who is watching.
If people do not care who is watching then it is possible, in my opinion,
that they will be prone to more criminality at the worst and acts stupidity at
the best. People fearing how society will judge them keeps people in
line, so people need some sort of boundary or invisible law. I could care
less about public nudity, but public sex, and the slippery slope of resulting
human behavior scars me.
