From: jbecker@ocf.berkeley.edu (Jane Becker)
Newsgroups: rec.nude
Subject: Protest! (sort of)
Date: 30 Sep 1992 08:47:17 GMT
Organization: U.C. Berkeley Open Computing Facility
NNTP-Posting-Host: bigbang.berkeley.edu

Greetings from Berkeleyland!  As I'm sure you well know, Berkeley
is rather well known for its protests and riots; people seem to 
protest about almost anything or sometimes (so it seems) about
nothing at all.  Well, I was walking through campus this lunchtime
and discovered in Sproul Plaza what could be considered a protest
against clothing!  There were a dozen or so naked people parading
around, making speeches, etc.  Most of them were male, but there
were a few women there also.  Needless to say, this attracted a
rather large crowd, mostly males craning their necks for a better
view, but quite a few females also.  I think the reaction of most
people was amusement (this is Berkeley afterall, one expects the
unexpected).  There were TV cameras there (I saw the news, they
were careful to aviod frontal nudity, but I gather showing
people's rear ends is "acceptable"), and quite a few people
had cameras/camcorders (a special treat for the tourists?)  I
even noticed one middle-aged woman in the building behind with
binoculars!  The police didn't seem to mind, they were hanging 
around the fringes of the crowd (actually, if they tried to
arrest someone, it probably would cause a riot :)).

Anyway after observing for a little while, I went off to lunch.
I walked back that way with a friend perhaps 45 minutes later,
heading towards class, and the crowd had dispersed.  I was 
somewhat surprised to notice that there were still half a dozen
or so of the "protesters" (including a couple of attractive young
women) still hanging around talking to people (surprised in that
they were still there and the crowd, for the most part, was not).
My friend (male) gawked; clearly he hadn't believed me when I
told him about it.  I noticed he was staring at one woman in
particular, so on an impulse, I grabbed his hand and dragged him
over to meet her.  (I tend to do that sort of thing on occasion;
evil, I know...)  We spent a few minutes chatting with her and 
the male nudist she was standing with.  The reason I mention this
is that my friend had no problem staring when he was more-or-less
anonymous, but seemed disturbed talking to her face to face.  He
didn't seem to know where to look.  (He also seemed particularly
embarassed when she gave him a rather enthusiastic hug when we
left!)

Personally, I found watching others' reactions facinating.  Most
people didn't really seem to care, beyond the initial surprise.
It was also interesing that the crowd dispersed, presumably once
the novelty wore off.  My friend's (the one who is probably going
to be seeking revenge!) reaction when forced to interact with
this girl as a person rather than an object is also interesting.
Anyway, enough rambling from me.

I do have a question for the readers though:  what do you think
of this kind of event?  Do you think it serves some useful
purpose as far as promoting (raising awareness/acceptance of)
a clothing-optional lifestyle?  (I don't think that came out 
right, but I think you know what I'm trying to say.)  Or is it
just some kind of circus act that at best provides a little
amusement for the viewers, and at worst represents nudists as
a bunch of weirdos?

-Jane

PS.  I got a hug from the male "protester" too! :)
Newsgroups: rec.nude