After battling the Castro nudists who refused to put a towel down when they sat on public benches, San Francisco District 8 Supervisor Scott Wiener has now told the Bay Area Reporter that he's considering introducing legislation that would ban public nudity altogether. The source of Wiener's ire this time around? A number of them have been wearing cock rings while standing around in the Castro, and this, police say, can cross the line into "lewd."
Though the nudist camp claims that they're just donning the rings as a form of personal decoration, Wiener thinks that it crosses the line: "People are absolutely repulsed by it," he told the Reporter, citing calls he's received from constituents. Police sergeant Chuck Limbert, who is gay and serves as the LGBT liaison at Mission Station (which encompasses the Castro), agrees: "There is a difference between being naked and making a political statement and then wearing jewelry that brings attention to one's genital areas."
We touched on the topic last week via some police activity surrounding the cock rings, and under S.F. law it all comes down to whether passersby object and talk to the police. Mitch Hightower, the organizer of the yearly Castro Nude-In (which is scheduled for a week from Saturday), counters that a poll on his website found that the majority of respondents consider cock rings akin to jewelry, "so [he feels] comfortable subscribing to that belief system." Imagine how many more diamonds DeBeers would sell if they all gave men erections!
For what it's worth, Wiener probably wouldn't find much support for any proposed ban. The Reporter polled 15 Board of Supes candidates, and only one, Board of Appeals President and District 7 candidate Mike Garcia, expressed any interest in a ban (though he stopped short of outright supporting it). A few others suggested limiting nudity to a handful of spots, such as Baker Beach, a sandy area infamous for public titillation.
Previously: Castro Nudists Draw More Controversy Over Cock Rings
S.F. Introduces New Public Nudity Legislation
Wiener Talks Butt Legislation on CNN
