Today the new Barcelona anti-nude law comes into effect even as the coastal and political temperatures start to rise and the tourist buses start to fill. But spare a thought for the poor old Mossos - or maybe it's the Guardia Urbana? In addition to nursemaiding the ad-hoc encamment in Plaza Cataluña, controlling the Barca celebration route, deciding whether criminals are robbers, residents,immigrants or begging musicians, police will now have to decide the difference between 'nude', 'almost nude', 'semi- nude' -and 'clothed' - in order to levy the appropriate fine (from 120 up to 500 euros), (a fine incidently higher than going through the lights on red). Apparently recruitment for May - including part-time positions - was at an all-time high though there are as yet no official figures available. Some residents groups in the old part of the city have accused the Town Hall of a massive cover-up and a mis-use of statistics trying to show they were on top of crime when they weren't, especially those committed by young tourists.
Under this new law police will be obliged to give a warning to offenders and to examine their credentials carefully before fining them. Presumeably if offenders have no money on them, on-the-spot fines will be difficult to enforce so perhaps they will be allowed to pay later. Clearly definitions of what is/is not nude are a bit hazy at the best of times which will call for more police head-scratching before the long arm of the law risks an arrest in flagrante. Given the Arctic quality of the air-conditioning at the police station on Nou de la Rambla, most offenders would be wise to pay on the spot though.
One wonders, given the immense task confronting the police whether residents could lend a hand as it were using the powers of citizens' arrest. Another unresolved factor is whether increasingly popular tattoos could de-nude/ or re-clothe a person. Surely a full frontal tattoo is not essentially different than a highly decorated T shirt - though below-hip tattoos might be less obfuscating. And what will happen when a tourist brings an action against a police officer for molesting him/her while assessing the degree of nudity.
Feelings about the matter are somewhat luke-warm politically speaking with support far from 100%. The law was PSC and CiU approved but the PP abstained and other parties labelled it unnecessary stating they be even shooting themselves in the foot if the law puts off tourists from coming here. In addition to complicate matters even further the law states a person can be half-nude (which half is not clear) on the Passeig Maritim, on the Dune nudist beach and on streets near the beach. There's also the art for art's sake thing too and you can be exempt if you are part of a nude exhibition - but presumeable not making an exhibition of yourself by being nude.
The whole thing is totally absurd. An example of a law rushed through to satisfy a group of sanctimonious old crones - as the comments section in la Vanguardia shows. The way their government is handling Spain's financial crisis no one will have any money to buy clothes anymore so we'll all soon be naked - or covered in tattoos
Showing posts with label nudity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nudity. Show all posts
Sunday, 29 May 2011
Sunday, 23 January 2011
The naked truth: keep yer kit on!
This week two newspapers (La Vanguardia and El Pais) ran articles about a proposal by the PSC and CiU parties soon before the City Council which would ban nudity and near-nudity from streets near the beach, including the infamous Las Ramblas area. (see link to El Pais.) http://www.elpais.com/articulo/cataluna/Barcelona/chastened/elpepueng/20110121elpcat_1/Ten
La Vanguardia suggested that the proposal would certainly be passed in March, just in time for this year's tourist hordes hitting the city at Easter. (Presumeably tourists are the main offenders?) This is pure speculation of course but that's newspapers for you.
It seems there could be several 'grey' areas here - as well as pink ones! A definitions of what is 'nude' (and therefore attracting a fine of up to 500 euros) shouldn't be too difficult for the lawmakers. But deciding what is 'semi-nude' (attracting 300 euros) could more problematic. El Pais suggests that being shirtless for men and wearing a bathing costume for women could come under 'semi' or 'near-nude'. But what about bikinis, or shorts with a tiny top or bra? No bra? And doesn't a short dress with buttons undone, or a mini-skirt reveal as much of the human body as a bathing costume? In any case would feminists be right in protesting here that any definition is, de facto, biased against ways in which women habitually dress in summer -. in any country? And after all don't you see men repairing the streets who aren't wearing shirts, don't you? And statues only wearing paint? Are they nude or semi-nude?
So far few voices have been raised against the idea - which suggests the law will be doomed to failure. El Pais quotes one: Jacint Ribes, chairman for the Association for the Defence of Nakedness (Yes, it does exist !) who feels a new wave of 'nudophobia' has arrived. He suggests proposals like this only come up at election time. He states that the City Hall used to be a defender of personal freedom. Now it's favouring people who want to be free not to suffer others' lack of respect!
Another criticism is that police have enough to do to keep abreast of the rising 'normal' crime in the city without checking out what people are - or aren't wearing. A police spokesperson was reported to have they would insist on people getting dressed properly before officers took down their details, and that they would not keep photos on police files to catch consistent offenders (liable to a 600 euro fine). Would patrols be organised so that a policeman and police woman work together to make for a more objective decision? One cynic thought that the whole thing was just a ruse to get more recruits into Barcelona's Guardia Urbana police.
To decide questions of taste and fashion is always a tricky and subjective thing. 'Beauty - (and in this case semi-nudity) are in the eye of the beholder'. I suspect that the originator of that much over-quoted phrase, Keats would not have objected to the sight of over-exposure of the female body. Byron might unless the shirtless perpetrator was handsome. In any case a softly-softly approach rather than a hardline one might be a better policy, since strutting your stuff (in a semi-nude state in the streets) is only a seasonal occupation.
This weekend it's minus 5 degees out on Las Ramblas. Not a chest hair, bare leg or plunging neckline in sight.
La Vanguardia suggested that the proposal would certainly be passed in March, just in time for this year's tourist hordes hitting the city at Easter. (Presumeably tourists are the main offenders?) This is pure speculation of course but that's newspapers for you.
It seems there could be several 'grey' areas here - as well as pink ones! A definitions of what is 'nude' (and therefore attracting a fine of up to 500 euros) shouldn't be too difficult for the lawmakers. But deciding what is 'semi-nude' (attracting 300 euros) could more problematic. El Pais suggests that being shirtless for men and wearing a bathing costume for women could come under 'semi' or 'near-nude'. But what about bikinis, or shorts with a tiny top or bra? No bra? And doesn't a short dress with buttons undone, or a mini-skirt reveal as much of the human body as a bathing costume? In any case would feminists be right in protesting here that any definition is, de facto, biased against ways in which women habitually dress in summer -. in any country? And after all don't you see men repairing the streets who aren't wearing shirts, don't you? And statues only wearing paint? Are they nude or semi-nude?
So far few voices have been raised against the idea - which suggests the law will be doomed to failure. El Pais quotes one: Jacint Ribes, chairman for the Association for the Defence of Nakedness (Yes, it does exist !) who feels a new wave of 'nudophobia' has arrived. He suggests proposals like this only come up at election time. He states that the City Hall used to be a defender of personal freedom. Now it's favouring people who want to be free not to suffer others' lack of respect!
Another criticism is that police have enough to do to keep abreast of the rising 'normal' crime in the city without checking out what people are - or aren't wearing. A police spokesperson was reported to have they would insist on people getting dressed properly before officers took down their details, and that they would not keep photos on police files to catch consistent offenders (liable to a 600 euro fine). Would patrols be organised so that a policeman and police woman work together to make for a more objective decision? One cynic thought that the whole thing was just a ruse to get more recruits into Barcelona's Guardia Urbana police.
To decide questions of taste and fashion is always a tricky and subjective thing. 'Beauty - (and in this case semi-nudity) are in the eye of the beholder'. I suspect that the originator of that much over-quoted phrase, Keats would not have objected to the sight of over-exposure of the female body. Byron might unless the shirtless perpetrator was handsome. In any case a softly-softly approach rather than a hardline one might be a better policy, since strutting your stuff (in a semi-nude state in the streets) is only a seasonal occupation.
This weekend it's minus 5 degees out on Las Ramblas. Not a chest hair, bare leg or plunging neckline in sight.
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