Seattle history

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Logo for the SLUGS.

A typical Seattle Parks & Recreation Swim Beach signboard. Does "No Bare Buns" also apply to those who are potty-trained?

Another typical Seattle Parks & Recreation Swim Beach signboard. Here the sign more specifically refers to diapers or tight pants, rather than bare buns.

This page is about the history of social nudity in Seattle. This page is in development, please help contribute by adding your own information!! Please make sure your info is referenced.

See also: PNW calendar for a calendar of event listings.

[edit] 1930s

By some accounts, Point Wells or Peters Point beach area has been frequented by gay men since the 1930s. Many hetero men, women and teenagers have also used the beach nude with no conflicts reported. [1].

[edit] Pre-1965

Pre-1965, I’d say it was just individuals, friends, and couples at a wide scattering of locations, as at the edges of Golden Gardens, Carkeek, a few spots along or off Lake Washington Blvd, the north end of the Arboretum, east shore of Lk Sammamish (under the RR).(Dick M Sept 8, 2006 submitted report)

[edit] Late 1960s and early 1970s

In the late 60s and early 70s, there was a far more rebellious mood and more group activity, including nudity. A lot centered on the Univiersity of Washington, with the main skinny-dipping area the NW corner of the Arboretum (to some extent a gay cruising area today). When the RH Thompson expressway [2] construction was stopped, folks liked to dive off the unconnected ramps, but this all ended (mid 70s? I’m not sure).

Magnuson may not have been accessible to civilians until the late 1980s, when the Naval Air Station was closed (according to Dick 8 Sept 2006). Skinny dipping was again individual or few people, and at various spots north from where we were on Sunday, north up to the NOAA buildings. Others may have clearer memories.

Because of the lack of safe places around town (1970s-1990s) some preferred skinnydipping at lakes (e.g. Lake Kachess) or going to Scenic and other hot springs.

[edit] 1990s

• June 1992 Naked cyclists start appearing the Fremont Solstice Parade. After years of controversy, the group focus on bodypainting and art bikes and becomes the most creativly adorned naked cycling ensemble in the world.

• June 1998 Police arrested two naked cyclists in Fremont during the Summer Solstice Parade. The crowd booed the police for the arrests. [14] The two 28-year old men were not charged because the city said they were not engaging in lewd behavior. No cyclists arrested since that time.

• 1999 The City of Seattle asked the Fremont Arts Council to ban nudity at the Summer Solstice Parade. "Since the special-events permit gives the artists temporary ownership of the street, the cops could arrest naked people galore - not for nudity, but for trespassing." [13] The council refused. The cyclists rode, and no arrests were made that year.

[edit] 2000s

[edit] 2000

The Seattle Weekly magazine published this info in their July 20 - 26, 2000 "Best of Seattle 2000: Best City Life" By Seattle Weekly Readers:

6. Best nude beach

We'd certainly never drop our drawers at the beach and our readers backed us on that call: The winning answer in this category was "Is there one?" The second-place finisher was equally unhelpful; this group of readers only feels comfortable showing off their birthday suits on their own property (back yard, bathtub, etc.). We had to go all the way to third place to get an actual location--Golden Gardens Park. Tied for fourth were Alki and Carkeek Parks. A tip for nude sunbathers: None of these are officially sanctioned nude beaches, so keep a towel handy and watch out for the gendarmes.

[edit] 2001

• 2001 The CIty of Seattle asked the Fremont Arts Council to "post signs along the parade route warning cyclists, who are not a sanctioned part of the parade, about laws against indecent exposure. The council said no, even though members discouraged the nudity." [12] The publicity led to a swelling of support for the cyclists and a dramatic increase in participation in the following years.

[edit] 2003

• BFC's Annual "Bare As You Dare" Community Polar Bare Dips - 1st Annual at Mercer Island's Luther Burbank Park. Since 2003, BFC has been holding clothing-optional dips in mid January (always at a different public beach in the Greater Seattle area) in honor of America's premier advocate of nude sunbathing, Benjamin Franklin, who was born in Boston on January 17, 1706. "This small kickoff event was used as a small promotional photo opportunity for the group, signaling our commitment to bringing clothing-free opportunities on public lands closer to the people of the cities and beyond." Luther Burbank, the namesake for this park, was best known for his work in horticulture. He was also quite a free thinker: "I believe in the immortality of influence", he once said. The BFC believes that a small number of dedicated people working together, within their communities, can have a dramatic influence on public opinion and policy. Luther Burbank Park is now home to King County Park System's administrative offices. BFC thought it would be symbolic to do a public action at the Park System's headquarters, and also arguably one of the metropolitan area's most beloved parks, still deemed off-limits for wholesome, clothing-free recreation. As a native of Mercer Island, this is probably Daniel's first beach he ever went wading in as an infant.
  • More info and pictures.

• 2003 BFC's Free Beach Trilogy at the 2003 Seattle Fring Theatre Festival staged a set of four one-act plays (originally three) about nude beaches playing at the 2003 Seattle Fringe Theatre Festival. The was part of an initial phase of SFBC by BFC involving educating the public about clothing-free recreation and expression.

• June 2003 In response to being asked by a reporter about the possibility of clothing-optional beaches in Seattle, Councilwoman Jan Drago, vice chairwoman of the council's Parks, Education and Libraries Committee had this to say: "This isn't Europe. People's mindsets are different." While Drago said she personally thinks nude beaches are harmless, she added, "I can't imagine that Green Lake, that our public beaches, would go in that direction." [11]

• July 26, 2003 David Zaitzeff arrested for "indecent exposure" for sunbathing naked at Green Lake.

"There was a man about my age who made a complaint. At my first appearance before a judge on Monday, the city had offered to drop the charges in exchange for NCLV for six months (no criminal law violations for six months). I declined the offer and pled not guilty, based on nude sunbathing at a beach or park being not an 'obscene exposure of one's person.'" - David Zaitzeff August 13, 2003 on the Yahoo! discussion group bodyfreedom@yahoogroups.com

[edit] 2004

• Jan 17, 2004 2nd Annual BFC/community Polar Bare Dip at Carkeek Park, Seattle, WA
  • More info and pictures.

• BFC's Naked Freedom Film Festival. On May 15-16, 2004 BFC hosted the NFFF at the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) and 911 Media Art Center. Films during the two-day festival explored body-positive themes including public lands advocacy and recreation.

• June 12, 2004 First World Naked Bike Ride events held in Seattle. WNBR Seattle advocates that all beaches be made clothing-optional in Seattle. WNBR has used many parks clothing-optional since 2004, including the Seattle Center's International Fountain and plans on more Parks stops and beach wade-ins during the summer.

• Summer 2004 photographer Harvey does public nude photo shoots in Downtown Seattle and Capital Hill.

• 4 Sept 2004 Five Seattle Police officers and a Police boat patrol all came running to respond to a nude sunbather at Discovery Beach, one of Seattle's most remote beaches with a history of a tradition for occasional clothing-optional use. This was during a non-confrontational, peaceful beach rally. The man arrested was freed within a half hour. [3]

[edit] 2005

• Jan 15, 2005 The 3rd Annual BFC/community Polar Bare Dip was held at 9 AM sharp at Richmond Beach in the City of Shoreline, King County, WA, USA. The address is 2021 NW 190th St., Shoreline, WA 98177-2831.

• BFC launches World Naked Gardening Day.

• June 11, 2005 2nd Annual World Naked Bike Ride Seattle. 2nd half of ride rained out.

• June 26, 2005 Body Pride Ride debuts at Seattle's Pride March.

• BFC's Mermaid Crossing - An open water swim in Seattle with kayak support provided by FKKayakers. For those who have been involved with BFC events before, are experienced open water swimmers who can easily swim 1.3 miles in water dipping into the 60s, AND think doing so au naturel is fun.

• 24 Sept 2005 Five police cars respond to a mini WNBR Seattle bike ride which left downtown Seattle on Sept 24th heading toward Discovery Beach. The police told the participates to put on their clothes a few blocks before they were even able to reach the park grounds.

[edit] 2006

A WNBR Seattle 2006 participant, breaking the rules at Madrona Park ladies' bathroom.

• Jan 14, 2006 The 4th Annual BFC/community Polar Bare Dip was held at the north end of Golden Gardens Beach (official site), Seattle on Saturday, 14 Jan 2006 8:30 AM. A brief beach cleanup followed the event.

• NAC Disco Beach Project NAC is working with the City of Seattle to organize four beach cleanups at Discovery Park in 2006

• Spring 2006 J. Steve starts his naked rides during Critical Mass.

• May 17, 2006 The City of Seattle rejects submitted images of a BFC event of people playing at Disco Beach (north) for a photo contest: "Thank you for your recent interest in the Discovery Park photography contest. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept the photographs you submitted because as I'm sure you're aware, they depict an activity currently not allowed at the park. We are happy to refund you your entry fee and send your photographs to you." - Jennifer Knight, Admin Staff Assistant, Seattle Parks and Recreation, Discovery Park

• The WNBR Seattle 2006 event included a wade-in at a Seward Park Beach. See the Seattle Wiki website for details on the route.

• June 10, 2006 Members of SPD at Cal Anderson Park are overheard making comments about poor moral values of the WNBR cyclists. The cyclists were not there when they arrived and they did not pursue them further.

• June 10, 2006 SPD dispatched to intercept WNBR Seattle ride at Madrona Park after receiving complaints of nudity.

• June 17, 2006 Allegations that a SPD officer threatened to arrest painted naked woman with her son on charges of child pornography for cycling naked to the Fremont Solstice Parade & Pageant in Fremont. This has not been confirmed yet with the city and is being investigated.

• June 25, 2006 2nd Annual Body Pride Ride.

• Parks Department Rep says simple nudity not illegal.

"Parks spokeswoman Dewey Potter said the parks department does not consider simply being naked illegal, and she doesn't remember any complaints during the 13 years she's worked for the city about nudity in the parks -- though a man threatened to complain if people went nude at a rally Storey organized two years ago."

"Still, Storey said, police have interpreted indecent exposure laws to mean that being nude in public is illegal."

Quote from Seattle Post-Intelligencer, "Nudists share the naked truth" by Kery Muraka. Tuesday, July 4, 2006. Local news. The online version is also available at: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/276327_nude04.html Interview with Mark Storey about Seattle Free Beach Campaign, public nudity, nudity in Seattle parks, BFC's Beach Rally in 2004 at Discovery Park, mention of World Naked Gardening Day.

• Kenneth R. Bounds, Superintendent, Seattle Parks and Recreation, had this to say in response dated 12 July 2006 to a complaint about World Naked Bike Ride Seattle 2006:

"While public nudity is objectionable to many citizens, under Washington state’s Indecent Exposure Law, public nudity in itself is not illegal. The law specifies that “A person is guilty of indecent exposure if he or she intentionally makes any open and obscene exposure of his or her person or the person of another knowing that such conduct is likely to cause reasonable affront or alarm.” In order to file a formal complaint, a citizen can contact police to report the particular behavior and register his or her willingness to testify in court if the nude person is cited for indecent exposure."

"Unfortunately, it is impossible to control all illegal and inappropriate activities in our parks and on our streets. Public officials cannot prevent an event from happening on the basis of its potential offensiveness, only on the basis of its being illegal. The World Naked Bike Ride you encountered was not illegal. There will always be people who push the boundaries, and from your description it sounds as though there were a few of those on the ride. I am forwarding your complaint to the organizer of the World Naked Bike Ride who, of course, is always interested in the public’s reactions."

• July 29, 2006 Daniel Johnson was the first and only one to run naked for the Jaybird Run at the 30th Annual Seafair Torchlight Run.

• August 2006 NAC Seattle Swims launched with new website SeattleSwims.org.

• Sept 2, 2006 First Magnuson Beach Bares event at Magnuson Park. Most successful clothing-free picnic in Seattle history to get a permit from the City of Seattle.

[edit] Date unknown

Signs the city is concerned about incidents of nudity:

• The city has its lifeguards pull out portable signs in the summer at many of its supervised swimming beaches saying, among other things "No Bare Buns!"

• The Madrona Beach bathroom has a sign, painted on the wall INSIDE of the bathroom, that says, "No changing of clothes allowed".