# Thinking back, isn't the entire concept of people streaking in public creepy? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 3, 2021, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037 "2021-09-03T07:12:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2021, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/21 "2021-09-03T13:31:36Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > There are very few countries where unrestricted public nudity is legal, so those “American hangups” are present in lots of places and cultures. I wasn’t talking about unrestricted nudity being legal or not, rather the concept that streaking might be considered creepy. In most of Europe, it would be regarded as a bit of a giggle, or an annoying disruption at a football match. Not clutched pearls and shouts of ‘pedo!’ ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2021, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/22 "2021-09-03T13:36:41Z")
At the time, streaking was just a prank by college students, like swallowing goldfish or stuffing people into a phone booth. A bit of harmless silliness. ---
**Author:** ![TwoCarrotSnowman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twocarrotsnowman/32/15879_2.png) [@TwoCarrotSnowman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoCarrotSnowman)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2021, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/23 "2021-09-03T13:45:32Z")
Tell _that_ to the goldfish… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2021, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/24 "2021-09-03T13:54:21Z")
Put me down for another vote saying “normally clothed squishy bits” \<\> “automatically _ **creepy** _”. But then, maybe I’ve drank (drunk? dranken?) the naturist kool-aid that says nude does not/should not equal sexual. And furthermore, recognizing that everyone is entitled to their own opinion on the subject, I certainly don’t want the pearl-clutchers dictating their views on everyone else. Instead, I want to dictate MY views on everyone else. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2021, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/25 "2021-09-03T14:10:33Z")
Now, a **flasher** —a guy who went around wearing a long overcoat with nothing underneath, and exposing himself to women in order to shock them—_was_ always considered creepy and pervy and sex-offender-ey. But maybe also a bit silly, judging by how often they were mocked or parodied or alluded to in pop culture. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2021, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/26 "2021-09-03T14:22:57Z")
I went to a baseball game a few years back - M’s vs Yankees, in Seattle. Whenever Yankees play there, the fans go nuts. I swear everyone drinks more and is just overall crazier. During this particular game there were not ONE, not TWO, but THREE streakers throughout the game. And in our section (King’s Court), we saw an attempt at number FOUR down below but the security nabbed him before he could get his clothes off and out on the field. I think the concept of streaking at this game was too much alchohol. Also, on the way out of the game we saw a drunk guy pissing as he walked down the steps in the concourse, not even try to hide what he was doing. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2021, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/27 "2021-09-03T14:57:57Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > Context is important here. You’re by yourself taking a lovely stroll in a public park and you encounter a nude person? But even this overstates the position surely? “Encounter a nude person” could encompass anything from a flasher deliberately confronting someone for their own gratification through to someone sunbathing naked with no intent to impact upon you at all. I can certainly think of “lovely walks“ I have been on that have been made no less lovely by “encountering a nude person“. Rather significantly the opposite in some cases! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2021, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/28 "2021-09-03T15:06:01Z")
When supermarkets started 24 hour opening, there was a little flurry of people making the news because they went there in the middle of the night in pyjamas and dressing gowns. I remember hearing _exactly the same_ sort of puritanical complaints about that - about how _inappropriate_ it was. People need to lighten up. Streaking is weird, it might even be a bit shocking, but most of what it is, is goofy nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2021, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/29 "2021-09-03T15:06:55Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > But even this overstates the position surely? “Encounter a nude person” could encompass anything from a flasher deliberately confronting someone for their own gratification through to someone sunbathing naked with no intent to impact upon you at all. Eh, context is important. What’s creepy in one context might not be creepy in another. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2021, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/30 "2021-09-03T15:21:33Z")
It works really help me to understand how people feel about this is if someone could give a clear definition of ”creepy”. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2021, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/31 "2021-09-03T15:31:07Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > No it’s wasn’t. It was never “creepy” because there was never anything sexual about it. It wasn’t a flasher going up to women and showing off his dick. _That_ was and has always been creepy. Streaking was more “Look, I am doing something completely unexpected and out of the norm and wild and silly.” True generally, but there had to have been at least a few perverts who figured that going around showing their junk to one girl at a time would get them arrested as a pervert, but running naked through a football game would let the show their junk to thousands of girls, and everyone would write it off as a prank. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2021, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/32 "2021-09-03T15:32:55Z")
John Waters, take it away: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/tLPZmPaHme0/maxresdefault.jpg "The Creep (feat. Nicki Minaj & John Waters)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLPZmPaHme0) ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2021, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/33 "2021-09-03T15:54:26Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Back when people were doing it from time to time, it never seemed especially creepy. They didn’t stand there and confront anyone. By definition they were running away. It was partly a statement that people shouldn’t be so worked up about nudity. As LHoD says, > [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > it was a combination of–being naked outside feels nice, and the taboos against nudity are kind of silly, and this is a daring prank that doesn’t hurt anybody. The taboos about nudity are kind of silly, at least in a society in which people routinely wear on the beach and in advertisements bits of fabric that cover only a few square inches, and those sometimes tightly enough to show the underlying shape. > [@Chronos](#): > > But the joke, such as it was, was “Look, I’m doing something creepy!”. It wouldn’t have worked in a society where nudity wasn’t considered creepy. I think we’re using entirely different definitions of the word “creepy”. Streaking wasn’t sexual; it wasn’t aimed at anybody in particular; and it didn’t carry any implicit threat of further undesired action. > [@Odesio](#): > > You’re by yourself taking a lovely stroll in a public park and you encounter a nude person? That seems creepy. Depends on the park. > [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Now, a **flasher** —a guy who went around wearing a long overcoat with nothing underneath, and exposing himself to women in order to shock them— _was_ always considered creepy and pervy and sex-offender-ey. But maybe also a bit silly Yup. And he looked even sillier to people who went in for casual nudity. You think you’re showing me anything I haven’t seen before? But that is creepy: partly because yes it is sexual; partly because it’s done specifically at people, usually specifically at women or girls; and partly because while flashers were often seen as rarely progressing to anything else they do nevertheless pose an implicit threat – partly because that particular flasher might be an exception, partly because they generally make a point of flashing at someone they’ve caught alone or at most with others perceived as vulnerable, and partly because they’re by definition doing something unwanted. The whole point of flashing is that it’s supposed to shock and upset the person(s) flashed. > [@Princhester](#): > > It works really help me to understand how people feel about this is if someone could give a clear definition of ”creepy”. Did the above help any? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2021, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/34 "2021-09-03T16:02:21Z")
Most of the streakers I remember did it on a dare or a bet, or some sort of hazing. It wasn’t necessarily something they got any kind of particular enjoyment out of. At most they did it for the notoriety. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2021, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/35 "2021-09-03T16:23:29Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > The whole point of flashing is that it’s supposed to shock and upset the person(s) flashed. Yeah–streakers, in general, expect and want cheers and laughter. Flashers want disgust and terror. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2021, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/36 "2021-09-03T16:26:37Z")
Are people still streaking? It was big when I was in high school. I remember that streaker running past David Niven at the Oscars ceremony, and Niven mentioning the guy’s “shortcomings.” ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2021, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/37 "2021-09-03T18:43:40Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Are people still streaking? Yes, through the Quad to the gymnasium! ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2021, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/38 "2021-09-03T18:58:45Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > That was kinda the idea. Not for us. We streaked (struck?) a mall because we were teenagers and thought it would be cool. There was probably some pot involved as well, but sex never entered in to it. As a matter of fact, when we were stripping (2 girls and 3 boys) we turned our backs on each other. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2021, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/39 "2021-09-03T22:29:24Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > True generally, but there had to have been at least a few perverts who figured that going around showing their junk to one girl at a time would get them arrested as a pervert, but running naked through a football game would let the show their junk to thousands of girls, and everyone would write it off as a prank. I’m not a flasher but I’m thinking that the “appeal” is the targeted shock to an individual that you make them look at your junk, probably for several long shocked seconds as they register what’s happening, while you enjoy their reaction. There’s a good chance you’re alone when it happens so the shock is compounded by fear and perhaps helplessness. Conversely, if I’m sprinting across a ball field, evading security, I’m not going to get to see you or your reaction, you probably won’t get a good look at my junk (even if you wanted to) and there’s nothing targeting you – you’re just someone who was there when it happened and you’re surrounded by people while the naked guy is getting chased by rental cops. I can’t imagine that the “creep” payoff is the same. ---
**Author:** ![Ranch\_Dip](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranch_dip/32/5238_2.png) [@Ranch\_Dip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranch_Dip)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2021, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/40 "2021-09-03T22:44:37Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > I always thought streaking was just silliness. Yeah, I don’t remember it being viewed as anything sexual. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037.md?page=3)