# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2021, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/61 "2021-09-05T13:50:24Z")
Streaking was all about _mocking_ the prudish people who found nudity upsetting. They would mock anyone who suggested nowadays that being unclothed was inherently a sexual offense akin to sexual molestation or something. There would be a subtext to it (both then and now) that being prudish about SEX is something that should be mocked as well. Remember, the cheer at the time was “drugs sex and rock & roll”. It is fair to point out that these cheerful people were often oblivious to consent issues, the presence of coercion within a lot of what passed for “sex”, and were often rather prefeminist in their notions of natural male and female sexual behaviors. But it’s reciprocally fair to point out that a discernable amount of prudery still gets woven into modern concerns about sexual consent if someone being unclothed is regarded as having _done something_ to someone else without their consent. ---
**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 5, 2021, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/62 "2021-09-05T15:23:00Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I can’t see how it makes any sense as a protest against the nudity taboo. If you feel you have to run away, then you’re not showing how dumb the taboo is, but embracing it being taboo. No, you’re not embracing it. You’re just acknowledging that it exists, while simultaneously protesting it. > [@BigT](#): > > The good thing is, if I’m right, then reducing the nudity taboo will also decrease streaking. But, if I’m wrong, then it will continue unabated Huh? If streaking is opposing a taboo, then reducing the taboo will decrease streaking. But if it’s as you say embracing the taboo, then reducing the taboo would increase it. > [@BigT](#): > > it really seems like it’s becoming less and less common as people stop making a big deal out of it. Seems to me that it’s becoming less common as people make more of a big deal out of nudity (while simultaneously accepting a lot more near-nudity.) Nudity in single sex situations (using sex not gender on purpose here, because they were assumed to match and anybody who didn’t had to hide it) used to be considered normal in changing rooms and for males and sometimes females when swimming. Nudity in young children used to be considered entirely nonsexual and not to be an issue. > [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > Do you know how rare it is for anyone to intervene on another poster’s behalf? Doesn’t seem rare to me at all. Maybe we’re not reading the same threads? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2021, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/63 "2021-09-05T16:19:26Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > > [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > > > Do you know how rare it is for anyone to intervene on another poster’s behalf? > > Doesn’t seem rare to me at all. Maybe we’re not reading the same threads? I often intervene on someone else’s behalf, if i think i can make a point more clearly, or just support someone being unfairly maligned. 😉 But i imagine it does vary a lot by thread. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2021, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/64 "2021-09-05T17:08:52Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Streaking was all about _mocking_ the prudish people who found nudity upsetting. I’d think it’d be easier to mock somebody’s prudish attitude by telling dirty jokes within earshot. Streakers were just doing it for the thrill. ---
**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 5, 2021, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/65 "2021-09-05T17:17:14Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > I’d think it’d be easier to mock somebody’s prudish attitude by telling dirty jokes within earshot. Not if part or all of the point is that nudity isn’t automatically sexual. ---
**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 5, 2021, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/66 "2021-09-05T19:58:49Z")
Wow, you folks are sure putting more thought into motivation than we did when we were teenagers. Our decision process went more like this “Hey, I’ve got an idea. How about we ditch our afternoon classes, get stoned and streak the Inland Center Mall?” Everyone else “Cool man, let’s do it.” After all, everyone else was doing it! ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2021, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/67 "2021-09-05T21:04:57Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > I’d think it’d be easier to mock somebody’s prudish attitude by telling dirty jokes within earshot. Oh, that definitely happened too. ---
**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 6, 2021, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/68 "2021-09-06T11:18:57Z")
_/runs naked through thread_ ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2021, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/69 "2021-09-06T11:29:46Z")
Now all we need is the thread to be graped by the Grapist. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2021, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/70 "2021-09-06T22:37:01Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Running naked is probably nice, too, although I’ve never done it. I’ve always wanted to run a naked 10K, for that very reason. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2021, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/71 "2021-09-07T01:29:23Z")
Positives: air moving against your back instead of a sweaty shirt plastering itself against you Negatives: stones, pine cones, cactus, broken glass, squishy slugs and other unpleasant things to step on barefooted; dangly bits flopping and flapping; sunburn; mosquitos feasting on all the exposed skin I don’t think I’d enjoy 10K worth of the experience at all. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2021, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/72 "2021-09-07T01:30:57Z")
I gotta say, when I envisioned running naked, I wasn’t completely naked – I was still wearing shoes. 😉 But I suppose the dangly bits flopping would be unpleasant. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2021, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/73 "2021-09-07T01:42:55Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Positives: air moving against your back instead of a sweaty shirt plastering itself against you > > Negatives: stones, pine cones, cactus, broken glass, squishy slugs and other unpleasant things to step on barefooted; dangly bits flopping and flapping; sunburn; mosquitos feasting on all the exposed skin No bloody nipples, no chafed thighs. Definitely shoes - I’m not stupid. And I routinely run in 4" shorts and a thin singlet, so I’m used to slathering on the sunscreen. As far as the dangly bits, I think they’d just tuck in and hide in the unaccustomed cool. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2021, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/74 "2021-09-07T02:12:36Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > As far as the dangly bits, I think they’d just tuck in and hide in the unaccustomed cool. I think that is a showers vs. growers issue… ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2021, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/75 "2021-09-07T03:14:23Z")
Not streaking, but this thread reminded me of those unfortunate male models who recently, for some reason, were taking to the catwalk with their junk sticking out. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2021, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/76 "2021-09-07T09:13:35Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > It wasn’t a flasher going up to women and showing off his dick. _That_ was and has always been creepy. When flashing was a work of art . . . [![](https://amusicology.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/exposeyourselftoart1.jpg) ](https://amusicology.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/exposeyourselftoart1.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2021, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/77 "2021-09-07T12:45:43Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > But I suppose the dangly bits flopping would be unpleasant. I’ve never run naked that I can think of, and feel now like I need to just for the sake of experiment. But when you consider that running long distance is something that humans are pretty good at, and many of our ancestors particulalry in hot climes don’t wear clothes much at all let alone support underwear… I’m wondering if it is as painful as I imagine. Hang on a few minutes. If I don’t post again shortly, I’ve been arrested. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2021, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/78 "2021-09-07T12:59:21Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > With ‘streaking’ offenses likely to be handled by addition to public order offenses at public events, rather than on summons for offences at home, or by stake-out for offenses in public parks. Which is something to take into consideration too: the public-event nature of streaking in fact conveyed a diminished or even nonexistent “threat”. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2021, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/79 "2021-09-07T13:01:07Z")
Written up your bail application. ---
**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 7, 2021, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037/80 "2021-09-07T15:32:40Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Which is something to take into consideration too: the public-event nature of streaking in fact conveyed a diminished or even nonexistent “threat” Yup. And the combination of the public-event situation and the fact that the streaker was by definition running away (they might be briefly coming towards you, but everybody knew they were going to keep going) made the “threat” element entirely nonexistent. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-back-isnt-the-entire-concept-of-people-streaking-in-public-creepy/950037.md?page=5)