to read my column, remove one item of clothing

by Violet Blue on February 6, 2008

Image of Nicole @ 4am at local 24-hour grease pit Sparky’s by Merkley??? This is how we all look when we end up there at 4am. And eventually, we all do.

It’s cold, we just had a million days of freezing rain, everyone’s depressed and breaking up, and it’s dark and I’m trying to be all “Wig in a Box” about my life and… Yet, San Franciscans still can’t keep their clothes on, or keep me from loving them. But dammit, it’s cold, and I don’t want everyone to get the flu again like we all did in January. Hence this week’s column: a love letter to the wicked little town that just can’t keep its clothes on. Here’s a snip from Naked in San Francisco – When it’s so cold and rainy, why can’t we all just keep our clothes on?:

Dear San Francisco,

I love you. You’ve raised me the hard way, you’ve lovingly taught me about diversity and compassion and understanding, and most importantly how to say things like, “You go, girl — and take those tacky shoes with you.” Our relationship means more to me than anything. But now I feel like I’m getting all grown up on you, and have to get a nagging issue off my B-cups:

It is cold and rainy outside. In fact, it’s freezing. If you must go out, please put some clothes on.

It’s not that I don’t enjoy the bobbing bits and jiggly jugs that ornament Bay to Breakers annually; that’s all sporty and in May, and runners stay warm. (Or so I’ve heard. Do I look like a girl who jogs?) The recent San Francisco No Pants Subway Ride looked chilly, but at least you all had your undies and tops on so you didn’t catch a cold or the devastating MUNIan-flu that seems to be making the rounds right now. The San Francisco World Naked Bike Ride (sanfrancisco.worldnakedbikeride.org) takes place in June — admittedly not our warmest month, but still. And our nude beaches? That’s just another predictable summer feature. At least our Folsom Street Fair (folsomstreetfair.org), the nationwide poster-child for anti-sex fundies’ “look at the nekkid sodomites” hand-wringing, was probably carefully negotiated by BDSM Best Standards and Practices to be held in late September, guaranteeing asses sunburned in the shape of chaps and rope-harness tan lines for all.

Right now, the FCC is about to slap ABC affiliates with a $1.4 million fine for a glimpse of actress Charlotte Ross’ naked behind in an episode of NYPD Blue that aired five years ago (thanks to current administration politics and the American Family Association). It’s a glimpse of normal human nudity after 9 p.m. and the fine proves the FCC is clearly out of touch with the communities it serves, the real world and the future. It looks like the FCC is a much bigger threat to broadcast TV revenue than YouTube. (My NSFW analysis and coverage, with video, is at tinyurl.com/2cym33.)

But my sweet, sweet San Francisco: We’re way more tolerant than that minority. Even if sometimes on Craigslist someone has to express a few personal ground rules for gym-room posing and pecker-peeping, as in this Best of Craigslist posting:

“Dear San Francisco Gymnasium Nude Guy: (…)

Link.

Violet Blue

The London Times named Violet Blue "One of the 40 bloggers who really count" and Self Magazine named TinyNibbles one of the “Best Sex Resources for Women.” Blue is an autodidact and pundit on sex and technology, hacking and security, porn for women, privacy and bleeding-edge tech culture. She is a journalist for ZDNet, CBS News, CNET; she's an educator, speaker, crisis counselor, volunteer NGO trainer, and the author and editor of over 40 award-winning books.

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