Mooning is the act of displaying one's bare buttocks by removing clothing, e.g., by lowering the backside of one's trousers and underpants , usually bending over, and also potentially exposing the genitals . Mooning is used in the English-speaking world to express protest , scorn , disrespect , or for provocation, but mooning can be done for shock value , for fun , as a joke or as a form of exhibitionism . The Māori have a form of mooning known as whakapohane that is a form of insult.
48-543: Some jurisdictions regard mooning to be indecent exposure , sometimes depending on the context. Moon has been a common shape metaphor for the buttocks in English since 1743, and the verb to moon has meant "to expose to (moon)light" since 1601. As documented by McLaren, "'mooning', or exposing one's butt to shame an enemy ... had a long pedigree in peasant culture" throughout the Middle Ages , and in many nations. Although
96-515: A Maryland state circuit court determined that mooning is a form of artistic expression protected by the First Amendment as a form of speech . The court ruled that indecent exposure relates only to exposure of the genitals, adding that even though mooning was a "disgusting" and "demeaning" act to engage in, and had taken place in the presence of a minor, "If exposure of half of the buttocks constituted indecent exposure, any woman wearing
144-457: A thong at the beach at Ocean City would be guilty." Defense attorneys had cited a case from 1983 of a woman who was arrested after protesting in front of the U.S. Supreme Court building wearing nothing but a cardboard sign that covered the front of her body. In that case, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals had ruled that indecent exposure is limited to a person's genitalia. No review of
192-645: A clinical sense was recorded in a report by the Commission against Blasphemy in Venice in 1550. John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester was an early libertine in England, who was known for his exhibitionism. In the United Kingdom, the 4th draft of the revised Vagrancy Act 1824 included an additional clause "or openly and indecently exposing their persons" which gave rise to difficulties because of its ill-defined scope. During
240-478: A complex topic. What is an inappropriate state of dress in a particular context depends on the standards of decency of the community where an exposure takes place. These standards vary from time to time and can vary from the very strict standards of modesty in places such as Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia, which require most of the body to be covered, to tribal societies such as the Pirahã or Mursi where full nakedness
288-432: A public beach, or any place where nudity might be expected, is very unlikely. Exhibitionism Exhibitionism is the act of exposing in a public or semi-public context one's intimate parts – for example, the breasts , genitals or buttocks . As used in psychology and psychiatry, it is substantially different. It refers to an uncontrollable urge to exhibit one's genitals to an unsuspecting stranger, and
336-572: A public place where at least two people are present, who need not actually witness it. Namibian authorities announced that foreign tourists who were nude while visiting the Namib-Naukluft National Park would be banned from all national parks. Women in Saudi Arabia were required to wear robes and a headscarf when in public, although Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said that it
384-560: A recognised right. However, on 30 April 2011, the Barcelona City Council voted a by-law forbidding walking "naked or nearly naked in public spaces" and limiting the wearing of bathing costumes to pools, beaches, adjacent streets and sea-side walks. Other countries, such as the UK, Ireland or Poland, are more conservative. The law concerning public nudity varies among the countries of the United Kingdom. In England and Wales, public nudity
432-548: A term such as "exposing one's person" relates back to the United Kingdom Vagrancy Act 1824 and Evans v Ewels (1972) where it was said that the word "person" was a genteel synonym for "penis" or "vulva". However, it has been suggested that the word "person" in s5 of the (NSW) Summary Offences Act is not limited to "penis" or "vulva". For example, in R v Eyles (1997) the offender was seen masturbating in his front garden and charged with obscene exposure under
480-480: Is called an "Exhibitionistic Disorder" rather than simply exhibitionism. It is an obsessive compulsive paraphilic disorder, which typically involves men exposing themselves to women. It is considered a psychiatric disorder. Such patients need psychological/psychiatric treatment. The practice may arise from a desire or compulsion to expose oneself in such a manner to groups of friends or acquaintances, or to strangers for their amusement or sexual satisfaction, or to shock
528-554: Is different in each jurisdiction and in several jurisdictions the offence of indecent exposure does not apply. Penalties vary between jurisdictions and are summarised below. Specific state Acts , are as follows: The laws of New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory use the term "person", while in the other States the exposure refers to the genital area . It has been noted that
SECTION 10
#1732887082048576-461: Is generally judged by the standards of the local community, which are seldom codified in specifics in law. Such standards may be based on religion, morality or tradition, or justified on the basis of "necessary to public order ". Non-sexual exhibitionism or public nudity is sometimes considered indecent exposure. If sexual acts are performed, with or without an element of nudity, this can be considered gross indecency in some jurisdictions, which
624-412: Is left to judges. Judges have held, for example, that nude sunbathing is not indecent. Also, streaking is similarly not regarded as indecent. Section 174 prohibits nudity if it offends "against public decency or order" and in view of the public. The courts have found that nude swimming is not offensive under this definition. Toplessness is also not an indecent act under s.173. In 1991, Gwen Jacob
672-562: Is natural and proper. Cases occasionally come before magistrates' courts, with varying outcomes. During the 19th and 20th centuries, indecent exposure was prosecuted under section 28 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 or section 4 of the Vagrancy Act 1824 . The latter contained a provision for the prosecution of: every person wilfully openly, lewdly, and obscenely exposing his person in any street, road, or public highway, or in
720-409: Is not generally illegal, unless intended to alarm or distress members of the public. In some places, such as Henley-on-Thames, local bye-laws criminalise naked bathing in the river or sea, with a fine which has remained unchanged since the nineteenth century and is now trivial. Concerns that the police do not take "indecent exposure" sufficiently seriously are matched by other opinions that public nudity
768-513: Is not required. In September 2019, Saudi Arabia issued the public decency law identifying the rules related to the public decency that citizens and tourists should follow in compliance with Saudi law. Attitudes towards nudity vary by country and are generally most relaxed in Scandinavia , where genitals and breasts are not normally considered indecent or obscene. Hence, laws and societal views on public nudity are generally relaxed. In Finland, it
816-449: Is often enthusiastically applauded by the spectators, so negating any intention to cause alarm or distress. A common defence on arrest for indecent exposure is the innocent intent to urinate, but that may be prosecuted as a public nuisance. (At Holborn viaduct an old painted notice warns "Commit No Nuisance"). Under Scots law , "indecent conduct" in a public place, such as exposing the genitals or engaging in sexual activity, can constitute
864-642: Is public exposure and is therefore defined by statute in many states of the United States as prohibited criminal behavior. In Australia, it is a summary or criminal offence in some States and Territories to expose one's genitals (also referred to as "his or her person") in a public place or in view of a public place. In some jurisdictions, exposure of the genitals alone does not constitute an offence unless accompanied by an indecent act, indecent behaviour, grossly indecent behaviour, obscenity , intention to cause offence, or deliberate intention. The applicable law
912-440: Is the deliberate public exposure by a person of a portion of their body in a manner contrary to local standards of appropriate behavior. Laws and social attitudes regarding indecent exposure vary significantly in different countries. It ranges from outright prohibition of the exposure of any body parts other than the hands or face to prohibition of exposure of certain body parts, such as the genital area, buttocks or breasts. Decency
960-520: Is the norm. There is generally no implication that the state of dress objected to is of a sexual nature; and if such an allegation were to be made, the act would generally be described as " gross indecency ". The standards of decency have varied over time. During the Victorian era , for example, exposure of a woman's legs, and to some extent the arms, was considered indecent in much of the Western world . Hair
1008-519: Is two years' imprisonment, very rare as most cases are dealt with by a fine or through community service. If sentenced to a term of imprisonment or a community order in excess of 12 months such convicts (offenders) – or if the person they exposed themselves to was aged under 18 years old – they must appear on and sign the Violent and Sex Offender Register . In the past public nudity in England and Wales could also be punished as "disorderly behaviour" under
SECTION 20
#17328870820481056-430: Is usually a more serious criminal offence. In some countries, exposure of the body in breach of community standards of modesty is also considered to be public indecency. The legal and community standards of what states of undress constitute indecent exposure vary considerably and depend on the context in which the exposure takes place. These standards have also varied over time, making the definition of indecent exposure
1104-452: Is very typical for patrons to bathe nude in the intense heat of saunas . In the Netherlands , public nudity is allowed at sites that have been assigned by the local authorities and "other suitable places". On nudist beaches, in unisex saunas and in swimming pool changing rooms, remaining partially clothed is frowned upon and the social norm is to undress. In Barcelona , public nudity was
1152-713: The Public Order Act 1986 , sections 4A and 5. However, the law was clarified in the spring of 2018 and those sections are no longer considered to apply to simple public nudity. Guidance from the Crown Prosecution Service and the College of Policing does not recommend prosecution for public nudity if there is no implied intent to cause alarm (or distress). Intention can be inferred by circumstantial evidence ; see Intention in English law . Occasional "streaking" by naked exhibitionists running across public sports fields
1200-498: The 1980s. Moral values changed drastically during the 1990s and 2000s, which in turn changed the criteria for indecent exposure. Public exposure of the navel has been accepted during the 1990s, while in the 2000s, exposure of the buttocks while wearing a thong at a beach became acceptable. Female toplessness, however, has become more taboo in recent decades; for many years it was quite common for women to go topless at public beaches throughout Europe and South America and even some parts of
1248-540: The NSW Act. The judge noted, obiter dicta , that In the case of both males and females, the parts of the body which are capable of being employed for the purpose of obscene exposure are limited. The concepts of obscenity and exposure in a practical sense restrict the potential operation of the provision. There is a question as to whether there is any further restriction to be found in the word "person". The Crown Advocate has submitted that there may be circumstances in which
1296-462: The United States vary according to location. In most states, public nudity is illegal. However, in some states, it is only illegal if it is accompanied by an intent to shock, arouse, or offend other persons. Some states permit local governments to set local standards. Most states exempt breastfeeding mothers from prosecution. The phenomenon widely known as flashing , involving a woman exposing bare nipples by suddenly pulling up her shirt and bra ,
1344-437: The United States. Breastfeeding in public does not constitute indecent exposure under the laws of the United States, Canada, Australia, or Great Britain. In the United States, the federal government and all 50 states have enacted laws specifically protecting nursing mothers from harassment by others. Legislation ranges from simply exempting breastfeeding from laws regarding indecent exposure, to outright full protection of
1392-417: The behaviour of the individual in question. The High Court of New Zealand has upheld a conviction of disorderly conduct for nudity in the street, because it was not a place where nudity was known to occur or commonplace. Being nude in the street is likely to incur a small fine if a complaint is made against the person, or if the person ignores a police request to cover themselves. Being prosecuted for nudity on
1440-517: The bystander. Exposing oneself only to an intimate partner is normally not regarded as exhibitionism. In law, the act of exhibitionism may be referred to as indecent exposure or exposing one's person , or by other expressions. Public exhibitionism by women has been recorded since classical times, often in the context of women shaming groups of men into committing, or inciting them to commit, some public action. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus gives an account of exhibitionistic behaviors from
1488-551: The case by a higher court took place since prosecutors dropped the case after the ruling. In December 2000, in California, the California Court of Appeal found that mooning does not constitute indecent exposure (and therefore does not subject the defendant to sex offender registration laws), unless it can be proven beyond reasonable doubt that the conduct was sexually motivated. Indecent exposure Indecent exposure
Mooning - Misplaced Pages Continue
1536-461: The common law offence of public indecency . Stephen Gough , a man known as the "Naked Rambler" who hiked across Britain wearing only shoes, was arrested numerous times in Scotland. He was convicted of the common law offence of breach of the peace and spent time in prison for contempt of court for refusing to wear clothes whilst in court. The Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2008 brought
1584-576: The course of a subsequent debate on the topic in Parliament, the then- Home Secretary Robert Peel observed that "there was not a more flagrant offence than that of indecently exposing the person which had been carried to an immense extent in the parks ... wanton exposure was a very different thing from accidental exposure". The development of new technologies such as smartphones and tablets has permitted some exhibitionists to reorient their methods such as with nude selfies . The term exhibitionist
1632-455: The course of their journey they reach a community—not the city of their destination, but somewhere else—they steer the bareis close to the bank. Some of the women carry on doing what I have already described them as doing, but others shout out scornful remarks to the women in the town, or dance, or stand and pull up their clothes to expose themselves. Every riverside community receives this treatment. A case of what appears to be exhibitionism in
1680-543: The exposure of the breasts of a woman is capable of being regarded as obscene, and that it is not difficult to imagine circumstances in which the exposure of a person's buttocks could be obscene. Public nudity is illegal in Fiji . In New Zealand, indecent exposure is considered to be where a person "intentionally and obscenely exposes any part of his or her genitals". Otherwise there is no specific law prohibiting nudity in public places, although lesser charges may apply depending on
1728-469: The fifth century BC in The Histories . Herodotus writes that: When people travel to Bubastis for the festival, this is what they do. Every baris carrying them there overflows with people, a huge crowd of them, men and women together. Some of the women have clappers, while some of the men have pipes which they play throughout the voyage. The rest of the men and women sing and clap their hands. When in
1776-449: The general rules (social or legal) regarding clothing. For instance, a country that generally prohibits full nudity may allow it in designated places, such as nude beaches , or during various social events such as festivals or nude protests. Outraging public decency is a common law offence in England and Wales . It is a broader offence than indecent exposure, but can only be committed in
1824-456: The head hair, especially female, must be covered, usually with a scarf. The vast majority of cultures accept that the face can and must be seen, but some cultures (especially in the Middle East ) require that a woman's face be covered under a burqa . In conservative societies, appearing in a public place in clothing that is deemed 'indecent' is illegal. In many countries there are exceptions to
1872-452: The highest possible prevalence for exhibitionistic disorder in men is 2% to 4%. It is thought to be much less common in women. In a Swedish survey, 2.1% of women and 4.1% of men admitted to becoming sexually aroused from the exposure of their genitals to a stranger. A research team asked a sample of 185 exhibitionists, "How would you have preferred a person to react if you were to expose your privates to him or her?" The most common response
1920-619: The legislation regarding indecent exposure in Northern Ireland into line with that in England and Wales. In Canada, s.173 of the Criminal Code prohibits "indecent acts". There is no statutory definition in the Code of what constitutes an indecent act, other than the exposure of the genitals and/or female nipples for a sexual purpose to anyone under 16 years of age. Thus, the decision of what states of undress are "indecent", and thereby unlawful,
1968-537: The practice of mooning was widespread by the 19th century, the Oxford English Dictionary dates the use of "moon" and "mooning" to describe the act to student slang of the 1960s, when the gesture became increasingly popular among students at universities in the United States. In Australian idiom , "chuck a browneye" is synonymous with the act of mooning. In January 2016, mooning in a public place in Victoria
Mooning - Misplaced Pages Continue
2016-451: The right to nurse. Public clothing varies by country and may be regulated by law. What parts of the body must be covered varies by region. Although genitals are usually expected to be covered in public in almost all societies, when it comes to other parts of the body such as female breasts, midriff, legs or shoulders, norms vary. For example, in some African cultures, it is the thighs, not the breasts, that must be covered. In some societies,
2064-475: The view thereof, or in any place of public resort, with intent to insult any female ... This provision, and the nudity provision of the 1824 Vagrancy Act, were repealed by Schedule 7, s.140 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 . They were replaced by an offence that is both gender neutral, and more specific and explicit, 66 Exposure . It is defined as A person commits an offence if— The maximum penalty
2112-653: Was arrested for walking in a street in Guelph, Ontario , while topless. She was acquitted in 1996 by the Ontario Court of Appeal on the basis that the act of being topless is not in itself a sexual act or indecent. The case has been referred to in subsequent cases for the proposition that the mere act of public nudity is not sexual or indecent or an offense. Since then, it is legal for a female to walk topless in public anywhere in Ontario, Canada. The laws governing indecent exposure in
2160-525: Was first used in 1877 by French physician and psychiatrist Charles Lasègue . Various earlier medical-forensic texts discuss genital self-exhibition, however. When exhibitionistic sexual interest is acted on with a non-consenting person or interferes with a person's quality of life or normal functioning, it can be diagnosed as exhibitionistic disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , fifth edition ( DSM-5 ). The DSM states that
2208-503: Was made a criminal offence. A group of locals, called "Noonamah Moonies", mooned the Ghan at Livingstone Airstrip in 2004 and 2024. The next exhibition can be expected in 2034, with the mooning happening every 10 years. In Latvian legends , two maidens went naked from the sauna with carrying poles to the well. While collecting water, one of the women noted how beautiful the Moon is. The other
2256-446: Was sometimes required to be covered in formal occasions as in the form of a hat or bonnet. As late as the 1930s – and to some extent, the 1950s – both women and men were expected to bathe or swim in public places wearing bathing suits that covered above the waist. An adult woman exposing her navel was also considered indecent in parts of the West into the 1960s and 1970s, and even as late as
2304-475: Was unimpressed, saying her own butt is prettier and proceeded to moon the Moon. As a punishment, either Dievs or Mēness (a lunar deity) put the woman along with a carrying pole on the Moon , with her butt now being visible to everyone. Whakapohane is the Māori practice of baring one's buttocks with the intent to offend. It symbolises the birthing act and renders the recipient noa ("base"). In January 2006,
#47952