Should having sex in public be a criminal offence?

sidhe said:

I do think there should be "public sex zones", though. Like put aside a nice area of Central Park for us exhibitionists. People who want to watch can come and be voyeurs, and the rest of us can have public sex, and the protesters can stand outside and talk about how horrible it is while watching - which is really why they've come out, but can't admit it.

Click to expand...

I really like this idea. I certainly can't think of any reasonable argument against it. And think of the revenue it could generate for the town/city/whatever, from vending machines selling condoms and sunscreen!

jcook922 said:

How come it's either for or against, and nobody has just decided the way things are is perfectly fine? If you want to have sex out and about, go off in the woods or find someplace relatively secluded. I mean what's really the problem with how things work today?

Click to expand...

I'd say that the two biggest problems with "just finding a secluded place" are:

1. For people in urban areas, such places are in relatively short supply, or may involve trespassing on private property, and
2. Ticks and other insects/bugs can be a health hazard in woods and other such areas.

jcook922 said:

How come it's either for or against, and nobody has just decided the way things are is perfectly fine? If you want to have sex out and about, go off in the woods or find someplace relatively secluded. I mean what's really the problem with how things work today?

Click to expand...

I guess that people who find sex just another occupation that doesn´t require any privacy could ask the question: Why do I have to look for a secluded place when I can do it right here? Why is it that can people kiss and hug (or sing, or talk nonsense, or whatever has a potential of annoying others) in public without seeking out a secluded place, and I can´t have sex without hiding?

sidhe said:

I do think there should be "public sex zones", though. Like put aside a nice area of Central Park for us exhibitionists. People who want to watch can come and be voyeurs, and the rest of us can have public sex, and the protesters can stand outside and talk about how horrible it is while watching - which is really why they've come out, but can't admit it.

Click to expand...

Sounds like a perfectly symbiotic arrangement.

jcook922 said:

How come it's either for or against, and nobody has just decided the way things are is perfectly fine? If you want to have sex out and about, go off in the woods or find someplace relatively secluded. I mean what's really the problem with how things work today?

Click to expand...

This is a good point.

I think it also depends on what you define as public. I don't want to pull up to my office building and find people in the parking lot going at it on the hood of a car.

Flibbertigibbet said:

This is a good point.

I think it also depends on what you define as public. I don't want to pull up to my office building and find people in the parking lot going at it on the hood of a car.

Click to expand...

Fair -- on the other hand, I don't want to pull up to my office building and find people blasting bad music on their car stereo. But there's no law against it.

TooCurious said:

Fair -- on the other hand, I don't want to pull up to my office building and find people blasting bad music on their car stereo. But there's no law against it.

Click to expand...

lol

In some areas there are noise ordinances, though. And you can always crank up your own stereo and blast your own preferred tunes in competition.

And, has anyone who thinks sex should be allowed in public places considered that EVERYONE would be allowed to participate in that - regardless of how old or unattractive you yourself might find them, should you happen to stumble upon them? What if it was your parents, or even your grandparents??? Some things are better left in private.

Flibbertigibbet said:

lol

In some areas there are noise ordinances, though. And you can always crank up your own stereo and blast your own preferred tunes in competition.

And, has anyone who thinks sex should be allowed in public places considered that EVERYONE would be allowed to participate in that - regardless of how old or unattractive you yourself might find them, should you happen to stumble upon them? What if it was your parents, or even your grandparents??? Some things are better left in private.

Click to expand...

(Bolding mine)

Certainly. However, should this be a matter for law enforcement, or for individual judgment? There are plenty of things that are better left in private, that we don't have laws against. Family and relationship arguments are unpleasant and awkward to witness, but there's no law against having a shouting match with your spouse in the parking lot of the grocery store.

If public sex laws were revised, so must indecent exposure laws.

I often wonder what constitutes the boundary between public and private anyway. If I have sex in my front room with the curtains open, or in a garden that is overlooked by a block of flats, am I breaking the no-sex-in-public law?

It all seems jolly silly to me.

Flibbertigibbet said:

lol

In some areas there are noise ordinances, though. And you can always crank up your own stereo and blast your own preferred tunes in competition.

And, has anyone who thinks sex should be allowed in public places considered that EVERYONE would be allowed to participate in that - regardless of how old or unattractive you yourself might find them, should you happen to stumble upon them? What if it was your parents, or even your grandparents??? Some things are better left in private.

Click to expand...

Pfft. That's the kind of thinking I despise. I'm not a model by any means, but I'd have public sex, and I'd have no issue with anyone else doing so either. That kind of shallow attitude is more appalling than any physical characteristic. If I saw my parents/grandparents having sex, good for them. I might not want to watch, but it'd be interesting. And - in the case of my grandparents - mean that the zombie attack has begun with erotic zombies.

Also, I'm calling for public sex zones - not just anywhere they might want to go at it. If you don't want to risk seeing someone you find unattractive having sex, you're free to stay out of the public sex zones. Those of us who look beyond physical appearance will be having fun on the other side of the warning sign.

Just in my personal experience, the people who aren't drop-dead gorgeous are the best in bed, anyway. Attractive people who know they're attractive seem to think that's enough. Us average folks learn...skills...to keep people interested.

stan1980 said:

I think it is fair to say, there hasn't been an argument I hadn't expected, in fact little argument at all against sex in public other than 'I don't want to see it'. I was hoping to see a rational argument against it because I couldn't think of one, but it hasn't materialised.

Click to expand...

Fair enough, stan.
Not to beat a dead horse, but imo this was predictable exactly because without first agreeing on premises, paradigms and a frame of reference (IOW: at least some basic ground defined as common) people will not even agree which argument is rational. That was my point from the beginning. If you are looking for arguments that you accept as rational, I would first have to have an idea what constitutes rationality in regards to the given issue.

Anyways, the "public sex zone" idea was a new one, for me.

stan1980 said:

I like to think I'm not averse to listening to others POV,

Click to expand...

Just to clarify: Neither am I. If the setup promises at least a chance of allowing me new insights, that is.

so out of interest, you have the topic "sex in public places", how exactly would you have phrased the OP including the title

Click to expand...

If I were looking for arguments that I accept as rational, I would have first given the frame that determines which arguments I would accept as rational.

Hypothetically:
1. I think that god doesn´t approve of sex in public.
2. I generally value the freedom of persons to not have to see what they don´t want to see (and particularly if it´s against god´s will) higher than the freedom of persons to do what they like to do.
3. I feel that it´s necessary for a society to regulate human conduct very precisely and in as many details as possible, and to punish violations.

Now, quite obviously everyone who shares those premises is likely to get rationally from these premises to the conclusion that I arrive at rationally: Public sex should be prohibited and punished.

Whilst if you don´t agree with the premises, in the first place, and work from different paradigms you won´t accept this conclusion because it´s not rationally following from your premises.
And vice versa. We don´t and can´t have a "rational" discussion because we don´t have established common ground first.
We are just exchanging predictable trivialities: Well known conclusions from well known but disagreed upon paradigms.

stan1980 said:

Well?

And explain your reasoning... go!

Click to expand...

Tough one. No one and easy answer, as is so often the case in real life. But I'll try.

I'm not sure whether it should be considered an offence in all cases... but surely so in those where minors may witness the act. Why? Depending on the kids' ages, that may well place them or their parents in a situation of total confusion.

Adults at least know what's going on if they see a couple going at it. They may like the sight or not like it, and it's another question entirely (I think) if they should just leave if it offends them or if the couple should be in trouble with the law.

But children... how many of us really comprehended what sex is all about before puberty? Sure, our parents may have explained the biological side of it to us, but was it not all just a heap of empty, meaningless information to us until the hormones kicked in and we started to understand the instinctual/emotional side of it all? As I see it, puberty is pretty much like a whole new mode of perception suddenly being available. Now try to explain what seeing is like to a person born blind. Good luck.

I won't state any opinion on what punishment might be fitting if a couple has sex in public where children see what's going on... but as I see it, some punishment will definitely be in order.

stan1980 said:

Well?

And explain your reasoning... go!

Click to expand...

Absolutely not. "I find X disgusting" or "Children don't need to see Y" is a poor reason to forbid a certain act. If consenting adults' behavior offends you, then you are free to look away or leave.

jcook922 said:

How come it's either for or against, and nobody has just decided the way things are is perfectly fine? If you want to have sex out and about, go off in the woods or find someplace relatively secluded. I mean what's really the problem with how things work today?

Click to expand...

This is pretty much my opinion. I've had sex in semi public places and would do it in the future as well. But its always been in a slightly secluded area where there wasnt to much danger of being seen.

tocis said:

I'm not sure whether it should be considered an offence in all cases... but surely so in those where minors may witness the act. Why? Depending on the kids' ages, that may well place them or their parents in a situation of total confusion.

Click to expand...

This is honestly my only arguement against sex in public places. Adults, who cares if they dont wanna see it But a small childs mind isnt fully capable of handling it I dont. I think it could be damaging to them to be over exposed to sex at a very early age. Do I think it should be illegal. Nah, but I think people need to use common sense and not go to the circus to screw around

stan1980 said:

Well?

And explain your reasoning... go!

Click to expand...

Why, oh why, must I be reminded of the scene in History of the World where everyone "gang bangs" the Queen....


I personally am uncomfortable with the thought of people having sex out in public....I don't think it is appropriate for minors to be exposed to.

Public sex could unnecessarily complicate the formation of children, and cause unnecessary vomiting, that could easily be avoided by simply not having sex in public. It is reasonable to assume that some people could actually suffer from spiritual or mental harm from viewing two people, even or especially, attractive people having sex in public. Viewing such things can often cause a lasting memory, more so than other sorts of media (I don't have that source immediately accessible).

Is there any reason to ban people from having casual sex in public while inviting more people to join into a mass orgy? I just don't see why this kind of activity shouldn't be discouraged, especially because it is, at least, potentially harmful.

why are there laws about this in the first place?
there is such a thing as decency, but i see that concept is fast dwindling to nothing. as a parent, i would not want my minor child, or my grandmother for that matter, seeing such a thing. for goodness sakes, this should not even be an argument. why wear clothes at all? why not sell inappropriate content at elementary schools?