62 lines
3.6 KiB
Plaintext
62 lines
3.6 KiB
Plaintext
Second of two postings continuing a thread:.....
|
||
|
||
Clubs do not have to honor the Equal Rights Amendment, or other such
|
||
laws allowing-for equality because they are, for the most part, private
|
||
clubs or corporations. As long as they do not accept federal dollars or
|
||
profit in any way from the federal government, or have special licenses
|
||
(such as liquor licenses), they can limit admittance to anyone they want
|
||
pretty much. If they were non-profit, or had licenses, admittance policies
|
||
could be challenged, but that could prove to be a long court battle, and
|
||
one that would have to be well-worded. It would be interesting to see
|
||
where the ASA and their attorneys would be on such a case if it ever came
|
||
about.
|
||
|
||
There are a variety of ways to meet the goal of allowing more men. The
|
||
question lies in whether club owners/leaders are willing to try new
|
||
policies for more than one season. Quite often when new admittance
|
||
policies are tried, the first "glitch" or problem person encountered is
|
||
enough to get them to stop the program and go back to the old way of doing
|
||
things. At one time people had to be married to get in. Now, for the most
|
||
part, you need only be a couple (M/F). Also, you had to be sponsored by an
|
||
existing member. That is slowly being replaced by "membership committees"
|
||
who review applicant's for membership. This is usually done through the
|
||
"three visit" rule (again something adopted by clubs - there is no ASA rule
|
||
for this). I know of one club that admits M/F couples but does not care
|
||
who or what comes in - in other words a man may show up with a girlfriend,
|
||
sister, aunt, grandmother, or infant, as long as it's M/F.
|
||
|
||
Curiously, I think the power to overturn limiting rules lies in the
|
||
hand of the women of clubs. Rules that limit or prohibit single men from
|
||
clubs is often excused as being for the sake of the female members. Of
|
||
course, some of that could be males who don't like too many men looking (as
|
||
noted in the other thread). If there ares true feelings among the female
|
||
members, then maybe a rule is necessary, but if they do not care, maybe
|
||
they should speak up.
|
||
|
||
Keep in mind that for the most part, restrictions on single men is the
|
||
product of the older nudist resorts. Those clubs that are affiliated with
|
||
the Naturist Society or which came into being frm the free beaches, have
|
||
policies that are more open.
|
||
|
||
I am proud to say that in the 10 years of existence of my club, the
|
||
New England Naturist Association, (NENA) we have only had to ask two men
|
||
and one couple to please not come anymore. They were problem people for
|
||
many different reasons. One was mentally immature, one was a heavy
|
||
drinker, and the couple thought that "naturism" included free and open
|
||
sexuality - liabilities all. As a non-profit corporation, we HAVE to admit
|
||
all people regardless of race, creed, marital status, or sexual preference,
|
||
and to date we have had little problem with the single men. In fact, if
|
||
there are any problems, they seem to be with some of the couples.
|
||
|
||
We do occasionally get complaints about gender balance, but that
|
||
usually comes from people we invite to our acitivities from local ASA clubs
|
||
where restrictions apply. I guess that's one of the major differences
|
||
between "Naturist" groups and ASA clubs - that being the singles/couples
|
||
issue.
|
||
|
||
The reasons for limiting single men are archaic, and unreasonable for
|
||
the times we live in. People must be observed and admitted for their own
|
||
contributions, merits, and personalities.
|
||
|
||
Dennis Kirkpatrick - Vice Pres & Director, NENA Inc.
|
||
|