Disrespect or laziness?

Exactly right, Prefer2sail.

I'm not a lawyer; I don't even play one on TV, but it seems to me the crux of the law is the phrase, " such as to offend public decency." That allows a lot of latitude. It's not enough just to have on a bathing suit downtown; it has to be sufficiently skimpy to offend public decency. The law, thus, allows for changes in public mores. The question then arises: What constitutes an offense to public decency, and the law doesn't define that. I guess it's a case of "I know it when I see it."

The Law is specific about "Bathing Costume" read it again.:-o

not to be an ass or anything...but just what exactly is so unbelievably offensive about someone wearing a bathing suit in town?? i understand in a place of business where people are in close proximity to each other for sanitary reasons... but if someone is walking down the boardwalk, along the water, ten feet away from you, how is it affecting you? i'm far more offended by "20 dollar" lady running around yelling at my customers to give her money, yet the police will walk right past her and ask me to put a shirt on while i'm rinsing dive gear and hauling tanks in the 2 o'clock sun. it's not like i'm from southbeach or anything, either. i'm from Wisconsin, and it blows my mind at how offended people are about what other people are wearing.

oh well, i still keep my shirt off while running around working on the boardwalk in the hot sun, and when a cop asks me to put a shirt on, i'll just point at "fast" eddy as he's running away with another tourists sunglasses.

just my 2 cents

Why not just go naked then?

good question, too easy to get it caught in something, i suppose...haha. but seriously, why not? it's how we're born, right? just playing devils advocate here. would like some real feedback on why a bathing suit is so disrespectful here.

It's the culture. I had some gals working for me who were highly offended that another girl wasn't wearing a slip under her long, gauzy skirt. It's not my culture but frankly, seeing oily, hairy bodies walking around in business establishments doesn't thrill me, either. And that's just the women. 😀 It's no big deal to toss on a cover-up. Nobody's expecting a shirt & tie or nylons. It's just plain self-respect. The beach is a far piece from downtown Charlotte Amalie or Havensight.

Americans are very funny people. We are offended by nudity which is a natural state but we happily accept violence. Have you ever noticed American television? No nudity but every other show has bodies hacked up and blood spraying everywhere. Most of the cop shows are like this. We even start the kids on it young, ever notice Roadrunner and Wiley Coyote? The Europeans are just the opposite, nudity is OK on TV but violence is offensive. I think that I agree with the Europeans, I am more offended by violence than nudity.

Have you ever noticed that the people who are most offended by seeing someone in a bathing suit are the ones that you wouldn't want to see in a bathing suit anyway?

Bottom line, if you're not on the beach, cover yourself up!

As an aside, have you ever noticed that the uncovered folks, both men and women, are almost always exactly the people who should COVER UP! lol.

Bottom line, if you're not on the beach, cover yourself up!

As an aside, have you ever noticed that the uncovered folks, both men and women, are almost always exactly the people who should COVER UP! lol.

but why? i understand that's the rule and general feeling, but it still makes my head hurt trying to comprehend the actual reasoning behind it. and as for the second part...well, big people get hotter faster...i guess. lol

but why? i understand that's the rule and general feeling, but it still makes my head hurt trying to comprehend the actual reasoning behind it. and as for the second part...well, big people get hotter faster...i guess. lol

Because many people are prudish and feel that they should be able to tell others how to dress and live their lives. I think that if you don't like the way someone is dressed then look the other way.

I thought of this thread while I was at Sandy Point today. A 60-something man stripped down naked to jump into the water. Right in front of the walk way from the parking area and right in front of two 16 year olds.

That was to get your attention while his partner broke into your car:-o

ROFLMAO!!!!!!

Pamela

It's not a question of prudery, it's a question of what's appropriate. I don't care what people wear on the beach & I doubt anyone else on this thread does either.

I did not mean to be prudish or anything like that. I just was wondering how many of these people walk around their town like that. I have been to several beach towns on Long Island and never seen people dressed that way (except for little kids.

NOT A PRUDE

John,
Your situation is a little different. Your business where all of the customers and many of the staff wear bathing suits. I see nothing wrong in wearing one in that area.

I too believe it is a matter of respect, both for yourself and those around you. Would you wear a bathing suit into a church? If not, why not? Isn't it all a matter of degree and common sense?

I thought of this thread while I was at Sandy Point today. A 60-something man stripped down naked to jump into the water. Right in front of the walk way from the parking area and right in front of two 16 year olds.

This is very much like Orient Beach on St Martin. I frequently find that the beach entrance is marked by an overweight old guy laying face up and buck naked. I figure "it's not like he's attacking anyone", I quickly look away and seek out one of the younger French girls to look at instead.

It's not a question of prudery, it's a question of what's appropriate. I don't care what people wear on the beach & I doubt anyone else on this thread does either.

The question is who determines what is appropriate? The person wearing the bathing suit must have felt that it was appropriate. Many visitors consider the Virgin Islands a tropical vacation destination and act differently than than they would in the more conservative northern cities. Many visitors are from Scandinavia or other European countries where body modesty is a little different than in the US. Americans are prudes! Walk the boardwalk in Ibiza or Saint-Tropez, things are different. Loosen up! Or maybe we should just issue a burqa to every woman who gets off of the plane.

I too believe it is a matter of respect, both for yourself and those around you. Would you wear a bathing suit into a church? If not, why not? Isn't it all a matter of degree and common sense?

I would never go into a church! You would have to be delusional to go into one of those places, those people worship imaginary beings and try to tell everyone else how they should live their lives. 🙂

The French in Paris don't walk around in wife-beaters & fanny packs with hairy legs sticking out of baggy shorts & think Americans who do are revolting. I already said it never bothers me what people wear on the beach so where you got that I'm a prude is beyond me.

I'll put it another way - MANNERS. I know you don't believe in those either.

The French in Paris don't walk around in wife-beaters & fanny packs with hairy legs sticking out of baggy shorts & think Americans who do are revolting. I already said it never bothers me what people wear on the beach so where you got that I'm a prude is beyond me.

I'll put it another way - MANNERS. I know you don't believe in those either.

Funny that you think that Christiansted is like Paris. I think of Christensted as more like Miami Beach or Ft Lauderdale or maybe Philipsburg on Sint Maarten. All of these cities market themselves as Tropical vacation destinations. All of them have people walking around in bathing suits off of the beach. Front Street, the main shopping street in Philipsburg has many people wandering around in bathing suits. I have seen many people walking on Collins Ave in Miami Beach in bathing suits. We market these islands as a tropical beach destination (have you ever seen the advertisements for the VI) and then condemn the tourists for treating them as such.

I never said that you were a prude, I said that Americans are prudes. And compared to most Europeans they are. You may not be a prude but you are certainly a prig.

The way I see it, if I am going to visit a foreign country I am going to respect their customs and laws and be aware of their local taboos. Asking folks to not walk around town in their bathing suits doesn't strike me as being too outlandish. I didn't make the law or the custom but whether I agree with it or not I chose to respectfully comply.

Out of sheer boredom and for shi_s & giggles, I googled local customs and this was the first to pop up:

Jordan

Interesting read.

Why, thank you, Rotorhead! I'll take that as a compliment since it's coming from you! 😀

kieren and rotorhead: If you are going to live in the Virgin Islands, you really ought to learn something about the local customs. You don't have to like them, but name calling doesn't quite make it.

" I think of Christensted as more like Miami Beach or Ft Lauderdale or maybe Philipsburg on Sint Maarten."
You should read up on the history of these islands. Your comments are rather offensive.

"not to be an ass or anything...but just what exactly is so unbelievably offensive about someone wearing a bathing suit in town??"
When you move somewhere with a different cultural background, you should observe quietly and ask someone in an interested manner. Religion has played a major role in the development of the VI culture. Do you notice the local women at the beach in t-shirts and shorts? To them, anything more revealing is taboo.

If you cannot be modest in your dress and manners in the Virgin Islands, you MAY be an ugly American and should hurry back to Venice Beach or Miami.

Off my soapbox now.

I kinda miss the old days when people dressed to go to town. On a vacation here in the mid 70's I was stopped for driving without a shirt. The officer was very pleasant and explained my violation, waited while I put on a shirt and bid me a pleasant day, I was drinking a Hieneikin at the time . We used to make a point to go to Town on Sundays and see all the locals and their children in their Sunday best on their was to church.
The same thing happened in So.Maine where we lived in a small seasonal beach community. Over the years the old ways changed and so did the perception of "proper attire" Times Change.