In the wake of Mark Roberts’ ASBO escape, the Independent has featured a general article on the history of streaking.
Police wanted to slap on Asbo on our most prolific streaker. Magistrates said no. So it’s official: public exposure is part of our culture.
Instead of being outraged when a sports event is interrupted by a flash of naked flesh, we treat it as part of the fun.
The Guardian has an opinion piece by Zoe Williams on whether streaking is offensive.
You never see people shying away, or shielding their eyes or, you know, weeping. Plus, whatever you think of a naked person in principle, it is never quite the same as a naked person in the flesh. It’s like a fart. It’s rare wind that would make you laugh in the describing of it, and yet how many audible guffs can you honestly say you haven’t laughed at?
Having said that, sporting audiences are, of course, a self-selected sample, of people whose entire attention can be captivated by the watching of some running about. Of course they’ll laugh at nudity. They’ll laugh at anything.