Glaring Issue
Last year, my wife and I went to Aruba to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. It was unbelievably hot, so thankfully we were near a gorgeous beach and our hotel had a huge pool. When I took off my shirt to take a dip, however, apparently the glare off my tan-less Wisconsin torso could be seen from space.
Aruba is not the only vacation destination that has this problem.
Yannick Moreau, mayor of Les Sables d’Olonne, located in the Vendée region on France’s Atlantic coast, recently announced fines of up to 150 euros ($175) for those walking around the town “half-naked.” Moreau criticized men roaming the streets of his town topless as “indecent behavior.”
“It’s a question of respect for locals who don’t want people wandering around their town half naked,” he wrote in a Facebook post. “It’s also a rule for basic hygiene in our markets, our shops and our streets,” Moreau added, who called on local police to ensure that the rule is enforced. “If you want to show off your pecs and your best swimming shorts in Les Sables d’Olonne, there are 11 kilometers [about 7 miles] of beach at your disposal,” he said.
“This is indecent behavior that has a vicious tendency to develop summer after summer,” Moreau wrote. His post was accompanied by an image of a poster announcing the fine, alongside the tagline, “In Les Sables d’Olonne, respect doesn’t go on holiday.” Police have already begun patrolling to enforce the new dress code. Uniformed officers are reportedly stopping tourists, issuing fines, and handing out warnings to those who aren’t fully clothed. “We are not nudists,” Moreau declared.
Les Sables d’Olonne is the latest of several French cities outlawing what is seen as disrespectful behavior. In Arcachon, another popular holiday spot on the west coast, authorities have also introduced a 150 euro fine for anyone walking around town in a state of undress. The town of La Grande-Motte, in the southern part of the country, has also introduced a 150 euro fine for being scantily dressed in any part of the town other than the beach or its seafront promenade.
In Cassis, a town along the Mediterranean, local authorities say the crackdown is part of preserving “the elegance of the town.” The slogan there is equally pointed: “When going from the beach to the town, we get dressed again.”
Municipalities aren’t the only ones telling people to cover up. This year, the Cannes Film Festival issued new rules for stars traversing its red carpet. The annual event held in Cannes, France, showcases new films of all genres, now bans nudity and “excessively voluminous” clothing, such as dresses with long trains and other attributes that clog up the carpet.
“This year, the Cannes Film Festival has made explicit in its charter certain rules that have long been in effect,” the new instructions read. “The aim is not to regulate attire per se, but to prohibit full nudity on the red carpet, in accordance with the institutional framework of the event and French law.” Cannes added that it “reserves the right to deny access to individuals whose attire could obstruct the movement of other guests or complicate seating arrangements in the screening rooms.”
Halle Berry apparently had to change her outfit because of the new rules. While I can’t speak for the Metro Police Department, if Halle Berry wants to come to Kimberly in a dress that violates the nudity rules, I think we should welcome her.
Reg P. Wydeven
Hoping to follow in his father’s footsteps from a young age, Reg’s practice primarily consists of advising individuals on estate planning, estate settlement and elder law matters. As Reg represents clients in matters like guardianship proceedings and long-term care admissions, he feels grateful to be able to offer families thorough legal help in their time of need.