Comments on: Sex in public park legal in Amsterdam

Sex in public park legal in Amsterdam

insatiablehee — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 08:50:08 -0800

Amsterdam plan to legalize public sex in park from this year September onwards. The police's National Diversity Expertise Centre (LECD) wants this to expand this plan to all public parks of the Netherlands.

By: subgear

subgear — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 08:52:07 -0800

has Auden gotten wind of this?

By: King Bee

King Bee — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 08:52:29 -0800

So, I assume Vondelpark is Dutch for "Fondle Park"?

By: insatiablehee

insatiablehee — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 08:53:32 -0800

In addition, Amsterdam city council plan to make stricter rules on leashing dogs in parks. Of course the ruling party, CDA(Christian democratic party) is against this move saying that "We aren't restricting people from having sex in open spaces because no one wants to enforce it. If we keep pushing the limit up, what will be next?"

By: stupidsexyFlanders

stupidsexyFlanders — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 08:57:00 -0800

In park? Fine. Reverse, drive, or even neutral, put me down as opposed. It's just too distracting.

By: Dizzy

Dizzy — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 08:58:19 -0800

Sex with Dutch dogs (consensual, gentle) ok? Please advise.

By: mrmojoflying

mrmojoflying — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 08:59:46 -0800

Completely earnest question: How does legalization in-and-of-itself protect gays from being physically attacked while cruising?

By: DU

DU — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 08:59:46 -0800

As long as there's plenty of security. And by "security" I mean "webcams".

By: delmoi

delmoi — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:00:57 -0800

Completely earnest question: How does legalization in-and-of-itself protect gays from being physically attacked while cruising? Presumably making it easier for them to go to the police.

By: Cathedral

Cathedral — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:08:36 -0800

Dizzy, no. The Dutch just outlawed sex with animals ... http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hwnIcHQean_6tdC0ENXG1qsoFMyQD8VCOGPG0 Sorry.

By: Dizzy

Dizzy — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:10:15 -0800

What if the dog is (freshly, accidently hit by my Volvo but warm) dead? And I'm sunbathing?

By: DU

DU — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:10:22 -0800

Not even box turtles? What kind of a homosexual agenda they running, anyhow?

By: Phanx

Phanx — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:14:24 -0800

By: sixswitch

sixswitch — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:14:36 -0800

Hoo boy...talk about taking all the fun out of cruising! It's like some bizarre Monty Python skit with Graham Chapman's Colonel stumbling upon two guys going at it: Colonel: "What's going on here?" Mr. Ipswich (Jones): "Aaah! Um..." Colonel: "Pick up that condom wrapper! And you! Haven't you read Guideline 345 regarding the use of trees as handholds? This is a delicate, fragile ash! With the way he's going at it, you want to grab a nice, sturdy larch, like this one here..."

By: LarryC

LarryC — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:19:07 -0800

I predict that in practice this is going to be way less hot than it sounds in theory.

By: Mister_A

Mister_A — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:25:58 -0800

*packs bags*

By: beagle

beagle — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:28:04 -0800

I predict that in practice this is going to be way less hot than it sounds in theory In fact, it will be pretty chilly, in practice, after September.

By: pracowity

pracowity — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:34:20 -0800

Isn't half (OK, a quarter) of the fun that it's forbidden? I think they're up to a little reverse psychology. They just aren't working it hard enough. It should be: "Yeah, sure, go ahead and have your predictable government-sanctioned biological interactions in the approved public areas during sex-allowed hours. Just don't try anything in a soft, warm, clean, comfortable hotel bed, you filthy perverts, because hotel beds are only for decent travelers on business or holidays."

By: jouke

jouke — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:36:25 -0800

I seem to recall this impending decision was reversed.

By: PeterMcDermott

PeterMcDermott — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:45:53 -0800

Wild fucking is definitely preferable to wild pissing. And often just as urgent.

By: PeterMcDermott

PeterMcDermott — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:49:33 -0800

In addition, Amsterdam city council plan to make stricter rules on leashing dogs in parks. I should think so as well. Imagine you're just about to legally mount/be mounted by your partner al fresco, when an unleashed Rottweiler decides he's going to take their place? Not good.

By: brain_drain

brain_drain — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 10:03:36 -0800

Instead of telling public gropers to "Get a room,"^* now I'll say, "Take it to a Dutch park." ^*I do not actually say this to anyone.

By: diastematic

diastematic — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 10:14:59 -0800

"Homosexuals' organisation COC is pleased that the Amsterdam Oud-Zuid district is to be the first to tolerate sex in the Vondelpark." I can't believe nobody's commented on that acronym yet...

By: blucevalo

blucevalo — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 10:25:54 -0800

"Why should we try to maintain something that is actually impossible to maintain, which also causes little bother for others and for a certain group actually signifies much pleasure?" says Paul van Grieken, the responsible Alderman in the Oud-Zuid district of Amsterdam. I'd love to hear what Rita Verdonk thinks of this.

By: cell divide

cell divide — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 10:27:09 -0800

This is clearly the fault of immigrants.

By: doctor_negative

doctor_negative — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 10:29:30 -0800

Sex with Dutch dogs (consensual, gentle) ok? Please advise. As long as the dog is on a leash, you're A-OK.

By: trip and a half

trip and a half — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 10:51:26 -0800

I seem to recall this impending decision was reversed. *unpacks bags*

By: lemonfridge

lemonfridge — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 10:56:13 -0800

Fuck yes.

By: not_on_display

not_on_display — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:06:04 -0800

(eponysterical)

By: willmize

willmize — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:10:55 -0800

"It shrinks?" "Like a frightened turtle!"

By: nebulawindphone

nebulawindphone — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:19:49 -0800

So it's going to be legal, but only at night, if nobody can see it from the public path, and it doesn't cause any 'nuisance'? Seems hardly worth changing the law for such a negligible practical difference. Read delmoi's comment again. If an activity's illegal, people harmed while doing it can't go to the authorities for help. It's why illegal aliens are so vulnerable to being fucked over at work, for instance — they can't complain to OSHA or whoever for fear of getting caught. Right now, if you get attacked while cruising, you can't go to the police without confessing to a crime. I don't know if Amsterdam's got a big gay-bashing problem. But if it does, and if fear of prosecution is keeping the victims from coming forwards, then actually this could have made a practical difference. (Hard to say if it would have been a good idea, though. There would have been negative effects along with the positive ones, I'm sure. But it's an interesting suggestion and I almost wish they would have gone through with it, just so the rest of us could watch and see its effects. It's cool that the Netherlands don't seem to mind being the test case for weird-but-clever policies.)

By: davemee

davemee — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:25:46 -0800

It's only so the National Diversity Expertise Centre can get their public toilets back.

By: Sprout the Vulgarian

Sprout the Vulgarian — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:26:46 -0800

But it's so family-friendly there! Especially in the parks at night!

By: Astro Zombie

Astro Zombie — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:35:54 -0800

It's no fun if it's legal.

By: Sys Rq

Sys Rq — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:40:04 -0800

It wouldn't be legal if it were fun.

By: ROU_Xenophobe

ROU_Xenophobe — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:48:00 -0800

Y HALO THAR WETDRIM FUEL

By: Wolfdog

Wolfdog — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:56:33 -0800

As long as the dog is on a leash, you're A-OK. Presumably if you just keep him tied, that would suffice.

By: Nelson

Nelson — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:02:09 -0800

How does legalization in-and-of-itself protect gays from being physically attacked while cruising? Most major US cities have gay cruising grounds in parks that have been active for 20+ years. Boston's Fenway, for instance. They're not secrets, certainly not from the cops, but they're allowed to persist because they're discrete enough to not be a public nuisance. But those same cruising grounds can be very dangerous because of predators: gay bashers, muggers, etc. Because the same unspoken agreement that keeps the cops from policing the cruisers also keeps the cops from policing the thugs.

By: hincandenza

hincandenza — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:33:27 -0800

As long as the dog is on a leash, you're A-OK.
Wolfdog: Presumably if you just keep him tied, that would suffice.

Eponys... ah, fuck it.

By: Auden

Auden — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:55:39 -0800

"has Auden gotten wind of this?" yes.

By: Dr. Curare

Dr. Curare — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:59:28 -0800

Where is dios? I want to hear his opinion on this. Seems like the Dutch are finding answers to "hard questions which must be asked and answered regarding the proper role of democratic majorities to govern".

By: ryoshu

ryoshu — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:06:19 -0800

Did Amsterdam get a large influx of Republican Congressmen from the US?

By: Smedleyman

Smedleyman — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:27:43 -0800

delmoi - agreed. Funny how, generally speaking, uptight some people are to just PDAs. Some guy, looked to be barely out of his teens, said "get a room" to my wife and I when we were kissing in a store. "Yeah? Get a life you unloved troll geek!" I swiftly retorted the next morning, at home, brushing my teeth I can only imagine what gay folks have to go through. If they're not bothering anyone, why not extend them the protection of the law? Van Grieken's quotes are pretty solidly practical. Cops have better things to do then be at the beck and call of prudes.

By: Daddy-O

Daddy-O — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:55:17 -0800

This is something I can't get behind. Or in front of. Or on top of, or underneath.

By: Pollomacho

Pollomacho — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:59:36 -0800

If they enforce the leash law but loosen the sex law you'll still have to watch where you step.

By: Divine_Wino

Divine_Wino — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:33:31 -0800

A similar law was proposed by State Senator Angelo Moore of the great state of California. This law sought to allow legalized sex in various cemeteries in Los Angeles County, known in the legislature as Prop. 763, it was more popularly referred to as the "Bonin' in the Boneyard Act".

By: Tube

Tube — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 16:35:34 -0800

Dutch gays no longer in dutch.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 17:54:02 -0800

All over Europe, peeping toms are charging their camera batteries.

By: Dizzy

Dizzy — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 17:56:43 -0800

Dutch in ditches; bitches in stitches; a lark in the park; I'm posting on Fark.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 18:40:51 -0800

Dutch gays no longer in dutch. Well, not if they meet a comely tourist. Then they're in Italian, Indonesian, American, German, whatever...

By: liza

liza — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 22:35:23 -0800

as i understand it the Dutch have some of the toughest sentencing laws for the limited amount of drugs they actually have made illegal. the logic is that if don't seek medical help for your addiction, along with not using it during the moderate levels permitted, then you are knowingly becoming a threat to society. this is at least what i was explained by some historians 2 years ago when i visited Amsterdam. what's interesting to me is that i've really never met a "fast and loose" Dutch. they're rather uptight socially, if you ask me and they view these laws as a form of tourism incentive. i can totally understand their making cruising legal given the prostitution industry and it's secondaries are some of the biggest producers of taxes in the country. so it goes beyond protecting individuals. i can see them rationally deciding is a labor protection measure as well.

By: VulcanMike

VulcanMike — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:11:26 -0800

In that case, MeFi Meetup, anyone?

By: vira

vira — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 05:30:04 -0800

In other news, Chilean teens follow suit.

By: shecky57

shecky57 — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 06:10:58 -0800

September? Should be May 1st.