Every time New Year's Eve rolls around, I inevitably think about streaking. As an exhibitionist, it's an activity that seems appealing to me, but it's not something I get a lot of opportunities to do. And it's not just about being naked, or even being naked in front of other people - because I've done a lot of that. So I was thinking about what makes streaking in particular so exciting, and how it touches on the issues of taboo and consent.
One of the things that I would say defines the activity of streaking is the violation of a taboo - going somewhere you're not expected to be naked, (usually) in front of an unsuspecting crowd. You could run around a nudist camp without incident, but that wouldn't really be streaking, would it? It's missing the violation of the taboo on nudity - a taboo that nudists don't have.
But what about consent? It irritates me when people assume that exhibitionists don't care about consent. I get where that comes from, but there is a world of exhibitionism beyond public flashing, and it's frankly insulting for someone to assume that having a particular kind of sexual interest trumps all other concerns, turning you into a mindless pervert who will attempt to get his rocks off at any cost (essentially objectifying fetishism).
I'm an exhibitionist, but I don't expose myself to random strangers. The thought that I could be bothering somebody is enough to completely turn me off of the idea. I do find the juxtaposition of nudity in locations and situations where it's not usually encountered to be enticing. But I restrict myself to remote areas and nudist company, out of deference to the feelings of others, as well as my own safety. This is hardly the picture of a horny beast who will do anything for sexual gratification.
And yet, streaking seems exciting to me. But in my head, people aren't horrified by the sudden and unexpected appearance of a naked streaker - they're delighted! As I would be, if I unexpectedly encountered a naked person in my day to day life (especially if they had the body of a model). In principle, I'm an exhibitionist because I enjoy giving the "gift" of nudity to people who appreciate it. This has nothing to do with forcing it on people who don't want it.
But there is something in the violation of the taboo that makes streaking particularly enticing. The problem is, in order to obtain consent, you have to ruin the surprise. And if people are expecting it, it doesn't really feel like streaking. You could handpick an audience who has expressed comfort with nudity, but this is a lot like streaking in front of nudists. Ideally, you would have an audience of people who appreciate it, without knowing that beforehand. Unfortunately, it's the pre-confirmation of acceptance that eliminates the taboo appeal.
How bad, really, is streaking without consent, though? It's not actually a sex act. And as far as public exposure goes, you're not singling individuals out. You're not hanging around long enough to compound people's discomfort. There needn't be any physical contact involved. You're pretty much on the move, and you're gone in a flash (even if it's mainly to evade authorities). I don't see how it's substantially different, from an ethical consideration, from a World Naked Bike Ride.
So, is streaking wrong? I feel like it's pretty harmless in the grand scheme of things, but I want to know if I'm just rationalizing my desires here. Is it wrong to even find the fantasy appealing? I was downtown a couple of years ago when the ball dropped. I was naked underneath my heavy winter jacket and boots, and I flashed my partner at midnight, right there in the middle of the crowd. I positioned myself with consideration to the fact that everybody was watching the stage, so that my partner was the only one who saw me (knowing that she would appreciate the sight).
It was fun, but I can't help thinking that it would have been even more fun to be weaving through that crowd in my birthday suit, from one end to the other, hearing the excitement of the people as they gradually figured out what was going on. Is there harm in that? Or is this something that's better left to fantasy? It's not something I would do without assurance that things would turn out okay for everyone involved, but I can't help thinking in my head that it sounds exciting. Surely that doesn't make me a bad person.
