Skimpy swimwear could be out at Fort De Soto

Responding to outraged Fort De Soto visitors who have come across men and women enjoying the beach in states of near total nudity, Pinellas County may toughen its swimwear rules.

Skimpy thongs and G-strings that offer only superficial coverage of the backside will be banned in favor of bottom wear with more stopping power.

Officials said that after getting complaints from dismayed visitors for years, it’s time to take action and protect Fort De Soto’s image as a family vacation destination.

But nudists who have lobbied for a clothing optional beach at Fort DeSoto say the move is misguided. Among their arguments: The new rules could hurt tourism, which drives much of the local economy.

“It’s certainly going to have a negative impact,” said Ken Kushman, 62, secretary of Tampa Area Naturists, “because it’s going to turn people away who who want to wear less bathing suit than their grandmother does.”
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Read the full story at Tampabay.com.

Comments

[familynaturist]

Shouldn't the county be looking for ways to INCREASE tourism, rather than DECREASE tourism in these difficult economic times by banning European-style swimwearers from the beaches???

[JamesM]

Come on, this is Florida. The best bit is the Sun, the Beach, and the Girls in the thong bikinis.

When we desperately need more tourists from Europe, Canada and the rest of the USA, are we going to show how much we ca be prudes by banning thongs from the last beaches in the county where it is still legal to wear them?

You may not like the look of girls in thongs, or for that mater older men in thongs, but there are a lot of other things we don't like the look of, for example fat people, but we don't go around banning them and turning them into criminals.

This law is just part of the increasing moral strangle hold the county commission is attempting to impose, instead of doing what we pay them to do, like fix what's really broken.

Give the girls in thongs a break, I LIKE the look.

[Snowbirds 4 Florida]

We all have opinions, right? So how do we decide this? I love Florida, esp the beaches, I have spent tens of thousands of dollars down there, and here is my 2 cents worth. although I dont thong, I am for allowing it! After all it is the beach we are talking about. Some dont like it,,,well some tourist do! Whats that worth? Give them their own beach if you make such a silly rule. I will start going elsewhere if it passes.