In Oregon, men have legally strolled the streets in nothing but tennis shoes and the city of Portland hosts an annual naked bike ride. However, nudists appeared at the Oregon State Legislature on Monday — fully clothed — to ask their representatives not to let their nudist lifestyle get wrapped up in strip club regulation. The battle over the right to bare it all renews a familiar debate about balancing freedom with neighborhood standards. Oregon has long been a state known for its liberal protections of free speech — and nude expression – but the battle is far from decided.

Advocates of free expression and the nudist lifestyle testified against a bill that would ask voters to change free-speech protections in the state constitution in order to help communities keep strip clubs out of their neighborhoods. But, nudists warn, that this regulation might unintentionally allow cities to outlaw nude recreation.

John Kinman, past president of the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR), said "We want to protect our rights." The AANR has joined the American Civil Liberties Union in opposing the measure.

Oregon has long been a place where the rights of nudists were debated. The City of Ashland last year banned public nudity after two men walked naked near public schools. In Portland, the annual World Naked Bike Ride has attracted thousands to protest oil dependence. No not suntan oil...

Monday's hearing before the State Senate Judiciary Committee would allow cities to use zoning laws to regulate "the location at which a business or organization may offer live entertainment or other services performed by a person in a state of nudity." Apparently there is enough ambiguity in the law to threaten nudists.

Some politically active nudists fear that a city or county government would use that language to shut down nudist clubs. They argue that nude karaoke might be considered live entertainment. Mowing the lawn in the buff might be considered a service.

The AANR recognizes nine nude clubs in Oregon, and the state has two clothing-optional beaches — one is even a state park. Nudists are generally well supported in the state.

Oregon's free speech clause is different from the one in the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment. It says "no law shall be passed ... restricting the right to speak, write, or print freely on any subject whatever," and state courts have interpreted that to protect obscenity.

Kinman adds, "We feel comfort in knowing this Legislature or the cities can't pass laws that prohibit what we do."

During the last 20 years, there have been three attempts to scale back free-speech protection by increasing regulation of strip clubs or pornography, but they have all failed. The most recent was in 2000.

Another member of the nudists association, Mike Parker, noted that nobody representing the interests of strip clubs showed up to oppose the bill. However, one could argue that nudists represent a very different group than do strip club owners.

More socially conservative neighborhood groups and the League of Oregon Cities advocate changing the law. The sponsors say that they just want to give cities the power to say where strip clubs can open.

Original article found on CBSNews.com

Connect with other travelers and hear what they have to say at the World Exotic Travel Club.

Dream Pleasure Tours – Specialists in couples only travel and vacations, swingers travel and vacations, swingers tours, swingers trips, adult onl y travel and vacations, lifestyle travel and vacations, erotic travel and vacations, romantic travel and vacations, clothing optional travel and vacations, nudist travel and vacations, swingers cruises, lifestyle cruises, Hedonism Resorts, Hedonism II, Desire Cancun, Desire Resorts, Caliente Resorts and the sexiest and most sensual vacations on the planet.