Minor British Institutions: The Naked Rambler
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The British, unlike, say, the Germans or the Nordic peoples, have always had a slightly ambivalent attitude to public nudity.
In principle, the nation wants to follow its liberal, tolerant instincts and be OK with people going around with next to nothing on, especially if they happen to be young and attractive.
But when nudity becomes de-sexed, as it does when it finds itself coupled with the traditional outdoor pursuit of rambling, the tendency to prudity takes over.
Stephen Gough, The Naked Rambler – a proper, capped-up title apparently – is the victim of this collision of attitudes. For since Mr Gough began his pioneering walks in his birthday suit in 2003, he has been arrested and prosecuted so many times that he has now been warned that, if he persists in his starkers mission, he will spend the rest of his days in jail.
Without any clothes on, presumably. In February, he was sentenced to a 21-month imprisonment by a court in Perth. And it is awfully cold up there.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments