Can we sunbathe... (house, landscaping, high school)

[TexBama]

nude in our own backyard? We just moved here from Alabama & now live in the Kingwood area. We have neighbors on both sides as well as behind us, and two of them have upstairs windows that look directly down into our backyard / pool area. We have an eight foot wood privacy fence & hubby has added lots of landscaping (bananas, bamboo, palms etc.) but it may be a couple of years before we're totally screened from our neighbors. We're closet nudists (we don't really tell anyone) so we're a little uncomfortable with actually asking our neighbors if they object. We have gone so far as calling the police ourselves to see what they say about it, but always seem to get a different answer. They have told us that as long as we've made an attempt to screen the view with an eight foot fence we have nothing to worry about, even if our neighbors can see us....just as long as we can't be seen by the public driving or walking down our street. But call another day & speak with someone different & we've been told that we could be arrested for indecent exposure if our neighbors can see us from anywhere inside their house. Does anyone know who is right? We've been nudists for years & can't stand the thought of wearing a swimsuit while sunbathing, and even more so while swimming in our pool. Before anyone asks, we will NOT be doing anything sexual while outside of our house; we're not perverts. We will take every precaution we can to not be seen, but certainly do not want to be arrested just in case someone catches a glimpse now & then. We've also researched Texas laws regarding nudity, but they're a little vague & difficult to interpret. Any help or comments from personal experience will be appreciated. Thanks!

[Oildog]

Watching this one closely...

If you have a privacy fence, and have taken reasonable measures to remain out of sight of the general public. Then you should be able to dress as you wish on your property. I have some friends that put up an 8 ft fence around their yard/pool as they like to swim in the buff. Only issue they had was when neighbor boy got a trampoline.

[Lost_In_Translation]

Originally Posted by Oildog

Watching this one closely...

What are you trying to say here?

[Ellen Pitts]

I've got a three year old with the same problem. I've always figured he'd grow out of it. :-D Maybe I'm mistaken?

[TexasCatherine]

I'm all for one doing what one wants to do in the privacy of their own backyard; however, considering you have neighbors with windows that look down into your pool area, I think sunbathing nude is asking for trouble...especially if those windows are to their children's bedrooms.

[SL Hawkeye]

I think what it's going to come down to is whether the neighbors with windows facing your backyard have kids looking out of them. If they have young kids, this probably wouldn't go well for you. If they have teenage boys, it could be even worse.

As an adult, I couldn't care less what my neighbors are doing in their backyard. I can't even remember the last time I looked out those windows. In the end, it's probably hit/miss on whether your little secret stays your little secret. It all depends on your neighbors. I don't know the legality of it, just my opinion based on your discomfort with asking your neighbors' opinions.

[Seoid]

Originally Posted by Oildog

Watching this one closely...

Only issue they had was when neighbor boy got a trampoline.

Ha!

Does anyone else remember that news story about the guy in VIrginia that was charged with indecent exposure in his own home- apparently two women looked into his windows and saw him and reported him?

[TexBama]

wow, this must be a busy forum. had no idea we'd get so many respnses so quick.

as far as children go, our next door neighbors are an older, retired couple and during the two months we've been here we've never seen any grandkids or any other kids coming or going.

our neighbors behind us appear to be much younger but we've never seen any children around their house or yard, either. Our upstairs windows in back look into their yard and there isn't a swingset (or trampoline ha,ha) bikes, or any other signs of kids being present.

[Ellen Pitts]

I can't help any with the legalities, but when I was a kid, one of my mom's best friends from high school came to visit us from NY. We lived in South Florida. While my mom was at work, her friend decided to swim in our pool buck naked! She was a professional woman...a doctor, actually a psychologist. We weren't scarred in any way. Actually, we've had a lot of great family jokes at her expense. I wouldn't be too worried about kids being scarred from seeing other people naked. For as loose as we are with our morals in the US, we're terribly prudish about nudity.

[lhafer]

Originally Posted by Seoid

Ha!

Does anyone else remember that news story about the guy in VIrginia that was charged with indecent exposure in his own home- apparently two women looked into his windows and saw him and reported him?

I remember this story - don't remember where it happened.

The guy was in his OWN home, making coffee. A woman was walking her child (a boy I think) to the bus stop for school, and cut threw his yard!! She happened to see the man in the buff, making his coffee, and called the cops. And HE"S the one who got arrested!! He had no idea what was going on when cops busted through his bedroom door (he had gone back to bed).

SHE was the one 1. trespassing on his property, 2, being a peeping tom and looking into his window.