Flipping Vermont
Bill Would Turn Naked-Friendly State Into Nude-Intolerant One
If three state representatives have their way, Vermont’s long tradition of tolerance for what former Chittenden County State’s Attorney and now-retired US Senator Patrick Leahy called “the time-honored practice of unclothed swimming known colloquially as ‘skinny-dipping’” will end on July 1, 2026. And it’s not just skinny-dipping: Nudity in any public place, including one’s own private property if visible from a sidewalk, road, or neighboring property, would be illegal.
Representatives Greg Burtt, Mike Tagliavia, and Kenneth Wells have introduced H. 683, a bill that would make public nudity an offense subject to a fine of $500 and as much as six months in jail. Instead of allowing municipalities to enact nudity bans against what otherwise is allowable, the bill would allow them to designate places that allow what otherwise is banned.
It’s a complete reversal of philosophy for the state.
It also is strange because, according to Rep. Wells’ biographical notes on Vermont’s legislative website, “His interests include travel, muscle cars, motorcycles, concert events, and sporting events, as well as lounging in the summers at one of Vermont’s gems, beautiful Lake Willoughby in Westmore.”
Lake Willoughby has a long-established clothing-optional beach, championed by the late Jim C. Cunningham, publisher of Naturist Life International, Vermont Unveiled, and Nudity & Christianity. Wells is not some outsider who comes on the scene without an understanding of local tradition.
Rep. Burtt should read Cunningham’s essays on Christianity to better understand what being part of a “Christ-centered church focused on praising and preaching the word of God” really means. His bio notes that he is an elder and treasurer at the non-denominational New Journey Fellowship.
As for Rep. Tagliavia, he and his wife live on “a beautiful piece of land in an off-grid cabin” where he “is very passionate about, and is a staunch steward of, his land and the wildlife that also call it home”. Perhaps he needs to understand how naturism shares those values.