Cadiz Council Greenlights Nudist-Only Beach

Should nudism on the beach a right or a restriction?

On Thursday, 31 August, the City Council of Cadiz approved a designated nudist-only area on La Cortadura beach. The local PP government has spearheaded this change, marking an area for nudism between the Ventorillo de El Chato and the Torregorda Military Installations, writes Nuis Diario.

Legal Clarifications

The councillor for Beaches, Jose Carlos Teruel, stated that the move follows a legal report from the head of Urbanism. ‘Naturism is not prohibited, it can only be done in the enclosed space,’ he said.

The same official clarified that the first point of the ordinance refers to ‘non-discrimination on clothing for reasons of race, ethnicity or religion and not for naturism.’ Nudism can therefore be practised ‘on any beach, subject to prior signposting,’ he added. ‘No sanction is foreseen’ for those who don’t comply, although this doesn’t mean it’s ‘authorised.’

The decision has garnered support from both the Popular Party and the PSOE, indicating a level of bipartisan agreement on the issue. However, not everyone is on the same page.

From the socialist side, Carlos Torres assured that the people of Cadiz have been using the traditional naturist area without any issues. ‘We must not create problems where there are none,’ he said. However, the opposition believes the change ‘goes in the opposite direction’ to the original ordinance, which was approved in May by the previous government of Jose Maria Gonzalez.

Concerns Over Exclusivity

The four councillors of Adelante Izquierda Gaditana voted against the change. Their spokesman, David de la Cruz, expressed concerns that the modification ‘excludes the rest of the beaches’ along the coast. They argue that naturism cannot be banned and that the first point of the ordinance states that all beaches can be frequented by anyone. the underlying message was that clothes shouldn’t be used as a reason to leave someone out or treat them differently.