On 4/20, Friends of Denny Blaine filed a motion asking the court to confirm that toplessness is allowed at the historically recognized LGBTQ+ nude beach. Recent events at the park have made that confirmation necessary, with parkgoers reporting being confronted, intimidated, and told to cover up their bare torsos by private security guardsâhired by neighboring homeownersâwho have invoked the court-ordered abatement plan as justification for their directives. To protect parkgoers from harassment, Friends of Denny Blaine has formally asked the court to make a determination that tops are not required in the âClothing Requiredâ Zone. The motion is scheduled to be heard on May 1st, 2026.
Our position is quite simple: toplessness is not nudity and should be allowed in the âClothing Requiredâ Zoneâregardless of a parkgoerâs gender identity. As our motion details, the courtâs earlier nuisance findings were about public nudity tied to lewd or sexual conduct, not ordinary toplessness. Toplessness has never been the conduct at issue, has been customary at Denny Blaine Park for decades, and, by Plaintiffâs own admissions, is not part of the alleged nuisance for which they seek a remedy. Despite that, and despite statements from both a Seattle Police Officer and a Seattle Park Ranger asserting that toplessness is not banned in the âClothing Requiredâ Zone, the private security guards patrolling the public park have taken it upon themselves to issue directives to parkgoers about the way they choose to present themselves in a way that seems to be selective and influenced by sex and gender identity.
As such, we are asking the court to clarify its order and allow the City to revise signage accordingly, so that the rules are clear and this ambiguity can no longer be used against parkgoers. Nobody should be made to feel uncomfortable or unwelcome in a space where our community has been gathering for decades. Parkgoers should have clear expectations of what their rights are in a public space and what behaviors are allowed, and they should never have to deal with feeling intimidated or harassed for what they believe to be legal activity. Friends of Denny Blaine is committed to protecting access to this park, defending its unique culture and well-documented queer history, and pushing back when private forces seek to exert control over this public space. We believe that this park holds an intergenerational queer legacy and we are prepared to fight to ensure that our stateâs first official LGBTQ+ historical site isnât erased.
If you care about protecting this beach and all that it stands for, please become a member. By becoming a member, you can help us show that public access should be protected and that the people who care about this beach are organized, engaged, and ready to advocate for Denny Blaine Park together. In the coming months, we will be looking for our communityâs support and participation, so we encourage you to keep an eye out for engagement opportunities and new content.
Two days ago we filed a motion asking the court to confirm that toplessness is allowed at Denny Blaine. This comes after a parkgoer was confronted by private security hired by a neighboring homeowner and told to cover up. That is not how public parks work.
Stand with us: www.fodb.org
