The fight over a historically LGBTQIA+, clothing-optional beach in Seattle will soon be entering the courtroom. On May 27, a trial over the rights of nude (and mostly Queer) beachgoers at Denny Blaine Park will begin.
The lawsuit, filed by Denny Blaine Park for All, argues that public nudity at the park is a “public nuisance,” and that the court should grant a permanent injunction to completely ban nudity or close the park down entirely.
King County Superior Court, after granting a motion by Denny Blaine Park for All, ordered the city on July 14, 2025, to submit an abatement plan that addresses the “nuisance activities” of nudity and sexual acts. The city ended up creating two zones in the park, separated by a fence, labeled “clothing required” and “clothing optional.”
“This plan balances the historical nude use of the park while also responding to the Court order that the City must abate nuisance activities,” the city’s web page for Denny Blaine Park says.
Friends of Denny Blaine
Friends of Denny Blaine is a community organization created to advocate for the rights of LGBTQIA+ and nude beachgoers, who have historically used the park as a safe gathering space for decades. In its trial brief, the group argues that “Denny Blaine Park for All distorts the public nuisance doctrine beyond recognition. Plaintiff’s claim is, at bottom, that lawful, nonsexual nudity at an established public nude beach is a nuisance.”
FODB also argues that by banning nudity, the city would erase the historical and Queer significance of the park.
“For more than four decades, the Park has served as a refuge for nude sunbathing, naturism, and the LGBTQ+ community. Especially for transgender, and nonbinary people, the Park is one of the few public spaces where they can exist comfortably in their own bodies.”
The group says that during the trial, it will present testimony from experts that will share with the court the importance of Denny Blaine as a Queer gathering place. Testimony from Dr. Kevin Delucio, for instance, will, according to FODB, showcase “the documented psychological benefits of body-positivity spaces — particularly for transgender, nonbinary, and other historically marginalized people — and the harms that result from depriving those communities of such spaces.”
On May 1, a King County judge granted a motion by FODB that protects toplessness in areas marked “clothing required,” as toplessness for all genders is not legally considered nudity in the state of Washington.
Recognizing history
FODB submitted a letter through the Seattle LGBTQ Commission to Seattle City Council in February, requesting that the city pass a resolution that “formally recognizes Denny Blaine Park as a site of historic and cultural importance to Seattle’s LGBTQ+ community, including its significance as an affirming space for transgender and gender-diverse residents,” and also “supports collaborative efforts between Friends of Denny Blaine, Seattle Parks and Recreation, and community partners to document, interpret, and share the park’s LGBTQ+ history.”
The group also requests that the council install signage around the park to reflect its historic significance, as well as place a Pride flag or similar honorary symbol within the park. FODB says the letter has awaited consideration since then.
In September, the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation voted unanimously to grant Denny Blaine Park historic recognition in acknowledgment of its significance to LGBTQ+ history.
“This decision marks two historic firsts: the first nude beach ever nominated in Washington, and the first nomination to explicitly include a direct connection to LGBTQ+ heritage,” FODB said in a statement.
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