Yesterday I was working in the yard...

[MasterOfWorlds]

Even though I try to be understanding of the protective father thing (my gf's dad is super protective), I don't think he had the right to do that. In fact, next time he comes over on to your property, tell him that he's not welcome there, and if he comes onto it again, you'll get him for trespassing.

The only places you're not allowed to go into without shirts are places of business. There are obvious exceptions for women, but if they're wearing sports bras or whatever you call those things, it's pretty much the same deal as with men.

In short, you're in the right, and I think that the dad needs to take that stick out of his ass. XD

 

[TheScientificIssole]

You should be think of your self as lucky. If I were in the scenario the father would probably tell me to keep it off so I can postpone any of that crap he's afraid of(in other words nature).

 

[Kungfu_Teddybear]

No, it's your garden and you can do whatever you want on your property. That's like someone barging into my room and telling me to turn off my music because they don't like what I'm listening to.

 

[The Cheezy One]

Spoiler: Hmmm... I only have one cookie... ah well, we'll split it!

Holy cookie! Friends don't let friends eat heart attacks. We should all share it. Besides i'm the first one to say 'Cage the Elephant', so i should get a chocolate chip at least...

Spoiler: Don't eat it all in one bite!

 

[Turing]

cutting the grass, painting the deck and shed, and replacing wood in said deck. It was very hot outside and I was absolutely drenched in sweat. Also I didn't want to get paint on my clothes so I took off my shirt. Plus with it being summer I decided to work on my tan.

My neighbors next door were having a cook out with family. I'm assuming it was for the Independence Day, better late than never, and his daughters were outside. The they kids which I'm going to guess are between 6 and 13.

Well I guess my neighbor didn't take kindly to me and my brother not having shirts on and came over to give us a piece of his mind. He said, "Guys put some shirts on I don't want my daughters seeing that." And he just walked away.

Now I've never spoken a word in my life to this guy and it really caught me off guard. My brother and I are just normally built so it's not like we're trying to show off our bodies. and we weren't bothering them.

Was this justified?

EDIT: Some have asked, and yes it was my yard.

I'll have to assume you and your brother are both covered in nazi-tatoos or something similiar cause otherwise it makes no fucking sense.

 

[castlewise]

Justified is a tricky one. It depends on context. Legally justified? Probably not, in most places (in the US, and really, where but the US could someone get uptight about a shirtless guy) men can legally go shirtless. As a neighbor, maybe, but still probably not. Not only is going shirtless legal for guys, its more or less socially acceptable. As a father, sure why not, because fathers are crazy, especially when it comes to daughters. All it all I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[BanicRhys]

He wasn't that out of line to ask you to put your shirts on, of course you had no reason to do so unless you wanted to, but he is an idiot for thinking he needs to shelter his daughters so over-zealously.

 

[madster11]

Umm... Isn't this the one of the biggest benefits of being a Male?
The ability to work without a shirt on because it's socially acceptable?

Next time, ask if he's kidding. If he's not, ask him why.
If he says something about his daughter, just ask him if he keeps her in a cage at night with nothing but the bible to read?
Because even ads on TV have guys without shirts.

 

[instantbenz]

As a neighbor, you don't want to completely offend him, but he was in the wrong and while hindsight is 20/20, saying something like "well bud, this is my property and for all you're concerned I can wear nothing but a banana hammock and not be in the wrong" was appropriate.

 

[Mouse_Crouse]

Next time you are in the back yard doing whatever and you see him you should rip your shirt off like Hulk Hogan.

This, oh my god this. And this is actually pretty easy to do. If you make a starting cut near the top through the collar, most shirts will rip rather easily.

More on topic I think this was extremely silly on his part. I honestly don't think you should even worry about it. The points about the pool and beach fit very nicely here, as has been brought up by others. Many people work outside shirtless, just too hot some days.

 

[Jezzascmezza]

Nothing wrong with a male not wearing a shirt, in MOST situations.
I think your neighbour was just being a bit of a prude.

 

[BringBackBuck]

Did you have a beer? Working outside doing manly things and working up a sweat should definitely have ended with you and your brother sitting outside having a couple of frosty ones admiring your handiwork with a satisfied look of 'job done'.

Your story makes me thirsty.

As for your neighbour, he's entitled to ask, you're entitled to do whatever the fuck you want. Best to move on and not make a big deal about it. Just sit back and enjoy your ice cold beverage.

 

[TheBYOBGig]

Privacy fence...

 

[SinisterGehe]

Your yard, your rules. Tell him to fuck off and if he start to rant tell him to build bigger fence. He has no right to demand you to wear anything, it is not illegal to be shirtless (unless there is some crazy law in your town's rules or something).

Well. I can't say much to this since I live in a country in which nudity is not a taboo. (Don't get this wrong we aren't all nudist or running around nude or anything, we just don't see there to be anything wrong with nudity. In traditional Finnish sauna you are supposed to be naked, this still holds today in swimming halls and gyms if there is a Sauna the rules state that you must be naked, it is also much more hygienic that way also we have plenty of Unisex saunas.)

So umm... He is a jerk, tell him to fuck off and continue doing whatever you want on your yard.

 

[Thamian]

No, it was not justified. Apart from any other consideration, you were on your own property, last time I checked, no where in the US has bans on appear ing public without a shirt on, and you were obviously engaged in manual labour outside in the summer sun.

If the guy's that paranoid about his daughters seeing something, then he should erect a fence or something. Or, better yet, just not make a big deal out of it, this is the 21st century after all.

 

[EeveeElectro]

Should have put your shirt back on and got your cock out then.

He had NO right to say that to you, especially if it's in your own garden. If you went over to his shirtless and asked you to put it back on, you should have obliged.
What's bare chest going to do to his daughters? Turn them into crazy slags?
The girls could easily just not look, or is too much to ask people use their common sense?

 

[runnernda]

I was going to ask about the age difference between his daughter and you, but then you mentioned that you were in high school. I'm forced to wonder if perhaps his daughter is starting to react to those TV ads and whatever with guys with their shirts off. 13 is that age when puberty starts churning out those hormones, and that kind of thing scares a father shitless. My dad lucked out in that I was a late bloomer and didn't really start to be interested in guys until my last years of high school (the private Catholic all-girls school from 6th-12th grade probably played some part in that...). He probably just wants to keep his daughter innocent and is doing all he can to limit her exposure to things that could be construed as sexual. Two young guys doing yardwork with their shirts off under the hot sun? Dude, it might as well be a porn movie.

That being said, he could have handled it better. He should have acknowledged that it was your property and your right to do as you please, then asked politely about your shirts. If it happens again, ask him why.

 

[Sabiancym]

It's not really a big deal. He might have just thought you guys did it because you knew the girls were out there. Girls mature fairly early. Plenty of girls have pretty much completed puberty by the time they turn 13-14. Any normal protective father dreads that age and does everything possible to keep his daughter innocent and the little girl he has always known her to be.

I'm not accusing you of anything, but I've found that 9 times out of 10, a shirtless guy is only shirtless because he wants to show off/seem cool. Frat boys, meatheads, wannabe rockstars, and just general douchebags seem to be the vast majority of shirtless man-whores in the world.

I avoid taking my shirt off in public, if only to avoid being associated with the above. Unless you're swimming, at the beach, or in the privacy of your own home there is no reason or need to be shirtless. Depending on your skin tone, wearing a light white shirt may actually keep you cooler than wearing no shirt at all.


Summed up? Not a huge deal, but removing your shirt when you know people you aren't close with can see you is considered immature and a desperate plea for attention. It's like the attention wh**e who wears a very revealing bikini to a neighborhood family friendly barbecue.

 

[lord.jeff]

I would put a shirt on but still ask him something like do you ever plan on taking your daughter to the beach.

 

[hurfdurp]

You may have to show us your body to better make an informed decision :B.