Summer was often Animalia's most active time of the year, as school was out, the weather was good, and various attractions that related to specific events were able to run during that timeframe. In many ways it played to a certain level of tourism that had proved beneficial. Some of it was in relation to those who simply wanted to see Animalians up close, for various reasons, even if they didn't want to become Animalians, themselves. Some were serious events, like A-BC or the UFC-A, or to a certain extent SAMAS and the Mister and Miss Farmhand Competition, though the latter was more a competition that wasn't being filmed as a tourist attraction, largely because the suggestions that sparked the competition were something that was actually hoping for a wardrobe malfunction. And while Animalians might have a higher libido level than Humans, that did not mean they didn't have control over themselves or that they were eager to display themselves in public. Thus, when the competition became more about how well some of the Lyre and Animalia citizenry could actually engage in the real work that went into agricultural work, the people who'd been hoping to see a wardrobe malfunction lost interest.
At least in that part of Animalia's summer events, as there were events that did play that sort of thing. Namely the Bare as You Dare competition. Though, despite the Meat Market being the main venue for the competition, the Bare as You Dare competition was NOT something that would truly play toward adult entertainment. There were no cameras allowed, no nudity, and no sex involved in the competition, and was largely arranged as a bit of fun for those that felt a bit more adventurous as it were. And as Abby, Samson, JC, and Pauline covered some of the event, they found that it had its own issues with how it was perceived in addition to its own rules.
"So... people have really called in demanding it stop?" Pauline wondered.
"And from all sides," Vivian answered, "We've had religious Right wingers call in demanding we stop because we're corrupting women with sinful behaviors and angry Leftists call in to demand that we stop because we're demeaning women and sexualizing them..."
"But by rule, aren't the competitors all voluntary?" JC wondered.
"Yes," Vivian nodded, "and at the same time, none of the competition's rules allow for nudity. It's essentially to let them bare as much as you can without being nude."
"And at the same time... sex is something that is perfectly natural," one of the Meat Market's bartender on duty commented, "enjoying it doesn't necessarily change one's morals. And in the end... most people when they're dating don't usually say that a person's personality was interesting when they first meet. Many times what draws people together at first IS how they look. Real love and finding the personality of a person interesting comes later."
Abby nodded at that and glanced to Samson for the moment as he stood quietly by her. The comment in a sense reminded her of her conversion in the initial outbreak. It had been accidental, and in theory she'd already had some sentimental attachment to him, but at that time that was more in line with how many people made friends with their pets and animal companions. It was only as she began to transform into the Horse Animalian that she now was that thing began to change toward more romantic/lustful feelings, and much of that was also in recognizing how handsome Samson was. It was only after that point where much of their prior "friendship" and Samson's winning personality that things became a truly loving relationship.
In that, while one could talk all they wished on how "looks don't matter," which was philosophically true, that didn't meant that looks weren't a factor in dating and relationships. In a sense, trying to deny that for any reason didn't work, and going overboard on it came off as silly.
"I trust you've kept your cool?" Abby asked to Vivian.
Vivian nodded, "Yes. It's not really that hard. I explained the competition's rules, in that there is no nudity, no openly sexual conduct, no sexual contact between contestants, along with the fact that all contestants must be a legal adult in order to participate... meaning no younger than eighteen, and no minors are allowed to view the competition."
The group nodded at that, as that was part of why they'd split up to cover some of these events. Abby, Samson, JC, Pauline, Sarah, Travis, Simon, and Malice would all technically qualify as double dosed Animalians, which among the younger of them had advanced their physical age into adulthood and among the older ones of them returned them to their physical prime, and thus they could come to cover the Bare as You Dare competition. However, Jessica, Roger, Sophie, and Roland were all single dosers and thus couldn't be there. Thus, Sophie, Roland, Jessica, and Roger could only do the SAMAS coverage, and were there, though Sarah and Malice ended up taking Travis and Simon to the SAMAS event when they heard about some of the "meat carving" for some of the more deadly martial arts moves.
"I trust they accepted the explanation?" JC wondered, sounding a bit nervous, as a lot of what Vivian had been complaining on sounded like some of the odd and at times seemingly mean spirited things that he knew frustrated Sophie before his uplifting.
"From a legal perspective sure," Vivian answered with a roll of her eyes, "though... as I said, it's more irritating than anything else."
"Well that's good," Samson commented, "How are the competitors doing?"
"That's actually going much better," Vivian gave a small smile, "it has been and in a way playful... and NO ONE has broken the rules. Even those Animalians that are in the competition. Which says something."
Samson and Abby exchanged pondering glances before Vivian recognized the unasked question.
"Two males in the competition likely have Regressive Hypersexuality Disorder," Vivian explained, "and while they've been prone to some fits of giggling and have been forwardly friendly, they HAVE obeyed the rules that we have set. Which keeps things free and open and will even show how good of a job Doctor Jones has done with those with that condition."
"Well that is good, then," JC commented, "and there's been no fighting?"
"Nope," Vivian gave a smile, "just reasonably good music and dancing... even if a bit risqué."
"Though that'd be more due to how much... or rather how little is being worn," Abby commented, to which Vivian then nodded. "Do you have any favorites that you think have a good chance of winning... or is that something that can't be told until the end of the competition?"
"That will have to wait until the end," Vivian gave a knowing smile, "which... since you are double dosed, your are free to stay and watch, though we'd ask you not film the competition. As while a lot of this competition is to let some enjoy their "wild side," be they Human or Animalian, we do want to preserve competitor's privacy and so on."
JC nodded and carefully turned off the camera and moved to set it in the carrying bag that they'd set on the floor nearby while they talked with Vivian. As the camera flicked off, Vivian gave a nod across the room to one of the Meat Market's normal waiters, waitresses, and Vivian's co-judge for the competition. The group then broke up with one waiter moving toward club's DJ area to play the music that every participant had preselected and the waitress moved toward one of the doors that lead to the area where the competitors were waiting, with security staff on hand to make sure there were no shenanigans that would cause trouble. Things remained quiet as the lights dimmed and she pulled the main seat back and waited for her co-judge to join her.