Gays and Nudism

My LiveJournal friend Tim1965 has brought to our attention a recent article on recent trends in nudism in America, a topic dear to my heart. He then adds some thoughtful comments of his own on gay nudism, which you can read on his blog. Tim also included this portrait of Andrew Martinez, one of my personal heroes, who gained national attention in the 1980s for attending school and walking around the Berkeley campus completely naked.

Surprisingly, Tim1965 omits mention of any of the gay nudist organizations, so here is a link to Gay Naturists International, for good measure. And of course, if you're looking for a gay nudist organization in your part of the world, there's no better directory than Spike's Naked Planet.

The pope on nakedness and modesty

Just in time for a follow-up to my last post, I ran across this quote from the Pope on the subject of nakedness, half-nakedness, and modesty. I generally have little interest in what the Pontiff says (I'm neither a Catholic or a believer in most religion), but for once he makes a sensible point:

"Sexual modesty cannot then in any simple way be identified with the use of clothing, nor shamelessness with the absence of clothing and total or partial nakedness. There are circumstances in which total nakedness is not immodest... nakedness as such is not to be equated with physical shamelessness. Immodesty is only present when nakedness plays a negative role with regard to the value of the person... The human body is not in itself shameful, nor for the same reasons are sensual reactions, and human sensuality in general. Shamelessness (just like shame and modesty) is a function of the interior of the individual." - Pope John Paul II (*) (*) Wojtyla, Karol (Pope John Paul II) (August 1994) Love and Responsibility Ignatius Press (ISBN 0-89870-4456)

This was posted in the Beeper (body pride ride) Yahoo group, an organization that raises body issue awareness through its public naked bike rides.

Half-naked natterings

On warm days I take off my shirt in the office when I first arrive. This lets me cool down a little from my morning walk before changing into a fresh shirt. I'm the only one here this early so no one is the wiser.

Except, that is, for the ladies in the building behind me who sometimes look out their window toward mine.

If you think i enjoy the danger of being caught, you're wrong. I wish everyone was comfortable with the half-naked body — or even the fully naked body. But in the workplace we hide in our clothes. For now.

First shirtless walk home

It's still May in Seattle and that often means chilly weather. But today was beautifully sunny and I took my first half-naked pedestrian commute home! I am looking forward to many more so come.

Shirtless liberation

My friends know I have long advocated freedom from the tyranny of required clothing. This isn't just a call for more nude beaches and a less prudish culture (though those would be nice), but body acceptance at every level. One of the most basic is just being unclothed from the waist up. As the weather warms up, I will be a personal exponent of shirtlessness as I walk to and from work. It's sad that so far only men can do this.

Recently I have been stripping to the waist for my first few minutes in my office. My body gets warm from the walk and I need to cool down. Besides, I'm always the first one to arrive, so nobody notices. Except the ladies in the neighboring building who see me through the window, that is. But so far they haven't complained.

But rather than expound on shirtless freedom myself, I'll simply direct readers to a Web site that explains and advocates the shirtless lifestyle: Shirtless Men World.

You have nothing to lose but your shame!