Indecent Exposure in 50 States

As much fun as it would be to share images of me getting naked in every state in the union (how's that for a road trip idea?), this post is just going to be a discussion of indecent exposure laws across the United States. You see, I was thinking about the non-landed nudist club I like to fantasize about running - it would be dedicated to meeting up with like-minded adventurers to participate in nude recreational activities in the great outdoors. It's not the most practical idea; not least of all because I'm a reclusive hermit, but also, who wants to meet naked strangers in the wilderness, far from civilization? But it reflects one of my favorite pastimes, and it would be cool to share that hobby with other people (at least hypothetically). And it occurred to me that I should probably be more than passing familiar with the indecent exposure laws in my area. One thing led to another; I was comparing the wording of statutes across neighboring states, when I decided to just canvass the entire nation. And now I want to share with you what I found.

I'll begin with the obligatory disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, and absolutely no part of any of what follows is intended to constitute legal advice. I think common sense goes a long way with respect to getting naked where others might see you, but if you truly want to cover your ass (at least metaphorically), I would consult a lawyer. Generally, indecent exposure is usually classed as a misdemeanor, but there are often provisions for an escalation of penalties for repeat offenses (so called second or third strike laws), or for any offense committed in front of a child (variably defined). You never know who's going to come around that corner at the worst possible time; and while indecent exposure sometimes falls under the heading of "crimes against public morality and decency" (or something similar), I have seen a lot of cases where it's considered a sexual offense, even lumped in with obscenity, and cozying up obnoxiously close to prostitution laws (and worse). I don't think you need me to tell you what a drag it would be to end up on a sex offenders registry.

With that pleasantness out of the way (I'm a bit of an idealist on this point, but I lament that the image of people walking around naked that exists in most people's heads is one characterized by deviant perversion and not innocent purity, as it should be), I'd like to analyze some of the similarities and differences I've encountered in the indecent exposure laws (or closest facsimile) for each state, which I've transcribed below. While I cannot make any guarantee, I have tried to ensure that each code excerpt is accurate and up to date. For the sake of brevity, I've cut out all but the most salient points with regards to exposing one's genitals in public and/or in front of other people. I've included links should you want to read the full text. Most of these laws include additional provisions governing public displays of sexual activity (I figure that kinda goes without saying). Also excluded below are exceptions carved out for breastfeeding mothers, which I've encountered in the following states: Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

Now, on to the meat of the subject. There are many discrepancies across states about what constitutes "indecent exposure", in terms of which parts of the body we're talking about. Generally speaking, the genitals (or "sex organs") and anus (I feel like you really have to be trying, to expose your anus) are mentioned, but whether or not that includes buttocks and female breasts (thong enthusiasts and topfreedom advocates take heed) is not always clear. There is almost always a requirement that the offender's behavior either be conducted with sexual intent, and/or be performed under circumstances in which the offender does or should (sometimes it's one and not the other) know that his behavior will cause affront or alarm (or various other words for distress) to an unsuspecting and/or nonconsenting party. Which is why - as Florida (organized nudism capital of the United States) explicitly articulates - nudist gatherings, sufficiently insulated from public view, are usually permitted under law.

In some cases, there are separate provisions for private behaviors, criminalizing indecent exposure behind closed doors (or in front of open windows). Sometimes, but not always, there are exceptions made for spouses or, less frequently, co-habitators (providing a little leeway for nudism at home). As always, you should consult the full text of the law in your state before engaging in any potentially risky behaviors, and cross-reference it with local laws for the area in question - which may include even more restrictive provisions than the state code, as is the case in some parts of the reputationally free-wheeling state of Vermont.

All of this leads me to confirm my belief that, other than the "safety in numbers" approach of organized bike rides and protests, the safest way to get naked where others might see you is to stick to less populated areas (like remote hiking trails) - theoretically, there's no crime if nobody sees you - and to make an effort to cover up if somebody does happen upon you unexpectedly - demonstrating a lack of intent to cause affront or alarm. I know, it's tempting to want to spread awareness and try to normalize the occurrence of nude recreation. I get it. But I guarantee you this is not the most effective way of doing that. Consider that people can be made aware of your choice to engage in nude recreation without exposing yourself in a way that makes you criminally liable, or that callously disregards any consideration to the diversity of perspectives and sensitivities that exists among the population. In other words, you can make your point without swinging your dong in somebody's face, to say nothing of shoving it down their throat. And, on that subject, it goes without saying that the instant sex gets added to the mix, you're taking your liberty into your own hands (among other things ;-p).

Without further ado, here are the indecent exposure laws in all 50 states of the union:

Alabama: "A person commits the crime of indecent exposure if, with intent to arouse or gratify sexual desire of himself or herself...he or she exposes his or her genitals under circumstances in which he or she knows the conduct is likely to cause affront or alarm."

Alaska: "An offender commits the crime of indecent exposure...if the offender knowingly exposes the offender's genitals in the presence of another person with reckless disregard for the offensive, insulting, or frightening effect the act may have."

Arizona: "A person commits indecent exposure if he or she exposes his or her genitals or anus or she exposes the areola or nipple of her breast or breasts and another person is present, and the defendant is reckless about whether the other person, as a reasonable person, would be offended or alarmed by the act."

Arkansas: "A person commits indecent exposure if, with the purpose to arouse or gratify a sexual desire of himself or herself or of any other person, the person exposes his or her sex organs in a public place or in public view; or under circumstances in which the person knows the conduct is likely to cause affront or alarm."

California: "Every person who willfully and lewdly...exposes his person, or the private parts thereof, in any public place, or in any place where there are present other persons to be offended or annoyed thereby...such as is offensive to decency, or is adapted to excite to vicious or lewd thoughts or acts, is guilty..."

Colorado: "Any person who performs...a knowing exposure of the person's genitals to the view of a person under circumstances in which such conduct is likely to cause affront or alarm to the other person...in a public place or where the conduct may reasonably be expected to be viewed by members of the public commits public indecency."

Connecticut: "A person is guilty of public indecency when he performs...a lewd exposure of the body with intent to arouse or to satisfy the sexual desire of the person. ...For the purposes of this section, 'public place' means any place where the conduct may reasonably be expected to be viewed by others."

Delaware: "A person is guilty of lewdness when the person does any lewd act in any public place or any lewd act which the person knows is likely to be observed by others who would be affronted or alarmed."

Florida: "A person commits unlawful exposure of sexual organs by: exposing or exhibiting his or her sexual organs in public or on the private premises of another, or so near thereto as to be seen from such private premises, in a vulgar or indecent manner; or being naked in public in a vulgar or indecent manner. ...The exposure of sexual organs by...an individual who is merely naked at any place provided or set apart for that purpose...does not violate this section."

Georgia: "A person commits the offense of public indecency when he or she performs any of the following acts in a public place: ...a lewd exposure of the sexual organs; a lewd appearance in a state of partial or complete nudity..."

Hawaii: "A person commits the offense of indecent exposure if, the person intentionally exposes the person's genitals to a person to whom the person is not married under circumstances in which the actor's conduct is likely to cause affront."

Idaho: "A person is guilty of a misdemeanor if the person willfully and lewdly...exposes his or her genitals; exposes developed female breasts, including the areola and nipple...in any public place or in any place where there is present another person or persons who are offended thereby."

Illinois: "Any person of the age of 17 years and upwards who performs...a lewd exposure of the body done with intent to arouse or to satisfy the sexual desire of the person...in a public place commits a public indecency."

Indiana: "A person who knowingly or intentionally appears in a public place in a state of nudity commits public nudity. ...As used in this section, 'nudity' means the showing of the human male or female genitals, pubic area, or buttocks with less than a fully opaque covering, the showing of the female breast with less than a fully opaque covering of any part of the nipple, or the showing of covered male genitals in a discernibly turgid state."

Iowa: "A person who exposes the person's genitals or pubic area to another not the person's spouse...commits a serious misdemeanor if all of the following apply...the person does so to arouse or satisfy the sexual desires of either party...the person knows or reasonably should know that the act is offensive to the viewer."

Kansas: "Lewd and lascivious behavior is...publicly exposing a sex organ or exposing a sex organ in the presence of a person who is not the spouse of the offender and who has not consented thereto, with intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desires of the offender or another."

Kentucky: "A person is guilty of indecent exposure...when he intentionally exposes his genitals under circumstances in which he knows or should know that his conduct is likely to cause affront or alarm..."

Louisiana: "The crime of obscenity is the intentional...exposure of the genitals, pubic hair, anus, vulva, or female breast nipples in any public place or place open to the public view...with the intent of arousing sexual desire or which appeals to prurient interest or is patently offensive."

Maine: "A person is guilty of indecent conduct if...in a public place...the actor knowingly exposes the actor's genitals under circumstances that in fact are likely to cause affront or alarm."

"A person is guilty of indecent conduct if...in a private place, the actor exposes the actor's genitals with the intent that the actor be seen from a public place or from another private place."

"A person is guilty of indecent conduct if...in a private place, the actor exposes the actor's genitals with the intent that the actor be seen by another person in that private place under circumstances that the actor knows are likely to cause affront or alarm."

Maryland: "A person may not commit the common law crime of indecent exposure."

Massachusetts: "...persons guilty of indecent exposure shall be punished..."

Michigan: "A person shall not knowingly make any open or indecent exposure of his or her person or of the person of another."

Minnesota: "A person who...willfully and lewdly exposes the person's body, or the private parts thereof...in any public place, or in any place where others are present, is guilty of a misdemeanor."

Mississippi: "A person who willfully and lewdly exposes his person, or private parts thereof, in any public place, or in any place where others are present, or procures another to so expose himself, is guilty of a misdemeanor."

Missouri: "A person commits the offense of sexual misconduct in the first degree if such person...exposes his or her genitals under circumstances in which he or she knows that his or her conduct is likely to cause affront or alarm."

Montana: "A person commits the offense of indecent exposure if the person knowingly or purposely exposes the person's genitals or intimate parts...under circumstances in which the person knows the conduct is likely to cause affront or alarm in order to abuse, humiliate, harass, violate the dignity of, or degrade another; or arouse or gratify the person's own sexual response or desire or the sexual response or desire of any person."

Nebraska: "A person, eighteen years of age or over, commits public indecency if such person performs or procures, or assists any other person to perform, in a public place and where the conduct may reasonably be expected to be viewed by members of the public...an exposure of the genitals of the body done with intent to affront or alarm any person."

Nevada: "A person who makes any open and indecent or obscene exposure of his or her person, or of the person of another, is guilty."

New Hampshire: "A person is guilty...if...such person...exposes his or her genitals...under circumstances which he or she should know will likely cause affront or alarm."

New Jersey: "A person commits a disorderly persons offense if he does any flagrantly lewd and offensive act which he knows or reasonably expects is likely to be observed by other nonconsenting persons who would be affronted or alarmed. ...As used in this section...'lewd acts' shall include the exposing of the genitals for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of the actor or of any other person."

New Mexico: "Indecent exposure consists of a person knowingly and intentionally exposing his primary genital area to public view. As used in this section, 'primary genital area' means the mons pubis, penis, testicles, mons veneris, vulva or vagina."

New York: "A person is guilty of exposure if he appears in a public place in such a manner that the private or intimate parts of his body are unclothed or exposed. For purposes of this section, the private or intimate parts of a female person shall include that portion of the breast which is below the top of the areola. This section shall not apply to...any person entertaining or performing in a play, exhibition, show or entertainment."

North Carolina: "Any person who shall willfully expose the private parts of his or her person in any public place and in the presence of any other person or persons, except for those places designated for a public purpose where the same sex exposure is incidental to a permitted activity...shall be guilty."

North Dakota: "An individual, with intent to arouse, appeal to, or gratify that individual's lust, passions, or sexual desires, is guilty...if that individual...exposes the individual's penis, vulva, or anus in a public place."

Ohio: "No person shall recklessly...expose the person's private parts...under circumstances in which the person's conduct is likely to be viewed by and affront others who are in the person's physical proximity and who are not members of the person's household. ...Whoever violates this section is guilty of public indecency."

Oklahoma: "Every person who willfully and knowingly...lewdly exposes his or her person or genitals in any public place, or in any place where there are present other persons to be offended or annoyed thereby...shall be guilty, upon conviction."

Oregon: "A person commits the crime of public indecency if while in, or in view of, a public place the person performs...an act of exposing the genitals of the person with the intent of arousing the sexual desire of the person or another person."

"A person commits the crime of private indecency if the person exposes the genitals of the person with the intent of arousing the sexual desire of the person or another person and...the person is in a place where another person has a reasonable expectation of privacy; the person is in view of the other person; the exposure reasonably would be expected to alarm or annoy the other person; and the person knows that the other person did not consent to the exposure."

Pennsylvania: "A person commits indecent exposure if that person exposes his or her genitals in any public place or in any place where there are present other persons under circumstances in which he or she knows or should know that this conduct is likely to offend, affront or alarm."

Rhode Island: "A person commits indecent exposure/disorderly conduct when for the purpose of sexual arousal, gratification or stimulation, such person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly...exposes his or her genitals to the view of another under circumstances in which his or her conduct is likely to cause affront, distress, or alarm to that person. Any person may be a complainant for the purposes of instituting action for any violation of this section. This act shall not apply to any conduct between consenting adults where the complainant is an unintended witness."

South Carolina: "It is unlawful for a person to wilfully, maliciously, and indecently expose his person in a public place, on property of others, or to the view of any person on a street or highway."

South Dakota: "A person commits the crime of public indecency if the person, under circumstances in which that person knows that his or her conduct is likely to annoy, offend, or alarm some other person, exposes his or her anus or genitals in a public place where another may be present who will be annoyed, offended, or alarmed by the person's act."

Tennessee: "A person commits the offense of indecent exposure who...in a public place or on the private premises of another, or so near thereto as to be seen from the private premises...intentionally...exposes the person's genitals or buttocks to another...and reasonably expects that the acts will be viewed by another and the acts will offend an ordinary viewer; or are for the purpose of sexual arousal and gratification of the defendant."

Texas: "A person commits an offense if he exposes his anus or any part of his genitals with intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person, and he is reckless about whether another is present who will be offended or alarmed by his act."

Utah: "An actor commits lewdness if...the actor performs...an act exposing the actor's...genitals; female breast below the top of the areola if the actor is female; buttocks, anus, or pubic area...in a public place; or under circumstances which the actor should know will likely cause affront or alarm to, on, or in the presence of another individual."

Vermont: "A person guilty of open and gross lewdness and lascivious behavior shall be imprisoned...or fined..or both."

Virginia: "Every person who intentionally makes an obscene display or exposure of his person, or the private parts thereof, in any public place, or in any place where others are present, or procures another to so expose himself, shall be guilty."

Washington: "A person is guilty of indecent exposure if he or she intentionally makes any open and obscene exposure of his or her person or the person of another knowing that such conduct is likely to cause reasonable affront or alarm."

West Virginia: "A person is guilty of indecent exposure when such person intentionally exposes his or her sex organs or anus...and does so under circumstances in which the person knows that the conduct is likely to cause affront or alarm."

Wisconsin: "Whoever...publicly and indecently exposes genitals or pubic area...is guilty. ...'Publicly' is susceptible to a construction that will avoid the question of constitutional overbreadth, by limiting the application of the statute to constitutionally permissible goals of protecting children from exposure to obscenity and preventing assaults on the sensibilities of unwilling adults in public."

Wyoming: "A person is guilty of public indecency if, while in a public place where he may reasonably be expected to be viewed by others, he...exposes his intimate parts, with the intent of arousing the sexual desire of himself or another person. ...'Intimate parts' means the external genitalia, perineum, anus or pubes of any person or the breast of a female person."

Sympathy for the Fetishist

As a bit of background, you may know that the only photo sharing site I use anymore (since Flickr burned me) is DeviantArt [NSFW]. I'm happy to say that all my new stuff, including videos and photo sets in great volume, go to JustForFans [NSFW] (previously OnlyFans [NSFW], which still hosts a lot of archived material not yet available anywhere else) - I say happy, because it means I can get something back (even if just a token) from all the hard work I put in to creating my art. That said, I'm still in the process of posting old highlights publicly on DeviantArt, because I crave a level of attention and feedback I don't get from my small (but highly appreciated!) band of subscribers. It's the boon and the curse of being an exhibitionist - that what's done behind closed doors isn't nearly so thrilling as that which is ventured out into the public square.

Which, conveniently, brings me to the subject of this post. Most of what I see on DeviantArt is mildly interesting at best, outright offputting at worst (I won't even get into the proliferation of AI content, which is a separate can of worms) - the site is a veritable bazaar of fetishism. Which is, generally speaking, a good thing in my opinion. These people need some kind of outlet. If I come across a favorites gallery of obese models, hairy assholes, or dismembered corpses (I'm not even kidding), I can just gag and close the window. It's not my business to police other people's tastes. I still browse, in spite of these circumstances, because I do have a general curiosity about the various things that turn people on, but also because it's all fodder for my creative imagination as an erotic artist. And, well, sometimes you do find stuff that strikes your fancy.

Like this one animated short [NSFW] I stumbled across in somebody else's favorites gallery just today. Artistically, it's very well constructed. It consists of [mostly] still frames, but they effectively convey its story - which is a person on an empty train car stripping naked and cuffing herself to the seat (with legs forcibly spread wide open), out of reach of her clothes or any means of unlocking herself from her self-inflicted bondage. Although not depicted, the implication at the end of the short is positively tantalizing - that, now being trapped in this precarious situation, this person will have no escape as the train begins to fill up with passengers. I have to admit, the entire scenario turns me on immensely - a fact that troubles me very much.

Why should it trouble me? I'm not a prude. I'm not ignorant of my own sexual interests, either. I wasn't surprised that it excited me. I was troubled because this is a situation that is entirely unrealistic. Never mind the fact that I wouldn't go this far even if the opportunity presented itself. I couldn't even enjoy it because the outcome - the part not depicted - as much as it triggers excited anticipation, in reality it would be what ruins the whole experience. I don't want to be shouted at. I don't want to be arrested. I don't want to be humiliated by family and friends, when it becomes public knowledge that this is how I get my jollies. And I certainly don't want to be raped - by complete strangers even! Why, then, does the scenario turn me on so much?

I mean, sure, there's nothing wrong with having fantasies. (I have a similar fantasy that involves hopping on a hotel elevator naked and crossing your fingers - sort of an exhibitionism roulette). But the part that really troubles me most is the awareness - not that I am "perverted", twisted from some arbitrary designation of "purity" - but that I cannot have pleasure and satisfaction via routine, easily accessible methods. If at all. Why do I have to be turned on by these outlandish and unattainable scenarios, in a way that simply isn't possible in a run-of-the-mill sexual encounter? Sure, I can enjoy the physical sensations of vanilla sex. I'm not numb. But they don't thrill me on that same level. They don't drive me to desire. I could take them or leave them, but this - not having it leaves me feeling unsatisfied. Like there's a unique piece of life I could be enjoying, that I'm missing out on.

People treat fetishists so horribly. They think fetishes arise as a natural consequence of moral turpitude, and are a reflection of the corruption at the heart of a person's soul. You should see the things I've read about exhibitionism within the nudist subculture alone (I practically guarantee you can't open r/nudism without seeing at least one post hurling abusive insults at exhibitionists). We don't want to harm people. We didn't even choose to have these desires! We're not evil. We're not antisocial. We just want to experience pleasure, like you probably get to. Some of us manage much better than others - that's absolutely true. But it's not like society isn't filled with conventional horndogs who treat women poorly. The best of us shouldn't be judged by how the worst of us (or even most of us) behave.

I don't know what caused me to become perverted, and I don't think I'm responsible for it. But it's certainly not a desire to upset anyone. Why does exhibitionism turn me on? Probably due to the law of opposites. I'm a reserved loner. I'm literally scared of people. Maybe being fully exposed in that way appeals to me because it's a true loss of control - all the usual rules, the laws and boundaries by which my entire life is governed, are thrown out the door and it's a total free fall. Mind you, I've never let myself go to that extent; it's just a fantasy that thrills me, and fills me with longing. If only I could get that same feeling of satisfaction from a conventional night in the bedroom with a loved one...

Don't you pity the pervert? Because I sure do.

Don't Tread On Me

There is still a lot of stigma attached to voyeurism and exhibitionism, even in what could arguably be called a sexually liberal culture (relatively speaking, anyway). And it is mostly due to the stereotypical assumption that voyeurism and exhibitionism (both) inherently involve a violation of consent - which is not true. Voyeurism isn't all hidden cameras, and exhibitionism isn't all public indecency. In fact, I would argue that something as popular and mainstream as the dissemination and consumption of pornography online (or elsewhere) depends upon the voyeuristic and exhibitionistic impulses within the majority of us. (But, of course, our critics who only want to slander us, won't give us the benefit of that point).

But even where the fantasies and desires of fetishists may sometimes wander over the border of ethics and into the land of questionable acts, as with other things, this doesn't mean the individual in question doesn't understand where the line is to be drawn, or that he doesn't have the ability to control himself. It's just that, even to admit that you can derive some pleasure from the thought of observing, or being exposed outside of the bounds of a private, committed relationship, earns you a badge of reprobation in most circles. I've felt this particularly distinctly among nudists. You'd think a community built upon the belief that covering up is the true indecency would be paradise to a person who enjoys admiring or showing off the human body. But instead, this sort of person is made to feel like a second class citizen, if not an outright criminal.

Just consider this. We are organic beings gifted with the sense of sight. We are capable of appreciating the aesthetic qualities of the things we see. We are also creatures who reproduce sexually, and are programmed to respond both physically and psychologically to the sight of the human body - especially ones we deem attractive. In an effort to civilize man, and tamp down rampant fornication (I can only assume this was the prehistoric justification), society has created a taboo on displaying one's body fully (especially the genitals, although in a lot of contexts it is not limited to only this area) in all but a very few specialized situations - always in private.

Arguments can be made - on both sides - about whether or not this is for better or worse. The argument I want to make is simply that, in a society that has put a taboo on something we are capable of and even programmed to enjoy, it is rational - nay, inevitable - for some people to develop an interest in contravening that taboo. It's not insane. It's not even necessarily antisocial. And we shouldn't stigmatize people for acknowledging the inherent potential for pleasure (erotic or otherwise) in seeing or being seen, separated from any consideration of whether everyone involved has had a pre-care session first.

Yes, consent is important - I'm not neglecting that. But it's important as a rational inquiry before choosing one's actions. It's not something that factors into the equation of the thoughts and feelings that go on inside a person's head. Tying them together just dooms the fetishist to an unlikable outcome (for all involved) - which is what the detractors want. They don't want a safe and sane outlet for these desires. They don't even want anyone to be able to conceive of such a thing. Because then they would have to live with it as an acceptable part of society, and learn to treat these people as human beings.

No Community

Notwithstanding my experiences in organized nudism - and whatever inroads I was making on that front were stymied by the COVID lockdowns, and then my subsequent dedication to free-range nudism in the great outdoors. Anyway, nudists are pretty allergic to photography, not to mention any emphasis on the inconvenient fact that some bodies are more beautiful than others. Notwithstanding all that, I say, my nearly 18 years of experience shooting nude photography has, disappointingly, not yielded induction into any kind of community of likeminded artists, as I might have hoped.

Don't get me wrong, sharing photos online is fun. I wouldn't still be doing it after all these years if it weren't. But almost without exception, it has the feel of performing for an audience, rather than contributing to a think tank. I'm just producing disposable content for consumers. I'm not networking with other producers of similar content. I'm not sharing tricks of the trade with other tradesmen. The few artists I've followed over the years have either been professionals entirely out of my league (with, therefore, no chance of opening any kind of mutual dialogue), or amateurs I've seen something of myself in, only to sooner or later be rebuffed because I'm too sex-positive.

To be fair, I'm a bit of a loner and a shut-in. I wonder sometimes if that's the reason why I feel so isolated in this society. I tend to push people away. But I'm also an outlier, and I struggle to find other people like me who I feel I can relate to. I think that if I did, I'd be willing to go out on a limb, to step outside of my comfort zone, for that potential gain. In fact, I've proven that that's the case on at least one prominent occasion. Sadly, it ended in failure.

I just don't find people like that very easily. After considering joining a local photography club, I successfully managed to talk myself out of it. Why? Because, come on. They're not gonna be anything like me. They're gonna jump to conclusions, and associate me with a stereotype I don't even relate to. It's why I don't join photography clubs online. There's pornography, which doesn't have the same goals and aesthetics as I do. And then there's fine art, which sees me - in their myopic worldview - as a deviant and a rogue. Plus, there's the trend these days in websites forcing nude artists to PAY for the privileges other artists get to take advantage of for free.

There is no conclusion to this post, because the issue remains unresolved. They say we have freedom. They tell us to pursue the things that make us happy. But I just feel like an outcast and an outlaw. And it feels ridiculous to campaign for an unimportant thing like personal joy or fulfillment, when people's lives are being thrown away in pointless wars, denied their fundamental rights over arbitrary designations they didn't choose at birth, and driven into debt and poverty through no fault of their own, because they can't afford to pay their own health bills - all while the billionaires keep getting richer! If we can't even get these basic things right, then what hope do I have, to ever be able to live in a world where I can celebrate the beauty of the human body openly, without being treated like a scoundrel or a criminal?

Varieties of Nudist Lifestyles

[description: infographic describing eight different varieties of nudist lifestyles]

I came across this image on social media, and it resonated with me. I guess I like how it focuses on the fact that there are many different ways to practice nudism, instead of divisively arguing whether, e.g., home nudists are "real" nudists, or asking whether you're a nudist OR a naturist (as if they're not the same thing). It's a checklist - not a single choice. That said, some of the categories conflict with others, so it's not like you can just collect the whole set. Let's run down the list real quick, and I'll add some of my own comments.

1. Social Nudists - These are the type of nudists who like to go to resorts and hang out with other nudists. Obviously, I count myself as a social nudist. In spite of my generally solitary lifestyle, I do appreciate the opportunities and the sense of community that comes from being part of a group of like minds. Especially within such a fringe minority.

2. Home Nudists - These are often contrasted with social nudists, in the sense that they prefer privacy and are comfortable in their own skin, but not so much in front of other people. While there is some merit to that distinction, it feels weird for me to say that I'm not a home nudist, seeing as I spend so much time at home nude. I just think there's room to be both, instead of it being strictly either/or.

3. Recreational Nudists - I think this category distinguishes itself from other kinds of nudism (especially social) in that it's activity-centered. For some people, being naked itself is the draw. Others might be willing to strip down as long as there's a purpose to it. While I do find nudity to be its own reward, I also love having something to do while I'm naked. Whether it's household chores, sports, outdoor activities - alone or in a group. Nudity is the best uniform.

4. Naturists - A lot is made of the "difference" between nudism and naturism, but it's largely semantic. In some cases, naturism is just a regional variation of the term "nudism". Which is why it's offensive to suggest that naturists are nudists with principles. Many self-labeled "nudists" share those same principles. That said, I could conceive of a type of nudist who just enjoys being naked, without making it a whole philosophy. But that ain't me. I especially like the connection with nature that's implied by the term naturism. While I like nudism within the bounds of civilization and society, being naked in nature takes it to another level.

5. Occasional Nudists - I feel like this option should have been listed earlier, after social and home nudists, because it's kinda disrupting the flow here. Regardless, these are situational nudists, who are not at all dedicated to the lifestyle, but happy to engage in it - when the right opportunity arises. They might not share that dedication to the lifestyle that you or I have, but they really are a special kind of person. Contrasted with the stereotypical textile who suffers from a culturally-instilled gymnophobia, they are open and accepting and even game to dabble in a different worldview! How wonderful is that?

6. Spiritual Nudists - There's definitely some overlap here with the naturist category. I guess you could distinguish them via a secular versus a religious approach. I'm not normally a religious person, but whatever spirituality I experience is definitely related to nudity. Part of that is the rapture one experiences in response to a fine specimen of naked beauty. But it's also about the fundamental truth of our being, and our connection to the universe, which I feel most profoundly when I'm naked in nature.

7. Political Nudists - Not all nudists like to get political. Some fear drawing negative attention to themselves or their lifestyle. Some even accept their underclass status, and prefer to hide away in self-loathing, lashing out against their braver peers who dare to stand up for their own community's civil liberties. I apologize if there's some venom in my voice. I understand that not everyone is in a position to stick their necks out and rock the boat, but I resent the frequency with which these accommodationists accuse those of us who are willing to fight for the right to freedom of dress of being antisocial perverts who just want to expose ourselves to strangers in public. How can they even call themselves nudists if they view the human body from the textiles' perspective - as something ugly and offensive that must be shielded from public view (or worse, something that requires consent, like a sex act)? Especially in this day and age, if you're not political, then you're not doing your civic duty.

8. Family Nudists - I can't say that I'm a family nudist, only because I don't have a family of my own. But if I did, I would be. It's not an easy path to walk in this society, but I couldn't do it any other way. So I have lots of respect for those who are able to navigate the obstacles. Some nudists are understandably cagey about mixing nudism with children, but if you ask me, nudism without children isn't even really nudism. It's just an "adult" activity - like the kind nudists try to distance themselves from. Children, therefore, are the proof of concept. They're what keeps nudism pure and honest.

A View From The Sidelines

As you may know, I enjoy playing volleyball. It's a hobby I picked up from my experiences visiting nudist resorts over the last fifteen years. There's an annual tournament I used to like to attend, and this year I returned for the first time since the COVID lockdowns. The best part of the tournament is being able to play volleyball nude with other like-minded (open-minded) people, whether you win or lose. But I won't deny that another part of the fun is getting to sit on the sidelines and watch top level athletes - both men and women - perform at a professional level on the volleyball courts, in the nude.

A particular moment sticks out in my mind, that stirred up a lot of thoughts in my head. It's important to me that I describe this situation with tact, because I don't want to give the wrong impression. Between matches, one of the players stood in my line of sight, not ten feet from where I was standing, to rest and get a quick bite to eat. Although these things are subjective, to my eyes she looked incredible. And hers was a perfect, natural beauty - not the manufactured kind that utilizes plastic surgery and excessive makeup in a gross over-exaggeration of femininity, to stimulate men of poor taste who have only one thing on their minds.

As an artist, I was utterly mesmerized by the scene that had spontaneously formed in front of me. A beautiful young woman, completely nude, amidst a crowd of mostly dressed people (it was a bit chilly that day), in a totally relaxed atmosphere, without spectacle. Keeping in mind the typical demographic of someone who is comfortable being naked in a crowd of strangers, as a female under 40 (under 25, even!), she was doubly exotic. Triply, if you include the fact that she was in prime, athletic shape. I had to inwardly marvel at her calm acceptance of those circumstances. What a wondrous thing! I would hate for it to be ruined - for her to receive anything even remotely resembling negative or unwanted attention.

That said, I couldn't get over how picturesque the scene was. If this had happened on a public street, and I were a street photographer, and I'd snapped that shot, it would have been an award-winning photograph. (At the very least, great promotional material for the tournament). The juxtaposition of bodies, the novelty of the situation, the casualness with which it occurred, and the beauty on display... It goes without saying that this would never happen. Not on a public street - and on the grounds of a nudist camp, photography is strictly prohibited. I can't help that that fact stirs up a conflict within me.

Why should capturing an image of such a thing - such a beautiful, positive, and innocent thing - be forbidden? It kills me that people are the way they are - not the people who make these rules, but the people who behave in such a terrible fashion that these rules become necessary. What does that say about our own humanity, that we can't have nice things because we're so fundamentally rotten to our core? "In the face of beauty, evil was lost"? Rather, "by the hand of evil, beauty is lost". Is it so horrible that a scene like this would be preserved, to be shared with people who did not experience it firsthand, and to exist beyond the fading memory within my brain?

Sure, not everyone would appreciate the image for the "right" reasons. (For my part, my appreciation of the scene was predominantly aesthetic, and not erotic - I would admit it if that weren't the case). As I said, I would hate for the situation to have been ruined by poor behavior in the moment. That's something I like about nudism - that we can all hang out completely naked and still behave like civilized creatures. It's the reason nudist camps have tall fences and strict guidelines, despite how free-minded and laidback we generally are. I wouldn't change that. I just wish it could coexist compatibly with the mindset that beauty is a virtue, while acknowledging the potential for photography to be an innocent expression of that, and not solely the vile and existential threat it is perceived to be, in the unfortunate hands of the depraved*.

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*It won't win me any brownie points to say this, but I would argue that most people who just want to snap a picture of a hottie are pretty harmless. So they might add it to their "spank bank"? So what? There's no harm in that, other than a sociogenically manufactured psychic distress, which is born of a fundamentally sex-negative upbringing. Is it because it might be spread around the internet? I sympathize with the fear of being branded with the stigma we reserve for people our culture sees as having "loose morals" (which would pertain to those who willingly get naked in front of strangers, no matter how innocent the context). But that stigma is unjust. Such a fear only reinforces it. And it's not right, once again, to deny ourselves of what little pleasures this struggle that is life affords us, on account of the flawed nature of the human race. If I could nuke mankind and replace it with a more evolved species, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Meanwhile, I have to exist with the knowledge of what could be - the paradise we could be living in - frustrated by a daily reminder of the trash heap we've relegated ourselves to...

Dignity

Being confident in your skin, being an artist who focuses on the subject of the human body, even being a sex worker - people say these things lack dignity. That's a lie. You can do these things, you can be these things, and still maintain your dignity. What people are talking about when they say that is not a function of who or what you are, but the way they treat you. It's not that you lack dignity. It's that other people are choosing not to treat you with dignity. And that's their personality flaw. Not yours. When they say you lack self-respect, what they're really saying is that they lack respect for others. Don't let them confuse you. You deserve to be treated with dignity, and given the respect I know you reserve for yourself.