On the subject of offense, indecency, and community standards - as they pertain to public nudity - a lot of people (unfortunately, many nudists included) make the mistake of confusing the way things are for the way they ought to be, just because it's familiar to them.
Although society is about getting along with one another, an important part of that is respecting individual differences. Generally speaking, if somebody is smelly, or you don't like their clothes, or the music they're playing in their car, you don't have much recourse to improve the situation. You can ask politely, but you don't really have any authority to demand their compliance, nor forcibly remove them from your presence. Your last line of defense is simply to leave - go someplace else.
And while compromises should try to be made when you have to share space with someone (e.g., if you're living or working together), the fact that these arguments do commonly arise just goes to show that we do not live in a society where you can dictate somebody else's choices or behaviors just because you don't like them.
And even if you could, how would we decide who gets to be the boss in any given dispute? Or would we live in some strange mirror-society, where people would get to micro-manage the lives of others, but couldn't make any decisions for themselves? It seems fair to me that if I'm not allowed to demand that you undress, then you shouldn't be allowed to demand that I cover up. The only reason these two actions aren't considered equivalent, is because we're used to one more than the other.
In any case, it remains to be proven to me that seeing the human body unclothed fundamentally damages the human psyche (more than the process of abuse that constitutes a prerequisite for being able to be so damaged by such a sight), in a way that, for example, another person's fashion choices or grooming habits or conversation topics (or what have you) do not.
And unless this can be satisfactorily done, it is unreasonable to restrict a free citizen's right to appear nude in the public commons (a separate argument would have to be made to overturn the right of businesses to enforce a dress code, if one were so inclined), especially outdoors, but absolutely on one's own private property, regardless of who (on or off the property) might be able to see them.
Sunday, January 24, 2021
Saturday, January 23, 2021
Objectification by Subtraction (Instead of Addition)
The (alleged) problem of "objectification" is one of priority or degree - when the sexual qualities of a person, as perceived by another, preclude that other from treating them with basic human dignity. But the issue is always framed in terms of the sexual feelings one has for another (usually a man for a woman, rhetoricized to condemn traditional male sexuality), when the sexual feelings in question are perfectly healthy.
If there's a problem with how one person is treating another, it's not because these sexual feelings exist between them. It's because something else is lacking - namely, that basic human dignity. But the sexual feelings are assigned all of the blame for that lapse of respect, as if one could not possibly have sexual feelings without necessarily suffering from a brain fart that precludes them from simultaneously viewing the object of their affections as a human being.
This is, frankly, an offensive stereotype, that is as misandrist as the behavior is misogynist that people who bring up "objectification" are actually objecting to. And it's sex-negative, because we end up blaming people for their sexual feelings as an early warning system for shitty behavior, when all this foregone conclusion accomplishes is a self-fulfilling prophecy, because we're not even considering room for the possibility that a "dude" could like a "chick" and still treat her with respect.
So if you want to lodge a credible complaint about how one person is treating another, consider what's missing from the equation (i.e., human dignity), and don't simply take the presence of sexual feelings to be evidence that a foul has automatically been committed. Because if the conclusion is that the only way men can treat women with respect is if they all get castrated first, then not only have you already lost (this is never going to happen), but you've also given up your right to complain about being treated like an object, because you've voluntarily surrendered your own humanity.
If there's a problem with how one person is treating another, it's not because these sexual feelings exist between them. It's because something else is lacking - namely, that basic human dignity. But the sexual feelings are assigned all of the blame for that lapse of respect, as if one could not possibly have sexual feelings without necessarily suffering from a brain fart that precludes them from simultaneously viewing the object of their affections as a human being.
This is, frankly, an offensive stereotype, that is as misandrist as the behavior is misogynist that people who bring up "objectification" are actually objecting to. And it's sex-negative, because we end up blaming people for their sexual feelings as an early warning system for shitty behavior, when all this foregone conclusion accomplishes is a self-fulfilling prophecy, because we're not even considering room for the possibility that a "dude" could like a "chick" and still treat her with respect.
So if you want to lodge a credible complaint about how one person is treating another, consider what's missing from the equation (i.e., human dignity), and don't simply take the presence of sexual feelings to be evidence that a foul has automatically been committed. Because if the conclusion is that the only way men can treat women with respect is if they all get castrated first, then not only have you already lost (this is never going to happen), but you've also given up your right to complain about being treated like an object, because you've voluntarily surrendered your own humanity.
Saturday, January 16, 2021
Humanistic Rites Interview
Preface: I happened to notice today that one of the interviews I performed on the subject of nudity through one of my contacts on Twitter has vanished again. I had to relink the interview shortly after it was published due to a change of domain, and this time, the whole website is gone, and even the corresponding Twitter account has been deactivated. I don't know why that should be the case. But since I put time and effort into the interview, and am proud of the answers I came up with, and would hate to see them lost to antiquity, I'm going to repost them here from a copy I kept on my own computer.
[description: a man stands nude in the woods with arms outstretched, surrounded by fall foliage]
1. What is your perspective on the nude in today's society?
Speaking primarily to United States culture (because I know attitudes vary across the globe), I would say that the nude is largely misunderstood. Our culture is paradoxically obsessed with sex yet still heavily repressed. We accept overt displays of sexuality in our media (however implicit), yet are notoriously skittish about explicit nudity - even when that nudity is utterly devoid of sexual context. Personally, I think we place too much emphasis on human genitalia, to the point where it almost seems like the crime is knowing what they look like, despite the fact that everyone has one.
In my opinion, there are situations where nudity makes a lot of sense - like at the pool, or in a laundromat, or lounging around at home when a visitor comes knocking - and other situations where it is maybe reasonable to expect people to remain dressed. However, the fear that somebody might see a person's genitals outside of a private bedroom encounter is so severe that it doesn't matter in what context it occurs. It's to the point where - to cite a recent case - despite fighting for the right of women to breastfeed in public, a woman can still be charged with a sex offense for being topless in her own home!
2. Do you consider any difference between the current generation and the previous ones with respect to their perception of being without clothes?
I don't know that I have a proper perspective to answer this question, finding myself now in the middle of my life, not so far removed from either the older or the younger generations. When I was younger, I studied some of the counterculture attitudes of the hippie movement in the 1960s (not without a certain sense of admiration), and it seemed that they had a relatively liberal approach to both nudity and free expressions of sexuality, that I'm not sure left as much of an enduring mainstream impact as I might have hoped.
As to trends among today's youths, I do think technology makes it easier for people to explore nudity, in this age of mobile phones (as I recall my own newfound sense of freedom when I bought my first webcam at age 18, that didn't require photos taken with it to be developed by a third party). But as far as cultural perceptions of nudity go, as an outspoken activist for nudism, I see people raised today into the same narrow-minded conceptions of nudity being taboo, and something that should be kept private, that I myself was raised with and had to overcome.
[description: a nude hiker ascends a hilly trail in the woods]
3. What is the feeling that is transmitted to you without clothes?
I enjoy being without clothes for a variety of reasons (twenty-five of which I've illustrated and written about in a book I recently published, titled Why Nudism?) - both sexual and non-sexual. Sometimes, it's just more convenient not to get dressed (like when I crawl out of bed, or step out of the shower). Other times, I value the comfort of being free from restricting fabrics pressing against my skin - like coming home and taking off your shoes, but not stopping there.
But there is more to it than that. When I am naked, I feel the thrill of being unclad - my body parts free to move about at will. I delight in the transgression of society's taboo - I have been told that it is improper to go about unclothed, yet it is a delightful sensation; so why should it be denied of me? When I am outdoors - with the wind in my hair, warm sunshine on my skin, and grass under my feet - this sensation is intensified, as I am laid bare to the universe, not hidden away in shame indoors.
There is a spiritual element, that I feel most keenly when I am out in nature, dressed as naturally as the fauna around me. And, sometimes, there is a sensual element, too. Our bodies were created for pleasure; textile society tries (albeit unsuccessfully) to lock that truth away behind clothes. I do not wish to disrupt the conventions of society regarding where and when sexual activity is appropriate, but there can be a pleasant erotic charge to nudity, that is fun to indulge in under the proper circumstances.
[desciption: a naked man stands on a rocky outcropping overlooking a lake]
4. Do you consider yourself a nudist, and if so, why?
I do consider myself a nudist, absolutely. Although I will sometimes joke that I am not one, to alleviate the pressures of conformity, or otherwise to spare the nudist community from some of my more controversial opinions. Whenever a community labels itself, there is a tendency to ascribe certain beliefs and practices to that label. This is, naturally - and intentionally - an exclusionary process to some degree. But I prefer to speak for myself, rather than let my views be represented by some collective entity. However, I do support nudism. And I most definitely practice it. So it would be folly for me not to consider myself a nudist.
5. Have you practiced naked individually or collectively?
I have practiced both. I started out individually, stripping off my clothes during adolescence, for isolated periods. Something intrinsic to my nature must have drawn me to nudity even at an age when I felt extremely self-conscious presented before others.
Years later, I learned about nudism, and ventured forth to practice recreational nudity with others - mostly strangers at the time. I have grown accustomed to that lifestyle by now. Moreover, I have spent many years as an artist modeling nude for the appreciation of strangers - something that has gone a long way towards building up my self-confidence, so that today I have no qualms at all being seen completely naked by anyone who doesn't mind the view.
My only concern is whether someone will object to that view, because I do not wish to bother anyone with my nudity (or get into trouble for it). At the same time, I do believe it is unfortunate that we live in a culture where it is assumed that you must dress (in spite of having a preference for eschewing clothes) for the benefit of others' sensibilities. In some ways, we are not as free as we like to claim.
[description: a man reaches out while hanging naked from the branch of a tree]
6. What do you think is the biggest benefit that brought you to be without clothes on a personal level?
Nudity, to me, is honest. Not just because of the symbolism of being exposed. Naked bodies are natural. The clothes we put on them are an artifice. Not that it is wrong to intentionally construct one's identity - I still engage in that practice, whether nude or absorbed in fashion. But I enjoy being nude. And it doesn't feel right to hide that fact. So to me it symbolizes not just a pragmatic approach towards comfort and convenience (which it is), but also a principle I value and live by, which is to be our authentic selves, and to seek truth and beauty outside of the narrow conventions in which society instructs us to look.
[description: a man stands nude in the woods with arms outstretched, surrounded by fall foliage]
1. What is your perspective on the nude in today's society?
Speaking primarily to United States culture (because I know attitudes vary across the globe), I would say that the nude is largely misunderstood. Our culture is paradoxically obsessed with sex yet still heavily repressed. We accept overt displays of sexuality in our media (however implicit), yet are notoriously skittish about explicit nudity - even when that nudity is utterly devoid of sexual context. Personally, I think we place too much emphasis on human genitalia, to the point where it almost seems like the crime is knowing what they look like, despite the fact that everyone has one.
In my opinion, there are situations where nudity makes a lot of sense - like at the pool, or in a laundromat, or lounging around at home when a visitor comes knocking - and other situations where it is maybe reasonable to expect people to remain dressed. However, the fear that somebody might see a person's genitals outside of a private bedroom encounter is so severe that it doesn't matter in what context it occurs. It's to the point where - to cite a recent case - despite fighting for the right of women to breastfeed in public, a woman can still be charged with a sex offense for being topless in her own home!
2. Do you consider any difference between the current generation and the previous ones with respect to their perception of being without clothes?
I don't know that I have a proper perspective to answer this question, finding myself now in the middle of my life, not so far removed from either the older or the younger generations. When I was younger, I studied some of the counterculture attitudes of the hippie movement in the 1960s (not without a certain sense of admiration), and it seemed that they had a relatively liberal approach to both nudity and free expressions of sexuality, that I'm not sure left as much of an enduring mainstream impact as I might have hoped.
As to trends among today's youths, I do think technology makes it easier for people to explore nudity, in this age of mobile phones (as I recall my own newfound sense of freedom when I bought my first webcam at age 18, that didn't require photos taken with it to be developed by a third party). But as far as cultural perceptions of nudity go, as an outspoken activist for nudism, I see people raised today into the same narrow-minded conceptions of nudity being taboo, and something that should be kept private, that I myself was raised with and had to overcome.
[description: a nude hiker ascends a hilly trail in the woods]
3. What is the feeling that is transmitted to you without clothes?
I enjoy being without clothes for a variety of reasons (twenty-five of which I've illustrated and written about in a book I recently published, titled Why Nudism?) - both sexual and non-sexual. Sometimes, it's just more convenient not to get dressed (like when I crawl out of bed, or step out of the shower). Other times, I value the comfort of being free from restricting fabrics pressing against my skin - like coming home and taking off your shoes, but not stopping there.
But there is more to it than that. When I am naked, I feel the thrill of being unclad - my body parts free to move about at will. I delight in the transgression of society's taboo - I have been told that it is improper to go about unclothed, yet it is a delightful sensation; so why should it be denied of me? When I am outdoors - with the wind in my hair, warm sunshine on my skin, and grass under my feet - this sensation is intensified, as I am laid bare to the universe, not hidden away in shame indoors.
There is a spiritual element, that I feel most keenly when I am out in nature, dressed as naturally as the fauna around me. And, sometimes, there is a sensual element, too. Our bodies were created for pleasure; textile society tries (albeit unsuccessfully) to lock that truth away behind clothes. I do not wish to disrupt the conventions of society regarding where and when sexual activity is appropriate, but there can be a pleasant erotic charge to nudity, that is fun to indulge in under the proper circumstances.
[desciption: a naked man stands on a rocky outcropping overlooking a lake]
4. Do you consider yourself a nudist, and if so, why?
I do consider myself a nudist, absolutely. Although I will sometimes joke that I am not one, to alleviate the pressures of conformity, or otherwise to spare the nudist community from some of my more controversial opinions. Whenever a community labels itself, there is a tendency to ascribe certain beliefs and practices to that label. This is, naturally - and intentionally - an exclusionary process to some degree. But I prefer to speak for myself, rather than let my views be represented by some collective entity. However, I do support nudism. And I most definitely practice it. So it would be folly for me not to consider myself a nudist.
5. Have you practiced naked individually or collectively?
I have practiced both. I started out individually, stripping off my clothes during adolescence, for isolated periods. Something intrinsic to my nature must have drawn me to nudity even at an age when I felt extremely self-conscious presented before others.
Years later, I learned about nudism, and ventured forth to practice recreational nudity with others - mostly strangers at the time. I have grown accustomed to that lifestyle by now. Moreover, I have spent many years as an artist modeling nude for the appreciation of strangers - something that has gone a long way towards building up my self-confidence, so that today I have no qualms at all being seen completely naked by anyone who doesn't mind the view.
My only concern is whether someone will object to that view, because I do not wish to bother anyone with my nudity (or get into trouble for it). At the same time, I do believe it is unfortunate that we live in a culture where it is assumed that you must dress (in spite of having a preference for eschewing clothes) for the benefit of others' sensibilities. In some ways, we are not as free as we like to claim.
[description: a man reaches out while hanging naked from the branch of a tree]
6. What do you think is the biggest benefit that brought you to be without clothes on a personal level?
Nudity, to me, is honest. Not just because of the symbolism of being exposed. Naked bodies are natural. The clothes we put on them are an artifice. Not that it is wrong to intentionally construct one's identity - I still engage in that practice, whether nude or absorbed in fashion. But I enjoy being nude. And it doesn't feel right to hide that fact. So to me it symbolizes not just a pragmatic approach towards comfort and convenience (which it is), but also a principle I value and live by, which is to be our authentic selves, and to seek truth and beauty outside of the narrow conventions in which society instructs us to look.
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