Keeping Nudity in the Wardrobe

[description: a nude figure stands among a row of clothes hanging in the closet]

I've said this many times already, but though I would enjoy living in a nudist utopia, I'd be willing to settle for a textile world that merely accepts a nudist minority among its folds, without discrimination. You see, I don't want to actually force anyone who's considered nudity and rejected it to remove their clothes. I just want to ensure that nudity remains an option, and that those who might like to try it are not discouraged by other people's beliefs and opinions.

Because that's what our culture is doing. People who might enjoy and voluntarily choose to engage in nudism (or even just casual nudity without calling it nudism, and thereby invoking all the baggage that comes with being part of a "lifestyle" or "movement" - because the important thing isn't whether you call yourself a nudist or identify with nudism, but whether or not you like being naked) are being repressed by mainstream values. Ours is a culture of conformity, and not one that values individual diversity. And I think we're worse off for it.

It becomes even more insidious when we consider gender imbalances. "I can't go naked because I'm a girl!" Is it any wonder nudist demographics skew male? It's not because men have any more to gain from nudism, but because we commodify women's bodies and then strive to maintain an economy of scarcity (and girls pick up on this from a very early age), which has ties to the barbaric and antiquated practice of a father selling his daughter's virginity to the man she is to marry (so you'd better stay pure to maintain your market value!).

I want to create a better, happier world for us all, but I'm woefully outnumbered and overpowered. And I can't help anyone if the world ignores or disagrees with me. All I can do is hang my head and sigh, dying a little more each day. As I once wrote in a poem during my angsty teenage years, "I offered you the key to the gates of Paradise, and you turned me down." I've been wondering for a long time why people refuse to let themselves have things that would make them happy, only because they contradict some arbitrary code of morality or propriety.

Although, more often than not, it's people preventing other people from being happy, only because they can't be happy themselves, in a vicious cycle of communal flagellation. When people try to control other people's behavior, it's usually a reflection of their own insecurities. But isn't life hard enough? What's the point in making any of us suffer more than we have to, and denying us things that could make the suffering more bearable? Not things that are dangerous, just things that, as I said, are arbitrarily considered to be "immoral" or "improper".

That rules out true crimes like stealing and raping and murdering, as well as the imbibing of illicit substances that are experientially and scientifically proven to destroy our minds and bodies. And I don't mean anything in excess. For all we talk about how activities like drinking and smoking are toxic (and they are), they're still national pastimes. But flash a little too much skin in public, and who does that hurt, really? What is the big deal if somebody sees "too much" of your body? God forbid you should give some total stranger a fleeting moment of joy. It may be considered a "vice", but I don't believe it even belongs in the same category as those others.

You know, re-reading that last part, it occurs to me that this is undoubtedly exacerbated by, as much as I hate this term, "rape culture". In a world where women are sexually harassed without consequence (although that is changing), and a man may blame his sexual frustrations on the women who inadvertently trigger his desires, covering up is merely self-defense. But how sad is that? That's not the world I want to live in. I want to live in a world where women feel comfortable walking down the street naked in public, and men have the maturity and the responsibility to conduct themselves with dignity. Is this too much to ask? The world says yes, but I desperately want to believe the answer is no...

Oiled Up

Here's another set of outtakes from my Why Nudism? project, from the latest entry, which has me oiled up and laid out on a makeshift massage table. Much as it pains me to mix nudism and eroticism (you might find this hard to believe, due to my unflinching candor on the subject, but I don't enjoy blurring the line, considering the extent to which this approach may threaten one of my most beloved pastimes; I just enjoy betraying my dedication to truth and reality even less), if we are to take the nudists' declaration that "nudism is no different from a textile lifestyle, just with less clothes" (or, more simply, "naked is normal") at face value, then an unavoidable conclusion is that, just as in the textile world, some activities may have erotic undertones (or overtones), or lead to sexual activities. Becoming a nudist doesn't make you asexual.

And, whether in a nudist context or not, massage is a very sensual activity. That it has great potential for synergy with sexual activity, does not mean - as with nudism - that it is intrinsically related to sex, or is inherently a sexually explicit activity (of course). But a desire to be ultra-sanitized and politically correct is no reason to ignore or deny this very appealing (in the right contexts - that is, when all involved know what to expect and are okay with that) possibility. Which I display for you here:

[description: series of erotic nude photos involving oil and a massage table]

Why Nudism? (Part 21)

[description: a nude body lies face down on a massage table]
Because it's therapeutic.

I confess that I have never had a professional massage. (Yes, I know - I'm sure I am missing out). But opportunities for massage therapy turn up not infrequently in nudist situations. Although it takes another step outside of your comfort zone from being naked in front of others to letting another person touch your body (and some people like to draw conclusions from this), I think massage provides an excellent example of the sensual element of nudism - not necessarily in the sense of being sexual, but being a heightened sensory experience. Part of the joy of being naked is allowing the myriad nerve endings in our skin to experience all the sensations we deny them when they are stuffed up inside our clothes.

Moreover, massage can be very relaxing. But nudism itself presents a number of therapeutic benefits, which affect both the body and mind. From the sensory release from our clothes, to the relaxed lifestyle, the freedom and comfort that comes from accepting the skin we're in, and the improved attitudes towards our own and others' bodies...nudism is not only enjoyable, but has the potential to be a very healthy lifestyle. Some tout it as the cure to many of modern society's ills - a return to paradise, or a walk through Thoreau's Walden. This is largely a self-fulfilling prophecy - you get out of nudism what you put into it. In truth, few will disparage your choice to engage in common "vices" like drinking and smoking (to wit, there are plenty of nudists who themselves do these things). But even just the relief from society's uptight, textile-based taboos, and the opportunity to accept oneself "as nature made us", can be a crucial step towards a happier, more peaceful and fulfilled life.

Double-Take

[description: an image of a bathroom sink reveals a nude figure in the edge of the mirror]

I like images that can inspire a double-take. It's that joy of hiding in plain sight. You could perhaps interpret it in a critical fashion, as the exhibitionist impulse to "sneak" something indecent into everyday situations, setting unsuspecting strangers up for a shock. But that's assuming a rather negative interpretation of the impression such a thing will have on people. Why should a piece of eye candy disturb or offend anyone, rather than delight them? Alternatively, I like to interpret it as a challenge to the notion that such a thing is so universally appalling. If that's true, then how is it possible that you could take one glance at this image, and almost not even notice it? Is it really all that bad, after the fact? Or are you, perhaps, overreacting?

Sticks

[description: series of nude hiking photos in the woods while the trees are bare]

My first naked foray into the woods of the year! Unseasonable temperatures during the winter are a great opportunity to get some unique shots outdoors while the trees are all still bare. And what better excuse to go bare yourself? I lament that I don't have nearly enough opportunities (and nearly the courage some of these guys must have that I read about online) to do much "freehiking". But it really does feel amazing, being open to the air and unencumbered by the trappings of civilization, while surrounded by the majesty of nature. I think it's one of the best activities to epitomize both the appeal and ideals of naturism.

Prurient Smut

[description: a vulgar portrait of male anatomy]

I don't have an objection to prurient smut, on principle. I think too many people have too liberal an idea of what constitutes prurient smut, but I don't think prurient smut should be censored (restricted, maybe - I understand that not everybody wants to see it - but not censored, and certainly not illegal), just because it's crass and base-minded. While some of our instinctual appetites can be hazardous to our own and others' health (see: violence), I think that it's healthy (and it's obviously pleasurable) to indulge the sexual impulse, so long as you are doing so in ways that are not overly excessive or unethical.

And on those terms, sharing pics of your anatomy on the internet (in the right contexts - not messaging them to strangers without provocation), is a pretty simple and harmless way to get your kicks, especially compared to navigating the extremely complicated field of interpersonal relations. Plus, as an exhibitionist, I don't think anyone would disagree that it's a more favorable hobby than flashing strangers on the subway (not that I've ever personally known anyone to be interested in that sort of thing, as opposed to trading dick pics, which is extremely popular - much to the enduring chagrin of polite-minded society).

Anyway, images like these - they're not really "artistic" in the sense that I'd like to believe a lot of my other images are, although I have a pretty liberal definition of what constitutes art - but when you get all up close and anatomical like this (which is not usually my preferred approach), I can't help feeling like they begin to take on an almost scientific value (more often than not, I find these sorts of images more "educational" than erotic). Shocking or not (and certainly I would privilege carefully culled photos, and not just any old snapshot of anybody's anatomy in any condition whatsoever), I actually think being exposed to images like these can be healthy.

Not just as a form of sex education - which, considering some of the comments I've come across, there are a lot of people who don't appear to have a firm grasp of how a penis functions - but also in the same sense that seeing all kinds of normal bodies in a nudist environment helps to ground your expectations and combat poor body image. When this part of our bodies is so meticulously censored in everyday life, and the only time we are exposed to it is either in our own relatively limited experiences ("you mean not everybody is as big as my last boyfriend?"), or pornographic media where actors are typically chosen for their exceptional anatomy, it can be reassuring to learn what an average person really looks like (why is it a big secret what people look like under their clothes anyway?).

I don't necessarily enjoy looking at closeups of the male anatomy in most cases (and even the female anatomy I prefer to view from a distance, where you can see the whole person behind it), but I've seen quite a few penises in my days of browsing galleries on deviantART, and I have to say, I think I'm better off for it, because it doesn't faze me like it would have in the past. And it shouldn't. It's just human anatomy. It's not that big of a deal.

[description: immodest closeup of an erection]

Except when it is that big of a deal. -_^

Prom Preview

I feel like it's still a bit early in the season yet (although the dress catalogs have been on the newsstands for months already), but I'm so excited about the dress I've picked out for my (imaginary) prom, I couldn't wait to show it off (again).

[description: closeup of a shimmering black tube dress, worn al fresco]
Doesn't it look like the night sky?

I was out shopping for shoes for my Valentine's Day dress, and it got me thinking about the shoes I need to go with my prom dress. I tried the red ones with it, and I like them a lot. They're available in black, so I think I'm going to pick some up. I just need to find a cheap (but flashy) clutch purse. Anyway, I was trying the red shoes on with the dress, and I liked what I was seeing in the mirror so much, I had to record a video of it.

[description: fashion video modeling a sexy black dress with red heels]
See how the dress glitters?

Oh, and I suppose I'll be needing a date. Can you believe nobody's ever asked me? Actually, now that I think about it, I'd probably have more fun just going with a group of girls. I know, you're thinking, "it's a shame he's not gay," but it'd be just like meeting a beautiful woman, and then finding out she's a lesbian. I can't help liking what I like. And the reason I enjoy being a girl is because I like girls so much. They really do excite me. That a man who puts on a dress must be trying to attract the attention of other men is actually heteronormative thinking. I don't mind the attention - taboo fantasies are hot - but you should know where I stand.

[description: portrait of a man in dress and heels, crawling on the floor without underwear]

Or, you know, where I get down on the floor on my hands and knees. :-p