INTERNATIONAL NUDIST

A nude painting, “Benefits Supervisor Sleeping”, may be the most expensive painting ever sold by a living artist when it goes on sale at a UK auction house in May. The model is also still living, now 51, but the painting was made 20 years ago, when she was in her early 30s.

I love this painting for it’s unapologetic realism and natural beauty. As with a rare few other photographers and artists, we see a real woman in a real setting, very unlike the narrow, unlealistic and strange view Hollywood and the mainstream Western media tries to force upon us.

More on the story here.

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Is a nudist / naturist utopia possible? It depends on your definition of utopia. A utopia, as defined by many, is a place where there is some ideal environment and people and where people behave in some ideal way (i.e. there are never any behavioral problems or violations of the rules). The problem is that, when you’re dealing with humans, you’re dealing with human nature and issues do arise in reality. However, human behavior can be improved with rules or laws that have consequences upon violation. In this more realistic approximation of a utopia, nudist utopias already exist, in the form of nudist resorts. Modern nudist resorts work because there is a basic code of conduct that must be followed. Nudist places where you have no rules are also where you can have more behavior problems, such as public nude beaches.

So if nudist resorts are our real-world nudist utopias, why do some nudists yearn for more? I think for many, it’s because they want a more complete society. While a nudist resort might be a nice little utopia, members may never be able to shop, bank, work or do other everyday, “civilized” activities nude. To live a life within a nudist resort eventually becomes claustrophic and limiting to some. So maybe scale is the issue. Cap d’Agde, France is considered the largest clothing-optional complex in the world, many calling it a “nudist city”. Here, people can indeed buy groceries and bank in the nude. There is no good reason something even bigger (a more complete nudist society) doesn’t exist somewhere, and it’s only a matter of time before it does.

There have been many conceptions of nudist utopias in the past and present. Many have envisioned a nudist island, while others, an area within their own country. Some even dream of a nudist colony on mars or other extraterrestrial destinations!

It’s interesting that many general ideas of a utopia and paradise include nudity. These ideas may be of religious sources, myths, legends, real-life groups. These accounts and conceptions of paradise include the Garden of Eden, at the introduction to Judeo-Christian scripture, and the Greek’s Golden Age. Modern dreams of a utopia often include nudity or nudity-tolerance.

Whatever nudist utopias may exist or have existed, the future is bound to provide even better possibilities.

The Golden Age by Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1530

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Amor Vincit Omnia Caravaggio, 1602

I know that Valentine’s Day is almost a month away, but I had to reveal my long-held suspicions.

Though Cupid, who is almost always depicted nude, has never made a public statement, I strongly suspect that he is indeed a nudist. Perhaps Cupid, like other in-the-closet nudists are afraid of the “nudist”/”naturist” label, due to how others may react. Well, we understand your concerns, Cupid, but we think the cat is kinda out of the bag by now. We fellow nudists got your back though!

Strange… western society holds nudity to be such a taboo yet allows such a nude icon to persist! Maybe there is some hope for more tolerance toward nudity in society?

Whatever the case, keep doing what you do, Cupid! You just may be nudists’ most public figure!

Cupid on Wikipedia

Santa the Nudist

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Santa is one of us! I couldn’t resist posting this photo that’s been going around on the internet for a couple years. The forwarded email usually reads something like “what Santa looks like in the summer”. Well, Santa Claus is obviously no fool. How else to relax after an intense Christmas season? Hang out at a nudist resort, of course!

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You haven’t lived until you’ve hiked naked!

Have you ever been walking along, in the wilderness or otherwise and thought “Gee, this would feel even better with out clothes”? Hiking nude may be the ultimate experience of freedom. Nothing between you and the air allows you to totally relax and become one with the environment.

Now, finding a place to hike nude is not always easy. You may be lucky enough to live near a nudist resort with adequate trails. If not, you can find sufficiently remote areas of state and federal parks where you are  unlikley to encounter anyone. Usually if you do encounter someone, they will not report you nor have an unfavorable reaction. It is considerate, however, to have a pair of shorts handy in case you see them before they see you. Types of suitable terrain could be anything hikable, from forests, to mountains to deserts. Your items you want to carry can be kept in a back-pack or fanny-pack. As with clothed hiking, keep in mind sunscreen and insect-repelling needs. 

Check these links for more information on hiking nude:
Nude Hiking and Soaking in the Pacific Northwest
Hiking Naked Forums (hikingnaked.com)
Nude Hiking is for Real
Hiking Nude. What It Feels Like!
Roger’s Nude Hiking Page
Arroyo Seco River Hike
Nude Hiking in the Northwest: A Mini-Guide
Steve’s Northwest Nude Hiking: reactions!
Naturist Hikers Yahoo group
Naked Hikers Yahoo group
Nude Hiking in the Yukon & Alaska
Nude Hiking Etiquette & Tips
Hiking au’ natural in the Pacific Northwest (slideshow)
Go Nude Hiking on 43things.com
Naked hiking on Wikipedia
Nude Hiking on Flicker
Nude hiking thread on Nudist-Resorts.org
Welcome to Bare Country (Canadian naturist hiking)
Hiking Naked Forums
Naked-Hikers / Bushwalkers Australia
Nackt in den Bergen (German)
North Florida Naturist Hiking & Camping
Randonue ou Randonnue (French)
SE Queenland Nudists (Australia)
Shane’s Hiking Journal
Nude bush walks article
Nude Hiking in Washington’s Cascade Mountains
Five days of nude hiking (barepacking) in the Ocala National Forest
Nude Hiking in Washington’s Cascade Mountains
Naked Rambler official site
Singles Outdoor Club Naturist Walks (UK)
Nude Hiking in Washington’s Cascade Mountains
ScoutLeben: gebührenfreie Natur- und Wildnislehren (German)
Nackt Wandern (German)
Nackt Joggen (German)
WaldFKK forum (German)
NacktWandern.org (German)
Hiking Naked - Naked Body, Naked Mind

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If you like to do things nude, why not do Christmas or New Years nude? Many nudist resorts have holiday events, including Christmas and New Years. Some may not be able to get away from non-nudist family during the holidays, but for those that can, there are many clothes-free options to enjoy.

Check with your area resorts to see if they have holiday hours and events. Here is just a sampling:

Terra Cotta Inn: Nudist Christmas party (Palm Springs, CA)
Cedar Trails Holiday Party (East of Cincinnati, OH)
Paradise Gardens: Christmas Weekend - Darts and a Dance (Cincinnati, OH)
Cypress Cove: Christmas Hay Ride (Orlando, FL)
White Thorn Lodge: Christmas and New Years parties (Darlington, PA)
White Tail Resort: several Christmas and New Years activities. [PDF!] (Ivor, VA)

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Did prehistoric man tan? It seems quite likley that they would have taken at least short breaks from their clothing to dry out, clean up and feel refreshed. Genetic studies of the human body louse indicate at least some humans started wearing clothing about 72,000 years ago. I say some, because there are still remote ethnicities that live their lives nude today (not even counting us nudists)!

Imagine something like ice age clothing. You’d need multiple layers, and you would start sweating with the everyday activities such as hunting, gathering, and grinding food. This was way before washing machines, underwear, swim trunks, inexpensive clothing at Old Navy, private bedrooms, soap and showers. On top of this, notice I mention the study of lice. Yes, body lice had been a consistent scourge of humanity since we invented clothing, until more modern hygienic times. Now imagine all the itching and how all sorts of things, from lice, to fungus, to smelly bacteria could breed under a caveman’s clothes. What would be the only real solution? Get naked - and often! Getting nude in the sun for a few minutes would have help to dry and cleanse the skin and clothing, and would have provided more vitamin D absorption through the skin. In fact, it’s the human body’s physiological “desperation” for vitamin D that led to the evolution of lighter skin tones of some races. By the fire at night would have been another good place to get nude, with similar drying-out effects to sunlight.

And remember… the study said that some humans started wearing clothing 72,000 years ago, which indicates everyone was pretty much nude, all the time and everywhere, before that!

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OK, folks if this does not prove America’s insanity on female body image, I don’t know what does. To any other people in the world, at any time the history of man, Jennifer Love Hewitt would be considered beautiful and shapely, but somehow America’s warped, monstrous vision calls this “fat”.

For the record, Jennifer says she loves her body and that “a size 2 is not fat! Nor will it ever be.” She says “To set the record straight, I’m not upset for me, but for all the girls out there that are struggling with their body image.” We couldn’t agree with you more, Jennifer.
More:
Hewitt strikes back over bikini shots (omg! news on Yahoo!)

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It appears, that from various fronts, Hollywood and the mass media’s anti-feminine agenda is (finally) being rejected with a vengence! Hollywood, the mass media and the fashion industry effectively preach that the natural variety of feminine forms are bad, and that women must be ultra-thin and have more male-ish features.

People are starting to talk - in a good way - about curvier celebrities, like Queen Latifah, Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Love Hewitt and others. There have been several TV progams in recent months talking about how maybe it’s OK after all for a woman to actually look like a woman, rather than some unrealistic, unhealthy ideal. Of course, real men have always liked the curvier women, but nobody has listened to them (I guess it’s not politically correct to).

As nudists, we know very well what real, everyday women look like, but the non-nudist American only sees that 2% unrealistic group that the media allows to be displayed. Imagine young women seeing this 2% and naturally assuming they, themselves, must be abnormal and inferior. It’s no wonder many have suggested nudism as a healing therapy for body image problems.

Tyra Banks Show: “Do I look fat?”

Some might wonder how this strange, anti-feminine prejudice came to be in America (and increasingly in Europe and other places). There are probably several causes. To make women feel horrible about having normal bodies might be a concious or subconcious supression tool used by men to make women feel inferior, and therefore more hopeless and easier to control. Some have suggested that the authority of gay men in the fashion industry has really warped the idea of what should be considered attractive in a woman. Nothing against gay men, but should they really be the authorities on what makes a woman attractive? There might be evidence that American men don’t have the testosterone levels and clear instincts at the level they once had, which might help explain why so many men are confused and impressionable regarding what they think they should be attracted to. In addition, it could be a self-reinforcing cultural phenomenon, that nobody really thinks makes sense, but any objectors are struck down for disagreeing with the majority. Whatever the case, this culture of natural-female-hate and mother-hate (that will be abother article) is very, very wrong and must change!

Jessica Weiner is perhaps the most well-known heroine of this movement. Jessica has appeared on Oprah, the Tyra Banks Show, The View, CNN, MTV and more. Jessica’s books are helping to restore self-esteem to millions of young women and girls who have needlessly been made to feel inferior by this bizarre anti-female assault by the media.

Links:
JessicaWeiner.com
Jessica Weiner on MySpace

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Christian nudism is a flourishing movement which has taken root in recent years. While there have always been nudists who were Christians, there are now many websites, groups, and even locations dedicated to the idea that Christianity is quite compatible with nudism. Of course the Bible has been interpreted through the ages to say what leaders at the time wanted it to say, and sometimes what were considered “Christian” principles were not actually biblical in origin at all. Many Christian nudists now point out that there is no commandment in the Bible that says it is wrong to be nude, in front of others, or otherwise. In fact, some of the mentions of “shame” in association with nudity in the Bible should be taken in cultural context. Nudity was more of a symbol of poverty or humility than immorality (with possible exception for things such as the Israelites-and-golden-calf episode). In fact, the association of immorality with nudity seems to have been made by medieval church leaders, who of course did many other things to supress people’s pusuit of happiness in life. American Christianity seems to have often associated nudity with immorality, with sexual meaning assumed, though this varies by religious sect and even region of the country.

Even the story of the Garden of Eden implies that nudity should be idealized as a part of a state of paradise.

Not many Christians know that there was an unusual Christian sect, the Adamites, that flourished in North Africa through the 4th century AD (with similar, later revivals in Europe) that practiced nudism. Perhaps it is the earliest known western case of nudism as a conscious movement to  be nude.

Christian nudism helps the nudism as a whole, to maintain a non-sexual, disciplined, well-principled image. And whatever the future of Christian nudism, it’s sure to add some balance to some beliefs that had become biased with agenda-driven interpretations though the ages.

More to See
Christian naturism on Wikipedia - A great article that about covers it all.
The Naturist-Christians Organization
Fig Leaf Forum - “For Christian nudists and naturists”.
Christian Nudist… at Our Sun Home
Christian Nudist Convocation
Boyd Allen’s Christian Naturism
Christian Nudist Sites List 

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