Nudity is truly ok (or not?)

[The Tibetan Hat]

If you truly believe your naked body is acceptable to anybody, then you should be prepared to show it to anybody,

Despite being the flawless adonis I am, I really don't believe that at all. I have to reconcile myself to the fact that a lot of people do have a problem with nudity and can find it uncomfortable, even distressing, out of the sort of context where they might expect it to see it. Until societal attitudes change, I really don't mind being considerate of those sensitivities, and happily go about my naked gardening or beachgoing without too much guilt.

[davidk]

If you truly believe your naked body is acceptable to anybody, then you should be prepared to show it to anybody,

Despite being the flawless adonis I am, I really don't believe that at all. I have to reconcile myself to the fact that a lot of people do have a problem with nudity and can find it uncomfortable, even distressing, out of the sort of context where they might expect it to see it. Until societal attitudes change, I really don't mind being considerate of those sensitivities, and happily go about my naked gardening or beachgoing without too much guilt.

Thanks for requoting this, TH. In the excellent discussion of whether we should be prepared for everyone to see us naked and be aware of our being nudists, I really missed the actual wording:

...then you should be prepared to show it to anybody

(emphasis mine)
I am a nudist/naturist. I am not an exhibitionist. I do not show by naked body to anyone, though literally thousands have seen me naked at beaches, etc. I am not prepared to be an exhibitionist. While I often discuss politics in what I consider appropriate settings, I do not attempt to force my political views on anyone. I am deeply religious, but do not attempt to force religiosity or my approach to religion on anyone. Why would I want to force my naked body on anyone?

David

[kattia]

If nudity is ok, as so many nudists and naturists apparently believe, then surely more people should be happy to have photographs of themselves, hairy or smooth, young or old, pretty or plain, on public display. It amazes me how many so-called nudists say the naked human body is perfectly acceptable and then proceed to hide it from society behind closed doors. If you truly believe your naked body is acceptable to anybody, then you should be prepared to show it to anybody, in real-life, or in print, or on the web. Hiding yourself means you don't really believe what you say. Discuss Smiley

Rich.

http://www.naktiv.net

That's only true only if someone thinks it's perfectly fine being naked anywhere and at any time. Hardly anyone is like that and most are comfortable with nudity only under some circumstanced.

[John P]

There's not wanting to be seen naked for reasons that are conventionally called "modesty". But you can purge yourself of every shred of that, and still not want to be naked, if you're afraid that there will be practical adverse consequences--anger from family members, disapproval at work, teasing by friends, even accusations of being a criminal or a pervert. Those things are not trivial.

As the Bard said, "When our actions do not, our fears do make us traitors."

[richinud]

If nudity is ok, as so many nudists and naturists apparently believe, then surely more people should be happy to have photographs of themselves, hairy or smooth, young or old, pretty or plain, on public display. It amazes me how many so-called nudists say the naked human body is perfectly acceptable and then proceed to hide it from society behind closed doors. If you truly believe your naked body is acceptable to anybody, then you should be prepared to show it to anybody, in real-life, or in print, or on the web. Hiding yourself means you don't really believe what you say.

If you are in a position where you can make your nudism known to the entire world, without reservation, and have no repercussions to fear, then congratulations. I envy you, and maybe I'll get there someday (retirement?) I'm not there, though, and neither are uncountable "so-called nudists" including many right here on this board.

Hmmm, I have re-read my original posting here, and I hadn't realised I'd said "so-called nudists", in such a rude manner - I did say that, and I'd like to take it back, but I can't, it's in my posting and will just have to stay there. I was trying, (and failing), to make a light-hearted jibe, it was not intended to offend in the way you have unfortunately taken it. I can see how my attempt to express what I believe to be true came across very badly and for that I am sorry. I think what I was trying to say was that I get the very strong feeling amongst "traditional nudists/naturists" that photos are a bad idea altogether, and I just don't agree with that at all. I do of course realise some people can abuse the privilege and use naked photos for their own purposes, most definitely unintended from source, but do not believe that therefore these photos should not exist. I also believe that it is a positive thing to promote naked activities, and promotion involves advertising, and advertising involves images. There are many old nudist books and magazines which actively promoted the lifestyle and many nudists enjoy reading these old publications, there appears to be very few modern versions of the same, and certainly it's a very rare event to see one in a mainstream book-/news-paper shop. How then do the public become better educated? I don't think hiding behind walls is the answer, and this approach has been (imho) one of the reasons nudism/naturism is becoming an activity for old people who always used to do it with their families, but with fewer newcomers to the lifestyle. Again, I think that education is one of the best ways to improve/change a situation and therefore my idea is to promote naked activities via the use of images and text, both online and in book form, hence I have several projects on the go, one of which currently is the new book. We're about to finalise our choice of photos, and this is why I am particularly focused on this subject at the moment. If anyone takes the trouble to actually look at my website, they will surely see that I discuss a large number of issues, and have written a great deal on the subject of nakedness. Indeed my "Active Nudists" book was translated into both French and German to reach a greater audience, clearly declaring that the text is as important to me as the image. I am however a visual person, and I cannot pretend otherwise just to conform to prurient taste, to me the beauty of the naked form is most definitely worth celebrating and while I am able I shall try to convey that sense of beauty and freedom to the genereal public.

However, I do unreservedly apologise, to Eugenius and the board, for the "so-called nudists" jibe, that was both unnecessary and clearly insensitive on my part.

Rich.

[Sammy]

You need to beware not to fall into the trap into which most revolutionaries fall; that of being just as tyrannical as the regimes they overthrow. Look at Castro, or Khomeini; they fought against something oppressive, and then immediately put their own oppression in place.

You can't do that; people CAN now post naked pictures, if they want to, and some choose not to, for a variety of reasons. If you want a target, tackle the causes of those reasons. Tackle the sense in society that naked = porn; tackle the late night masturbators, attack those who would make a workplace unwelcome for someone who likes to be naked. Help people have the opportunity for freedom, but don't make the mistake of thinking, even a little bit, that you can or should force them to be what you think of as free.

[richinud]

Help people have the opportunity for freedom, but don't make the mistake of thinking, even a little bit, that you can or should force them to be what you think of as free.

I agree with you, Sammy, and I'll try to remember to be a little less careless with my enthusiasm in future - ah, the joys of (slowly?) going senile...

Rich.

[Kiwee]

Someone once said words to the effect of: if you can stand naked before your neighbour, you are naked before God.

I *can* do that, but whether I would or not is another matter. Knowing I have that choice is often enough; sometimes not enough, if I don't follow through on it. Ultimately, one lives as one chooses without giving a damn what anyone else thinks. Does that mean starkers anywhere, any time? Of course not; why would you? (nudist places excepted). As has been pointed out before, we see what we want to see in anything; believe what we want, regardless of whether the person/s involved see it the same way. Some would celebrate Gough for standing up for 'being human'; others would condemn for 'flaunting himself'. Perception.

[sanua_chap]

Someone once said words to the effect of: if you can stand naked before your neighbour, you are naked before God.

That's one of those wonderfully ambiguous quotes people can read either way.

Depending on whether you think the author is saying

"If you can stand naked before your neighbour, whether or not you you do so, you are naked before God."

or

"If you can stand naked before your neighbour, and actually do it, you are naked before God."

it can mean very different things.