Kaitlin Goes Buck - CBC Radio One

Kaitlin Goes Buck for All Us Canucks from Roz Allen on Vimeo.
Starring Kaitlin Fontana. Produced, shot & edited for CBC Radio One.

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"In My Body" Exhibit Celebrates Female Form

 [...]

Pitts, 32, also posed nude for "In My Body," a stunning collection of images of women as subjects of beauty. For more than 20 years, Macdonald has shot nudes of all shapes, sizes, ages, and ethnicities to celebrate the female form.

It's a state of undress, she says, that allows women to connect and gives them space to feel beautiful about themselves, and not, as how so many nude women are displayed, as a tool for men's peccadillos.

"I live for these photo shoots," Macdonald, 40, says. "I find the exchange so powerful. I've loved to learn my own body by photographing other women."

And they are something to celebrate: Skinny young women with small breasts, older, fleshy women with big breasts, breast-cancer survivors with no breasts, still standing.

And the exposure does not just lay in posing nude, says Ade Jaiye, 29, a full-time commercial model.

"I can look at my nude image and nine times out of 10, I can tell what I was going through," she said as she stared at the truth her equally naked facial expression conveyed.

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5 of the Best Naturist Beaches in Italy

As most people are well aware, Italy is surrounding by the blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. As such, people are quite well aware of the amazing beaches that comprise the Italian coast. However, they may not be completely aware of the fact that there are several naturist beaches on the Italian coast. Not all of the naturist beaches are of the same value and some get better marks that others. So, which are the best naturist beaches in Italy? Here is a look at the top 5:

Capocota Beach: This beach rests on the southern coast of Rome and is frequently visiting by naturists from all over the world. This is hardly a new beach destination as it has long since been popular. In fact, it has been around for many decades and originally gained international prominence in the 1970s. However, it has only been an exclusively nude beach since 2000. Despite being a naturist beach for only a decade, it is among the most popular in the region drawing in scores of tourists thanks to its brilliant ambiance. Why not become one of them yourself?

Click here to see the others

Body Scanning good for Nudism

Americans are learning to accept their nude bodies as body scanning becomes routine at United States airports.  Soon folks will be able to accept nude bodies at beaches because it just won't seem like such a big deal anymore.  I predict a golden age of nudism in the next year and for many years into the future.

Nudists fight for bare essentials as swingers invade holiday colony

To make a French nudist blush might appear to be a mission impossible. Not at Cap d'Agde, on the Languedoc coast, home to "naked city", Europe's largest nudist holiday colony.

A long-simmering war between two tribes of the unclothed – "traditional" nudists and so-called "libertines" or exponents of free sex – exploded into a public protest at the town's council meeting this week.

Old-fashioned naturists have been complaining for years that Cap d'Agde's once-sedate nudist quarter has been disfigured by an influx of partner-swapping clubs and raunchy hotels. A flurry of arson attacks on sex clubs two years ago was blamed on low-level terrorism by nudist fundamentalists.

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Rally for topless equality in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO -- The sight of men wearing bras or bikini tops hardly causes a ripple in San Francisco anymore, but on Sunday, a group of guys did so for a different purpose - to demand that women be allowed to legally bare their breasts in public.

Not because men want to see them, the protesters said. For justice.

"If we're supposed to be equal across the board, then women should be allowed to show their breasts," said Michael Staley, 43, who was topless except for a bustier and a straw hat. "Why can't they? Men can, women should, period."

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More travelers willing to bare all on naked vacations, survey says

By Rebecca Heslin, USA TODAY

More travelers are willing to bare all in 2010, according to a TripAdvisor survey. Staycations are so 2009. It's nakations in 2010.

According to a recent TripAdvisor survey, there is one thing staying home more during vacations: clothing.

The online travel community asked 22,091 U.S. travelers if they would bare all at the beach and 48% said yes. This is up from last year's nude beach survey, in which 31% of respondents said they would "love to see and be seen" at a clothing-optional destination.

"Travelers indicate in their reviews that the real appeal of nude beaches has nothing to do with flaunting one's flesh or checking out the neighboring eye candy," said Amelie Hurst, a TripAdvisor spokeswoman. "Rather the spaces often benefit from a lack of crowds and beautiful settings that can be enjoyed by any demographic."

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Breaking the Skinny Dipping Record

Best Nude Beaches In The WORLD (PHOTOS, POLL)

Who needs a bathing suit when you've got a birthday suit? All ages, all sizes, come bare your beautiful beach bod in these top tan-line free zones. All you need to bring to get in is absolutely nothing at all.

Click here to see the sideshow

Back from a long trip, hope to post more often now.

Will take 2 weeks off

Thanks for visiting. I will take 2 weeks off to take care of some personal business. See you again later this month.

Skinny Dipping is All American

"When you shed your clothes," say the folks at the American Association for Nude Recreation (www.AANR.com), "you shed the stresses of every day life." So this July 10, AANR is encouraging the public to de-stress by participating in one of the summer's most all-American events, the 2nd Annual Guinness World Records™ "Skinny-Dip Across North America."

All-American you ask? The AANR informs that skinny-dipping was once very common in the U.S. Among other notable Americans, Ben Franklin and Presidents John Quincy Adams and Theodore Roosevelt are perhaps the best-known skinny-dippers. Throughout our nation's history, in rural America young boys and girls have swum with youthful abandon in secluded ponds and swimming holes, as was immortalized in Norman Rockwell's No Swimming illustration. In fact, though little remembered, before the YMCA began to admit females in the early 1960s, swimming trunks were not even allowed in the pools, citing the impracticality of clogging pools' filtration systems with lint fibers and soap residue from swimsuits. And culturally, the skinny-dip has been part of such family-friendly movies as Oklahoma! and On Golden Pond, among dozens of other mainstream films.

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Breastfeeding Is NOT Creepy!

[...]

And, on this side of the pond, that wise, sage Kim Kardashian --- whose own boobs are limited to working the night shift -- tweeted this to her fans: "EWW Im at lunch,the woman at the table next 2 me is breast feeding her baby w no coverup."

I understand that eyebrows get raised by this public display of this natural beauty, for I once staged a research study for my psychology dissertation on breastfeeding and romantic attachment. While interviewing nursing mothers, I learned that one of the most common reasons that women quit breastfeeding is embarrassment about nursing in public. All over Europe, paintings and statues of the Madonna (the real one, not the one who Vogues) depict her nursing, yet our American culture still can't get past the idea that breasts are more than sexual objects.


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11 Naturist Villages in France

Nude Arts Model in Taiwan

Who thought it could be possible? A nude arts model in Taiwan, children happy to make drawings of her, and above all: fair media reporting without the sensation, the titillation, and the remarks that it could harm children.

The model in question is no stranger to the cause of non-sexual nudity in Taiwan: Juan Jen-chu is a 50-something woman who sells food at a stall in Kaohsiung, Taiwan's second-largest city. In her own time, she stages performance art, an activity which got her noted before because she performed in the nude at an arts center. She also turned up in my blog earlier this year because it was she who suggested the launch of a "naturist passport" as the start of a campaign to win the legalization of naturism in the country.

Her modeling took place at a university in Kaohsiung over the weekend, but the target audience was not the campus, but a wide variety of people interested in painting and drawing. Juan stood naked next to a plaster version of her own nude self while the public drew and painted her, and media camera teams swarmed all over the place.

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"It's Hip to Skinny Dip"

Wisconsin nudist campground joins effort to set skinny-dipping record

A nude recreation area near Hixton, Wis., is joining with nudist organizations across the U.S. in an attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the largest single-day skinny dip.

The event, dubbed "It's Hip to Skinny Dip," will take place at 2 p.m. July 10 at Aurora Gardens Retreat.

Co-owner Bob Reinke said Aurora Gardens took part in the first event last year, and about 100 people attended. He's hoping for more this year.

"Excuse my pun, but we are looking for a little more exposure," Reinke said. "We have the difficulty of advertising."

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Interesting facts from the history of family nudist people

The first nude beach in England was opened in 1979 on August, 9. Initially, the first family naturism society was registered in 1893. The word nudism derives from the French word ‘nu’ which means ‘nude’. By the way, some nudists prefer to be called naturists. The founders of the movement were Germans Heinrich Pudor and Richard Ingavitter. They were the promoters of being closer to nature, healthy lifestyle, giving up bad habits like smoking vegetarianism, and fitness. They assumed family naturism to be a form of democracy. Indeed, with no clothing means no social stratification and prejudice. In post-revolutionary Russia nude people used to walk down the streets waving banners that went like Down with Timidity! In the 20s of XX century Russian delegations were the largest among international family nudist delegations during conferences, but in 1936 nudism was officially banned by USSR law. In 1953 UNESCO sprang out International family nudist federation which is now joined by more than 30 countries. Russia joined the Federation in 1995. Ever since then there are several independent nudity societies in Russia that have rather tense relationships between them. They still cannot come clear upon some essential matters like which of them is more naturalistic and nudistic. At the same time rank people who prefer sunbathing in swimsuits and swim trunks are scornfully referred to as ‘swimsuit wearers’. By the way, there are also the so called barefooters – those are the people whose attitude towards footwear is similar to that of nudists towards clothing items. They prefer stay barefooted as it is healthier, nicer and more fun, etc. Some of them are family naturism followers who state that one cannot be considered naked unless they are barefoot.

From the very beginning Europe had an overall favorable attitude towards family nudist movement, and authorities tried to assign separate coastline territories to nude swimmers. Things were more complicated in America, where nudists appeared only in the 20s of XX century and haven’t ceased to complain about discrimination until that day. According to the officials of International Naturism Federation, nudism forms a healthier attitude towards human body and conditions a deeper self-awareness of a society unit. Eliminating the last artificial barrier between man and nature, nudism not only creates the backgrounds for increased intersexual sincerity and openness, but weakens the ways of sexual segregation that infuses our society at the same time, thus forming human solidarity factors. Nudism is a great stimulus for working on one’s body, for the necessity to undress brings the necessity to be more physically cultured.
Russian law hasn’t got a single act prohibiting or limiting the freedom of staying nude outdoors. As a matter of fact, should some legal misunderstandings arouse, police and courts are guided by their set logics and their own common sense. The extreme measure that can be implied to a nude troublemaker trying to bathe in a city fountain is disorderly conduct charge.

It needs to be mentioned, however, that the rules in family naturism organizations are quite rigid. People act with expressed dignity and politeness. One is not allowed to drink alcohol. Family nudism is encouraged in many ways; married couples can only be registered with their spouses. By the way, one does not need to stay nude all the time on a nude beach. Common sense comes first, so during noon hours only daredevils won’t shield themselves from sun effects. And a bit of ‘nude’ humor in conclusion: keep in mind that nudists are not afraid of pick-pockets, and nudist costume fits everyone!

Source

Being naked always in season at these places

6. Wreck Beach, Vancouver

Soak up the sun at one of the largest nude beaches (more than eight kilometres long) in the world. Each year, more than half a million spectators come to enjoy the "scenery," which also includes an avocado-green forest and cliffs the colour of vanilla ice cream.

7. Englischer Garten, Berlin, Germany

Have lunch in the Schonfeld meadow portion of this urban park and nude sunbathe alongside free spirits and German businessmen (suits in a pile), as they've been doing since the '60s.

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Topless Beach May Soon be Unveiled in New Jersey

New Jersey has a nude beach in a remote corner of Sandy Hook, but no 'topless' beach anywhere else along its roughly 140 mile coastline. Asbury Park may be about to change that.

"I sit topless at my house so I don't have a problem with it," said Nicole White, 35, as she laid on the beach in Asbury Park with her bra strap undone, while showing she has no tan line back there.

"Why not?" asked Deputy Mayor and City Councilman John Loffredo, who asked the City Manager and City Attorney to come back with a full report in time for its July 7th meeting.

"It's a person's prerogative if they want to go topless," said Loffredo, who noted that it is common not just in Europe, but on Miami Beach as well.

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Anyone for a dip in the nip?

The Irish Naturist Association is calling on local authorities to designate areas for nudist swimmers this summer – but are Irish beach-goers ready for it?

PERHAPS IF God had wanted Irish people to be naturists, he would have given us more sun and less physical insecurity. As it is, baring all in public places is illegal in Ireland and there are no designated nudist beaches or official naturist areas. But could that all be about to change as we finally strip away our national shyness? An as yet unpublished study commissioned by the Irish Naturist Association offers a curious snapshot of public attitudes towards baring all in Ireland.

Carried out by Benchmarking Consultants, the results show that 88 per cent of Irish people would consider using naturist facilities if they existed here while 82 per cent of those surveyed would support naturism being officially recognised.

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The history of nudity and fresh air in Germany

Freikorperkulture (FKK) or Free Body Culture was founded in Germany in 1903 by Heinrich Pudor, a one time advocate of freedom who then turned nationalist. Nudity became an expression of the freedom of spirit and body. FKK is a phenomenon known especially in northern Europe but it has also taken hold in many other countries. Surprisingly FKK also has a long tradition even in the generally considered prudish United States.

Due to the squalid conditions of many of the late nineteenth century buildings in Berlin FKK was a serious attempt for people to enjoy the outdoors in style. It offered the masses the possibility of light and movement; nakedness and freedom; all for the price of one entry ticket. Gymnastics was also done naked; in fact the first part of the word goes back to its Greek root, gymnos,meaning naked.

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Sketch Club celebrates the human form

"This is for us, and it’s for fun," she said.

Layman added that capturing the intricacies of the human body one of the greatest challenges for artists.

"It does take years. I think it takes a lifetime," she said.

The sketch club — which was started in 1914 by one of the founders of the Winnipeg Art Gallery — facilitates the exploration of the human body as an art subject by bringing in a live nude model once a month. Members can work in whatever medium they prefer.

Tanner said that giving artists a chance to draw or paint the naked human body is something he’s proud the club can offer.

"The general agreement is that the human body is the hardest thing to draw or paint. It’s the ultimate test," he said.

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It's just naked ambition

David and his wife Jean, 67, first discovered their naked ambition on a summer holiday in France just over 16 years ago. Once back on home soil they quickly looked up local naturist clubs and joined Oakwood.

He said: "There are lots of clichés about the feeling of being close to nature, but it's true.

"There's a freedom about it. You swim without the encumbrance of a soggy costume. You really feel at one with nature."

David argued that getting your kit off was also a great equaliser, saying: "Once you've got your clothes off you can't tell whether you're a doctor or office clerk.

"There's no class."

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Practical Naked Know-How

[...]

And while many of the nudists I saw were gross and had unpleasant folds of skin and bulging veins, in the moment I found it difficult to judge. It wasn't my place to visit a culture that avoided using appearance as criteria for evaluation and throw society's standards back upon them. And I had to admit my own bias. If I had been seeing a younger, more beautiful generation, the nudism might not have felt so taboo.

More than viewing a foreign, deviant people, what I was staring at was the future. Yes, we have attractive, youthful bodies now, but what about fifty years down the line? Our society is so taboo about older bodies that we try to ignore them. If you don't believe me, just remember what a stir Kathy Bates caused in her hot tub scene in About Schmidt.

As a society we cling to youth -- worship it -- and even as we try to prolong our lives, we avoid thinking about what that actually means. Someday, I too will be old and gross, and even if I choose not to be quite as enthusiastic as the nudists, I hope I can take it with the same unbroken stride and unwavering confidence. So for that reason, I salute the old nudists of the Armadillo Resort. They might not be pretty, but they certainly have my respect.

More here

Miami World Naked Bike Ride

Nude Against Crude: Naked Bike Ride Protests Spill

If you drove over the Venetian Causeway this afternoon and came upon a barrage of naked bicyclists, you weren't to panic: it's for the birds.

Organizers of the Miami jaunt of the World Naked Bike Ride say their pedaling sans coulottes is less about doffing their tops and bottoms, and more a "labor of love" to protest the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico by promoting independence from oil and car culture.

"Miami World Naked Bike Ride provides a platform for the members of this community to channel all this in a genius, positive, creative, ridiculous and slightly subversive way," wrote Miriam Cruz, head of the bare-as-you-dare endeavor.

"There is value to exercising our right to peaceful protest. At the very least it will inspire others to do the same, at its very best it will draw us together as a community, show us that we have heart, and help create the bonds that will help heal us a little."

More here

Nude Cruises Can Be Fun

Why go naked?

Excerpt

A very common experience, especially for those new to naturism, is "what was all the fuss about?". What they feared did not come to pass. No ridicule, no looks "in the wrong places", just people going about their lives, nude. As Caroline Walker1 said in a report on her first experience of a nude beach, "As I was starting to feel more and more out of place with my clothes on than without, I just striped off and threw my clothes down. To be honest it was all a bit of an anti-climax at this point, and you start to wonder why you were making such a big fuss of it: it felt so natural and normal I just resumed them usual business of applying plenty of sun cream."

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How Green Is a Nudist Vacation?

With summer upon us, how many green vacationers’ fancies will turn to thoughts of nudism?

Going without clothes on beaches and other vacation spots is commonly called naturism — a description that implies helping the planet, as some practitioners claim to be doing.

Spending more time with nothing on stems waste and pollution in all sorts of ways, according to an article by Kathy Blanchard on The Naturist Society’s Web site.

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Boulder Nudists Win Fight With City

BOULDER, Colo. — A Colorado woman who likes to garden wearing only a yellow thong and pink gloves has won her fight with her landlords, who wanted her to cover up. Boulder Housing Partners has decided not to outlaw tenants from going topless outside. That will allow 52-year-old Catharine Pierce to keep gardening the way she likes.

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“Nudist and I vote!”

Nude Beach on Capitol Hill?

Nudists with the American Association for Nude Recreation say there may not be a nude beach in Washington. But they have established a “beach head” on Capitol Hill and they won’t be yielding it any time soon.

“We’re bringing another team of volunteers in from across North America to walk the halls of Congress this week,” notes AANR’s Executive Director Erich Schuttauf.  “But we also have active members living in the DC metro area who engage officials all year long. So it’s also as if we never leave.”

“We’re committed to active participation in the political process. It’s a long term commitment,” adds Schuttauf.

According to AANR, more than 40 million Americans have skinny-dipped.  But how do you spot nudists in and about the nation’s capitol?  They’re dressed in business attire so it’s not easy at first.  There are subtle clues, however. Some wear buttons that say “Nudist and I vote!” or “It’s Hip to Skinny Dip!”

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Skinbook casts off the naturist rule book

Karl Maddocks does not approve of traditional nudists. The 25-year-old from Manchester believes that they have too many rules.

“You shouldn’t need to fill out application forms and pay fees to clubs,” he argues. “Just go to the beach and get your kit off. Why walk around in sandals and socks? As much as I’m into this — that’s weird.”

As a reaction, two years ago Mr Maddocks created Skinbook, a website that claims to be the world’s largest nudist social network. Thousands of people have flocked to the site that has many of the same features and functions as Facebook — except everyone on it is naked.

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Should Miami Beach Allow Ladies to Go Topless on the Streets Too?

This one is from a while back.

Miami Beach is one of the few public places in America where topless woman aren't so much as a spectacle as they are a regular part of sun bathing society. Sure, tourists from the heartland can't help but gawk, but locals and international visitors are pretty used to it. Salon's Mary Elizabeth Williams wonders if the rest of America should lessen its inhibitions and have a more Miami Beach attitude toward lady toplessness. Though, she takes it a bit further: toplessness not just on the beach, but on the streets, too.

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Vitamin D and the Sun

Vitamin D is found in many dietary sources such as fish, eggs, fortified milk, and cod liver oil. The sun also contributes significantly to the daily production of vitamin D, and as little as 10 minutes of exposure is thought to be enough to prevent deficiencies. The term "vitamin D" refers to several different forms of this vitamin. Two forms are important in humans: ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). Vitamin D2 is synthesized by plants. Vitamin D3 is synthesized by humans in the skin when it is exposed to ultraviolet-B (UVB) rays from sunlight. Foods may be fortified with vitamin D2 or D3.

The major biologic function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, helping to form and maintain strong bones. Recently, research also suggests vitamin D may provide protection from osteoporosis, hypertension (high blood pressure), cancer, and several autoimmune diseases.

Source

Public nudity 'should not be treated with hostility'

I write to comment on "Topless walk turns into carnival" in the Saturday, May 1 newspaper. The young woman, Andrea Simoneau, having attended a topless march in Portland, also did recently in Farmington.

It is unfortunate that such an act would be greeted with hostility and confusion.

Some European countries have nude beaches. And I think there is at least one town in France that is totally nude.

An individual's misconceptions are due to their obvious lack of education related to this subject.

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A nude beach for Seattle?

It looks like Seattle residents want some of what we've got in spades: Nude beaches.

The mayor, Mike McGinn, has created a site polling residents for ideas to improve the city. In third place — with 1,711 votes as of Friday night — is the suggestion to set aside park beaches for recreational, "European-style" optional nudity.

Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/opinion/nude+beach+Seattle/3085231/story.html#ixzz0pWLZF5my

Naked Hiking Suggestions

"When contemplating going for a naked hike for the first time, there are three major points which come to mind. While some of these might appear obvious, at first sight, they are really core to the activity and deserve a little thought.

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Nudists expose 21st-century reality

Some nudist resorts are closing and membership numbers declining, but those who drop their clothes say that's no reason to go undercover.

In fact, naturists, as they prefer to be known, insist that their hobby is alive and well. It's just adjusting for the 21st century.

[...]

Members of the Crocus Grove club have said poor marketing and mismanagement were to blame for the declining turnout. But Ryynanen said naturists no longer feel the need to gather in an official resort to shed their clothes. With just a few clicks of a mouse, naturists can find a beach or park where being nude is tolerated — and no rental or membership fee is required.

"A number of people have said, 'Well, the beach is free,' and as a business, we certainly can't compete with that," she said.

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Organizer: Women have same right as men to go shirtless

Topless protest planned

Proponents of a clothing-optional beach in Key West are challenging the city's anti-nudity law, claiming it is unconstitutional in its unequal treatment of men and women.

Tracy Leigh, president of Florida Keys Free Beaches, is organizing a Gender Equality rally for July 4, and hopes to encourage women to appear topless within the city, and thus claim the same rights as men to appear shirtless in public.

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Can ‘Naked Fridays’ Help Productivity at the Office?

Each episode tracks a company over the course of the week as they grapple with the usual office issues, culminating in the dreaded event, “Naked Friday,” where everyone is asked, but not required, to show up in the buff.

The idea, according to the show’s behavioral expert, who, by the way, has done consulting for HSBC and IBM, is that if you get such a huge fear/ inhibition out of the way, it will make your team stronger. More open. More honest.

So, does it boost productivity?

Read more from CNBC

Top Ten Naked Moments In Art

As part of Sky1's Naked Britain series we take a look at the top 10 naked moments in art.

Click here

Katz apologizes to breastfeeding mom for pool incident

MAYOR Sam Katz apologized Wednesday to a local mother who was told breastfeeding at a public pool was "offensive," and human rights officials have offered to educate all city employees about a woman's right to nurse a child.

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Update May 21, 2010: Moms plan nurse-in at Pan Am Pool
 
A group of local mothers is planning a mass "nurse-in" at Pan Am Pool after a staff member told a woman it was offensive to breastfeed her 11-month-old at the public facility.

Jenna Baker breastfed her daughter, Ocean, following the infant's morning swim class at the public pool on May 10.

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See Australia The Naturist Way

The idea of whipping your clothes off on a crowded beach may not appeal to everyone, but nudism is a growing trend. A recent Gallup Poll showed that people are much more tolerant of nudism than in the 1980s and in fact a growing number of people embrace the naturist notions. In Australia, social nudism has existed for more than 80 years and has spilled out from private clubs into everyday life. There are dozens of beaches and resorts that now cater for naturists and those who just want to be able to sunbathe in the nude without being stared at.

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Breastfeeding in Public: A Christian Father Speaks Up

The following is a letter from one Christian father to another regarding the topic of breastfeeding in public.

Here

World Naked Bike Ride

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How Nudism Can Save You Money

That dirty word – “Laundry”: Let’s start with the obvious. Nudists tend to wear as little clothing as possible, usually nothing at all, as often as possible or whenever conditions allow. Most live in climates that are tropical enough to maximize this opportunity. Wearing less clothing means washing less clothing and washing the clothing that they own less frequently, requiring the repair and replacement of clothing less often. They also tend to have less of a wardrobe, requiring less storage space. So here, we are seeing a saving in money spent on laundry detergents, gas and electricity to operate a washer and dryer, replacement clothing and repair costs, home closet or storage space. We also see less chlorine, phosphates, ozone and carbon dioxide pumped into the environment as well as a reduction in health issues related to exposure to the chemicals needed for properly washing clothing. (Chlorine bleach is one of the deadliest chemicals we can expose ourselves to).

Read more here

Top 10 places to go skinny-dipping

Loosen your buttons & shake off your inhibitions with this extract from Lonely Planet’s 1000 Ultimate Experiences: our rundown of the world’s best nude bathing.

Here

The naked truth: Out and about with Scotland's naturists

For years it was the norm for naturists to use first names only or nicknames. It wasn't the done thing to ask where someone lived or what was their occupation. These days, though they are more relaxed, there is still a reluctance to be named in public. "People get funny ideas about naturist clubs; that we're all swingers and so on," says Colin, steering the boat past a small island that is home to a colony of shags. "But nothing could be further from the truth."

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Nude Gardeners ring in annual celebration

Mesa County, Colo: Fenced in and out of sight a group of Grand Valley residents let it all hang out as they participate in World Naked Gardening Day. Party host, Guy, a self declared naturist, or nudist, if you will, says, "Celebrate the freedom of naturism and nudism by gardening." His girlfriend Karla, and fellow nudist, echoes the same thought, "Its liberating it's an amazing experience, you feel more close to nature than you would in any other way."

Read more, see video

Get Naked: It’s Good for Your Brain

Specific studies have not yet proven that full-scale nudity directly benefits brain performance, but here’s peripheral evidence indicating that skin-only is superior:

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World Record Skinny-Dip

 [...]

One thing that was exciting to me last year was to see the number of first-time nudists participating.  Here is a chance to reach out to one of your friends and say “just give it a try for five minutes.”  They may not become members but they will have stories to tell their friends, and they will have a better understanding of who we are.  And, they will have a better understanding why you are a member. 

I would like to see 20,000 participants this year.  Can we do it?  It depends on each of us.

For more information about the AANR World Record Skinny-Dip or to find a location, click here.

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World Naked Gardening Day

Get ready for the Fifth Annual World Naked Gardening Day (WNGD)! People across the globe are encouraged, on Saturday, May 8, 2010 to tend their portion of the world's garden clothed as nature intended. 

Gardening has a timeless quality, and anyone can do it: young and old, singles or groups, the fit and infirm, urban and rural. An elderly lady in a Manhattan apartment can plant new annuals in her window box. Families can rake leaves in their back yard. Freehikers can pull invasive weeds along their favorite stretch of trail. More daring groups can make rapid clothes-free sorties into public parks to do community-friendly stealth cleanups.

Why garden naked? First of all, it's fun! Second only to swimming, gardening is at the top of the list of family-friendly activities people are most ready to consider doing nude. Moreover, our culture needs to move toward a healthy sense of both body acceptance and our relation to the natural environment. Gardening naked is not only a simple joy, it reminds us--even if only for those few sunkissed minutes--that we can be honest with who we are as humans and as part of this planet. 

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The Bare Pit

Happy May Day!

Today is international labor day, happy nude May Day.  Hopefully on this Saturday we can spend a little time practicing a bit of naturism at home, at the beach, or elsewhere.

Tunick tribute to Lowry with nudes in Manchester

 [...]

The volunteers are all of different body shapes and sizes.

Michael Simpson, from The Lowry, said: "I think Lowry would really like it because his whole mission for him was to paint ordinary, everyday people going around their daily lives.

"The people who feature in this project are doing something extraordinary, with no clothes on, but they are just ordinary people, all different colours and shapes and sizes.

"He would like the fact that it is not high-brow or pretentious, just ordinary people. He would be amused, even a bit bemused probably."

Read more at BBC News

Living the nude life

"I really kind of regret the whole venture. In naturism you're not trying to sell yourself — you're just being yourself. You're not looking to accumulate wealth or things... At Western they're just too shallow, superficial and addicted to clothing."

Post-secondary education is all about image. Students learn to package and sell themselves to get ahead while the prestige of their program determines whether employers give their resumes that crucial second glance. But for students like Lannon, naturism is an escape from the image obsessed rat race.

Much more here

Nudist hotel on Turkish coast receives public approval

A hotel that will only serve nudists in the Aegean resort town of Datça has received the support of locals, Doğan news agency reported Monday.

Open exclusively to foreigners, the beachfront nudist-only hotel Adaburnu Gölmar, built on a 14,000-square-meter plot of land located 15 kilometers from Datça’s town center, will open on May 1. It will be Turkey’s first hotel to serve nudists and the locals in Datça are excited about the opportunity.

Read more

Topless March Legal Officials Say

Legislators and police are getting calls from people who are upset and want to stop a topless march planned for April 30 in Farmington, nearly a month after a similar parade of women and their supporters through Portland.

Locals say people in the western Maine college town got a glimpse Wednesday of what's to come. A 22-year-old University of Maine at Farmington student, Andrea Simoneau, walked downtown streets wearing only a long skirt and the word "Freedom" written across her chest. The day of the march was
written in pink of her back.

Simoneau and others who attended the April 3 march in Portland want to highlight what they say is a double standard that applies to women who want to appear bare-chested in public.

Source

Women strut their stuff for Boobquake

Dubbed Boobquake, McCreight encouraged women around the world to flaunt their breasts and their cleavage to prove the Iranian clerics wrong. She even came up with some cleavage-flaunting T-shirts that she was selling for charity with messages that read: “Boobquake 2010: Who says science has to be boring?” and “Boobquake 2010: Did the Earth move for you?”

But the truth is on any given day there is seismic activity. Did Boobquake have any effect on the earth? Apparently not.

According to the United States Geological Survey website there were 45 earthquakes worldwide as of Monday evening, including a 6.5-magnitude earthquake southeast of Taiwan and a 5.4 near the South Sandwich Islands region. In fact, over the last six days the number of earthquakes has ranged from 41 to 48.

According to the website, on Sunday, April 25, there were 45 earthquakes, including a 5.7 near the South Sandwich Islands Region, and a 5.0 in Tonga. On Saturday, there were 38 earthquakes, and on Friday there were 45.

Source

Naked celebrities: Why we'd all rather go nude

It’s all very vanilla. Yet there was originally a sniff of scandal about going naked, usually as a result of context rather than indecency. Way back in 1863, Manet’s Le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe shocked not for its nudity – that was commonplace enough – but for its modern setting, and that the naked woman was with a couple of fully clothed gents. When John and Yoko went full-frontal on the cover (and full-moon on the back) of their Two Virgins LP in 1968, it wasn’t the explicit nature of the photos that gave everyone the vapours. It was how humdrum, hairy and uninviting they both looked (Lennon later described it as a picture of “two slightly overweight ex-junkies”).

Full piece

Confront and accept your nude body

Explore the brilliance of nudity simply because our nude body in many ways is who you are. Each dimple has a story.

Each curve provides a journey. Each freckle dances a memory. Your body is not a political statement, at its core. It is not a thinking sex toy, at its core. It is not a trophy of pristine achievement, at its core.

It is you.

Full piece is here

Get Ready For The Boobquake

Blogger Jen McCreight has proposed that, on April 26, women worldwide don their most immodest tops and see if they can move the earth through the power of exposed skin. Fight foolishness, and join the cause here.

Source 

Nakation Report

Enjoy this Andy Rooney type report from a non nudist.

11 Things I Learned at the Nudist Resort

Although the runners included some people who were in great shape, as a general rule, most people just aren’t that attractive naked, at least as the world defines the term. This was NOT “The Naked Mile” or “Girls Gone Wild”. One of the most liberating things about a nudist environment is that it gives you permission not to be a supermodel. You can simply relax and be Homer Simpson instead of feeling self-conscious because you’re not Matthew McConaughey.

Read more

Nude tourism is popular in Europe

From China's People's Daily


According to the latest statistics, sales of real estate in Europe have fallen sharply due to the financial crisis, but housing developments in nude communities have seen unprecedented growth.

The generation of Hippies is aging, but the 'Back-to-Nature' movement promoted by anti-materialists has seen resurgence in developed countries, including Nudism, which rose in the 1920s in Germany.

The Mediterranean town Le Cap d'Agde, close to Montpellier in Southern France, is one of the biggest nude communities in the world. In the town, nudity is legal. 

More

Topless Beaches for America - a Good Idea?

a sign of a civilized society

 See poll results and comments

Pistol packers, topless women should join forces

But the ultimate would be for Belanger and Simoneau to link arms, at least figuratively speaking, and conduct a joint march around Kennedy Park in Lewiston.

Both guys and gals could bare their breasts, strap on their handguns and mingle before marching to Gritty's to unwind.

More here

FCC, take a rest and stop censoring breasts

 [...]

It’s not like people aren’t unwilling. Janet Jackson did the world a favor on Super Bowl Sunday a few years back and she’s practically charged with lewd and lascivious behavior right there on stage. She delivered the goods and I got to watch football, but instead of pinning a medal on her America banished her to dating Jermaine Dupri and starring in Tyler Perry movies. It’s cruel and unusual punishment just for flashing her God-given talents.

If that wasn’t enough, what did we get the following year: Paul McCartney’s corpse playing the best of Wings. I’d rather see him topless than listen to Wings.

Why did this happen?  Paul McCartney was safe.

Safe? Last time I checked nipples didn’t kill, discriminate, cause cancer, or default on a loan payment. Nipples help nurture and bring life. As far as I’m concerned, that is the exact definition of safe.

If America would just loosen its top and take away the negative and mysterious stigma associated with the female breast, we would all be better off.

Source

Avoid Baggage Fees With Nude Vacations

Spirit Airline's latest baggage fee -- up to $45 for the privilege of stuffing your bag into an overhead bin -- has at least one travel group hoping vacationers will start packing light... very light.

The American Association of Nude Recreation advocates vacation at nudist resorts and says the rising baggage costs make these so-called "Nakations" even more attractive.

Spend a week at a nudist resort and all you'll need -- sunscreen, cap, sunglasses, shoes and toiletries -- will fit in a bag easily stowed under the seat in front of you, said Erich Schuttauf, executive director for the AANR.

Nakations are not just for aging hippies, but for Gen X-ers and echo-boomers as well, according to the AANR. It says that 23 percent of echo boomers and 18 percent of X-ers are looking for a nude recreation experience, proving that the times they are a-changing.

More at ABC News

Going Topless

Here is an excerpt from a woman who was in the march for top freedom who really gets what it means.

The fact that about 300 men showed up to watch and photograph really brought attention to the fact that the fetishization of women's bodies is, as always, an issue. The breast fetish in our country is perpetuated by media and advertising. Do I think that it's going to go away tomorrow? Absolutely not. Do I believe that going topless more often in more areas will start to challenge this? Absolutely.

 Read more here

How to Go Skinny-Dipping
Uploaded by Howcast. - Parties, dorm life, and other college videos.

Londoners love getting naked

Above the entrance to Old Street Tube station, model Yazzy Phillips is currently suspended midway through a nude leap across a billboard. She has been there since last week, and she's quite distracting. 

But before you all abandon your route home and jump on the Northern line, she is (and other models, male and female, are) doing the same thing right across London. Posing naked in adverts for a TK Maxx, HomeSense and Cancer Research UK campaign and imploring us to join in and “Give up [our] clothes for good”. It seems her appeals are working because, right now, London is having a moment of nudity.

[...]

If you were thinking of shedding your threads, however, Andrew Welch is keen to emphasise that naturism is entirely non-erotic. “Naturism is just about a good feeling,” he says. “There is an assumption that everybody will be offended when they see a bit of flesh, but they actually won't be … It becomes commonplace and you stop noticing.

“When the weather gets warm, we have a whole wardrobe of clothes to choose from,” he says. “We choose to choose none.” Something in the London air suggests that, this summer, he won't be the only one.



Read full article

Welcome to Nude York

The notice at the entrance to the show at the Museum of Modern Art warned of nudity "and other images which may be disturbing to some." Visitor discretion was advised.

Inside the gallery, a crowd had formed in front of a nude couple in a corner. An old man, supporting himself on a cane, gamely stepped up to the man and the woman, who stood immobile, just inches apart, like caryatids flanking the doorway to another room. Brushing up against their naked skin would be unavoidable. The choice: face the man or the woman, as he squeezed through. (He chose to face the woman.)

A couple of rooms farther along, an undressed man lay on a bench with a skeleton draped across his chest and, just before the exit, a nude woman had been mounted to the wall, perched on a kind of bicycle seat, her arms spread wide in a tableau that resembled a crucifixion.

Whether this is indeed a cultural moment or just the effects of spring, New York has looked (and felt) like the naked city in recent weeks. And while the days of Rudy Giuliani's decency commission are long gone and a less censorious mayor has taken his place, the works have people talking.

Read more

Women Protest for the Right to Bare Breasts in Public (Video)

Women have come a long way in this country from the days that they couldn’t vote and were not allowed to attend college and were not allowed to own property.

But they still have not reached full equality with men. At least when it comes to taking off their shirts.

Only one state has made it legal for women to walk around in public topless in the same manner that men do. And that is New York. And only because of a 1992 court ruling that said it cannot be illegal for a women to be topless if it is legal for a man to be topless.

However, in 2005, 25-year-old Jill Coccaro was arrested in New York City after she removed her top in public. She sued and won $29,000 two years later.

There have been other landmark victories for the so-called topfree movement.

But despite the laws that forbid women from being topless in most other states, most women don’t seem overly concerned about walking around topless. If anything, the real battle is over breastfeeding in public.

Read more

Heidi Klum's Family Fine With Nakedness

Heidi Klum doesn't mind her parents seeing her naked.

The German-born supermodel and host of US TV show 'Project Runway' said she is comfortable with nudity and her family all have an "easy going" attitude to it.

She told Tatler magazine: "My parents are still naked. I mean, it's not like we're hippies and we run around naked, but if they happened to be in their room changing or something or someone comes out of the shower, they're not, like, 'Oh my God. No. Close the door'."

Read more

Great moments in pop nudity: Erykah Badu, John & Yoko, Tori Amos and more

Erykah Badu did a brave thing/made a shrewd marketing decision when she stripped down to her pixillated altogether for her new "Window Seat" video. However, as the artiste would certainly freely admit, her self-exposure is hardly unprecedented. Badu herself credits Brooklyn indie sweethearts Matt & Kim for inspiring her video. She could have rolled a longer list at the beginning of her clip.


What are your favorite moments in provocative pop flesh-baring? I'm not talking about simple titillation, but about nakedness risked to make a point. Here are some that spring to my mind. Yes, I left out Prince. Tell me what else I should have mentioned. (Warning: Some linked images below might be considered NSFW, but as with Badu, it's all in the name of art!)

Click here

Women march topless in Portland without incident

PORTLAND – About two dozen women marched topless from Longfellow Square to Tommy's Park this afternoon in an effort to erase what they see as a double standard on male and female nudity.

Source

Victoria was not a typical Victorian

She is portrayed as a repressed and melancholy widow who spent much of her life clad in black.

But a new art exhibition will challenge this traditional view of Queen Victoria by revealing her as a passionate, open-minded woman.

Victoria & Albert: Art & Love is the first-ever show to focus on the enthusiasm for art shared by Britain's longest-reigning monarch and her husband, Prince Albert.

It reveals the couple's starkly-differing attitudes towards works of art, with the queen favouring titillating images featuring plenty of naked flesh, while her husband appears prudish by comparison.

...

Another example of Queen Victoria surprising society with her unconventional enthusiasm for nudity is given in the exhibition's catalogue, which features Life Study of a Male Nude by William Mulready, the Irish painter.

The queen bought the picture following a visit to an exhibition of contemporary art at Gore House, Kensington, in 1853 which included several drawings of nude men by the artist.

...

Lynda Nead, professor of History of Art at Birkbeck, University of London, and a specialist in Victorian visual culture, said: "There is a generalised assumption about Victorian prudery and the Victorians as a society who couldn't bear thinking or speaking about nudity.

"But this exhibition may prompt a rethink of that view, as it shows that the queen had a more varied attitude to sexual morality in art and culture."

Source

Nudes in Spring

Spring weather is good news for baseball players, hikers, cyclists, gardeners and barbecue fans.

Nudists, too.

Warmer temperatures bring everyone back to their favorite pastimes. Nudists have been waiting to take off their clothes and hang out in the sun since October, when they generally end their seasons outdoors and climb back into flannel, denim and cotton.

Read more

Seek Out 5 Best Nude Beaches In US

Several American Beaches Encourage Visitors To Bare All

Thanks to the scantiness of modern swimwear, many beaches in the U.S. seem only a small step away from a nudist colony, but the experience for first-time nude beachgoers is often still shocking.

If you're looking to ease your way into the naturalist lifestyle, nudist resorts and topless beaches are available that offer a slightly less adventurous experience. However, our top five best nude beaches are the "Full Monty," so proceed with caution!

While many of the world's best nude beaches are located outside the United States, there are several beaches across the nation that encourage visitors to bare all. However, not all of these nudist havens are created equal.

Whether you're looking to get an even tan, meet people who share your naturalist values, or just let it all hang out, these are America's top five best nude beaches.


Click here to see them all

Nude is Normal

Continuing his innocent indulgence for fun, quirky and intriguing moviemaking, Lundy intends on filming 100 women in various countries for “Naked Conversations with Nude Women” to explore circulating theories suggesting the world is on a gradual shift toward a matriarchal society. The film promises to depict nude women so as to symbolize their maternal natures, imbedded in their psyches by dint of gender. Lundy feels strongly that this visual and narrative approach will work well within this cinematographic concept to be captivating and unique, and positively inspirational to the widest possible audience.

Most importantly, depicting nude women is yet another step in promoting his ‘nude is normal’ ideology, a lifelong oath for Lundy. Lundy hopes his film will beam a vital metaphor deep into the subconscious: woman the creator, woman as mother nature, as the Gaia goddess, as the symbol of fertility from which all life emerges and is continued.

Read more

Painting nude models interesting

Excerpt from here

The human body truly is one of the most beautiful subjects one can possibly draw. This may be because we are all humans, and generally speaking, consider ourselves the highest form of creation. So why not celebrate that ideal?

The vanity behind the artwork itself is what makes it so beautiful. It is this self-loving aspect of our culture that we seem to thrive upon, because the glorification of the human body is the highest form of flattery we can award to ourselves.

I snap back to the moment, and I realize that I have been staring at her bare body for the past hour or so.

I probably know more details about her figure then her boyfriend does. In any other circumstance, that statement would come off as rather disturbing.

Why is that? Shouldn’t it be completely normal for one human being to study another, in order to grasp what we truly are? Why has the initial idea of nudity become so controversial? After all, this is how humans came into the world, naked.

Pastor backs nudist resort

A Cape Town clergyman said on Monday plans by a British company to open a nudist resort in the Western Cape should not only be viewed in a negative light.

British-based Vigla Natura Enterprise's plans are afoot to run a nudist establishment near Stellenbosch.

It is hoped the upmarket resort will be up and running by January next year.

Three churches in Stellenbosch contacted by Eyewitness News declined to comment on the matter.

However, Reverend Laurie Gaum said the matter should be viewed differently.

"If this is about naturalness and is about people really embracing their body's uniqueness, it should be seen in a positive light. This thing of nudism is often confused with a sexual act."

Source

Houston apartment complex unveils clothing-optional sun deck

HOUSTON – A River Oaks apartment complex is taking a stripped-down approach when it comes to offering incentives to lure renters.

Video: Residents discuss apartments' clothing-optional sun deck

La Maison, located in Hoston's River Oaks section, is advertising a clothing-optional policy for its rooftop sun deck.

"I haven't been up there yet, but I heard about it," resident Joanna Peter said. "When I tell people, they're like, ‘Wait, what? You have what at your apartment complex? Where are we – the South of France?'"

The clothing-optional area at the complex is a first for Houston. A ccording to the city attorney, there's nothing in the deed restrictions that prohibits clothing-optional areas at apartment complexes.

"It's just like restaurants, or bars, or clothing stores," said Andy Teas, public affairs vice president for the Houston Apartment Association. "You always want to find something to offer that your competitors don't have."

No one was taking advantage of the policy on a chilly Tuesday, but residents seemed open to the concept.

"I'm sure it will be a good place to hang out and get to know your neighbors," said resident Jared Peterson. "All of your neighbors."

Said resident John Harrington: "It's a value-added thing."

Source

Nudity on TV

[...]

It’s really no surprise that the first network to show nudity was PBS. I’m not talking about those National Geographic shows, either. I’m referring to a scene with bare breasts, nipples, the whole shabam. Full-frontal nudity, baby. What did surprise me, though, was the year. I figured that nudity on network television didn’t happen until the late 1980’s, but no. The first nude scene on American network television happened way back in the early 70’s.

On May 4, 1973, PBS aired Bruce Jay Friedman’s play, Steambath, on Hollywood Television Theater. The story was about the afterlife, portraying God as a Puerto Rican steambath attendant, with Bill Bixby playing a man who refused to believe that he had died. The nude scene showed actress Valerie Perrine taking a shower from all sides, exposing her breasts and nipples. While only a few PBS stations were brave enough to air the program, it still goes down in history as the first nude scene on American network television.

So they next time you see someone naked on HBO, give it up for PBS, the first network to break the barrier and show nudity on television. I know I will.

Source

Nudity throughout History

Okay, so maybe New England doesn't have the richest history of embracing nude culture. No one's going to argue that Puritan New England was Jersey Shore when it came to the body and public displays of affection. In 1656, a Bostonian sea captain returned home from a three-year voyage and kissed his own wife on his doorstep, for which he had to spend two hours in the public stocks for "lewd and unseemly" behavior. Yikes. And as we all know, were a lady to show even a little ankle, she'd be considered a harlot. (Hester Prynne's scarlet "A" actually stood for "ankle").

But when it comes down to it, New England has some historically rooted nudity enthusiasts. Founding father Benjamin Franklin, whose parents are interred at the Granary Burying Ground along the Freedom Trail, took daily naked "air baths." So did Henry David Thoreau, who adopted a transcendental approach to the idea of clothing at Walden Pond.

Sixth US President John Quincy Adams, Quincy's namesake, relied on a nude dip in the Potomac to get his presidential juices flowing. And Brookline-born John F. Kennedy brought a whole new level of scandal to the skinny-dipping tradition at the White House pool, with co-ed pool parties in the buff. (Of course, the mental image of Richard Nixon and Dwight Eisenhower holding "meetings" in said pool makes one recoil.) The late Ted Kennedy was also, naturally, a fan of going au natural. And just last year folks found a nude photo of Jackie Kennedy Onassis in Andy Warhol's collection — perhaps sent as a joke by Jackie herself.

Read more: http://thephoenix.com/Boston/life/98700-nudity-throughout-history/#ixzz0j6VVHTX2

Naked truth

Nudity and push-ups feature in some of the 26 photos by Ou Zhihang that are part of a series dubbed The Moment (Na Yike), at the 5th Lianzhou International Photo Festival, which opened last weekend in Lianzhou, Guangdong province.

Ou takes naked photos of himself at national landmarks, such as the ruins of last year's May 12 earthquake.

"His works create a connection between the body, public and social events," says Chen Weixing, curator of the photo festival which concluded yesterday at the small city in northwestern Guangdong.

Ou, 51, was awarded a bronze medal at the festival for his work.

read more

'Imponderabilia': MoMA Exhibit Includes 2 Nude Women Standing Still

NEW YORK — Laurence Lallier slipped carefully between two naked women facing each other in a narrow doorway at the Museum of Modern Art.

"I didn't want to step on their feet," said Lallier, a student from Montreal. "We feel shy and they don't, and they're the ones that are naked."

Read more

Positive Body Image Acceptance

Merriam-Webster defines body image as, “a subjective picture of one’s own physical appearance established both by self-observation and by noting the reactions of others.” Unfortunately, many people, especially women struggle with body image acceptance and that often translates into a host of problems from lowered self-esteem to eating disorders.

Read more at Suite101: Positive Body Image Acceptance: Steps for Improving Self-Esteem and Self Image here

Namaste, Nudey: Naked Yoga and the Nether Regions

“It’s naked yoga. Are you cool with that?” She said this with an
adorable smile that I recognized. That smile meant that she knew I was up for anything that I hadn’t yet tried; that smile meant she knew I would say yes.

Cont.

Read more

(Birthday) suit up!

North by Northwestern...

There are 275 nudist resorts across the country — including in the Chicagoland area. “The misconception in a lot of places is that you have to drop your clothes at the door before you come in the gate — that’s not the case at all,” says Mr. Williams. “You can ease your way in.”

And the general consensus? “Within 5 minutes of getting undressed, it feels like most natural thing in the world.” He adds that familiar, intelligent names have dared to bare. “John Quincy Adams and Teddy Roosevelt used to swim nude in the Potomac.”

Read the full article

There’s no reason to be bashful about nudity

It was a picture of an elderly man, his daughter and her son – they were Bushman, or San people. Typically, this tribe only wears loincloths, and young children are naked, among other traditional things they do to their bodies. I smiled at him and said “No, this isn’t a dirty picture, these are the clothes that these people wear every day in their village in Namibia, just like you are wearing shorts, and a t-shirt.” He looked at me as if I were from another planet and moved on to some other items on display. That got me thinking as to how we have raised our own son.

Full editorial

Naked Australians At Sydney Opera House: 5,200 Strip Down For Spencer Tunick Photo Shoot, 'Mardis Gras: The Base'

SYDNEY (Associated Press) -- About 5,200 naked people have embraced each other on the steps of Sydney's iconic Opera House for a photo shoot by Spencer Tunick.

Tunick, who is known for his nude group photos in public spaces, posed participants for more than an hour in a variety of positions Monday.

Read more, see slideshow

newsandinfo.org

If you want a great news page with no corporate advertising, all the major media updated throughout the day, and progressive opinion provided by Buzzflash, Media Matters, and News and Info and Great Progress Blogs, and many more useful resources, check out newsandinfo.org and Online Portals Daily, online since 1996.  Remember the name for the best internet "newspaper" out there.

Click here to go now, and discover the truth the media won't tell you.

i-Naked / i-Nudist

Hello! My name is André. I am a Naturist and Nudity is my Uniform! Welcome to i-Naked / i-Nudist, the comprehensive tumblelog for naturist, nudist and topfree information, nude art and naturist pictures, related links and videos featuring nudity. I want to educate, entertain and inform people about the benefits of naturism and the clothes free lifestyle. Click here to find out more about me.

Say Cheese! Full-body Scanners Are Coming!

Chicago Now

The whole world is adjusting it seems one city at a time, and we are next. Although the scanners have been reported to be able to save your photo, I don't think anyone will be interested in buying or selling it...unless you're Paris Hilton or this guy...and what is THIS?? Seriously, the body scanners are just that...a scan of your body. Your birthday suit if you will.

Article

Sledding in the buff

Some 14,000 Germans gathered to watch a naked sledding competition in Braunlage on Saturday, February 20.

See show here

Things to do nude in 2010

ThingsToDoNude has put together some short video's of what we think should be fun in 2010,

Click here

The Nu Project

The Nu Project is a series of nudes of normal people. The project was started by Minneapolis-based photographer Matt Blum in 2005. Matt has since continued to develop the project staying true to his original vision: no models, no makeup and no glamour.

http://www.thenuproject.com

It's time we confronted our ambivalence over nudity

snip from article

Nudism (also more benignly known as naturism) traces its origins to 1800s in Germany, when being naked under a summer sun was prescribed as a cure-all for illnesses largely caused by an early industrial age. According to disciples, modern nudist resorts work because there are rules and a basic code of conduct. As there must be when they cater mainly to families and couples who simply want to be able to walk (or skip, frolic or whatever the heck nudists do all day) unencumbered in a supportive environment.

Could it be that our undying fascination with public nudity reveals less about people who take off their clothes as a lifestyle choice and more about those of us who don't? Certainly, more than we care to admit.

read more

Naked ambition around the world

Gallery of 45 pictures showing nudity around the world.

Click here.

Enjoy naturism - clothed or unclothed

Mr Whalan said when members shed their clothing they shed the stresses of daily life, and relating to one another on this level bridged the common boundaries of social status.

Naturism built self esteem, and vitamin D levels due to more skin being exposed to the sun.

The club offered a healthy environment for both sporting and non-sporting members.

Read more

The Topless Project

The Topless Project promotes artist and artwork that creatively interprets the nude female form. All sales from donated artwork goes to breast cancer research, treatment, and rehabilitation organizations.

Site is here

Haulover Beach, Miami, Florida Overview

The hottest nude beaches, literally

Swap the snow suit for your white bits in places where the sun does shine. As the UK plunges below freezing, Melbourne sizzles under a sweltering 94 per cent humidity rate.

Cheapflights.co.uk, the UK’s leading flight price comparison website, helps travellers forget the freeze and defrost on the nude beaches of the world’s Top 5 hottest temperatures.

Scorchers include:

Melbourne - 33 degrees centigrade, 94 per cent humidity
Perth - 34 degrees centigrade, 87 per cent humidity
Singapore - 33 degrees centigrade, 89 per cent humidity
Rio de Janeiro - 33 degrees centigrade, 83 per cent humidity
Seychelles - 31 degrees centigrade, 79 per cent humidity

Read more

Topless Revolution

An Auckland woman says it is about time women felt comfortable enough with their bodies to go topless on public beaches, launching a Facebook facampaign to encourage women to bare their breasts.

Shannon Claire says male toplessness being okay, but female toplessness not, is a double standard.

Ms Claire says it’s time for us to follow European beaches into the light.

The 31-year-old has been sunbathing topless since she was 14-years-old. She says she is totally comfortable with her body, but this summer, Ms Claire has been copping flak from others who are not.

Instead of covering up, she has decided to take a stand, by starting a campaign for women to join her topless revolution.

Full story with video

Get Naked: It’s Good for Your Brain

Okay, buck naked? I am. Fun. Toes wiggle in the shag carpet. Butt cheeks stick to the chair. Nipples goose-bump. We’re natural... nudists! Our huge organs (skin) tingle with sensual data that’s zipped to our thrilled brains. We feel... wild, healthy, alert, spunky. Alive.

Clothing is crushing us! Trapped in tomb-like textiles, we exile our flesh from experiencing the environment. We atrophy the majority of our epidermis. If you put a plaster cast on a broken arm, the skin starves for Vitamin D; muscles weaken due to strangled range of motion; nerve synapses depress to a whimper of their former joy. Twenty-first century hominids shroud the entire skin palette, obliterating symbiosis with the planet except via face, neck and hands.

Read more

Naturist Paradise in Croatia: Valalta

Naturist Camp Valalta, Rovinj, Istria, Croatia - The funniest home videos are here

The Bare Pit

A comic about nudists? Well, yeah! Nudists have adventures too!

Nudists Endorse Controversial Full Body Scanners (PHOTO)

While privacy advocates have denounced the full body scanners for generating images so graphic they are tantamount to "virtual strip-searching," the American Association for Nude Recreation, the largest group representing nudists in the U.S. and Canada, have endorsed the controversial new security technology.

"Airport Scanning that 'Takes It Off' is Good for America," the AANR wrote in a post on its website, officially expressing their support for full body scanners.

The press release issued by the AANR included the following explanation for their endorsement:

"Put this issue in its proper perspective," recommends AANR Executive Director Erich Schuttauf. "A trained security professional in a remote monitoring station takes a few seconds discreetly screening passengers to be sure they're only bringing what nature gave them aboard. In exchange for safer skies, AANR believes it's completely worth it. But you don't have to be a nudist to agree these measures are based on common sense."

Adds Schuttauf, "Polls regularly show that about one in five North Americans have skinny-dipped in mixed company already. So if travelers just think of the screen as a virtual skinny-dip, something regarded as American as apple pie since before Norman Rockwell, everyone wins in the name of better air travel security. And as an added bonus, you can add the experience to your 'bucket list' as a virtual dipping of one's toe into taking a Nakation - that's a nudist vacation!"

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Tickets sold out for all-nude, outdoor Florida beach party

(NBC) –  Some people might say the two biggest inconveniences on New Year's Eve is figuring out your wardrobe and how to get home.

Well, Haulover Beach is having its Nude Year's Eve bash this year so you won't have to worry about any of that.

What better way to ring in the New Year than to ditch the threads and go au natural?

"You were born naked and so why not," one beachcomber said.

Granted, this year's Nude Year's Eve bash on Haulover Beach may be a bit toned down because of the chill in the air.

When asked if he would be open to it if it weren't so cold, a beachcomber said, "No, I have nothing to show, a lack of pride."

Some have other plans for New Year's Eve.

"We're going to see Fish at the American Airlines Arena," one beachcomber said.

James Carlson and Shamra Zorns will be fully clothed even though they are nudists themselves.

"We live nude every day so it's not a big deal," Shamra said.

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