Wednesday, June 30, 2010

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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Tuesday, June 29, 2010

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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Saturday, June 26, 2010

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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Wednesday, June 23, 2010

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!

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Tuesday, June 22, 2010

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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Saturday, June 19, 2010

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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Thursday, June 17, 2010

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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Wednesday, June 16, 2010

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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Tuesday, June 15, 2010

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.

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Sunday, June 13, 2010

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."

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Friday, June 11, 2010

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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Thursday, June 10, 2010

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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Monday, June 7, 2010

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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Sunday, June 6, 2010

“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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Thursday, June 3, 2010

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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Tuesday, June 1, 2010

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.

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