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.

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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
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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.



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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.

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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.

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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'."

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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.

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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."

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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.

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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.

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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."

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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."

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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.

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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.

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'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."

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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.

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(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.”

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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.

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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.

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