Topless in Central Park: A New Yorker Puts the Law to the Test

Inspired by the mysterious Topless Bowery Lady who recently set the Internet aflame, and the publicly acknowledged legality of being topless in the city, our pal Jamie Peck took it upon herself to take off her own shirt in the outside air recently and see what happened. At the beginning of her adventure, which she chronicled for The Gloss, she found that she was initially nervous -- Could she do this? What would happen? -- but went through with it anyway in the good fight against social conventions. She headed to Central Park on a Sunday afternoon, took off her shirt -- "it turned out to be like ripping off a band-aid; once I'd done it without anything bad happening, I relaxed," she writes.

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Poll: Would You Sunbathe Topless?

Our friends over at The Frisky reported today on a group of French women who are protesting their right to go topless by attempting to get men at local swimming holes to put on bikini tops. The protest seems to be going well, with some men donning the tops bemusedly and others suggesting that the ladies bare their breasts in the name of equality instead.

Click here to take the poll

Helen Mirren Found Nudist Beach Experience 'Comforting'

Dame Helen Mirren has been to nudist beaches and found the experience "comforting".

Dame Helen Mirren, the 65-year-old actress has revealed she has visited beaches where visitors strip off naked and thinks being nude in public is very liberating.

She said: "I have been on a nudist beach about three times in my life and found it very comforting. It is a natural experience and instantly changes the way you think about nudity and sexuality."

Despite having bared her body for several film roles, Mirren insists she is insecure about her figure just like most women.

And compared to women who she considers to be attractive, the Oscar winner believes she has a "crap body".

Cont.

Hundreds Of Mothers Breastfeed In Front Of Shoppers

Hoping to raise awareness of breastfeeding, a bold group of mothers accompanied by their partners, bared their breasts at a major shopping centre today. Over a hundred mothers belonging to all age groups, stunned shoppers at the Trafford Centre in Manchester, by descending on it and breast feeding in front of them, for promoting the start of National Breastfeeding Awareness Week, backed by the NHS.

Highlighting the health benefits of breast feeding, the proud mothers in full view of customers sitting in the shopping centre cafes bared all.

One of the stunned onlookers remarked it was not every day one saw so many breasts on display whilst shopping, but he fully the group in trying to get their message about the benefits of breast feeding across in an unusual manner.

The National Breastfeeding Awareness Week 2011 running from Sunday 19th June to Saturday 25th June, not only has the backing of the NHS Infant Breastfeeding Services, but also the Trafford Centre that only recently refurbished its breastfeeding facilities for shoppers.

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That’s a nude world record!

A nude world record was set today when 400 people stripped off naked and went running into the sea.

People came to South Wales from all over the globe to take part in the world skinny-dipping record on Rhossili Beach, Gower.

They tore off their clothes shortly before 8am and bravely ran into the water shrieking and whooping with delight seemingly unperturbed by the wet and wind conditions.

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Cyclists go au naturale to promote healthy lifestyle

Remarkably for such a conservative city, no one was arrested for stripping off in public as Guadalajara celebrated its first Naked Bike Ride last weekend.

More than 400 men and women took part in the ride, which took place in 140 cities worldwide on the same day.

As they passed motorists, many shouted amicably, “Get out of your car and on a bike.” Municipal police and transit officers marshaled the bikers as they rode from downtown to the Minerva Glorieta and back again.

Another Naked Bike Ride is planned for 2012.

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His (naked) body of work

Abstract artist Joe Clarke has a talent for painting naked women.

More specifically, he paints on them. Clarke is a body painter. He looks at a naked chest and sees a canvas.

Later this month, the Edmonton man will fly to Austria to compete at the World Bodypainting Festival , a huge annual event that showcases the best in the medium worldwide.

Clarke was killing some time online when he stumbled upon the festival site. He found the submissions page and decided on a whim to forward some photos and video of his work. The organizers responded, saying they'd be happy to have him. So Clarke will compete in the brush/sponge category at the festival.

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World Naked Bike Ride

Gettin' naked at the World Naked Bike Ride

The third annual event is one of more than 70 worldwide rides gathering bicyclists (both naked and not-so-much) to raise awareness of bicycles on the road.

The World Naked Bike Ride's New Orleans chapter meets 11 a.m. Saturday, June 11 — the ride begins and ends at Markey Park in Bywater.

The inaugural ride in 2009 and in 2010 hosted more than 300 riders in various states of dress — underwear, togas, body paint, strategically placed electrical tape, Speedos and bikinis, actual nudity. (Expect lots of dudes in a shorts/shirtless combo.) Their mission: "to peacefully expose the vulnerability of cyclists, humanity and nature in the face of cars, aggression, consumerism and non-renewable energy."

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It’s naked time!

The mere act of public nudity isn’t illegal, but it’s not easy to find the line between lawful conduct and criminal indecent exposure when participating in naked bike rides.

The World Naked Bike Ride is celebrated in almost 100 cities across the world on various dates in June. Additionally, more than a dozen other nudity friendly bike events are held across the state, including several in Vancouver.

A majority of naked bike rides are designed as protests against fossil fuel dependency and a way to draw attention to the inherent vulnerability of cyclists as road users.

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Nudists not deterred by winter

Strolling along an empty beach watching the last of the sun disappear a man sans clothes has not a care in the world. Despite winter kicking off in the southern hemisphere this week nudists braved chilly conditions as they continued their philosophy to go about their daily lives naked.

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What is Nudism?

The feminist naturist. A.k.a. the “naked grandmas” post

It was at that point I decided that I had absolutely nothing to lose in this situation. “Can you untie these?” I asked my guy, and offered him the strings at the back of my bikini top. He untied them for me, and then I slid out of my bikini bottoms as well, and walked into the sea, naked as a jaybird. After I was done floating and watching the seagulls and clouds and marveling at how much better my body felt without the bikini on, I sat on my towel and stared at the waves. People on their way through to a different beach, people who totally had their clothes on, kept glancing at me as they passed, but not in any way that made me feel uncomfortable.

“Hm, wow, this is kind of awesome, actually” I thought to myself at the time. And so I became a naturist.

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Mass breastfeeding event descends on Liverpool’s Chavasse Park

MERSEY mums held a flash-mob style mass breastfeeding event in the city centre.

Around 60 women and their babies attended the “nurse off” on Saturday in Chavasse Park.

It was organised by Birkdale mum-of-two Jan Hayes, who said she wanted to combat the stigma surrounding breastfeeding in public.

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Top 10 nude beaches for summer 2011

The top 10 nude beaches across the globe, as chosen by TripAdvisor.com - just in time for summer 2011!

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Inside Britain's first naturist hotel and spa

The Birmingham suburb of Erdington isn’t the first place that springs to mind as a nudist's paradise. But according to the owner of Britain's first naturist spa hotel, it’s the perfect spot.

‘We’ve had a bit of stick for the location,’ Tim Higgs says in reference to those who dismiss Birmingham as ‘wet and miserable’. 'But naturism in Britain is largely an indoor event, especially if you want it 365 days a year. British weather is unreliable wherever you are.'

The luxury naturist holiday spot opened its doors earlier this year and, despite the less-than-exotic environs, its clothes-free visitors have unanimously given it the thumbs up.

Guests rave about the cleanliness, the relaxed atmosphere and the friendly staff. Many have already returned more than once.

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Yes, that Life, the magazine has a photo slide show of its tasteful nudes in art and art studios.

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Steam and ice thrills at Finnish sauna club

Stepping naked out of the sauna, steaming bodies walk purposefully towards a hole in the ice to plunge into the Baltic Sea. Minutes later they emerge lightheaded, savouring a typically Finnish high.

"It feels very good, and it's legal," says Jussi, as he admires the sunset, sitting naked on a bench after his freezing dip.

At the exclusive Helsinki Suomen Saunaseura (the Finnish Sauna Society), a strict egalitarianism reigns.

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Young Adults Reject Old School Nudism

If the under 35 crowd doesn't find the existing structure greatly appealing, to borrow a campaign quip from Barack Obama, "You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig." To gain any real attraction among young adults, there will have to be some fundamental changes to the existing nudism structure. I'm not suggesting that the more than 250 nudist clubs and resorts in the U.S. need to go away. I do think there are ways that the existing clubs and resorts can find to appeal to a younger generation. But I also think it is time that nudists accept that nudism isn't defined by clubs and resorts. No matter how trendy, grand, amenities-intensive, or whatever they may be, clubs and resorts are only incidental to the survival of nudism. Nudists are nudism and it's the lifestyle that is fundamentally important.


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Britons admit to nude sunbathing on holiday

In light of a previous study, conducted by CruiseCompare.co.uk, that revealed women are more comfortable sunbathing topless on a cruise liner than on a dry land holidays, the independent cruise comparison site asked British holiday makers their attitudes on nudist beaches and sunbathing nude.

Initially, the respondents were asked ‘Have you ever sunbathed nude whilst on holiday?’ to which 9% of total respondents answered ‘yes.’ Of the respondents who admitted to sunbathing nude on holiday over half, 52%, said they did so when on a cruising holiday.

The respondents who admitted to sunbathing nude were subsequently asked why this was the case. A fifth, 21%, said that they visited ‘secure, isolated beaches’ at some point on their cruise holiday which led them to sunbathing with no clothes on.

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Gym in Spain's Basque region offers naked workouts

A gym in Spain's Basque region has come up with an eye-catching way of battling the recession.

It has begun offering naked workouts, for nudists.

Easy Gym in Arrigorriaga is the first of its kind in Spain, pioneering the peculiar practice of stripping while keeping fit.

"With the crisis we noticed there were fewer people using the gym," owner Merche Laseca explained to the BBC.

"I'm not a nudist myself, though I have no problem with it. But this initiative is about the money."

Read more at BBC

Busting Out: The Right to Bare It All

[...]

Americans, however, often view things differently. When the general public is uncomfortable with the act, mothers are hesitant to nurse. The underlying sentiment is that breastfeeding is somehow dirty and shameful—an attitude directly related to American society’s highly sexualized view of breasts. The end result is that many children do not benefit from the myriad of health advantages associated with breast milk. Formula feeding is associated with increased chances of allergies, obesity, gastrointestinal problems, and a lower IQ. Breastfeeding, on the other hand, passes on antibodies from mother to baby, nurtures their bond, and even helps women lose the weight they may have gained during pregnancy.

To women like McDowell, Moss, and the members of La Leche League, the censoring of breasts in America has gone too far. Whether large or small, perky or pendulous, boobs are more than just funbags—they have a biological function to fill. There is nothing inherently indecent or obscene about them. They’re just breasts. So the next time the heat gets unbearable, think about busting them out.

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Lady Gaga Wants To Go Naked

Lady Gaga wants to be nude on all TV shows because it would be "timeless".

The 25-year-old singer - who is well known for her love of eccentric clothes, including a dress made entirely of cuts of beef and an outfit made of frosted plastic - has joked if she was nude all the time no one would ever question her fashion credentials because they would never have anything to talk about.

Speaking on her video blog GagaVision, she said: "Maybe we should be more timeless. Maybe we should just wear a classic black suit all the time. Or just nudity? That way it's always in style! From now on, 'All television spots I'd like to be nude so that I will always be timeless.'"

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How Do I Become A Naturist

How Do I Become A Naturist by fatpizzaman

On Kate Winslet and Nudity; or the Importance of Being Naked

Like so many tropes before – period drama, war, disenfranchised peoples, and the physically afflicted – Kate Winslet’s nudity has become award season bait. I’m saying this with the utmost respect for a woman who basically commands her body like it’s her indentured servant. Has there ever been a woman so in touch with her physical self on film? Kate Winslet’s films have taught me many things: you should never marry Kate Winslet, women can be honestly portrayed as complicated and human, and when an actress removes her clothes, it can be inspiring.

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Student photo book project explores everyday nudity

Three Northern Kentucky University art students have stripped photography down to its skivvies to create a book of nude photos, with an interesting twist.

Senior photography BFA majors Clarissa Peppers and Jesse Fox, as well as recent grad Danielle Carson, worked together in fall 2010 to celebrate the nude body through photography.

“Basically it’s about making people feel beautiful in their own skin,” Peppers said about her experience.

The book, “Let’s Get Naked: A Visual Commentary on Butts, Boobs and Bodies,” consists of three different chapters of photos, each created by one of the three artists. According to Peppers, a lot of the book is about placing nude figures in interesting places.

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