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To See Nudity or Be Seen in the Nude?

It’s not every day that a book about nudity is reviewed in the stately “Economist” of Mother England http://www.economist.com/.

UK writer and psychologist Philip Carr-Gomm http://philipcarrgomm.wordpress.com/ has this distinction with his “A Brief History of Nakedness” that even has an enchanting section about “Godiva”…thank you very much. http://www.press.uchicago.edu/presssite/metadata.epl?mode=synopsis&bookkey=8919256

Carr-Gomm’s intensely researched book, questions whether there really was a “Lady Godiva,” riding naked through the streets of Coventry to protest the excessive taxation of her husband in the 11^thcentury. Whether true or not, Carr-Gomm writes: “The evidence is stacked against it having take place. But like all good stories, if it isn’t true it ought to be, and people have found the incident inspiring from the moment in was recounted.”

One intriguing observation made by Carr-Gomm is that males are the gender that employs nudity for religious purposes, while women more often utilize the undressed state as a form political protest.

”To understand how nakedness has become political we must start by exploring the way we get naked: by being stripped of clothes,” Carr-Gomm wrote. “Stripping can be an active or passive activity. When we are passive and someone strips us, this can be thrilling or terrifying, erotic or humiliating. Intention and context are everything. When a lover tears off our clothes because they want us naked it is exciting – flattering even.”

The book even offers the six different desires behind active stripping: The skinny dipper strips to enjoy the sensual experience of water on skin; lovers strip to feel and excite one another as much as they can; the ascetic strips to mortify their flesh (see the “DaVinci Code”), the mystic strips to commune with their deity and with Creation; we also remove our clothes to get into bed or the bath or to be examined by a doctor. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Da_Vinci_Code

“Most naturists believe that it is also essentially functional: for why wear clothes when you feel more comfortable, less hot and sticky, when wearing nothing? Not wearing clothes when sunbathing or swimming is simply sensible,” Carr-Gomm wrote.

The central theme of Carr-Gomm’s book is summarized in the last sentence on page 264: “We need to see and to be seen.”

Taking this conclusion further, one realizes that exhibitionism and voyeurism should not always be seen in a tantalizing or condemning light.

“Some people dismiss streakers, naked protesters and even nudists and life models as ‘exhibitionists’ without fully appreciating that we are all, to a greater or lesser extent, motivated by exhibitionism,” Carr-Gomm wrote. “We learn to be that way in order to stay alive. A baby needs to be seen and to be noticed by its mother, and this need continues to operate in us throughout our lives…Every human being is motivated by this deep desire to be seen, to have attention paid to them, to be noticed and to be heard.”

Exploring the other side of the equation, Carr-Gomm also offers that we as humans have an urge to see. “There is a natural voyeuristic tendency in all of us that in some cases can become distorted…”

But it can also be healthy: “…times in which lovers take pleasure in simply watching each other being naked or engaging in sexual activity. As with exhibitionism this only becomes pathological when it becomes obsessive or the only means whereby an individual can achieve satisfaction.”

Carr-Gomm separates nudists, who respect the time-and-place rule, from those who engage in inappropriate activities. “Naturists make a lifestyle choice: they prefer living without clothes and just want to be left in peace to swim, sunbathe and socialize in the nude.” Amen.

For Godiva, there is too little acknowledgment in the missive about nudists, those who enjoy going without clothes in their backyards, at nudist resorts or naturist cruises. The couple wanting to enjoy a tropical destination in the nude together is to be celebrated and encouraged.

Carr-Gomm’s book barely touches on this reasonable activity and instead explores in exhausting detail nudity in fringe religions, shocking protests, streaking, off-beat performances and behavior that results in arrest by orderly societies. Godiva’s biggest fear is this well-done book will only add fuel and encouragement to those who want to denigrate the desire to not wear clothes, even in times and places where this activity is perfectly appropriate.

 

Playboy's "Nudists"?

When Godiva was growing up, there were two magazines that impressed the most when it came to their cartoons, The New Yorker http://www.newyorker.com/ and Playboy www.playboy.com. Both were extremely clever, albeit the subject matter was a tad different between the two publications.

Certainly it is no surprise that Playboy's cartoons have a sexual undercurrent (understatement) with a particular emphasis on the female of the species. After all, Playboy is "Entertainment for (heterophilic) Men."

What was surprising about the July issue (pages 72 and 73) is Playboy's two-page cartoon spread entitled "Nudists" by drawer John Dempsey. The fact that Playboy focuses on the nude is certainly not a shock, but nudism, nudists or naturists (whatever tag you prefer) is unexpected.

The eight cartoons (four on each page) poke fun at nudists and border on the sophomoric, including a suggestion to the group of nudists about getting dressed so they can play strip poker, naughty "Mr. Gray" being a little to eager to apply sun screen on a pair of bodacious mammary glands and a poor man almost having his eye put out by a well-endowed woman coming quickly around a corner.

As the Germans would say: "Sie hat Holz vor der Hutte" or she has wood in front of the house.

And to top it off there is "Miss Cavendish" who obviously strayed away from the nudist resort because one can easily see her farmer's tan in the form of the outline of a once-worn, one-piece bathing suit.

Thankfully, there are no references to "Nudist colonies," which most of us equate to finger-nails being dragged down a chalk board.

So what is Godiva's take on these eight cartoons? They are satire. They are humorous. They draw attention to those of us who have the courage to recreate among like-minded people without our clothes. Nudists need to demonstrate a sense of humor, not militancy, in order to survive and thrive.

Can hardly wait for the next installment of "Nudists." Maybe Playboy should make this a monthly cartoon and by doing so, give more and more people further impetus to shed their clothes and join the party.

Nude Memories

Godiva has never been so uncertain, so confused, so hesitant.

Please pardon the third-person singular. I am not trying to imitate Barack Obama, Bill Clinton or Richard Nixon.

Instead, I am trying to share with my readers my plight and it comes to nudity...beautiful nudity.

As I have been going through cupboards, drawers and boxes in the garage getting ready to move for the first time in 15 years, I am coming across photos...nude photos...of my spouse who lost the unfair fight against stomach cancer.

Yes these photos are explicit, but they are also classy and gorgeous. They display confident happiness in the backdrop of the clothing optional beach at Breezes Resort in Negril, Jamaica www.superclubs.com or outside one of the villa suites at Desert Sun Resort in Palm Springs www.desertsunresort.com.

They also include professional studio shots...devoid of any garments...just my beautiful spouse wearing nothing but a smile, but sending a wonderful message of love.

There is even a plaster cast of my spouse's torso, displaying yet another example of the most recognizable and celebrated curves in the planet's long history. They are all reminders of a person in which cancer snuffed out a life three decades too early.

And now what should I do with them upon arrival at my new home? Should I display these beautiful nudes even in discreet places to remind myself of a wonderful relationship? Should I stow them away taking a peek now and then? And when it is time for me to go to my maker, should I make sure they are safely passed on to my daughter?

There is all this (justifiable) commotion about "sexting" and the inadvertent or deliberate posting of nude images on the Internet to titillate and to shock. But what about nude photos and body casts that were lovingly made by someone who is no longer with us?

I sure wish there was an easy solution.

It's All About sex

Kelly Ripa proclaimed: It's all about Sex.

The leadership of naturist/nudist organizations piously state: It's not about Sex.

Godiva believes: It's all about sex...that is sex with a small "s."

The recent comment by Mizz Ripa about "Naked Yoga" on her nationally broadcast program with Regis Philbin stated categorically that this form of yoga is about "comfort and sex." Instead of blistering Kelly, we should realize that her opinion reflects the perception of the majority of Americans, particularly those that wouldn't get caught dead within one mile of a nudist resort or beach. http://bventertainment.go.com/tv/buenavista/regisandkelly/index.html

In direct contrast, the leadership of the Naturist Society www.naturist.com and the American Association for Nude Recreation www.aanr.com broadcast to one and all that nude recreation is not related to sex, but instead is a wholesome alternative form of recreation.

Godiva's take is that nude recreation is not Sex with a large "S" unless you want it to be. Certainly, there are people who take advantage of nudity for swinging activities, which has resulted in the loss of membership in the AANR by Caliente Resort www.calienteresorts.com and Paradise Lakes Resort www.paradiselakes.com, both in Florida. These actions has resulted in a public relations black eye for organized nudism in the United States and maybe elsewhere.

In my humble opinion based upon my repeated visits to nudist resorts in California, Florida, Jamaica and participation in Naked Yoga, nudity is sexual with a small "s." Let's face it, going without clothes on a delightful, beautiful sunny day or skinny dipping in warm waters is one of the most sensual experiences in life. Being present with dozens of nude people of both sexes is a sensory overload.

For most of us it is not every day that we get to see girl parts and boy parts on display. Nude people are simply fascinating. Being nude is exciting. While nudist etiquette frowns on staring at people, we are only human when we take in other people's bodies and are amazed the anatomical varieties of people. That is one of the joys of nude recreation. Being nude and seeing nudity is simply a blast. It is an innocent source of fun and a joyful break from the pressures of life. Sue me for it!

And if you bring along a significant other with you of the opposite gender (assuming you are inclined that way), I can attest it is exciting to see her or him for hours or days without a stitch of clothing. And guess what, that excitement has a high potential to lead to real Sex with a large "S" when you return to the privacy of a resort, hotel, cruise ship bedroom.

We should not be afraid to admit the obvious, nude recreation is sexy, sensual and playfully naughty in a nice way. The statement simply makes sense and will be accepted as true. To state ex cathedra that nude recreation does not equate to sex in any way, shape or form defies credibility and makes it very difficult for the persuadable in our society to believe us.

“Pinhead Nudist?”

Bill O’Reilly is justified in labeling a woman, who gardens topless without sufficient regard for her neighbors or a nearby school, as a “pinhead,” but at the same time the Fox News commentator and his staff needs to get their facts straight http:www.foxnews.com/oreilly

The first and obvious point is that Boulder Colorado’s Catharine Pierce was not gardening in the nude; she was topless. All of the coverage in the Boulder Daily Camera on this ongoing controversy makes that point absolutely clear, http://www.dailycamera.com/ci_14923536#axzz0llMEzZW2

And yet here was the way that O’Reilly introduced the story and bestowed the “Pinhead” designation on Mizz Pierce:

 “On the pinhead front, say hello to nudity in your neighborhood. A Boulder, Colorado, woman likes to garden with no clothes on. You can finish the joke here. But it is no joke for people who don't want to see that. However, the housing authority where the lady lives says it's OK with them. She can garden any way she wants. And so 52-year-old Catharine Pierce will be getting an all-over tan, but she is still a pinhead.”

Besides the obvious distinction between topless and nude, there is also the issue with Fox News using stock photos of two separate nude women in backyard settings, including one with a strategically spraying water hose, but they were not Catharine Pierce.

Maybe there are no sinners in this story, but there are certainly no saints either. We have already discussed the sloppy research by Fox (doesn’t the network pride itself in being “fair and balanced?”). At the same time, Catharine seems to have no interest or respect when she gardens topless in plain sight for her neighbors and local school children.

Godiva is a huge fan of backyard nudity and gardening in the buff, provided it is discreet. Big government should not come down on your right to wear or not wear what you want in your own property, provided that you are not aiming for or not caring about a public display.

If your property for whatever reason does not provide the privacy needed for nudity, then options should be considered such as remote wilderness areas, clothing optional beaches or nudist resorts, such as Mountain Air Ranch in Indian Hills, Colorado http://www.trynude.com/gallery.html.

Going topless or nude in an inappropriate setting violates Godiva’s time-and-place rule. There are appropriate times and places for nudity, and the sense of freedom that comes with it. There are also inappropriate times and places for nudity or in this particular case, topless gardening, and when it does occur the entire nudist movement takes a PR hit in the face, such as a “Pinhead” designation.

We need to be smarter and not so bullheaded. Let’s support the heck out private backyard nudity, discreet nude recreation on public lands, clothing optional beaches and nudist resorts. These are the appropriate places and let’s designate times to go visit them.  

Nudity = Sex (Kelly Ripa 1:1)

Kelly Ripa has officially washed her hands when it comes to social nudity, or any nudity.

There she was this morning with Regis Philbin passing immediate judgment on social nudity, instantly equating the desire to go without clothes with sex. Sadly, this is the view of so many in society, particularly the media elites who are so quick to make pronouncements to those unfortunate souls that must live west of the Hudson River. http://living.aol.com/morning-rush/birthday-suits-regis-and-kelly/76399094001

What prompted her mocking displeasure was a "tease" for tomorrow's report on "Naked Yoga NYC," taught in the Manhattan studio of Isis Phoenix http://www.nakedyoganyc.com/teachers_isis-phoenix.cfm. Instead of saluting this courageous women for taking yoga to its natural extent, Ripa comes down, and comes down hard on the practice.

Ripa starts by having fun with Naked Yoga making direct reference to the "well-rounded population" that attends her workshops. Gee, I wonder what is "well-rounded?"

She then takes direct issue with Phoenix' statement that Naked Yoga is "not about sex, but comfort." Ripa immediately retorted: "I believe that it's about sex and comfort." There you have it. Game, set and match.

While her cohort, Regis, admits to periodic nudity particularly in the comfort of his home, Ripa vows to never be nude. She even acknowledged once taking a shower in her panties, which she labeled as an "accident."

For those concerned about the future of nude recreation, we must first have a sense of humor. People are going to make us the butt of their jokes. That's fine. However, the problems come when those who will never give nudity a try, instantaneously equate being nude with sex.

We all know that in order to have sex, you generally have to be nude. But by being nude are you necessarily having sex? The answer is obvious. Getting this message across will be a long-term, up-hill battle.

In the short term, maybe the ABC's morning fare "Live with Regis and Kelly" will give a needed boost to Naked Yoga. Hopefully, more studios will set aside specific times for co-ed naked yoga classes. Heck maybe, even the One Touch Urban Retreat Centers in San Francisco, and even New York, http://onetaste.us/ will even consider offering naked yoga once again.

Playboy's "Naked Prey"

The mere mention of Playboy usually generates scorn from the nudist community for glamorizing sex and in some quarters for objectifying women. Godiva is going to avoid getting into this debate, at least for now.

Instead, I want to draw attention to an absolutely stunning (okay you would expect that from Hugh Hefner's photographers) pictorial of Guess model Candice Boucher. You are thinking what is so surprising about Playboy choosing a high-fashion jeans model for a nude pictorial...Isn't that Playboy's MO? http://www.examiner.com/x-1916-Sex--Relationships-Examiner~y2010m3d22-Sexy-Fashion-Guess-girl-Candice-Boucher-featured-on-cover-of-Playboy-April-2010

Yes that is correct, but there is something different here. http://photos.tuxboard.com/candice-boucher-playboy/ The eight-page pictorial includes 12 photos of Candice absolutely nude with the exception of a towel wrapped around her head as she ostensibly emerged from a shower. All of the photos of South African Candice were shot in a remote game lodge in Southern Kenya, and virtually all were outside with zebras, giraffes and lions as backdrops.

So why should nudists start applauding a Playboy pictorial? The answer is this one conveys the essence of nudism. Candice wears absolutely no clothes, including no shoes. She is nude and comfortable in her nudity. That wasn't always the case despite her model great looks.

"It's taken me a while to be comfortable in a bikini," Candice told Playboy. "It's a work in progress, I was one of the shiest girls you'd ever meet . . . I was one of the shy girls in the corner." And now she is in Playboy.

"Well, let's just say I never in my life thought I would appear in Playboy," said Candice. "But I am happy and excited by it."

That's just it, being happy and excited. Many nudists have complained about too many clothes being worn at nudist resorts, particularly establishments marketing clothing optioning choices.

Candice through the lens of photographer Raphael Mazzucco, who has shot three Sports Illustrated swimsuit covers, is joyfully nude with a confident attitude, showing every inch of her athletic, clean-shaven body. She is running free across the African plains.

We only have one life to live and so much of it involves clothes. Let's see if we can get back to the days of finding the precious bandwidth and the place to wear absolutely nothing...not even sandals...and celebrating our nudity. Isn't it time to put the Nude back in nude recreation?

Nude Saviour

She doesn't appear to be a gritty heroine with her wide smile and blue eyes. And yet, Elizabeth Young and her husband, John, not only saved Desert Shadows Inn in Palm Springs from the wrecking ball, but they are also keeping alive the nudist dream.

Today, Elizabeth and John own the renamed Desert Sun Resort www.desertsunresort.com that appears to be thriving despite the economic downturn. One should consider that the property nearly didn't even make it to, let alone through the recession, in 2008.

"I hate to think back to the negative times because when we took it over it was so painful," Elizabeth told the Naturist Society's "N" Magazine www.naturist.com. "Everything was being shut down. The gardeners were let go and the pools were being turned off. When they (former owners) walked out the door at midnight they did take everything possible, including the phone system, the computer system, and everything..."

Elizabeth even recounted how a Norwegian couple showed up on the doorstep of then-Desert Shadows Resort, only to spot a sign saying the resort was closed. Talk about a bummer. One of the resort homeowner's came to the rescue and let them stay at their unit for the week.

The story has a happier ending. Today, the pools have been replastered, the hotel rooms have been remodeled with free Wi-Fi. What has not changed is the resort is "clothes free," rather than the more common "clothing optional." Sorry gawkers, no free shows at DSI.

From a public relations standpoint, accomplished, intelligent and telegenic women are the future of nude recreation. They are quite normal and yet they enjoy going without their clothes. What message does that send to women as a group?

The same can be said for Sharon Picone, the vegan nude chef from Florida with her au naturel cooking videos www.nudechef.com

It is easy to get discouraged about the future of nude recreation and then you see a wide smile and bright eyes . . .

The Nude Chef

As many who have followed this blog know Godiva has been highly critical of the antiquated PR effort of the American Association for Nude Recreation www.aanr.com, particularly its sleep-inducing monthly membership newspaper by the super-charged name, "The Bulletin."

Even though the subject of nude recreation should convey excitement for both existing and prospective members, most of the items are relatively dull and predictable. However, there was a glimmer of light in the February edition, a story about the Nude Chef http://www.thenudechef.com/

Her name is Sharon Picone, 45. She originally hails from South Africa and lives in Florida with her husband, Paul, and as the title of her website suggests, she loves both cooking and nudity . . . and does both at the same time (except for cooking with oils).

"I decided that I wanted to combine the joys of being a naturist as well as my passion for cooking,” she told the Bulletin. “There's a connection between our bodies in their natural, unclothed state and the food we eat. It just boils down to a simplicity of life, being nude and also my philosophy of consuming simple, natural, healthy foods.”

In her case, no beef, chicken, pork, fish etc. She is a dedicated vegan. She extols the virtue of the vegan and nudist lifestyle in her videos. She is hoping to parlay her love of cooking and nudism into an eye-catching television program.

The AANR Bulletin reported that Picone sells her down-loadable book and three short cooking videos on her site. The videos were not the easiest to produce because she had to convince a student film crew that her nude cooking video did not have some hidden agenda

“As soon as they hear you're going to be nude, they think porn,” she told the Bulletin. “So I had to assure them that it would be legitimate, nothing seedy at all.”

Sharon deserves credit for having the courage of her convictions, demonstrating to the world that nudity can be a perfect complement to a daily activity, such as cooking. Godiva is a little concerned that Sharon's guest book and testimonials is mostly made up of the male of the species (Didn't know there were so many male cooking enthusiasts). Come on, sisters let's support Sharon!

A young, beautiful and classy woman like Sharon (watch her videos if you don't believe me) should serve as an ambassador for nudity. As Godiva has stated before the future of nude recreation lies not with men, but with women who are confident enough to take the plunge and to stir the pot.


 

Redefining "Smoothies?"

We are certainly obsessed with hair care, including coiffing our secret gardens. In fact, the trend is toward napalming our jungles and this activity is not just limited to the female of the species.

A recent Google search revealed or unveiled 626,000 pages devoted to the subject of hair removal around the genitalia. Playboy www.playboy.com reported that 85 percent of the women who pose for the infamous men's magazine remove all of their pubic hair, and it doesn't appear that men are complaining.

What was once a cottage industry with companies such as Hair Care Down There (HCDT) http://haircaredownthere.com/ has now become big business, just consider all of the salons that offer waxing down there.

Is this intense focus on defoliation a new trend? According to Wikipedia's entry on this subject, the answer is no http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bikini_waxing. The practice reportedly goes back to Ancient India, about 4,000 years BC. The modern day focus is more tied to the invention of the bikini and the need to remove previously hidden hair follicles from pubic...err...public sight.

But how does hair care down there apply to nudists? We don't wear bikinis to nudist resorts, hot springs, retreat houses or clothing optional beaches. That's the point, we want to be nude. And if you ask the Nudests Nudists http://www.wnn.nu/, the key to being totally nude is to have no forest down there.

What's ironic and maybe a tad disturbing is that nudists are following the direction set by Playboy. Just as the "bush" gave away to the "landing strip" or the "band-aid" and then to the nude look in the pages of Playboy, the same trend has been spotted at nudist venues. And it doesn't just apply to women.

Godiva personally noted that ever more nudists were opting to lose their public hair at upscale resorts such as Desert Sun www.desertsunresort.comin Palm Springs and Caliente in Florida www.calienteresorts.com. The bush or the au naturel look still remained in vogue at the Kiva Retreat Center in hip Santa Cruz, CA www.kivaretreat.com and back in the good ole days when the One Taste Urban Retreat Center www.onetastesf.com offered Naked Yoga.

So is there a correlation between upscale and the nude look and rustic and the "bush?" Sounds like a great topic for federal stimulus dollars.

Even though I have no empirical evidence to offer, I am quite comfortable in saying the bush era is over or at least it will never be the same again. Here's to redefining the term, Smoothie.