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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.

 

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.