Month: May 2021

Today is the last day of May, 2021! May is also the last full month of Spring! Once this season began back near the end of March, the speed of the days accelerated beyond the speed of light! It is unbelievable that almost another full season has almost passed!

The Polynesian man preparing to surf (above) is giving us a resplendent view of his bare buttocks!

On the lake, this man is reminding us all who live in the Northern Hemisphere that the time is “ripe” for outdoor exposure throughout most of our region!

Our man (above) proudly displays his buttocks and his tanline in the brilliant sunshine! Let’s hope he remembered his sunscreen!

Calm and relaxed, today happens to be the Memorial Day holiday in the USA. Our man above is quite content with a quiet three-day weekend in the sunshine!

The Memorial Day holiday is designated in honor of all of those who died in the service of their country. All US flags are flown in half-mast from sunrise until noon out of respect for the deceased. At noon, all flags are returned to full-mast.

Happy Memorial Day!

Take care and stay bare!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride

Author’s Note: The next post entry for here is planned for tomorrow, Tuesday, June 1, 2021, and the proposed topic is “June, 2021: Bare Practitioner Pride!”

Throughout the USA, this is the Memorial Day weekend, a three-day holiday that for the majority marks the unofficial beginning of the summer season. Before heading outdoors and to the beach, lake, river or pool, please remember to apply sunscreen generously to every exposed portion of your body! Your skin and your health appreciate your efforts!

The seasons pass away all too quickly so many of us take advantage of every spare moment to enjoy the freedom that we know we have richly earned through the harshness of the winter! After all, we deserve it!

Keep in mind that Monday, the last day of this three-day holiday weekend, is the actual Memorial Day – the day that the USA honors all wartime deceased. Their sacrifice made our ability to appreciate the summer all possible.

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

Naked hugs!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride

Author’s Note: The next post entry planned for here is on Monday, May 31, 2021, and the proposed topic is “Bottoms-Up! May, 2021.”

For those of us who live in the Northern Hemisphere, this is the time of the year that gives us the energy to withstand the rigors of the winter season! The warming weather conditions outside have finally reached, for most of us, a tolerable level that reminds us that it is almost time to get outdoors, strip and skinny-dip (swim naked)!

Personally, the entire procedure of publicly stripping off my clothing and then ceremoniously skinny-dipping is enough for me to endure an entire year of winters! Fortunately, I don’t have to face that challenge!

Skinny-dipping is a colloquial term for swimming naked with origins in the rural southern United States. The usage was probably due to the phrase: “let’s dip (immerse or soak) our skin (nudity) into the water (lake, ocean, river). Gradually, the term skinny-dipping evolved into the southern culture. The phrase remained localized until World War II when the massive mobilization of the armed forces introduced millions of Americans unfamiliar with the expression to one another and the phrase gained widespread acceptance and usage.

During the war years, swimsuits weren’t available to the troops. Swimming bare for the servicemen was considered both natural and normal – and convenient.

International Skinny-Dipping Day

The second Saturday during the month of July, annually, is the day observed as International Skinny-Dipping Day. Although it is not celebrated by any nation, officially, it is promoted as a date for bare practitioners, naturists and nudists – as well as anyone else who wants to shed their swimsuit – as a worldwide event for us all to commemorate our shared humanity! This year, 2021, the date is Saturday, July 10.

Important Safety Notations!

A very strong reminder to everyone who anticipates any skinny-dipping adventure is to remember the sunscreen and to generously apply it all over one’s body. Please familiarize yourself with the instructions for usage that accompany your supply and to follow the instructions carefully. None of us look forward to the inconvenience of a sunburn!

Skinny-dipping alone is not recommended for anyone! No matter how familiar we are with our aquatic environment – or how accomplished our swimming skills may be – situations change often without warning. It is best to always be prepared as best we can. Swimming alone – with or without clothing – is not encouraged!

Now that the warmer weather is here with us, have a safe and successful skinny-dipping season!

Naked hugs!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride

Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, May 28, 2021, and the proposed topic is “USA: Memorial Day Weekend!”

Alternate Title: “Bathtub For Two!

Author’s Note: Following this past Monday’s mega-post, I thought a brief “fun” entry post for today as a great way to start the weekend in a happy and uplifting spirit!

“Spring cleaning” is a term used by many to describe the annual chore undertaken in apartments and houses. After a winter season that repetitively involves the endless tracking in of dirty snow, ice and mud, most carpets, floors and every household often require at least one serious and thorough cleaning – from the floor to the ceiling! Once completed, guests may resume visiting with confidence and welcome!

The clutter and dirt has all been disposed. Mismatched socks and stray gloves have been thrown out. All linens (bedclothes and towels) have been laundered. The residence is now sanitary and completely spotless!

Landon (the dark-skinned man on the right in the .gifs here) and his bathing buddy are both soaking in the tub. They just finished all of their “Spring cleaning” and are now getting ready for their respective Friday evening dates. Their only concern is removing the dirt and dust from their chores so they’re presentable for their man taking them out tonight!

Landon is a gay actor and it’s obvious he has eyes for admiring his partner’s booty. His bathtub buddy is equally delighted to share his buttocks with us all! Thank you both, Landon and your “bath friend!”

A benefit of Spring cleaning!

Take care and stay bare!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride

Author’s Note: The next post entry for here is planned for Monday, May 24, 2021, and the proposed topic is “Strip and Skinny-Dip!”

Author’s Note: The rapidly approach of the summer season in the Northern Hemisphere and the seasonal transition in the Southern Hemisphere validate the importance of the annual “manifest” of the health and safety benefits attained through the consistent regular use of sunscreen. No matter where we live, our racial identity or the amount of time that we spend outside, the proper use of sunscreen is vital to us all! Please read! Appreciate, learn and practice!

The summer doesn’t officially begin until June 21, here in the Northern Hemisphere. However, in the USA, two weeks from today, Monday, May 31, is the Memorial Day holiday. Most people in this country consider this date the unofficial beginning of the legendary season of “fun in the sun.” No matter which date one prefers for the arrival of the summer, there’s no denying the fact that warmer temperatures and longer daylight are here. This means that textile folks are wearing less clothing and that us clothes free enthusiasts are bare, as usual!

That also means that most (if not all) of us, bare or otherwise, are outside and for longer periods of time, than we were a month ago. While outdoors, we’re all exposing more of our skin to the sun’s rays. This baring of ourselves in all of this sunshine is a welcome change and relief after the forced hibernation of this past winter.

In our eagerness to get out and frolic in the fresh air and the warm sunshine, many of us forget one of the basic rules of summer health. We all need to cover up (protect) our skin before we uncover any part or all of our body. This cover up entails the use of an appropriate sunscreen applied adequately (sufficient quantity) and, when necessary, reapplied diligently. Using sunscreen allows most of us to enjoy the most of whatever our summer plans may offer. The purpose of sunscreen is to safeguard our skin from the condition known as sunburn (or worse), which is shown on the back on the man in the photograph below.

Sunburn is caused by the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation and not heat. It is important to remember that skin can burn even on overcast or cloudy days, cold winter days and while under shade (shelter from direct sunlight). Sunburn damages or destroys the skin, which controls the amount of heat our body releases or retains, holds in fluids (hydration) and protects us from infection.

Reactions to sunburn range from mild irritation to serious pain. Sunburn may cause fevers and nausea (depending on the severity of the burn) and makes the dead skin peel away. Sunburn may lead to serious health complications and issues later in life.

The information below is very general and is offered as a guide to use in selecting the type of sunscreen that’s best for personal protection. Keep in mind that every individual is just that, an individual: a unique person. What is applicable for one may or may not be the same for another. When in doubt, consult a health practitioner. It is better to ask now than to be sorry later!

The format for the remainder of this posting here on ReNude Pride is in a “question and answer” style. I thought this would enable visitors here an easier and speedier search if they had specific questions or topics to pursue.

What is sunscreen?

Sunscreen is a chemical that, to a certain degree, prevents UV radiation from reaching the skin. While there is no product that totally eliminates UV radiation damage, many variations, when used properly, can and do protect the skin adequately.

What should I look for in a sunscreen?

Regardless of where the sun activity is taking place – backyard, ball-playing field, court or course, park or waterfront, the sunscreen product should contain two elements for effective protection. Always look for a “broad spectrum” sunscreen that includes chemicals that block both UV-A and UV-B radiation from penetrating the skin surface.

While no product is completely “waterproof,” select a “water-resistant” type that is designed for long-lasting wear, especially if sweating heavily or swimming. Choose a variation that is both easy to apply and feels good on the skin. There are numerous commercial brands available: creams, gels, lotions, moisturizers, solid sticks and sprays (aerosols). After applying whatever commercial brand that you choose, gently and evenly rub the ointment into the skin to ensure full protection. In order for the protection to occur, the sunscreen must be absorbed into the skin.

What is SPF?

The initials SPF refer to sun protection factor. It is the measure of the effectiveness of the sunscreen in absorbing UV-B radiation. If someone sunburns after 10 to 15 minutes of sun exposure, using a product of SPF15 extends the amount of time before sunburn occurs to approximately 150 minutes or two-and-one-half hours. After this amount of time, it should be reapplied to continue protection.

In terms of percentages, a product of SPR15 blocks almost 93% of the UV-B sunrays. One of SPF30 blocks almost 97% of radiation and one of SPF50 blocks almost 99%. The difference in protection may not justify the added expense of higher SPF sunscreens.

What’s the best sunscreen for me?

This depends on many factors, including age, activity, skin type, race or ethnicity, time of day, location (proximity to the equator) and the UV index. For most skin types, a sunscreen with a minimum SPF15 is recommended. Men with fair or lighter skin tones (of all races) and low sun tolerance (burn easily) should use SPF30. For minimal sun exposure, 90 minutes or less, a moisturizer cream may suffice (with correct SPF level). For extended periods of sun exposure and higher activity engagement (either sports or excessive sweating) use a longer-lasting product such s a cream, gel or lotion. Sprays (either aerosol or pump) are beneficial for hairy parts of the body, including arms and armpits, chest, legs and the pubic region. If a person is acne-prone, select sunscreens that are oil-free or non-carnodegenic.

For persons with sensitive skin, the chemicals in some sunscreens may cause skin irritation. Use a product that contains only physical blockers (titanium dioxide and zinc oxide). A physical blocker does not penetrate the skin layers as do chemicals. Physical blockers remain on the skin surface to provide protection.

What’s the best way to use sunscreen?

If you’ve used sunscreen before and sunburned, it was either a) applied incorrectly, b) the wrong SPF, c) expired by age. For sunscreen to be effective, it must be in sufficient quantity, applied correctly and thoroughly, applied prior to sun exposure and reapplied when necessary. Remember the lips! Use a lip balm with a minimum SPF15!

How much?

One ounce (a full alcoholic shot glass) per adult body per application (minimally). Apply liberally all over the body, including behind the ears and on the edges of the ear and ear lobes.

When to apply?

At least thirty (30) minutes before going out into the sun. It is best to reapply 15 minutes later. The second application helps to cover body areas that may have inadvertently missed the first time. Once in sunlight, reapply when recommended in the sunscreen directions. More often if swimming, heavily perspiring or towel drying.

Who should use sunscreen?

Everyone needs skin protection from the sin’s rays! All ethnicities and races are susceptible to sunburn. Men with darker skin complexions or skin tones may have a higher tolerance for sun exposure but at some point, will begin to experience sunburn. Keep in mind that skin damage and serious complications later are a result of failure to protect the skin.

What does the “expiration date” mean?

Sunscreen usually remains stable and effective for a period of three years. After the expiration date, the contents will begin to decompose and will not offer the intended protection. Always check the expiration date before application! Discard any product that is past the expiration date.

Sunglasses?

Sunrays also have an impact on human eyes. Sunglasses are an important tool to help safeguard vision and eliminate radiation. There are sunglasses available that reduce UV radiation. Take care and protect your eyes, too! Caution: do not apply sunscreen into your eyes!

Suggestions For Bare Practitioners:

All of us bare practitioners (bisexual or gay men who are also naturist or nudist) should keep in mind the following suggestions on sunscreen.

1. When in public, it is best not to have a friend or intimate partner to apply sunscreen to your genitalia and vice versa. Often, people have been expelled from facilities for “indecent or lewd conduct.” Discretion is advised.
2. Apply sunscreen to the entire body. This includes the anal area, armpits, penis and testicles (both front and back). Follow the reapplication guidelines. Body areas that may not receive direct sunlight absorb UV-A and UV-B radiation indirectly. When in public, be discrete in applying sunscreen in the genitalia.
3. Manscaping (body hair removal), no matter the method used, creates sensitive areas on the skin surface. First, apply a gentle body lotion, wait 15 – 20 minutes and then cover with sunscreen.
4. For all-day visits to the beach or lakefront areas, a time device is encouraged in order to monitor the reapplication process. An alarm is ideal for alerting the time to reapply!

Being outdoors and in the sunlight is a pleasurable time for practically all of us but especially when we are just as clothes free as possible! There are an endless variety of nudecentric (bare focused) activities that we enjoy, from reading alone or to someone to a full athletic event with both participants and spectators. No matter how we plan to spend our leisure time, proper protection against sunburn ensures all of us freedom from concerns over our health both now and in the future. One less worry as we go about our business of having “fun in the sun!”

In following the above protocols and recommendations and our own “common sense,” we’ll all be able to look back and know that “a good time was had by all!”

Naked hugs!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride

Author’s Note: The next post entry for here is planned for Friday, May 21, 2021, and the proposed topic is “Spring Cleaning!”

The sport of baseball is claimed by many to be the “national sport” of the USA. I have my own reasons for emphatically denying this acclimation as real or truthful. I know that the sport has many fans however, in our contemporary society, I don’t believe this to be the case. I personally care absolutely nothing for baseball and it has been more than twenty years since I ever watched a baseball game on television and even longer in watching one live. Basketball, soccer and tennis are my favorite sports to not only watch but also to participate in!

My disdain for baseball doesn’t mean that I feel the same for softball. While somewhat similar, the two sports are also entirely distinct. For those seeking clarification on either sport, use google for either “baseball” or “softball.”

Probably one of the major reasons I am more amenable and receptive towards softball is that I have actually played on an all bare softball team. This was following my baccalaureate graduation from university. This was a young adult league and my team-mates were fellow members of a gay nudist social club in the Washington, DC, area. The league was active for three consecutive summers before it faded into oblivion. I played the second baseman position for all three seasons.

The spring and summer months constitute the traditional season of play for both professional and for amateur baseball. The same is true for all the leagues of softball. This enables those men featured in the images here to willingly pose naked for the cameras.

Fellow bare practitioner and gay pornography actor, Beaux Banks, is featured in the .gifs (directly above and the two below) illustrating this posting on ReNude Pride. Beaux is also a professional and talented choreographer and dance who has no modesty nor shyness in utilizing his buttocks to demonstrate his softball prowess!

The item that these subjects in these .gifs have in their hands and brandish for the camera lens is referred to as a “bat” in both baseball and softball. The man swinging the bat is called a “batter” and when the bat connects with the ball thrown or tossed towards it, the batter then has a chance to score a “run” (point) for his team.

I have no known knowledge whether Beaux Banks is proficient in baseball, softball or both. What I do know is that he is very agile and skilled in using his buttocks to entertain and entice us with his bodacious “bottoms-up” booty. I should also feature him and his delightful “bounty” in one of my bottoms-up! postings here!

If anyone is even vaguely interested, my final softball season, my team retired undefeated! I admit to seriously contemplating a professional career in bare softball (the pornographic version)! Now, if I can convince Beaux Banks to choreograph a softball dance for me!

Naked hugs!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride

Author’s Note: The next posting entry here is planned for Monday, May 17, 2021, and the proposed topic is “Save Your Skin!”

We bare practitioners are often ridiculed – by other naturists and nudists and others of different sexual identities – as a poor excuse for either a naturist or a nudist. The cause of this accusation is our un-natural fascination and obsession with rain wear. Critics argue that we enjoy skinny-dipping (naked swimming) until one single drop of rain falls from the sky and then we frantically seek cover and/or shelter from the sudden shower or thunderstorm.

If we like to skinny-dip, then why do we make haste in searching for protection from the precipitation? After all, aren’t we already wet? A truly valid “point to ponder.”

We bare practitioners deliberately and enthusiastically discard every thread of clothing whenever legal, possible and practical. That is a very essential aspect of our character. Our nudity is of greater significance than concern for clothes. Not too worry, we’re all naked!

However, our being bare practitioners did not eradicate our humanity. Just as our being nude didn’t erase our sense of fashion or style. The modern age has embellished us with the ability to be both fashionable and stylish all the while remaining loyal and true to our basic ideals of body freedom and clothes freedom. The age to engage in transparency is clearly here!

We now have the choice, the freedom, the option to be obviously and realistically bare (naked and/or nude) and simultaneously trendsetting! Transparent (see-through) rain gear is here! It is possible to put on apparel that in no way conceals or obstructs our bold and brazen nakedness!

Modern marvels embrace, empower and envelop bare practitioners! Celebrate the occasion!

Naked hugs!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride

Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, May 14, 2021, and the proposed topic “Batter-Up For Fun!”

Every year in the USA, the second Sunday in the month of May is designated as “Mother’s Day.” This is the day of the year when nationally we pay tribute to our mother or to her memory. In our contemporary society, we also honor any woman who helped to raise us, with or without our birth mother, to the best of her ability.

To all of the women reading here today, best wishes for a very happy Mother’s Day!

I know from my own experience the affection and attachment that bisexual and gay men have for their mothers. Even with my own Mother living in Greece, I am with my spouse at the home of his parents. We’ll be with his mother as we and his siblings honor her!

Take care and stay bare!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride

Author’s Note: The next post entry planned for here is for Monday, May 10, 2021, and the proposed topic is “Bare Compatible: Rain Wear!”

Today is the feast of Holy Easter in the Orthodox Church (Patriarchate of Constantinople). Most of the years, the dates for the observance of this holiday is totally different for the Eastern Church (Orthodox) and the Western Church. About once every six years, the dates are a month apart (this year is one of those).

My spouse, Aaron, and I enjoy celebrating both Easters. Aaron’s background is Roman Catholic and mine is Greek Orthodox so we double our joy by observing both on their actual dates. This magnifies our Spring celebration!

The Easter services in the Orthodox Church are essentially the same as those in other churches. Palm Sunday is still the week before the holiday following a period of fasting and prayer known as Great Lent. The bunny is typically a western creation but we all understand his fabled role. Easter eggs are likewise popular but growing up, we always decorated hard-boiled eggs dyed red only!

The epitafios is symbolic as the Tomb of Jesus and is bourne and honored in liturgical processions both inside and outside churches from Good Friday until Easter. It is venerated upon entering and leaving the church. The Icon of Jesus rests inside during the same days.

Above is the Icon of the Resurrection which is prominently placed at the entrance to the church sanctuary on Easter for the parishioners to venerate upon entrance and exiting.

This weekend, in the celebration of Easter, my spouse, Aaron, and I will have our condominium in Arlington, overloaded with guests to enjoy the festivities with us! Of course, we’ll be bare (naked, nude) while inside our four walls. Aaron and a cousin of mine, Michael, will make (an eight-hour process) and bake our very own loaves of the Christpsomo (pictured above) using my paternal grandmother’s recipe. I will be responsible for dyeing the eggs they will use. I need to make at least a small contribution towards the feast!

Happy holy Easter to all!

Naked hugs!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride

Author’s Note: Due to this being the fourth consecutive post here over the past four days (April 29: Arbor Day; April 30: Bottoms-Up!; May 1: May Day/World Naked Gardening Day; May 2: Holy Easter) the next post entry planned for here is for Friday, May 7, 2021, and the proposed topic is “USA: Mother’s Day!”

The tradition is for the very first day of May to be determined as May Day. The promoted date for World Naked Gardening Day (WNGD) is the first Saturday in May, annually. This year, 2021, we bare practitioners and other naturists/nudists are honored in having a double reason to be glad that today is here! It’s a simultaneous occasion!

May Day:

Bare practitioners customarily observe the May Day event dutifully in their respective birthday suits (we are all born naked, hence the name), as it is usually warm enough throughout much of the world for a majority of us to comfortably do so. In a casual riddle: “strip off all your clothes and wiggle all your toes!”

In liturgical Christian populations (Orthodox and Roman Catholic) the month of May is celebrated with flowers and colorful ribbons in honor of the Virgin Mary, the Theotokos (Mother of God). In many countries, May is also the month of Mother’s Day observances. Nature contributes to the festivity as many bushes and flowers are blooming at this time. This led to the establishment of the May Day ritual of the customary may-pole using colorful ribbons and Spring flowers!

In the former Soviet Union (Russia) and other communist-dominated states, the day was one of military parades featuring armed troops forward towards projected world domination. The dissolution of the USSR and anti-communist revolutions have largely eliminated this short-lived occurrence.

In predominantly secular nations and societies, the month of May is often used to promote organized and productive labor. A salute and tribute to workers in all categories and professions – agriculture, industries and services. In other words, “keep their morale high and profits will soar!” Of course, it is always government and management who monitor the score on morale and profits!

No matter the instance or the situation, this is one day out of the year virtually all of us have a reason to feel happy and joyful and comfortable while totally clothes-free!

**********

World Naked Gardening Day:

World Naked Gardening Day (WNGD) was first observed on September 10, 2005. It was founded and organized by Mark Storey, a consulting editor for Nude & Natural magazine and permaculturist Jacob Gabriel as a project of Body Freedom Collaborative (BFC). World Naked Gardening Day is endorsed by The Naturist Society, Clothes Free International and the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR).

In 2007, the date for the WNGD was moved from the second Saturday in September to the first Saturday in May, annually. In 2018, the New Zealand Naturist Federation adopted the last weekend in October as WNGD as that time was better suited to the climate of the Southern Hemisphere.

Organizers and gardeners alike concur that “besides being liberating, nude gardening is second only to swimming as an activity that people are most ready to consider doing nude.” During the fifth annual WNGD in the United Kingdom, in 2010, participants were encouraged to engage naked in either their private gardens or in public parks.

The following poem is directly from the WNGD website:

Seasonal Interchange

by Michael Ailken

In Winter, when the trees are bare,

we mortals don our winter wear.

In Spring when trees begin to dress,

we mortals then start wearing less.

Until, for some, with Summer’s heat,

The role reversal is complete!

For additional information on WNGD, click below to visit their website:

World Naked Gardening Day

To everyone visiting here, Happy May Day! and Happy World Naked Gardening Day!

Naked hugs!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride

Author’s Note: The next planned post entry here is for tomorrow, May 2, 2021 and the proposed subject is “Holy Easter.”