It’s January in the Northern Hemisphere and an overwhelming majority of us are enduring the month inside where we can keep warm and not force our buttocks to suffer the frigid temperatures outside! Comfort and consideration do over-rule the joy of natural nakedness!
Buttocks comparison!
A bottoms-up! enterprise: a dynamic duo coupled for fun! A wonderful way to spend a winter’s day! Taking advantage of the chance to explore the bottoms-up! universe together! A triumphant team effort!
Bottoms-up! to bottoms-up!
A well-deserved respite from a busy day! Companionship brings out the best for all the rest of us to look back and enjoy!
Dressing room bottoms-up!
The “winter workouts” at our local fitness center or gym can often add a “spice of delight” for fans of bottoms-up! enthusiasts!
A “beachy” bottoms-up!
While it’s winter in the Northern Hemisphere, the Southern Hemisphere is full of the excited exposure of bountiful buttocks from coast-to-coast!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for tomorrow, Thursday, February 1, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “USA: BlackHistory Month!”
We are currently approaching the ending of the very first month of a very new year – 2024! The doldrums of the winter season, which began on December 21, 2023, are now being felt throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere. Many of us are familiar with the above featured individuals who are obviously very ready for a return to more tolerable outside weather!
The most comforting thought is that we are now about to enter the final full month of this year’s winter season – which is also the shortest month of our calendar year. A sobering thought is that the change from winter into spring doesn’t happen overnight. Once the spring season arrives, a vast majority of us will experience winter-like weather well into the transition of the seasons.
Aaron, my spouse, and I readily identify and relate to the couple pictured above. Since we entered the winter season, the both of us have longed for a return to moderate temperatures outside. To be totally honest, we were eager for comfortable weather from the beginning of the autumn, 2023, season! Neither of us especially enjoy the colder and nastier weather conditions.
Bare friends!
Fortunately, Aaron and I are not the only couple who feel this way. There are others among our bare practitioner community and culture who share our preference. There are also others within our very same community and culture who actually thrive during the winter season. Variety enables diversity not only within individuals but within our communities, too!
A benefit that we are all able to obtain from the limitations of the winter season and weather is the freedom to examine and explore the opportunities available when the 2024 springtime does arrive. We can compare experiences we’ve learned from acquaintances and friends as well as look into promotional materials provided from nudecentric (clothes free focused) destinations in order to create, design and to plan different adventures to undertake for the renewed (renude) season coming our way.
This affords us a chance to enrich our free time and to broaden our horizon on advantages/disadvantages available to our community and culture. We all know that no two experiences are guaranteed identical, however, a new experience can expand knowledge and develop new resources.
An often ignored reward for suffering through the winter each year are the derived pleasures enjoyed the following spring and summer seasons! If not the actual experience, the dream this exploration may produce is also a just reward!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Wednesday, January 31, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Bottoms-Up! January, 2024”
For multitudes of people, both those bare and those textile (clothed), the beginnings of a new calendar year encouraged them to adjust their lives in different ways. This led to the union of a new year with the practice of resolving (changing). Hence, the custom of “new year’s resolutions” as a tradition that soon became identical to a one word description: failure!
The humour that accompanied this new year’s resolutions idea was based on the popular conclusion that all such goals were doomed to abandonment within less than a month. January 1: New Year’s Day. January 31: new year’s resolutions discarded! Simple?
My personal experience with the unsuccessful new year’s resolutions syndrome and reality is based on timing. In the Northern Hemisphere, winter arrives on December 21, annually. The new year occurs less than two weeks later.
Factor into this situation darker days (less daylight/sunlight), colder outdoor temperatures, inclement weather conditions (ice, snow), health issues (colds, influenza, etc.) and other seasonal realities. There is no additional proof needed as to the predictable demise of new year’s resolutions success.
Snow + naked = s’naked!
In addition to the concerns addressed above, there remains one other personal reason for the collapse of desired changes in behaviour and routine for the new year. I am not amenable to the cold and inclement. Especially the cold; including beverages (year around: no ice) food (ice cream: never) and air conditioning/cooling is not necessary or needed. Heat and humidity is acceptable and preferred. As strange as this may appear to others, I am not alone in this predicament.
This (Washington, D.C. metropolitan area) is as close to the Arctic Circle as I will ever live. I do value my convoluted sanity! I know my strengths and weaknesses and frigid conditions are not on any list of change! Aaron, my spouse, is in complete agreement with me on this matter! If “intolerable” were a word used to describe either of us, it would be applicable here with our reaction to winter!
Another widespread excuse offered for the lack of success of new year’s resolutions is that people resist change, both negative and positive. “Old habits die hard!” is a popular expression often used to identify situation. This outlook (point of view) is common globally.
Stripping or clothing removal!
Once a habit/routine is acquired/learned, it then becomes difficult to alter (change). A prime example to illustrate this reasoning are bare practitioners! When clothes freedom is attained, that becomes the basic, essential procedure. This routine then evolves into what is customary (normal) for this community of individuals. This standard is virtually impossible to change. Simply ask this of any bare practitioner that you personally know! Aaron and I, among many others, are two who enthusiastically verify this fact!
Now we expand our considerations listing to include the lack of commitment and/or indifference. Far too many persons, regardless of their clothing status, enter into the new year’s resolutions context just due to the availability and convenience of the option. Numerous acquaintances perhaps are discussing this topic socially as January 1, approaches each year. In order to actively engage in the conversation, the “indifferent” may only randomly mention a remote adaptation that they may or may not wish to change. Then they may repeat the episode should the need arise.
Given this circumstance, if this decision receives even a secondary thought it should be looked upon as miraculous and obviously doomed for complete failure. This lack of serious commitment reduces any chance of success! Add the inconvenience of the temperature and weather realities and a winter resolution becomes even more synonymous with failure.
Optimism!
The arrival of the Spring season, annually, offers more promise of achievement and development of any alteration of behaviour and/or routine. The approaching improvement of external environmental conditions and the optimistic attitudes that generally accompany this often make people more receptive to introducing changes into their daily practices. Of course, we all know that there are no immediate environmental alterations between winter and the Spring season. However, just knowing that an end to the cold and inclement is in the future often helps in a mental adjustment that enables an improved attitude.
This development reduces our resistance to adopting change and affords many of us an increase in the success of our resolutions!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, January 26, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Perceptions!”
The recent blunder that I caused over my substitution of the proposed Bare: Modesty? post entry here for last Friday, January 12, 2024, created feeling of depression and vulnerability for me. A planned reunion with my BBFs (best bare friends) this past weekend offered me not only relief from my reaction but also realization that I can proceed with my projected revisiting of this undertaking in confidence. This posting is an appreciation gesture to Aaron, my spouse; to Jay, my BBF; and to Raheem, Jay’s partner.
Background:
In order to commemorate the fifteenth (15th) year of our BBF (bare best friends) relationship; Jay, my BBF, and I planned a two-night weekend celebration in an unfamiliar destination. Click the most recent posting for the update: BBFs to view. By the end of October, 2023, Aaron, my spouse, and Raheem, Jay’s partner, had joined the proposed occasion and we congregated in Canada this past weekend. Today’s post entry is the unplanned and hastily considered product of our BBFs summit!
It is winter here in the Northern Hemisphere; Canada is north of the border between Canada and the United States. The weather in the city is much colder than anything I am accustomed to experiencing! Being BBFs in a public hotel – as well as bare practitioners – we retreated to Jay and Raheem’s suite so that we could shed off our burdensome clothes, get comfortable and to relax and become social.
Raheem initiated the conversation by wondering how many people who read ReNude Pride were actually bare practitioners. That subject remained almost the exclusive focus for the two days and two nights that we spent in the hotel (due to the weather extremes outside). Fortunately, we were able to stay conveniently in our nakedness and to have all but two meals delivered to our suite!
We quickly developed a goal and purpose for this posting entry. The theme is: “Now that 2024 is here, explore it as a Bare Year!” The purpose is to encourage those who are uncertain of their personal level of comfort with nakedness to consider, explore and examine their feelings and reactions through suggested exercises to monitor their discovery and reality. The comments option/section is available for all to use as a communication tool to share with others.
ReNude Pride, as a blog, will publish periodically articles that will assist all of us in contemplating our thoughts and responses to predicaments and situations that we may encounter. This also includes examining different points of view on a wide variety to topics that possibly may help us reach a conclusion to certain issues that we may or may not face.
Hopefully the providing of exploratory methods or pathways for consideration, contemplation and determination can help with the achievement of a level of comfort with nakedness that will enable the pursuit of this aim or goal. Once this qualifying has been attained, implemented and understood, then progression to the next or another subsequent phase or stage becomes a possible development.
In the “Background” introduction of this submission, I gave the link to the BBFs publication here along with Raheem’s unofficial but affectionate designation as our “textile convert.” His dynamism – energetic leadership – in assuming the “moderator” role in our weekend gathering’s spontaneous discussion was rewarding to witness! It afforded an enthusiastic infusion and inspiration as we (Aaron, Jay and myself) participated in his “conversation coordination” as his subordinate audience.
In sign language, “I love you” is conveyed to Aaron, Jay and Raheem!
When this BBF reunion was initiated, Jay and I were the only two involved. Our partner (Raheem for Jay) and my spouse, Aaron, were aware of our planning. However, at that time, we were considering only a one night adventure of two friends who accidently met one another in a chance circumstance fifteen years ago. The logic for this was based on the fact that neither Aaron nor Raheem were a part of our lives when we first met. Now, the four of us are more than simply friends. Our status is now at the level of bare friends who are additionally bare practitioners! An entirely exclusive, remarkable and unique distinction.
The exclusivity of our relationship as BBFs, of course, involves our nakedness. We are what and who we are: bare. What we see in one another and share together is honesty. There are no clothes available to hide us. No disguise is necessary or needed. We are two bare same gender loving couples who offer friendship and respect. As individual couples, we have sexual intimacy but as friends we do not. For many, this reality is unbelievable. Often, reality itself is nothing more than: unbelievable!
Our exclusivity also involves our uniqueness. The unbelievability of our situation surprisingly eradicates yet another stereotype. Gay and naked frequently invokes mental images of an orgy. This is common mythology for the multitudes; regardless of their clothing status or their sexual identity. The four of us destroy that misconception!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, January 22, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Resolutions Reminder!”
Today marks the celebration and observation of both the official (actual) birthday and the Monday-holiday commemoration of the occasion both happening simultaneously.
Birthdate:
January 15, 1929
NobelPeacePrize
Recipient
Awarded to him by His Majesty, King Gustav VI Adolph of Sweden on October 14, 1964.
CivilRightsAdvocate
International
Non–ViolentProtest
Activist
Ordainedclergyperson
Professional
SouthernChristianLeadershipConference
Founder, 1957
Married: CorettaScottKing
Wife
Children: Yolanda, Martin L. King, III, Dexter Scott King, Bernice
USA: PresidentialMedalofFreedom
Posthumously given, 1977
NationalMarchonWashingtonforFreedomandJobs
Organizer, Keynote Speaker
August 28, 1963
Speech: “I Have A Dream”
*************************
Fortunately, we live in a world where there are others among us who are able to recall and remember the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Fortunately, we live in a world that is “all-too-gradually” witnessing the dreams of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. materialize into reality. Fortunately, we live in a world that recently experienced the overwhelming election and re-election of a Black man, Mr. Barack Hussein Obama, as president of the United States. This, too, was a dream of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Fortunately, we live in a world that is living in the times of the “Black Lives Matter” movement – a dynamic, growing and popular awakening of social conscience to the basic fact that African-American people are entitled to certain rights and responsibilities within this country and within our world. Another dream of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that has now become alive.
Equality and brotherhood!
Yes! We are indeed fortunate that we live in a world where the dreams of a visionary and historical inspiration, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. have come to pass. And we are grateful for his sacrifice and his struggle. His example and his leadership – in addition to his remarkable dreams – opened to doors towards equality and justice that few see in their lifetime!
His dreams, his foresight and his wisdom instill a feeling and sense of hope within us all. Yes, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. continues to offer and to provide all humanity with courage and with dignity his accomplishment and his achievement of fairness, of knowledge and of non-violence. During an era of degradation, discrimination and prejudice he overcame those obstacles and chose forgiveness, harmony and peace!
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is and was a shining star who brightly guided our way into his dreams and himself into the dreams of many of us!
Wisdom from the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Unfortunately, we live in a world that continues to ignore and reject the profound and serious pronouncements of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In the United States today, despite the cultural, legal and social changes and progress that has occurred since his brutal assassination on April 4, 1968, many persons still refuse to accept the lessons of cooperation, forgiveness and inclusion that were endorsed and taught by the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In their minds, when his memory is involved or his name is invoked, they see nothing except the colour of his skin as the sole cause of discarding his dreams of future harmony and understanding. They are powerless and unable to move beyond racial hatred.
Thankfully, the efforts and examples set by the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. continue to diminish the numbers of those following hatred rather than healing. “Injustice anywhere remains a threat to justice everywhere.” A valid and unyielding truth!
In Israel today, the self-identified survivors of the the Nazi holocaust flagrantly demolish and evict native Palestinians from their United Nations sanctioned partition-designated homeland and property without concern for their safety, survivorship and well being. The so-called holocaust victims creating victims of their own inspired genocide. Cultural and ethnic hatred preferable to cultural and ethnic healing.
Ideally, the efforts and examples set by the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will inspire harmony and healing in triumph over hatred. “Injustice anywhere remains a threat to justice everywhere.” A valid and unyielding truth!
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. paramount speech, August 28, 1963!
Tragically and unfortunately, it is now evident that globally, throughout our world, all of us need to follow the important yet simple quotation from the wisdom of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. From the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, the Congo, the Sudan, the Ukraine and elsewhere, “Injustice anywhere remains a threat to justice everywhere.” A valid and unyielding truth!
In 1964, our entire world watched as His Majesty, King Gustav VI Adolph of Sweden graciously bestowed the international Nobel Peace Prize upon the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A man who responded to the bias, condemnation and hatred of his contemporaries in a heroic, non-violent and peaceful manner. A man who through bravery and courage exemplified his gallant and noble legacy: “Injustice anywhere remains a threat to justice everywhere.” Timeless and valuable advice that is applicable to us all – forever!
Thank you, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., for your care, concern and forgiveness of us all!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, January 19, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Bare New Year!”
Before progressing it is necessary to inform all the reader’s here that ReNude Pride’s author – myself – has made a stupid error! After publishing my previous post entry here this past Monday, I became consumed with composing Bare Modesty? for today. An overly ambitious but also grave mistake by me! There is no one to blame but myself!
Although on holiday from university, I lacked the ability, the energy, the expertise, the skill and the talent to complete the intended posting. I became confused, distracted and totally helpless! It soon became obvious that I was unable to continue on the Bare Modesty? topic and meet the publication deadline. I am setting the entire project aside for the moment. I will publish it – revised – during next month.
I sincerely apologize for inconveniencing you. I ask for your forgiveness and understanding. I am truly sorry for having confusing you like I have been confused. In summation, I offer the old adage: “Two wrongs do not equal one right!”
********************
Offering directions!
Now let’s direct this idea forward. Today’s substitute entry will approach the topic of modesty but from a completely different angle. Hence, the choice of the header image just below the article title to this – my blunder! This photograph depicts a bare practitioner using a fig leaf with his outstretched palm, indicating “stop!” His genitalia is theoretically “covered” by the proverbial fig leaf, yet his nakedness remains implied, obvious and understood by all.
Instead of concealing his penis, the fig leaf has the exact opposite effect. It directs our attention and focus on his state of being bare – body and clothes freedom – and not the usefulness of the fig leaf itself: covering. Hiding. Disguising. Concealment.
A very inefficient and poor attempt to satisfy one’s intention: modesty!
Also, an excellent and opportune linkage of this, a substitute composition, to the intended topic of modesty itself! Completely unplanned and yet a total coincidence! At least, this provides me the chance to offer this substitute entry as an “introductory prologue” to the upcoming publication of the original planned topic of Bare Modesty?
I earlier published here regarding the fig leaf and censorship. Please click the title below to visit that posting:
The utilization of the fig leaf for modesty is biblically referenced but lacks any proof or additional notation of supposed divine inspiration. The practice actually gained acceptance and notoriety later when artistically inspired to comply with popular religious developments to disguise the profusion of nudity in ecclesiastical artifacts: carvings, icons, portraits and statues.
This concept grew in both popularity and practice even though it became identified as a means of including blatantly naked representation within acceptable sacred approval.
Thus, church censorship and elimination of offensive – therefore unholy – nude depictions in ecclesiastical facilities and possession inadvertently preserved the evolution into the pornography business today.
There is no wonder of the obsession of the clergy over the current excesses of pornographic material! They have no one else to blame for it’s prevalence besides themselves or rather, their own professional forebears!
Confused!
The sense of confusion undergoing the ecclesiastical elite is comprehensible. They are the responsible authorities who defiled and determined that a creation of their deity was indecent, offensive and unfit for public exposition!
Not only did they endorse the concept and practice of social nudity by decorating it with a fig leaf; they also encouraged the growth and popularity of the ideal! Basically and essentially they had canonized both the fig leaf and the state of public nakedness! Their actions (or inactions) created a shared bonding of the fig leaf and naked as one common and united factor that has become body and clothes freedom: a movement that advocates and supports social nudity both privately and publicly everywhere.
As a bare practitioner, does this mean that my spouse, Aaron, and I are now sanctified? I already know that we are both saints but this status carries us into an entirely higher level of church endorsed responsibility!
Felipe Ferreira poses with an enlarged fig leaf!
The association of the fig leaf with nakedness introduces an entirely new relationship into the purpose of and the definition of modesty. From this perspective, fig leaf and nakedness and modesty itself now become a synonymous dynamic. Fig leaf implies cover (hide). Nakedness implies nudity. Modesty implies cover (hide). Therefore, nakedness or nudity are identical and/or synonymous throughout.
Or perhaps I have created even more confusion in this ambiguous post entry. Only time will reveal the truth. However, this remains as my prologue to Bare Modesty?
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, January 15, 2024, and the proposed topic is: ” MLK’s Legacy!”
One of the multitude of inspirations for creating and publishing ReNude Pride – both “back-in-the-day” in 2017 and still current in 2024 – has always been to offer a space for same gender loving (SGL) naturists/nudists to celebrate and collectively explore being ourselves. In reality we are a distinctly minority community and culture that is often forgotten, ignored and overlooked by both the general gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer + (GLBTQ+) culture as well as the general body and clothes freedom (naturist/nudist) culture.
For many of us, my spouse, Aaron, and myself included, all we desired and sought was a simple place to feel “home.” Free from judgment; safe and secure.
Hence the word-game (word-play) in the title here: renude is for renewed – a “rebirth” of our initial pride (confidence) in being our true selves. Bisexual or gay nudists. A brief glimpse of this site’s history, repeated in honour of this anniversary occasion!
One other historical reflection to share with you at this time. My first solo blogging experience here on wordpress.com began in 2012 and was entitled A Guy Without Boxers.
“A Guy Without Boxers” header image, 2012 – 2015
A Guy Without Boxers was created and designed for the purpose of acknowledging the existence of the gay nudist movement in our world. Aaron and I were just an ordinary gay couple at that time as marriage equality wasn’t legally established when we began. This initial blogging enterprise was abruptly cancelled and eliminated by wordpress.com arbitrarily in early autumn, 2015. To this date, wordpress continues to “stonewall” (ignore) any justification for this action. I guess actions are stronger than words!
Notation:“A Guy Without Boxers” remains my very favourite name for a blog espousing the nature of being a bare practitioner!
It was with extreme caution, distrust, and reluctance that we returned here in early January, 2017. We both enjoyed the blogging experience and felt a genuine need for an outlet for our SGL naturist/nudist community and culture. ReNude Pride was born at that moment in time.
There was another essential inspiration for the launching of ReNude Pride in 2017. That was the introduction and education of the label (term) bare practitioner as identification or name for our community and culture. The words “gay,” “naturist” and “nudist” invoked too many negative and unpleasant connotations in the minds of many and it was considered that a neutral identification – bare practitioner – would eliminate derogatory associations and negative imaging.
Hopefully, the use of the bare practitioner identity would replace the misconception that bisexual or gay men utilized the naked or nude lifestyle as a means to satisfy their blatant sexual cravings and/or desires. The reduction of this myth is the reasoning for erasure of intimate sexuality implied by clothes freedom and orientation. Nakedness and partner preference are not synonymous with orgy obsession!
“ReNude Pride” gravatar, 2017 – present!
A result of this inspiration is the use of ReNude Pride as a site for the indoctrination of bare practitioner into the vocabulary of all body and clothes freedom enthusiasts. This encouragement is a single step in eliminating a source of mythology and prejudice against a misunderstood minority that simply enjoys having a good time without the restraints of clothing, whether alone or socially.
This site recently “adopted” the openness of nakedness preference of the popular and publicly gay adult celebrity, Phoenix Fellington (real name: Tre Larun Federson) as it’s “spokes-model” (representative) in honour of his frequent and numerous non-sexual appearances and poses. Phoenix isn’t compensated financially for this “unofficial” status and it is hoped that the publicity he receives will reward him personally. In the picture below, he demonstrates his obvious comfort in being bare along with his friends.
Phoenix Fellington (center) directing two of his colleagues!
One of the benefits of this image is that it reflects a totally non-sexual yet proudly bare interaction between openly SGL men who are indifferent (not focused on) to their social nakedness and their shared same gender attraction!
This specific situation with Phoenix Fellington is an example of the diversity of levels of acceptance and comfort with both nakedness and sexuality within our own community and culture of bare practitioners. Phoenix, our spokes-model, readily admits to his dual nature. He honestly and publicly identifies and proclaims his enthusiasm for being bare in both his personal life and his professional life (pornography). Body and clothes freedom, whether “on-the-job” or in his private life present no excuse or reason for either embarrassment, guilt or shame. But he does understand that his reaction to this aspect of himself is not the same for everyone. He encourages all of us to be mindful of this discrepancy in all our levels of comfort! Aaron and I both greatly admire and respect Phoenix for this attribute of his accommodation of us all!
Thank you, Phoenix, for your encouragement in being confident and proud of both what and who we are!
In order to conclude this year’s ReNude Pride anniversary observation on a celebratory and positive nature, I cordially invite each and every one of you to our home for an appreciation breakfast prepared by me!
Of course, bare practitioner status us required of all! Once you cross the threshold, removal of all clothing is mandatory!
Meal preparation is open for full inspection by everyone! No secret ingredients are allowed!
This anniversary is a joyful occasion! Feel free to share your enthusiasm and excitement!
Happy anniversary ReNude Pride! Aaron and I appreciate your support!
Please read my lips:
Aaron and I both “thank-you” for your support and friendship!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, January 12, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Bare Modesty?”
It’s the first Friday of the new nude year, 2024. Depending on perspective, it could possibly be the nude new year, 2024! There is always a second opinion as to what is acceptable and proper and what isn’t. That introduction brings us directly to the purpose of today’s post topic: “footnote!”
No, it most certainly isn’t a note written to ourselves on our feet!
A gentle yet not-too-subtle reminder that my traditional publication days here on ReNude Pride are Mondays and Fridays. Hence the footnote for today. It’s a Friday, the first one of 2024. Therefore, we can all remind ourselves that it is officially – at least – a footnote day!
While we are covering the subject of footnote, it is appropriate that we include the reality that this site advocates in favour of, encourages and endorses nakedness! We’re bare practitioners – same gender loving souls who practice body and clothes freedom whenever and wherever we are able. We are not obsessed with fashion although we are very fashionable when we’re wearing nothing but a smile!
Gio Dell: bare practitioner!
The overwhelming majority of us bare practitioners accept, respect and understand that there are varying levels of comfort with all of us and our nudity. Some of us may appear “bold and brave” without clothing and others among us may be very discreet and modest. There is no predetermined or set standard of acceptability of our being bare. What is good for one may not be for another.
As with any cultural or social group, individuals may and often do react differently, depending on the circumstances. All of us feel and respond in our own way in whatever situation we find ourselves. There is no magical formula that is applicable to us all!
Our reaction to our nakedness is no exception. Some of us appear unconcerned about appearing in front of others completely nude while there are others who are very discreet when naked among others. This is typical among all people, bare or textile. Some are confident, some are less confident and reticent. Human nature at our best!
Bare confidence!
The diversity of our reactions to our personal nakedness depends of factors that happened during our lives. Some of us were raised in families with no restrictions on nudity and no cause for discomfort or shame about sharing our clothes freedom with others, no matter of the clothing status of the others. Naked is “natural” therefore no reaction is needed nor obliged.
Some of us were brought up in families where naked was frowned upon and seen as indecent. Yet they developed no negative judgments or views on being bare either alone or in the company of others. This indifference towards clothes freedom was simply a natural reaction to what they consider a natural situation – no cause for discomfort!
The Shoneye Twins: proud (left) and modest (right)!
There are also those who grew up in households where bareness was acceptable and allowed/encouraged yet have no interest in being without clothing in any situation. Another example of the development of personality independent of any special interest. The human preference and spirit varies from individual to individual and isn’t entirely based on how one was raised.
One of the greatest misunderstandings is the generally accepted belief that bare practitioners have no sense of modesty. This is a concept that many assume is fact but is many times proven to be fallible. There are numerous incidents where the advocates for body and clothes freedom often are the ones who place restrictions on social settings where they are comfortable being nude. Again, this is based on individual preference and not determined by any obligation or rule about what is or is not allowed.
It is important that rather than judging a person on their comfort/discomfort with appearing bare among others – clothed or unclothed – we take into account their respective reasoning and allow them the freedom to practice their respective levels of acceptance and their individual comfort level of nakedness. All of us deserve the right to be exactly what and who we are!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, January 8, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “ReNude Pride: Seven!”
January 3, 2009: a Saturday. Mr. Obama still retained the official designation of “president-elect” for about another two weeks. Jay (my soon-to-be BBF) and I arrived separately at the Naked Happy Hour (nude cocktails) event in downtown Washington, D.C. We stripped off all our clothes in the second floor men’s room with over 100 other guys. We proceeded downstairs (clothes free) to the bar area and that’s where we met. We’ve been BBFs (bare best friends) ever since then; exactly fifteen (15) years ago today!
This day was more than a full year before Aaron and I met one another. As a matter of fact, Jay was very encouraging to Aaron and myself and was the singular “honourary” best man for both Aaron and myself on August 15, 2015, the day that we got married. Fortunately, over the years, Aaron and Jay have also become BBfs together!
For the past four years, Jay’s bromantic partner is Raheem. Ever since we’ve met him, Raheem has been an integral component of our now BBF foursome. He fits as an appropriate “odd man” as he’s the only one of us who “wore” clothes until he met up with Jay! His unofficial designation (in jest) is as our “token textile convert!”
Despite our often laughing at Raheem’s “novelty” nudity status, we’ve welcomed him into our clothes free world. Amazing, he does have an enthusiasm for social nakedness and enjoys our outings among others as well as among ourselves. Jay often has a “new” Raheem tale of “naked energy” to share with us. It is rewarding to be with another who is enthralled with body and clothes freedom.
Over the 15 years of our “best bare friendship,” Jay and I have both considered not only the timing of our meeting one another but also the chronological implications. It was very early into a new calendar year, the actual third day of January, 2009. The day held promise and excitement. To start with, it was a very moderate day temperature-wise, I wore shorts and sandals to the planned “naked cocktail” event. An unusual occurrence for January of any year in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The unseasonably warm outdoor temperatures contributed to the exceptional crowd gathered for the bare “happy hour” gathering!
The crowd was one of the reasons that Jay and I met. I was looking over the attendance for a place to sit. Jay was seated at a “table-for-two” and had no one in the opposite chair. I approached him and…voila, we met! We shared the same table for a couple of hours, exchanging notes with one another and Jay practicing his American Sign Language (ASL). Before parting as the naked cocktails event ended and “textile cocktails” (clothed cocktails) began, we shared email addresses and agreed to keep in touch with one another.
We sent emails throughout the week following our meeting and were both very excited about Obama’s upcoming inauguration and the commencement of both change and hope for all of us living in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. We discussed meeting for a lunch during one of the upcoming weekends but were unsure of the throngs of people anticipated before the swearing in of the new president. One of the suggested dates was to wait until after the president’s event and people returned home.
We didn’t have to delay our next encounter together. The following Saturday, nor January 10, 2009, we surprised one another (again) by eventually realizing that we were both shopping inside a bookstore in Arlington, Virginia. The confusion was based on the fact that neither one of us recognized the other because we were wearing clothes. We only knew one another through being naked – not under the disguise of garments!
Unfortunately, we didn’t recall one another until we were leaving the booksellers. It did provide us both with laughter as we realized this would probably be the contact incident that would permanently seal our friendship!
“Sorry! I didn’t recognize you wearing clothes!”
Naked friendships cause less confusion than one might think!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, January 5, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Footnote!”
This is the only holiday in the entire calendar year that is celebrated, commemorated, and observed, internationally and universally! The welcoming of a new year into all of our lives is the same for all of us. This day is the same in every language that is communicated and in every dance that can be motivated!
Stripping and dancing!
Dancing while stripping!
Being bare together is so much fun!
Bare friends are good friends!
All together!
“For all of us, as same gender loving people, we must remember that as members of a distinct minority community and culture, it is incumbent on us to recognize that our pride ourselves is based on our self-acceptance and our self-confidence of both what and who we are. Guilt and shame have no place in our lives. We need to let them go and move forward in patience and tolerance for all. Love and respect are the keys we need. Hate and ignorance are not.”
~ Roger Poladopoulos ~ June 16, 2023
All bare together!
If we all joined together, today is the day that all over, we would be united in a bare spirit of anticipation and hope for the future! Content with our dream of harmony, peace and tranquility!
Enjoy naked friends!
Becoming comfortable!
Montgomery becomes comfortable!
In the Northern Hemisphere, it is now winter and inside our homes we can strip off our clothes and invite our guests to do the same. This way, we can offer a natural greeting to our new, 2024 calendar!
Southern Hemisphere beach time!
Our fellow bare practitioners residing in the Southern Hemisphere, it is now the summer season and we can conveniently strip off our swimsuit and greet the new nude year with a skinny-dip (naked swim)!
On this day, all throughout this world, our nakedness is an experience that we can all offer to ourselves and to one another. A tribute that we can engage in and enjoy!
Happy new nude year, 2024, to everyone!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Wednesday, January 3, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “BBFs!“
ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers! 