A Vintage Photo-Essay of Bare + Black = Queer!
For decades, the myth has persisted that Black people never engaged in nor enjoyed nakedness and same-gender attraction until they were taught by White people. This supposedly didn’t happen until after the Stonewall Inn Riots (SIR) occurred in June 1969. Up until then, an intended derogatory word – queer – was often used to describe us. After SIR, we “stepped-up” and proudly “owned” (acknowledged) the word. Now, we’re queer and we’re still here!
An historical vintage gallery of being both bare and queer – ourselves – before the SIR even happened!
The hairstyles of those in the pictures featured here are indicative of the period of the late 1940s through the early 1960s. The fact that these photographs survived prove that long before the Stonewall riots, the Black community had knowledge of and persons who preferred same gender love and their nakedness.
These images dispel the mistaken beliefs that African Americans were unaware of bisexual and gay natures among men and the popular myth that they were oblivious towards nudity. Communal nakedness while in the shower were unavoidable but social nudity was a conscious choice and frequently happened.
Long before the SIR brought the struggle for equality and freedom to our communities, we did have times when we enjoyed our sexual freedom and our body and clothes freedom. Our people were not as insulated and as isolated as many would have us to believe.
Relaxing together, bare and no guilt about who they really are! The images published here are vital visual parts of our story! Not only as African Americans, but also as bare practitioners – same gender loving and naturists/nudists!
Happy Black History Month, 2026!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, February 23, 2026, and the proposed topic is: “Ms. Unknown Discovery!”
ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers! 