HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY TO ALL OF YOU FROM THE BOTH OF US!
Best wishes and please remember to share your love with someone this week!
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The V-Men 4 V-Day!
Jason Vario (left) kisses Daymin Voss!
Wearing their jock-straps, Jason Vario rewards his hirsute partner, Daymin Voss, with a kiss. Both their last names begin with the letter, “V!” Hence, V-men! And V-Day is today, Valentine’s Day!
Get in line behind me to get your own kiss from the V-men!
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A Valentine shaped cave entrance!
Enjoy the view from the entrance to a cave shaped almost identical to your heart!
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A manly Valentine profile!
The love that brings about unity also brings with it devotion, happiness and respect!
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A Valentine’s Day ritual!
“Full nakedness! All joys are due to thee,
As souls unbodied, bodies unclothed must be,
To taste whole joys!”
~ John Donne ~ Poet and Church of England priest 1572 – 1631
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An enthroned majestic Valentine!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Naked hugs!
Aaron Poladopoulos-Peterson and Roger Poladopoulos-Peterson/Renude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, February 16, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Bare! Black! SGL!”
While researching and composing this post entry, I encountered this word: exogamy. To my knowledge, I have never I have seen it before, not have I ever fingerspelled it manually. The definition is: exogamy: marrying outside the family, tribe, clan, culture or other social unit.
A Week of Love:
Exogamy essentially describes and/or identifies my marriage. Aaron, my spouse, is Black, I am White (race). He is Canadian, I am Greek (nationality). He is hearing, I am Deaf (differing ability). He is Roman Catholic, I am Greek Orthodox (religion).
On a positive notation, we are both very much proud bare practitioners. Also, we are both very much in love with one another. Sometimes, love works best when there’s at least one shared aspect! We both are dedicated to the sharing of our nakedness! Hence, the existence of both our marriage and this site, ReNude Pride.
This year, Valentine’s Day is middle-of-the week, a Wednesday. This inspired me to create this post entry in honour of A Week of Love. After all, since my spouse and I are both exogamists (finally, I utilized my new vocabulary discovery)! We can take the entire week to commemorate our new classification label!
Very much love!
Despite all the abuse, hatred, killing and violence happening all too often in our world, we can take advantage of this Week of Love to remind ourselves and others that bromance (love between two men) exists! Therefore, all hope is not lost forever! Please join with us as we celebrate love!
Regardless of our exogamy status, Aaron and I share our love together. We both hope and wish the same for all of you!
“Love” can mean many things to different people. It is an ambiguous word that encompasses familial love (loce between members of the same family); it also includes bromantic love or intimate love (love that involves physical contact: groping/touching, kissing and/or sexual union) and platonic love (strong affection and caring between friends). We also need to keep in mind that there are varying degrees (levels) of love within each distinct category. It is usually very different and very unique in almost every situation.
Loving together!
With all the variations of love available, A Week of Love offers the majority of us an opportunity to share some aspect of kindness and/or love with at least one other person. We have the entire week to do this simple task. It can include just giving a smile to the person standing beside you on the subway platform or a kiss-on-the-cheek to an elderly aunt. The little acts of kindness that we share can range from the picking up of a soft toy a child may have inadvertently dropped to the help we give an elderly neighbor in scraping the ice/snow off his automobiles rear window. The effort and gesture are our deserved reward.
Chances are, more than likely, you’ll feel better about yourself! As a special gift, someone else will feel good bout you, too!
Rendering a love tap!
The image above exemplifies three distinct classification of love. The first one is familial love (as in egocentric or self-focused). Both men are comfortable being bare with one another. The second is platonic love (love between friends). It is obvious that as friends, they share affection and respect for each other. The third exemplification is bromantic or intimate love. The proximity of their nakedness together is very suggestive of this happening in the either the pre-intercourse or the post-intercourse moment.
Please enjoy your very own Week of Love!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Wednesday, February 14, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Valentine’s Day!”
In the USA, the entire month of February, annually, is observed as Black History Month (now referred to as African-American History Month). It was started in 1926, when the noted Black historian, Carter G. Woodson (now remembered as the “Father of Black History Month) and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) jointly announced the second week of February to be Negro History Week. This particular week was chosen because it contained the birthday (February 12) of the late president, Abraham Lincoln, who issued the Emancipation Proclamation that freed the slaves held in the rebellious south during this country’s civil war. It also contained the birthday of Frederick Douglass, the noted Black abolitionist and influential leader (February 14).
Carter G. Woodson,“Father of Black History Month!”
The very first commemoration of Negro History Week was featured in segregated public schools in three states (Delaware, North Carolina and West Virginia) and the Black schools in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Frederick Douglass, Abolitionist and Black leader
Up until the commencement of Negro History Week, throughout this country, the most that anyone was aware of African-American history was when the topic of slavery was discussed. Otherwise, there was practically no mention of any achievement or contribution of any Black person in the history of the USA. Black people were largely viewed as nothing more than “second-class” citizens throughout this nation. Discrimination and segregation were practiced everywhere and severely hindered the recognition of any notable African-American leadership.
Black History Month encourages honouring persons of the African Diaspora!
Black educators and Black United Students at Kent State University in Ohio first proposed a month-long celebration for Black History Month in February, 1969. It was approved and first observed from January 2, 1970 through February 28, 1970.
President Gerald Ford first recognized Black History Month in 1976 during the USA bicentennial. He urged people to “seize the opportunity to honour the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavour throughout our history. He may have been the first president not elected for the job but he became the first one to publicly recognize the Black History Month celebration.
Looking for his past!
Personal Recollections:
As a child of Greek immigrants, I have very limited knowledge of what it was like to grow up in what was perceived by many to be a White man’s world. I do have some insight into the most definite deficiency of historical information concerning African-American history.
When my parents arrived in Richmond, Virginia, during the second presidential term of Eisenhower, the only home they could purchase was in a primarily Black neighborhood. The city was the capital city of the Confederacy during the Civil War and “old habits die hard (they were, after all, immigrants). Fine. The street that we lived on had a Greek Orthodox Church on one end, an Armenian Church in the middle and an African Methodist Episcopal Church on the other end. A celestial highway!
My oldest brother remembers the controversy surrounding the televised release of Alex Haley’s Roots. For many die-hard Confederate descendants, it was absurd and unforgiveable that White Confederate characters and their offspring were shown as evil, dishonest and violent. I imagine the truth does sometimes hurt.
Alex, my identical twin brother, and I are both Deaf but that didn’t prevent us from having Black friends in our neighborhood. Children don’t need an official interpreter to communicate between Deaf and hearing. We had several Black friends who shared with us in our nakedness (with enthusiasm).
Our motto!
Our neighborhood bordered the south side of the James River in Richmond. As we grew into our teenage years, Twin and I and our neighborhood friends frequented the James River during our summer school holidays. On one of those excursions, we discovered an area within the park very popular with the local same gender loving (SGL) people who were also active nudists. This resulted into an entirely different educational and enlightening world for all of us! The doors to bare practitioner manhood were opened – at last – and remain opened until this very day!
One of my neighborhood friends is named Paul Turner. We have become lifelong friends and have kept in contact with each other since our early teen years. He’s three years older than me and is also gay and a self-admitted bare practitioner co-founder and cohort! We jointly enjoyed and explored the SGL naked area of the James River Park almost daily. We continue to exchange laughter and memories of those summer “retreats” into our nakedness, our SGL identity and all the adventures and pleasures we had while maturing together! This past summer, we took a reminiscent hike to the riverfront park and our “classroom” of education into reality.
Paul and his partner have been a live-in couple for twenty-two years now. They’re both active in Richmond’s Black gay community and are very good friends to my spouse, Aaron, and myself. The four of us are exploring and negotiating the collective composition of a perspective of bare practitioner in today’s world. Our goal is a 2025 publishing.
Nudist friends are the best friends!
Black History
Happy Black History month to everyone! Enjoy the time that we all share together!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for tomorrow, Friday, February 2, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “A Dream Comes True!”
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”
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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!”
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?”
Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated the day after Christmas (unless it is a Sunday). It was originally a day to give gifts to the poor people or to service (domestic) staff. The observance began in Great Britain in the 1700s and today is honoured in the UK and especially nations within the Commonwealth. For many, it remains a time to remember all those considered the less fortunate.
A boxed gift for Boxing Day!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Sunday, December 31, 2023, and the proposed topic is: “Bottoms-Up! December, 2023!”
ReNude Pride appreciates you as a bare practitioner and your support for this, our site!
May your Winter Holidays be filled with both happiness and safety for you and all those that you love! Best wishes and naked hugs for each and every one of you!
Juggling for fun!
If at all possible, make an effort to share some of your holiday spirit with someone less fortunate!
Exercise for fitness!
Take care of yourself, emotionally, mentally and physically!
Bright lights for you!
A dancing elf to bring you joy!
A surprise usually always earns a smile!
The only way to travel!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The nest post entry here is planned for Thursday, December 21, 2023, and the proposed topic is: “First Day of Winter!”
The Pentagon City Fashion Centreis a popular shopping mall/tourist attraction in Arlington, Virginia, located near The Pentagon and just south of the Potomac River which separates the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C., from the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is located very near the condominium where Aaron (my spouse) and I reside.
The incidentdescribed below happened almost a full year after I began publishing ReNudePride back in 2017. We were both shopping in the mall during the winter holiday season. In reality, it was winter and we were both fully clothed in outerwear and our casual garments!
Aaronrecalled this situation about a week ago and encouraged it as a “seasonal” topic to post here during this year’s holiday tradition!
I am using pictures of my fellow blogger, Adimu and myself to illustrate this posting as this was our very first time spent together when we took these images using a telephoto lens and adapter.
Adimu and Roger, riverside!
The truth is…
Early December, 2017 – it was a Saturday and Aaron (my h-u-s-b-a-n-d) – both legally and officially – and I exited the Metro Blue Line at the Pentagon City subway station. We entered the Pentagon City shopping mall for a particular item of clothing. What that was is as unimportant as the cost of a pair of sunglasses is to Rudolph (the red-nosed reindeer)!
Then, as now, we were both honest and open about our being bare practitioners (same gender loving naturists/nudists). We were probably publicly holding onto one another’s hands or walking arm-in-arm. President Obama had served his second term the previous January and his successor was now in office so we were most definitely in physical contact and completely clothed!
The winter holiday shopping frenzy was underway as we patiently progressed through the four shopping levels. We had all day and had ridden the subway; there was no need or reason to hurry. The only pressing item on our agenda for the day was to get home and return to our usual state of nakedness!
Somewhere along the way to wherever, Aaron stopped as he had been approached by another man – presumably alone. My spouse released my hand and immediately began using American Sign Language (ASL) as this man was addressing him orally. At the very least, I would be able to follow their conversation.
Adimu and I embrace!
From what we both recall from this encounter, the conversation began quite amicable, decent and friendly – initially. This man admitted to regularly reading ReNude Pride. He looked me “in the eye” as he complimented me on writing this blog and on our relationship (marriage). This wasn’t the first time someone had acknowledged our interracial gay status nor our being open concerning our preference for nakedness.
Suddenly, the conversation changed from pleasant to one of hostility. This man – name unknown – became increasingly emotional and he specifically accused us both as being insensitive to the fact that being gay was totally incompatible with being nudists!
Both Aaron and I remember his closing argument: “There is noway a gay man can be comfortable being naked among complete strangers!”
I was shocked and surprised! I couldn’t grasp his reasoning behind this exclamation! What triggered this exclamation? I was unable to even think of any response!
Fortunately, Aaron wasn’t in the same type of mental wasteland. He answered, calmly and simply: “Better to be naked with strangers than to be in costume among friends!”
He then grabbed my hand and led me away!
“A moment’s insight is sometimes worth a life’s experience.” ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes ~ American jurist
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is for Friday, December 15, 2023, and the proposed topic is: “Schedule!”
ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers! 