A special birthday wish for my fellow blogger, friend and Kenyan brother. He’s the author of the site, Random Thoughts here on wordpress.
To visit his site, please use the link following this encouragement: Random Thoughts
I sincerely apologize to Makagutu for failing to include his celebration in my recent post entry of Winter Holidays!
Have a great birthday month!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Background:
It has been quite some time – at least three years – since I have referenced my bare and gay modeling job and/or the two years that I was involved with it. I have no embarrassment, guilt or shame over that fact/reality. After all, it was an enormous milestone in my life that contributed to the publication of ReNude Pride (this site). Credit should go where it is due!
While earning and learning my baccalaureate degree at my university, I was an active member of the Lavender Club. This was the student club for bisexuals, gays and lesbians. At that time, those three were the sole identities professed by our community and our membership. The overwhelming majority of us considered ourselves gay.
The second largest component group identified as bisexual and was predominantly male followed by the third grouping: lesbian. To our knowledge, there was no census, survey or research done to uncover the discrepancy in numerical memberships. The unofficial reasoning that circulated among us students was that none of the women wanted to be known as a “lavender lesbian!” This observation was often repeated in jest!
As a student member of the Lavender Club (please make a note of: lavender), our faculty advisor was Dr. Rose (please note: rose). He also was the coordinator of the university’s programme of using graduate students, if interested, as nude models for the art and/or photography classes. Lavender? Rose? Were the university administrators attempting to organize a “rainbow” of surnames for the bisexual, gay and lesbian students?
Bare Professional:
As referenced above, Dr. Rose was the sole coordinator for the university’s naked models for the School of Art and he was the one who interviewed all prospective candidates. My situation was different from the others as he was aware of my comfort and familiarity with nudity as well as membership in several Washington, D.C. area clothes free social clubs. He approached me into joining his group of bare models. Of course I agreed! My first assignment as a naked model was to pose for a photography class interacting with fallen leaves the autumn after my graduation. Interacting with a pile of Autumn leaves while the students photographed me? Really?
A simple task that was a nightmare of a challenge. How “creative” could I be with a pile of leaves? Dr. Rose repeatedly emphasized to my modeling partner and myself that the project entailed both our nudity and nature (the leaves). Using the leaves to cover our anatomy was absolutely not an option. Little did he know that was never considered as a possibility by me! My goal: naked, front and center!
As for my modeling partner, he was obsessed with the wearing of a facial Halloween mask for the project. When I asked: why? He answered that he didn’t want his family or friends to know that he was posing nude. I convinced him that this was a project for the photography students, not creating pictures for an art gallery.
Once the project began and working with the leaves developed a pattern, the job became somewhat easier. It was no longer a tedious task. The camera (photography) students started to interact with us and we performed, danced, showered and countless other methods of socialization with the leaves ensued! The class became enthusiastic about the assignment and the focus evolved into having fun!
I realized how fortunate I was. An openly (out-of-the-closet) gay man who was being paid for having fun being naked! The center of attention of this group of photography students as we manually communicated (using ASL) suggestions and ideas as to what to attempt next! A very cool situation considering the fact that we were outside and it was already late October!
While posing, I began to fancy myself as a performer (actor) in the gay porn industry! Naked with all cameras and everyone’s attention focused on my every move and every whim with no one judging or shocked by my body and clothes freedom or the obvious fact that my man-to-man attraction was not a “taboo” (forbidden) subject! An ideal career aspiration for a 21-year-old man!
Author’s note: imagine me, nude and gay, entertaining the world with my talents! Unlimited financial success due to my superlative relationship with leaves!
While posing, I began to notice that the sunlight seemed to fade and then return. Dizziness one minute and then disappearing the next. Suddenly, after gasping for air, I lost my sense of connection with reality. I felt as though I were floating on waves. The next cognizant thought I had I was on a gurney in the back of a trauma vehicle on the way to a local hospital. I had fainted!
I had lost consciousness and stopped breathing while labouring among the leaves! I had never experienced such an episode in my life! I was kept in hospital for two days and informed that I was allergic to pollen from my co-stars – the leaves! My identical twin brother, Alex, nor I had ever experienced any allergy reactions before! This was actually a first for the both of us as well as all of our brothers!
This incident brought an immediate termination of my exceptional career in pornography with leaves! I continued to work as a bare model for the university’s School of Art and Photography for the remainder of that scholastic year and the next. Henceforth, I restricted my assignments to avoid contact with fallen leaf pollen!
My diagnosis with an allergy served notice to my parents and siblings to undergo testing. Growing up, there were no serious or urgent health issues for any of us. Fortunately, only Twin (the familiar name Alex and I use in referring to one another) and I were the only ones determined to be susceptible to pollen. Another amazing distinction to being identical twins: Deaf, gay, nudists and now allergy sufferers. Our unique notoriety qualifications listing continued to grow!
Upon being informed of his pollen allergy, Twin immediately asked the doctor if he was certain his allergy was to pollen and not to our shared preference for nakedness! Our physician assured him that it was solely a pollen allergy. Even today, we continue to laugh over his concern as to the cause of our allergy! In his defence, he reminds us that we were “only” 21 years old at the time!
As a footnote to the allergy theme here, in our paternal family we do indeed have a cousin, Michael, who is also a Deaf and an active bare practitioner. Within our family, his own “claim-to-fame” is that he does not suffer a pollen allergy!
Another footnote to my career as a bare model, I was relieved of any consideration for any future leaf responsibilities! However, in response to my incident, no engagements involving leaves was ever taken again by the School of Art! No one affiliated with the now School of Media wanted a repetition of my reaction and hospitalization. Evidently, once was quite enough!
A humourous closing note, shortly after my return to graduate studies at my university, a notice was anonymously posted on campus: “Warning! Roger does not play well with leaves!”
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, November 11, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Armistice Day/Remembrance Day!”
There is no other way to summarize the outcome of the election of 5 November. This is a very unsanitary day for the voters in this country.
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
How is history made? Through the eyes, hearts and minds of the people who live their lives as completely and as fully as they indeed are able!
Who share what they have with all others to expand the goodness of life and the wonders of our world!
ReNude Pride: Our Offertory, Our Story!
Today, Aaron (my spouse) and I offer a gallery of our exploration of visual images that hopefully render to everyone a glimpse into the culture and the community of bare practitioners throughout the world. Here on ReNude Pride, we extol ourselves as accepting advocates and proponents of not only our same gender loving capacity but also of our nakedness! Now, during the 2024 celebration of our GLBTQ+ History Month, we seek to share with everyone here a festive and inspirational reality of what we indeed are: ourselves!
Bare practitioners are sometimes misinterpreted as militants about their nakedness. While this may be true for some, our belief and support of body and clothes freedom is in no way a fair and just assumption of all of us. Here on ReNude Pride, Aaron and I encourage us all to enjoy our ability to freely engage in our nudity to our individual levels of comfort. Some are satisfied with limited and/or occasional forays while without any covering, such as our gentleman (above) resting while visibly exposing his tan-line buttocks. Obviously, he’s bare when he wants to be!
Whereas others, such as this site’s unofficial representative, Phoenix Fellington, (above) is gloriously naked and completely unashamed whenever the opportunity is available! Publicly, he has no qualms in acknowledging his “I love being naked in nature!” status to all those within any audience available and interested. At this time, it is appropriate to remind everyone here of his professional qualification as a same gender loving (SGL) actor in the gay porn industry.
Posing for others provides many of us with a chance to attain greater comfort and confidence in ourselves and our nakedness. It affords us the opportunity to examine ourselves as we appear through the eyes of others. Many take advantage of these opportunities to determine exactly how they feel about sharing their genitalia with those they may not know.
Others, realizing their comfort-level isn’t as bold, may opt to pose discretely and with modesty. It is an individual choice based on personal comfort, confidence and preference!
Happy GLBTQ+ History Month!
Naked hugs!
Aaron Michael Peterson-Poladopoulos
and
Roger Peterson-Poladopoulos
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, October 25, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Colourful Club-Man!”
Phoenix Fellington, performance name of ReNude Pride’s celebrity openly gay spokes-model and acclaimed gay porn actor, gives us all a “visual treat” of his buttocks being served for admiration in a park setting on a picnic table! His birth name is Tre Leron Fenderson and he’s publicly proud to be not only same gender loving (SGL) but actively demonstrating and encouraging nakedness whenever and wherever possible! We’re all grateful and thrilled to have him as a part of our bare practitioner community and culture and a dynamic endorser of Team ReNude Pride!
“Some simple advice and thoughts on posing proudly as gay and naked in today’s chaotic and hectic world. Have fun and remember to smile!” ~ Phoenix Fellington ~ openly gay pornography actor and ReNude Pride’s spokes-model
Before the departure of the Summer, 2024, season, Phoenix advocates everyone to take advantage of what remains of the comfortable weather for body and clothes freedom. Get comfortable: rid yourself of those burdensome clothes and get natural in nature! If you have friends who’ll join you, lead the way! Fun in the sun is good for everyone!
“I love being nude outside – all in the open!” ~ Phoenix Fellington ~ openly gay pornography actor and ReNude Pride’s spokes-model
The former U.S. Marine is successful in his professional life because he has no “hang-ups” or reluctance to appear in his nakedness. He wants to waste as little time as possible wearing clothes or trying to cover his body. He is a firm believer that his nudity is nothing to deny or to hide. An attitude that we all, as bare practitioners, need to adopt and to follow!
Others with him pose in gay porn industry studio attire to promote their studio. Phoenix poses naked solo in order to endorse both being gay and being naked with no concern over guilt, judgment and/or shame!
He champions posing naked as an ideal way to strengthen body self-image and to impress others with confidence and poise!
When a studio has our man under contract and is hosting a social event to encourage investors, he has no hesitation, misgivings or qualms about attending, stripping off his clothing and socializing completely and proudly nude, even if he’s the only one doing so! All of this without any of the studio executives asking him to do so! Phoenix is nothing short of being bare, bold, confident, decisive, determined and proud of being exactly what and who he is: gay and naked!
Embarrassment, guilt, modesty and shame hold nothing over our man and his nakedness and/or his sexuality!
His philosophy is that he’s already played that “game” earlier in his life and while he was a Marine. Now, leave him alone and he’ll proceed with integrity and pride while being same gender loving (SGL) and sensational in his nakedness!
Phoenix Fellington, our porn-star and our friend!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, August 26, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “A Calamity of Souls!”
Background:
On the flight to Mama’s this past Friday, my spouse, Aaron, and I collaborated on composing this posting for today. The intent was to share for everyone a tiny aspect of our life together within the setting of my immediate family. Enjoy! Your comments and thoughts are always welcome!
The flight home to Skyros in Greece ended without Aaron and I getting arrested and/or escorted off our flight for what some refer to as “indecent exposure!” Upon the arrival, one of my brothers met us at the terminal and delivered us both, fully clothed, to my mother’s home. We both waited until after my siblings and their families left for their homes before we retired to our bedroom (while there) and restored the comfort of our nakedness!
While we were growing up, all of my brothers learned of my identical twin, Alex, and our preference for body and clothes freedom. Whenever we were in our shared bedroom, we were always nude or else in the process of becoming naked! Our mother was the only woman in our household; all brothers and my father so our being nude was never an issue as long as we wore clothing whenever we were outside our bedroom!
Concerning my immediate family (Mama and all my brothers and their families) Twin (Alex) and I and our preference for nakedness isn’t the “hot” topic of conversations and jokes anymore. Since first meeting Aaron (before our marriage), the subject of our naked life hasn’t been the centre of discussion that it once held. Life moves on and the focus is now more progressive and involved than it was “back-in-the-day.” They are all aware of our efforts here with ReNude Pride and what, if any, interest remains with our participation in body and clothes freedom concerns generally is nothing more than a casual thought.
Aaron and I have an assigned set of rooms at my parent’s home. The house was originally built for my paternal grandfather and consists of a bedroom and bathroom with a shared sitting room across the hallway from used by Alex and his partner, Dante. There is privacy in this part of the family home that Mama respects. If Alex and Dante are there when we are, our comfort for nudity isn’t an automatic “family” matter. This arrangement provides us twins with the comfortable and familiar environment of “home” even if we have two continents and the Atlantic Ocean between our actual dwellings and Mama’s house. Not a bad setting for the identical twin “middle children” (three older brothers, ourselves, and then three younger brothers!
Addendum:
Like most of the Northern Hemisphere, Skyros, Greece, is usually ideal for skinny-dipping (swimming naked) during the month of August. This year, thus far, is not a disappointment! This is a short notation to remind everyone here that August, 2024, is more than half over! Strip and go skinny-dip now before the summer is gone!
Aaron and I are both avid fans of skinny-dipping! No surprise there! The fact that Skyros is one of the Greek islands and the Mediterranean Sea borders along a part of Mama’s property adds a special bonus to visiting my ancestral home. We’re both grateful for the opportunity to bare practice (experience nakedness) in these historic waters where countless others have done the same for centuries before our time!
Our eight days here with Mama are passing too fast for us to remember where we’ve put everything! Best wishes for a happy week!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, August 23, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Notoriously Naked!”
As the above statistical data chart demonstrates, clearly the observance of HIV Testing Day is providing some worthwhile results. The African-American population had repeatedly reported the highest incident rates of any racial/ethnic group within USA borders. Now that same community is offering rising rates of HIV testing throughout its population. The higher the testing, the lower the rates of infection. Progress is being made – at last!
First observed in the USA as National HIV Testing Day on 27 June, 1995, the main purpose of the date was to encourage persons to take the test, get the results and know their HIV status. Since that time, it has gained importance and is now promoted as an international effort for all peoples, no matter where they live. The goal has now expanded to empower individuals to seek treatment if they are HIV+ and to expand research into seeking a cure.
Since 1995, treatment options have expanded and now include prevention choices that allow persons to continue living productive lives. HIV, when treated, no longer carries the fatal outcome it once generated.
If you haven’t already done so, please get tested and know your HIV status!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, June 28, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “SIR: Legacy!”
Welcome to the end of the month of May, 2024, the final full month of Spring, 2024! The obvious benefit of the passing of this productive “natural growth” time is that the glorious Summer of 2024 is about to officially arrive here in the Northern Hemisphere! Our man featured above may indeed be “up against the wall” but he likewise loves his bottoms-up! freedom!
Above, our man takes advantage of a log in nature to rest his weary but fit bottoms-up! anatomical asset while keeping all of us visiting his natural environment within his eyesight!
The couple above take a break from their “rainy-day” indoor game to exchange a kiss before resuming their play while enjoying being in the bottoms-up! gaming uniform – or total lack thereof! Way to go, guys!
Our bare practitioner group above encourage us all to join in the bottoms-up! celebration and challenge the incoming surf as they unite together with their bare buttocks!
Bending over and inviting us all to lose the passive nature and become a bottoms-up! activist and show the rest of the world how much fun it really and truly is!
When the outdoor weather improves, everyone wants to get involved in freeing their buttocks for some bottoms-up! exhibitions!
Bare your buttocks and enjoy our bottoms-up! day!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for tomorrow, June 1, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Happy Pride Month!”
Background:
Arbor Day is a secular holiday that is designed to encourage communities and individuals to plant trees to improve not only our environment but also the quality of life. In the USA, this year it is observed on Friday, 26 April, 2024.
In our header image (above photograph), ReNude Pride’s official unofficial spokes-model, our bare practitioner open adult actor, Phoenix Fellington, proudly poses leaning against a tree. Obviously proud of both his nakedness, his sexual orientation and his appreciation of our world! In the .gif image below, he reminds us of the joys of nakedness in a park surrounded by trees!
“I love to be naked, outside, surrounded by nature!” ~ Phoenix Fellington ~ official unofficial ReNude Pride spokes-model; bare practitioner; gay porn star
2024 Arbor Day: 26 April, 2024
As published in the previous post entry here, there are an increasing number of neighbourhood communities and municipal localities that are combining Arbor Day and Earth Day events. As both occasions involve the benefit of our natural environment, this union provides for an exchange of information, resources and talent into a combined effort. This also eliminates competition, confusion and the duplication of services.
ReNude is a playful substitute for the word renewed which represents a rejuvenation and/or a recharging. As in the title of this blog post entry and of this site, it reflects another opportunity for our confidence and our pride in not only ourselves and our environment, but our nakedness, too! What better way to pay tribute to nature than by celebrating our “natural” bodies?
It is our Springtime rejuvenation of us as both a distinct community and culture of bare practitioners within our much broader gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer+ (GLBTQ+) population.
In the Northern Hemisphere, we are now officially into our Spring season. A transition period between the winter and the summer. A three-month scope of time when our natural environment return from the bleakness of winter and invigorates our surroundings with a rebirth of colour, of foliage, of life and of promise! There is a future and we are now filled with hope!
The Spring season is an ideal time for us, as a neighborhood or as a municipality to forge a reunion with our natural world. Joining in the renude (renewed) spirit, we can look all around us for a task or a project to engage in that helps our environment to restore itself and replenish nature not only in our landscape but also within ourselves!
My spouse, Aaron, and I donated and participated in a tree planting in a local park in 2019. We gave two mimosa saplings to the park and planted them. Now that (hopefully) the coronavirus COVID-19 is finally downsiding, we will repeat that endeavour again this year.
Trees
by Joyce Kilmer (1886 – 1918)
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast:
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
*************************
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, April 26, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Camaraderie!”
In 1999, alarmed over the statistics reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the effects of HIV/AIDS on the African-American community, the CDC and the U.S. Public Health Service convened a meeting with representatives of organizations serving Black Americans and persons of faith to address concerns over rising infection rates. Other organizations participating included Concerned Black Men- Philadelphia, Health Watch Information and Promotion Services, Jackson State University, Mississippi Urban Research Center, National Black Alcoholism and Addiction Council and the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS along with the heads of several African-American communities of faith. The National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day was conceived by these organizations and the official name agreed upon.
February 7, annually, was decided as the date of observance and the very first observance was announced for the following year: February 7, 2000. The event would be sponsored by the Strategic Leadership Council (SLC) – created specifically for this event – and the membership was determined and terms of office set.
The popularity of the Red Ribbon for the efforts towards HIV/AIDS awareness was noted by the SLC. At the time, awareness ribbons for a multitude of charitable causes were very important in focusing attention to the cause represented and to encourage support. This inspired the creation of an awareness ribbon for the purpose of support of the National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day efforts.
Four Key Components of the NBHAAD Campaign:
The SLC of the NBHAAD campaign mandates four (4) key elements for an inclusive and successful campaign. Each component is designed to build both individual and community strengths in combatting HIV/AIDS for all people.
The four elements and a brief summation are as follows:
Get educated: Know the facts about transmission and prevention of HIV/AIDS.
Get involved: Learn about opportunities available in individual and community prevention efforts and become an active part of those efforts.
Get tested: Know your status and encourage others to do the same.
Get treated: Receive proper healthcare and support to successfully live with HIV.
Analysis proves that people learn and retain knowledge most effectively from people they perceive as most like themselves. NBHAAD is an African-American focused organization, based within the community, to provide direction, guidance and information to the Black population specifically but not exclusively. It represents a resource that is both accessible, authentic and dependable.
Explore your options (choices)! Take back the control of your life!
If your viral load (amount of HIV in your blood) is undetected, then sexually, your HIV is untransmittable!
This message is vital as it advises everyone of the significant benefits of not only getting tested for HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) also for seeking treatment for living with HIV. This enables persons to experience a healthier, longer and more productive life.
HIV/AIDS Basic Facts:
HIV is the virus that causes AIDS.
AIDS is a result of HIV infection.
HIV is not spread through everyday casual contact.
Only a doctor can diagnose AIDS.
Throughout the year, NBHAAD has sponsored innumerable locally-oriented activities and events to provide information and involvement on community issues and needs. This level of action increased general awareness and support for both prevention and treatment of the disease.
Personal Involvement:
I served both the City of Alexandria, Virginia Chapter of the Red Cross and the Arlington Red Cross Chapter as a volunteer (not paid) instructor trainer in three HIV/AIDS curriculums: Basic, African-American and Workplace. My responsibility was to teach others how to conduct community prevention education sessions within the curriculum they had elected to enroll. As a Greek man, I always had an African-American co-instructor with me. As a Deaf man, I always had a sign language interpreter with me.
Each class that I taught involved 36 hours of training and a passing score of 85 % on the final examination. Upon completion of each class, a certification was given to each student in recognition of becoming a Red Cross instructor.
Personalities:
Importantly – and fortunately – there are among all of our cultures many who are bold and brave enough to act and think for themselves. Their individual uniqueness is one aspect among the qualities that make life bearable (bare-able) for those of us who live around them or are influenced by them. Ideally, their insight and worldview makes a difference in the lives of others.
The two persons presented here I met through my volunteer position with the Red Cross African-American prevention education curriculum. Both of them are/were same gender loving men and African-American.
Rodney Lofton
A native of Richmond, Virginia, and a student of mine who also became a volunteer with the Red Cross. We taught a teen peer education weekend-long seminar together three consecutive years. Rodney was the first Black deputy director of the GLBTQ+ community advocacy group: Diversity Richmond. In 2015, he received the Equality Virginia OUTstanding Virginian Award. For many years he served on the organizing committee of the NBHAAD function with the City of Richmond. He was the author of two books on growing up both Black and gay in the City: The Day I Stopped Being Pretty: A Memoir (published 2007) and No More Tomorrow: Two Lives, Two Stories, One Love (published 2009). He died in March, 2022, and is survived by his husband, Faron Niles. Rodney was first diagnosed as HIV+ in 1993.
*************************
Kory Mitchell
A mixed-race man born in Germany of an African-American father in the military service and a German mother. He grew up and attended schools in both Germany and the USA. As a young adult he achieved the role of actor within the gay pornography industry and starred in more than three dozen films. He was diagnosed as HIV+ in the early 1990s. When he learned of his status, he became a student of the Red Cross African-American curriculum and after receiving his certification he began teaching HIV/AIDS prevention education to others working in the gay porn industry. He appears at numerous NBHAAD campaign benefits and events and is affectionately known as the unofficial “Magic Johnson of gay porn!” When he became a celebrity, he had “blessed” tattooed across his shoulder and a cross tattooed on his abdomen to remind fans that he is a Christian. Shortly after his HIV+ diagnosis, he had the message “hope” tattooed on his neck. Instead of the letter “o” in hope, he had the red AIDS awareness ribbon placed there.
Remember, it’s not who we are but it’s what we do that puts us at risk for HIV/AIDS!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next planned post entry here is planned for Friday, February 9, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “S’Naked Simply!”
ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers! 