Category: film review

Bare Practitioner’s Day!/Gay Nudist Day!

Bare Practitioner’s Day: a day for us to be us!

Since 2019, bare practitioners have observed today, 14 July, annually, as Bare Practitioner’s Day! A date that is not that widely known outside of our own community and culture but an occasion that has a growing base of observers. A single day for us to all be confident and proud of we are: same gender loving (SGL) and nakedness enthusiasts! Prior to 2019, this date was promoted as Gay Nudist Day.

The Gay Nudist Day distinction was adopted in the mid-1980s as the growing number of bisexual and gay nudist social clubs sought a separate observance from the discriminating naturist/nudist society. Some of the earliest bisexual/gay nude social clubs were: Males au Naturel (MEN) of New York City, Los Angeles Nude Guys (LANG), San Francisco Kindred Nudists (SKINS), Greater Atlanta Naturist Group (GANG) and Lambda Soleil of Washington, D.C.

This year, 2025, our day happens the day after the National Skinny-Dipping Day, the official final day of National Nude Recreation Week – a valid reason for us to extend our observation for at least an extra 24 hours! As if any of us actually require a reason for body and clothes freedom!

Same gender loving!

Following SIR (Stonewall Inn riots) in 1969, bisexual and gay naked participants experienced first-hand the very deliberate and obvious discriminatory regulations and rules adopted by the existing naturist/nudist facilities and organizations to discourage our participation. We also suffered similar reaction from our GLBTQ+ culture who were seeking to distance themselves from our “depraved” lifestyle of bare as opposed to being textile (clothed).

Directions for nudity!

In a brief summary: the naturist/nudist proponents rejected our nakedness due to our acceptance of ourselves as bisexual, gay or lesbian – the despicable species now claiming equality. Their homophobia forced them to reject us.

The emerging and growing bisexual, gay and lesbian movement, already militant in addressing challenges to their very existence, truly believed that our preference for nudity damaged their image of decency and normalcy.

In reality, we were social outcasts totally rejected and marginalized. No one wanted us!

Rather accept a double negative judgment, we instead remind ourselves of our very special and unique roles in being what and who we really are! On this day, 14 July, we commemorate our dual nature through being us!

Being ourselves!

Instead of continuing having to live with the bias and segregation of the broader naturist/nudist society and the general GLBTQ+ population conveniently “setting” us aside from them, we decided to celebrate this day in our own way by choosing among ourselves to honour ourselves by just simply being ourselves. Our choice to be us!

Thus, in creating our own solution to the problem, we completely avoided the issue altogether! We reacted and responded long before the need was even recognized. Therefore, nothing ventured, progress gained! Gay Nudist Day was inaugurated! Taking responsibility for ourselves as bare practitioners was an important step forward for us as a community and culture unto ourselves!

All together!

This year, observing Bare Practitioner’s Day/Gay Nudist Day, Aaron, my spouse, and I had family joining us in our home in Richmond, Virginia, for the weekend. My Twin, Alex and his partner, Dante; our first cousin, Michael and his partner, Ropati; and Aaron’s older brother Paul and his boyfriend, Sudhir. Our skinny-dipping excursion to the James River and our “unofficial” gay nude beach was a daily undertaking. We took advantage of the Bare Practitioner Day/Gay Nudist Day occasion and extended our holiday to include today and tonight.

Aaron took the day off from hospital and should the weather cooperate,another day of skinny-dipping in Alex and my “old” nudist resort (unofficial) – a public park located along the riverfront inside Richmond city. Monday evening, my bare practitioner buddy from my youth, Paul Turner and his new “significant other” are joining us for dinner and we’re watching an old movie classic from 1999 – “The Wood” – that features nothing same gender loving but it does have some naked fun! This film is a favourite of Aaron, Paul Turner, Michael and me!

“The Wood” Taye Diggs is modestly naked!

The film stars Taye Diggs who’s completely – but modest – naked in the above .gif along with his co-stars covered in only blue towels: Omar Epps and Richard T. Jones.

Although the starring trio are all (supposedly) heterosexual, their hosing antics in the clothes free scene above do cause us to wonder as to their bare practitioner status!

Taye Diggs appears to be comfortable with his nakedness!

The trio are friends from their teen years and have recently recovered Roland (Taye Diggs) from his disappearance prior to his wedding.

Hosing as punishment!

The decision to spray Roland (Taye Diggs) with a garden hose as punishment for disappearing is lost on me. It has been at least five years since I last watched the film in its entirety!

Eventually, Roland is perturbed over his outdoor “shower!”

The three naturists in the backyard scene have been best friends since growing up together in Inglewood, California – hence the movie title: “The Wood.” The comedy-drama deals with the peculiarities of young adult men and their issues.

Taye Diggs as Roland in his solo nude scene!

The irony of watching a bare heterosexual cast perform on bare practitioner’s day was duly noted by all when we came together.

Richard T. Jones gives Taye Diggs a final hose squirt!

I need to thank my friend, Paul Turner, for emailing to me the .gif clips from The Wood so that I could share them with all of you here!

Naked hugs!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!

Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, July 18, 2025, and the proposed topic is: “Excessive Evidence!”

“The Boys In The Band”

Teen boys in the band!

Introduction:

The above header (photograph) is in no way related to this post entry title. In the picture, they are indeed teenage boys posing and singing “in a band.” The actual title is in reference to the 1970 film, “The Boys In The Band” which is the subject here today. As this particular cinema movie featured actors who kept their clothes on, I felt the vintage image – depicting the teens posing playing musical instruments in the early 1960’s era was appropriate for the title and fitting for ReNude Pride’s theme (nakedness). Sorry if I’ve caused any confusion!

That’s the reason for this introductory explanation. I wanted that apology offered before anyone becomes too irate!

Actual poster: “The Boys In The Band” 1970 film.

Over our years together, Aaron (my spouse) and I have periodically shared that neither one of us has ever seen the movie, “The Boys In The Band.” We both acknowledged that we should view it, but we’ve never done so. My first cousin, Michael, located a copy of the original with excellent closed captioning. He purchased it for he and his partner, Ropati. Aaron and I borrowed the DVD and this past weekend, honouring GLBTQ+ History Month, we saw the show together – a first for us both!

Even though the characters onscreen were fully clothed, Aaron and I were in our typical and usual bare practitioner mode. This was simply one of our 2023 Bare Practitioner History Month observances! Keeping with ReNude Pride’s theme and tradition!

Background:

“The Boys In The Band” was the first major American film to deal directly with the topic of homosexuality (as it was then often called) where the primary characters actually referred to themselves as “homosexuals.” It was released in early 1970, less than a full year after the Stonewall Inn riots. It was directed by William Friedkin and produced by Matt Crowley, Kenneth Lilt, Dominick Dunne and Robert Jiras. The screenplay was written by Matt Crowley and is based on his off-Broadway play by the same name.

The cast consisted of Kenneth Nelson as Michael, Leonard Frey as Harold and Cliff Gorman as Emory. Also featured were Laurence Luckinbill who played Hank, Frederick Combs portraying Donald, Keith Prentice was Larry and Robert LaTourneaux as “Cowboy Tex.” Reuben Greene appeared as Bernard and Peter White featured as Alan, the token heterosexual. The running time for the production was approximately 2 hours.

The cast “The Boys In The Band”

The character’s pathos and self-loathing even in 1970, unfortunately, it was prevalent within the majority of the “homosexual” population at that time. The movie is historically significant as Hollywood’s first explicitly gay-themed film – ever. All the guests are gay and one is presumably “straight” (non-gay, heterosexual). Before the night is over, the conversation turns bitter and ugly – hilarious one minute and excruciatingly painful the next.

The Plot:

The action is set in New York City in the latter-half of the 1960’s decade, It is definitely the post-hippie period and quite obviously pre-Stonewall/gay liberation. Michael is an alcoholic-in-recovery who is hosting a surprise birthday party for his best friend, Harold. As the guests arrive, the atmosphere is upbeat and festive until Alan arrives and the mood dampens and the tensions mount.

Then “Cowboy Tex” a hustler and a “surprise gift” for Harold enters and words are exchanged between Emory and Alan. Michael begins drinking again and the guests continue to argue and to criticize. At this point, Harold makes a classic entrance for the party in his honour and the drama borders on turmoil. As the party ends and the guests depart, the movie ends with Michael sobbing his misery to Donald.

Being same gender loving in the 1960’s was no fun-filled picnic!

Summery:

The film, “The Boys In The Band,” did introduce some positive aspects to the new and growing gay identification for the predominately “closeted” (secretive) homosexual population. It also helped to bring the awareness and discussion of homosexuality into the national dialogue – although not always in the most positive manner.

It also introduced a new film genre into the motion picture industry.

In some ways, it helped to energize and fuel the gay liberation movement. Within the emerging community, it served as an identifiable reminder of the life no one wanted to return to. It also eventually radically changed the way society perceived same gender loving people.

Happy GLBTQ+ Bare History Month!

Naked hugs!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride

Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for tomorrow, Tuesday, October 31, 2023, and the proposed topic is: “Bottoms-Up! 2023 Bare History Month!”