11 September is not a national holiday. It was declared Patriot Day in honour of those sacrificed in the attacks on the World Trade Center and The Pentagon.
This posting is commemorating the 25th Anniversary of this tragedy. Originally, plans were to share my own thoughts and emotions surrounding this event. However, reading over my notes, despite the amount of time, the experience remains too catastrophic to post here. I was not impacted by the actual crashing, but rather by coping with the chaos and confusion that happened as a result of the disaster.
This post entry here is offered in memory of and a tribute to all those who have suffered and/or perished.
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Original!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, September 14, 2026, and the proposed topic is TBA: to-be-announced.
An ideal way to approach a less-than-ideal time of the month: the ending of the last full month of the 2026 summer season! The serious expression on our subject’s face (above) allows us to surmise that he is of a similar opinion! Many of us are reluctant to witness the end of the season!
Nudescape view #2!
An almost identical facial message from our second nudescape poser reinforces the belief that both are dedicated bare practitioners! Evidently, nudescaping and nakedness are extremely compatible and enjoyed by many! Apparently, we are in a very relaxed and friendly crowd! What other type of audience would frequent a clothing optional beach?
Together!
It is extremely doubtful that we would find many beach clothes wearing persons on these clothing optional shores, especially during this time of year, the final days of the summer season! Why go somewhere that restricts your freedom to be yourself? Our days of outside clothes free are winding away, soon the autumn chill will be upon us. We deserve every moment of natural nakedness that we can have!
Phoenix Fellington, our unofficial official spokes-model!
As our very own Phoenix Fellington demonstrates above, skinny-dipping and/or naked swimming as well as certain clothing optional or mandatory nude beaches aren’t the only locations that promote “nudescaping” (bare landscaping). His public picnic table in a park setting provide us an excellent view of himself and his environment! It is also a very subtle way to invite us all to his very public picnic!
Bromantic nudescape!
Of course, a same gender loving (SGL) couple demonstrate the true nudescape dimension of our bromance and of our nakedness! Fortunately for us, neither our nakedness nor our bromance is restricted to just our summer season. At other times throughout the year, we can move inside until summer, once again, appears in our lives!
Here’s to wishing everyone the best that nakedness has to offer us all!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Original!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Sunday, August 30, 2026, and the proposed topic is: “A Penny For My Thoughts!”
Our Bad!
A rush to join in the Penny For My Thoughts line to read!
Erectile phobia/erection phobia are colloquial common terms for any man – no matter his sexual preference – who allows his fear (phobia) of possibly having an erection (arousal) in public to actually prevent him from experiencing social nudity or, more appropriately, engaging as a bare practitioner. This fear is not based on sexual attraction. The most unfortunate aspect of this situation is that there is an an equal possibility that the same man will not have a public erection and therefore he is allowing his phobia to deny him the camaraderie and joys of communal nakedness. Arousals (erections) are not always available so none of us are immune from this happening. Most of us are realists and refuse to let the possibility deter and prevent our enjoyment.
Our nakedness is optional for all of us. It is an individual decision that we are afforded throughout our lifetime and we are free to determine when and where we engage in the activity. Our personal preference for public nudity/social nudity can and does change and vary according to situation, friends, family and other social determinants.
A posed image!
Background:
There are two official terms used to label the fear of seeing, thinking about and/or having a public erection. The first of these is ithyphallophobia. “Ithy” is taken from the ancient Greek word for straight and “phallo” is the same for penis. Thus, a “straight penis” or erection. The use of the word straight refers to direction rather than the colloquial for sexual preference.
The second of these is medorthophobia which is also identified as the fear of seeing, thinking or having a public erection. These terms are applicable to both genders although in the female category there is no fear of actually having a public erection.
Erections, or arousals, are a natural male response to sexual stimulation, imagined or real. It is perfectly healthy and normal with absolutely no reason for any feeling of shame. The enlargement of the man’s penis can and does happen when we are alone or in a group setting (social nudity). There are always those occasional awkward moments when a man’s penis really does have a “mind of its own” and reacts accordingly.
Spontaneous moment!
Practically every male who has survived puberty is aware that often we have minimal or no control over when and where our erections occur. It simply happens, regardless of the environment and/or situation. Without warning it grows and continues to do so until we’re miserable and ready to die of embarrassment and shame. What’s important to remember here is that none of us ever died from having a spontaneous (unplanned) erection.
Unfortunately, EP (erectile phobia) – ithyphallophobia, medorthophobia – inhibits and prevents some men (no matter their sexual attraction) from enjoying and participating in clothes free (naturist/nudist) activities. They are afraid of humiliation in the presence of their family, friends and peers. This is by no means an exclusive “queer fear!”
Unbothered by an emerging erection!
Aaron, my spouse, and I offer this post entry here on ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers! as a resource to calm and help erase the anxieties and guilt that some men have with involuntary public erections. All of us deserve the freedom to experience life without the burden of a penile surprise!
Introduction:
We’ll start with attempting to dispel a few commonly believed myths surrounding public erections. These are misconceptions that frequently hinder the exploration of the bare practitioner life by those who are curious or tempted. Next, we’ll offer suggestions on coping should an unintentional penis enlargement occur.
It is important to remind everyone that erections are naturally spontaneous.
Myths/Misconceptions:
Everyone will automatically know that I’m an inexperienced social nudist.
This is a false premise. It is true that those who are “newbie nude” or unfamiliar with communal nakedness are possibly prone to public arousals, this is not an absolute. Veteran or experienced social nudists get erections, too! It happens to all of us. Regardless of the man, erections appear naturally and randomly. They don’t discriminate based on the number of times an individual has been communally bare.
If I get an erection around a group of naked men, everyone will know that I’m bisexual or gay.
News flash: heterosexual (opposite gender attraction) men get erections in public, also! Whether or nor they are in the company of women! An arousal, once a guy is past his early adolescent years, is generally caused by an increase in blood flow and/or by excitement, not necessarily because he is physically attracted to someone in close proximity. Practically all men will grow erect regardless of what gender they determine attractive.
People will think that I’m an exhibitionist or trolling for sex.
First of all, one of the very last places for an exhibitionist to visit is a socially nude environment. Exhibitionists are excited about exposing themselves and people’s reaction to their behaviour. A communal nudist event or location, practically everyone is clothes free. Exhibitionists would blend with the crowd and be practically invisible. Thus, there is no reward (thrill) for them.
If they are so bold as to masturbate in public, they are ignored, shunned, and soon escorted off the property (and informed never to return)!
Secondly, almost every social nudist is aware of erectile spontaneity and simply choose to ignore the condition. In a predominantly same gender loving (SGL) environment, we have all been there, had a public erection or two and understand (sympathize).
Everybody will laugh at me or worse.
This is simply not true, mainly for the reasons posed above. Most experienced naturists/nudists are sympathetic to this situation and too polite to call attention to a man with an erection. Unless the person is behaving in an offensive or provocative manner, few will give the arousal a second thought. There are no “erection control police” to embarrass or punish a man for being normal.
I’ll be humiliated!
If an erection does happen and understand that the key word here is “if,” this may be true. Remember that the discomfort will last only as long as the erection does. This is usually a few minutes. Once it returns to normal, enjoy the company of others who are around you. Relax and appreciate the freedom of having fun, naturally!
With the recent arrival of summer and the accompanying increase of bare or clothing optional social events (barbecues, cookouts, cocktail parties, sports opportunities, etc.) this post is offered as a resource to calm and erase the anxieties that some of us may have with visible erections. Everyone – bisexual, gay or otherwise – deserves the privilege to experience the season bare and without the concern of a spontaneous “surprise!”
Suggested solutions:
There are some options if a man begins to feel the onset of an arousal of his penis. Listed below are a few alternative actions that we’ve used or friends have recommended when in this predicament. Keep in mind that these are personal strategies and not from any official document or guide (I doubt that one exists). Remember, what may work well for one person may not be as successful for another.
If lying on a towel or a chaise lounge, simply roll over onto your stomach until the penis subsides (calms).
Common sense, right? “Out-of-sight, out-of-mind.” The penis is removed from public view.
A quick dive into the water and a brisk swim usually conceal an erection and the physical exertion relaxes the penis.
It also helps to take our mind off the situation and to focus our thoughts elsewhere. The swimming activity releases some of the energy retained.
If standing, either physically turn away (if possible, without being rude) or focus on maintaining eye contact directly with those around you. Concentrate on the dialogue and not the erection. Continue to interact as though nothing is amiss.
If this is done when you first notice your penis becoming aroused, it generally prevents a full erection. If the erection is underway, continue to focus on the group activity.
If you become aroused during a sports game (one-on-one or a team) or during a social game (charades, board game, cards) remain focused on the activity and not the physical reaction.
Becoming more involved in the activity often decreases the genital reaction, especially if movement is possible. Sometimes, using the hands or a game accessory to block visibility is also beneficial. Keep in mind that more probably, the attention is focused on the activity/game and not the physical reaction of one player.
If this happens during a meal, there is a convenience available known as a napkin. Use it to cover your lap while savouring the company and the food.
Just knowing that you’re no longer publicly exposed usually relaxes the penis. A meal generally involves an extended period of time so there is no pressure to discard the napkin.
If appropriate, use self-deprecating humour. Laughter shared with friends changes the mood and helps eliminate any tensions. Seeing the humour often dissipates the problem (erection).
Remember the proverb: “Laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone.”
If all else fails, mentally envision the opposite of the situation. Picture castration or the affliction of a penile dysfunction. Those thoughts alone may quickly erase any unexpected and unwelcome natural urge.
Photographers get erections, too!
Familiarity with both nakedness and photography does not create immunity to physical responses to bare imaging. Photographers – both amateur and professional – get spontaneous erections, too! There is no guaranteed exemption from this natural occurrence, it afflicts us all!
Recognizing erectile phobia (ithyphallophobia, medorthophobia) for what it is, understanding that it is both natural and normal and knowing that others are sympathetic hopefully will reduce any concerns or issues about participating in social nudity. Sometimes, just realizing that there is a name for a particular problem helps to ease anxiety.
The above suggested solutions if (that word, “if” again) an arousal or erection does occur hopefully provide possible strategies to use in the situation. Occasionally, knowing there is a “back-up” (alternate) plan (or several) eliminates the need for intensive preparation.
Any bare practitioner acquaintances or friends to discuss or explore these concerns with are excellent resources and potential allies. They may offer better suggestions for effective and helpful ideas than the ones offered by Aaron and I above!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Original!
Author’s Note: The next post entry for here is planned for Friday, August 28, 2026, and the proposed topic is: “August Nudescapes!”
The very first time that Aaron, my spouse, and I ever saw one another, we were both bare and comfortable, relaxed and at a social event along a river where skinny dipping (naked swimming) was encouraged! A “home-away-from-home” situation that would attest to our bare practitioner nature!
A park setting along a riverfront, not a beach as offered above. Yet, nakedness and socialization were on the agenda for that event and we were both in compliance before we even met! To be honest, we were both amenable to the theme of the gathering for most of our lives!
We never knew one another prior to our meeting in late May, 2010. However, we shared an appreciation and joy in being bare long before acknowledging and understanding our same gender loving (SGL) preference. In my case, Alex, my identical twin and I were engaged in being clothes free when our parents began to try to teach us how to actually dress in garments!
Our same gender attraction was recognized at the development of puberty. For Twin (Alex) and I, it was almost the same time. We simply discussed our “feelings” one day and that was our acceptance of the matter. We had a few discussions with acquaintances on the subject and then our oldest brother (gay) broached the topic and the rest we learned through skinny-dipping at a local riverside park.
When Aaron and I first encountered one another, I immediately indicated to him in the use of my hands that I’m Deaf. He responded instantly in American Sign Language (ASL) asking if I was fluent in ASL and what was my name. Fortunately, we both understood manual communication became an “unofficial” item from that moment on!
Actually, we sat on some large rocks riverside and became acquainted for almost two hours before we even thought about joining others in the water! For us, skinny-dipping wasn’t the priority anymore as we learned more about one another and our experiences in the gay and nudist communities and also the Deaf community.
Funny how we always remember the good points of our relationships – why we stayed with one another and gave almost no attention to others at the social gathering. We were both interested in learning as much as possible about our pasts, due in part because the more we shared, we became aware of many more common factors and similarities!
One of the last aspects that we passed along to one another was our mutual fondness for skinny-dipping (swimming nude). That was the theme for this social activity so we probably just assumed that was why we were there.
Of course, it was one of the many “key points” of our initial and fast-growing relationship with one another. Growing up, we both enjoyed the forbidden activity of swimming naked – long before we even learned the meaning of the term: skinny-dipping. Equally as long as we learned of the actual existence of one another. Perhaps this proves true the adage: “the best things in life are worth waiting for.”
Our eight days in Greece provided us with time to indulge in our shared aquatic excursion – especially as my family home is on an island. Plenty of secluded spaces to engage ourselves in some very bare fun! My mother does enjoy her daily afternoon “naps!”
So now, eleven years after marriage, we continue to enjoy swimming nude/skinny-dipping with one another. Even on an island, in a sea, far, far away!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Original!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, August 24, 2026, and the proposed topic is: “Erectile Phobia!”
Strippers!
Skinny-dipping is much easier and more fun when done nude!
A body and clothes freedom day near the end of the month of July. Because of the warmth of the season, it is also an ideal time of the year for swimming naked – skinny-dipping! Of course, few of us bare practitioners need temperature and weather conditions to determine our aquatic attire (if any)! The majority of us automatically adhere to the “without” option regardless of environmental conditions!
My spouse, Aaron, and I are avid and enthusiastic skinny-dippers no matter what the weather situation may be. Swimming naked involves getting wet, so the rain is no problem as water is already delivering wetness! A little more or a little less makes no difference to us!
Our preference is to skinny-dip, as often as possible together or in the company of other bare practitioner couples. There is one new trend that we’re noticing more often now, a combination of “mixed-couples” (one skinny-dipping and the other clothed). Perhaps the adage is true: opposites attract!
Aaron wonders how they cope with socially nude situations. Is one bare and one fully dressed, or do they seek a compromise, both half-dressed? It potentially poses somewhat of a dilemma, but does anyone keep a scorecard? Now that my curiosity is aroused I admit to wanting to know the results!
At functions and gatherings where clothing is optional, a mixed-couple would not offer any type of conflict or confusion. They would blend with any other variation of the assorted guests. In situations where a strict bare or clothed policy exists, the issue surfaces. Compliance with the rule likely ensures that at least one of the partners will be offended, uncomfortable and probably unwelcome.
A strictly “stay-at-home” couple does not a very happy couple create! Explore options and proceed with caution!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Original!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Thursday, July 30, 2026, and the proposed topic is: “A Penny For My Thoughts!”
Welcome to Dream Lake! An aquatic destination where harmony prevails! Patience, tolerance and understanding are daily routines adhered to by all inhabitants! Happiness and hope are guaranteed to all with an embrace of tranquility.
Assist and Help are the chief residents of Dream Lake. They are your guides on today’s visit here. Above, Help supports Assist as he floats on his back! Please enjoy your tour!
Assist demonstrates the willingness the people here offer for the good of all. Dream Lakers treat everyone equally, fairly and respectfully. Age makes no difference and old and young alike are courteous. They are attentive to every detail imaginable! Assist greets you and Help affords a secondary shadow for all!
Dream Lake’s friendliness is mirrored by Assist and Help. Often times, both are available in the event that both are needed to combine efforts and provide necessary services for all to share.
The spirit of cooperation is a benefit that Help and Assist afford to all persons. There is no task too great that care and concern are unable to overcome. Working together, they enable success to spread to all!
Careful examination of different solution possibilities allows them time to consider options and resources beyond what is readily available. Sometimes, this thinking process opens a new path that expands directions and provides opportunities!
Assist and Help are confident in their communication strengths. Through their experience in working towards sustaining an ideal and positive atmosphere, they have forged mutual bonds of accountability and dependability.
They have an extraordinary sense of trust in their obligation towards one another as individuals and as a team. They both know of their sincere and truthful natures in dealing with special and unique situations.
Assist and Help appreciate and understand the importance of reliability in supporting one another and their community. They are consistent and effective in their exchanges and suggestions for alternate responses.
They strive to present an example of equality and shared responsibility to all they serve. There is no discrepancy in their roles and obligations. They respect each other and everyone they serve.
Assist and Help are very secure in the knowledge that what they have and what they share is not only the strength of the sanctity of their relationship but also the strength of exactly what is real and valid in life!
Reality:
It is hoped that this fantasy is understood to be the reality that what this society truly needs is more of assist and help and less of what is unfortunately too prevalent today! The loss of caring, decency, honesty and integrity from our souls has unleashed a surrender to corruption, deceit, dishonesty, greed and obsession that now encompasses daily life. Gone are any sense of fairness, generosity and value.
As a people and as a society, hope, trust and virtue need to be restored. Else, the decline from justice and mediation will win. The lack of compassion and mercy will enslave us all.This indeed rests with us as there is no inspiration from our totally disreputable political lacklusters!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Original!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, July 24, 2026, and the proposed topic is: “Bare Celebrity Series #10!”
Our same gender loving (SGL) nakedness commemoration celebration occasion!
Our very own day for us all to engage and to enjoy the ability to be the person that we really and truly are: us naturally being us!
As bare practitioners, we openly acknowledge our gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer + sexuality (GLBTQ+) and our comfort and preference for our nakedness (body and clothes freedom). There is no need to conceal nor deny these aspects of our personality. These two qualities define us as well as our community and our culture. We are confident and proud of both what and who we really and truly are!
One question frequently asked of us is what characteristic did you determine first, your sexuality or your nakedness? The truth is that there is no standard formula for self-identification. The proverbial “if A followed by B then C happens” varies among each one of us. Some of us understood our sexuality before appreciating our nakedness. For an equal number of us, the opposite is reality. Basically, our bare practitioner status is individually determined through appreciation and awareness and not by a set formula or pattern.
It is our own personal acceptance, appreciation and awareness of these aspects of ourselves that empower and enable us to determine our identification as bare practitioners. We are our own individual “deciding authority!”
Back in January 2017, when Aaron, my spouse, and I initiated ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!, there existed an unofficial holiday, “World Nudist Day” – otherwise known as “World Naturist Day.” Aside from knowing that the designation existed, I was unaware of any designed or impromptu observance ever happening. It was almost as though no one wanted to openly admit to actually being a naturist, nudist or clothes freedom enthusiast.
Even though in the USA marriage equality was now legally and officially the “law of the land,” there remained opposition to that reality which resulted to continued bias and marginalization of the SGL population. There was obviously a shortage of widespread equality and respect for SGL people as well.
This absence of equality and respect from the general population was accentuated by the same from the naturist/nudist community. The homophobia present from that culture was and remains very confusing and unsettling to a majority of bare practitioners even today and causes friction and tensions that often hinder cooperation and unity.
For many, this is the major reason for the frequent determination of “SGL beaches” at destinations featuring clothing optional designation. This segregation is preferred over a general “inclusion” into a population that is judgmental and unfriendly. As proven time and time again, people – regardless of their clothing status and/or sexual orientation – prefer being with people they perceive as most similar to themselves.
For those of us who have to professionally interact with numerous individuals far removed from our social preferences, such as Aaron and I, whenever we have the chance, we voluntarily congregate with “our” kind instead of mingling with a general crowd. Sometimes the escape from the ordinary is a welcome relief and definitely fun!
“Heat wave” relief!
“Truth is, most of us contain a splashing, giggling, squealing child inside us who knows without thinking that bare skin and water go together as wings go with air, roots with earth and the phoenix with the incendiary sun.” ~ Unknown ~
Aquatic antics!
“Being a bare practitioner in no way adequately defines us yet it indeed is a fun way to accurately describe us!” ~ Roger Poladopoulos ~
One reason for bare practitioners making the best of friends is that the absence of clothing (concealment) enables people to become honest and sincere as they lack the tools to disguise (clothing). What naked friends see – a natural body – is the reality of friendship: bare with pride and nothing to hide!
Have a happy Bare Practitioner’s Day! 14 July 2026
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Original!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, July 17, 2026, and the topic is: “July Pride, 2026!”
Francois!
Competent and confident bare practitioner Francois Sagat!
“Only one week without clothes? Let’s stay naked the entire month and party-hearty!”
Our celebrity spokes-model, Phoenix Fellington!
Our very own, ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers! official, unofficial spokes-model, Phoenix Fellington, proudly poses in his glorious nakedness (above image)!
“I want to waste as little time as possible wearing clothes or trying to hide my body!” ~ Phoenix Fellington ~ spokes-model and gay pornography actor
This week-long festival of body and clothes freedom recreational (fun) activities is jointly cosponsored by the American Association of Nude Recreation (AANR) and The Naturist Society (TNS). As every summer is the “season of fun in the sun,” it is only logical that major national naturist/nudist advocacy organizations present an event in honour of clean, healthy naked living. The recent tendency over the last several years is to observe this occasion after the USA’s 4 July holiday (USA Day).
Recreation (simple explanation) is any undertaking we engage for enjoyment, fun, improvement, relaxation and/or socialization. Nude Recreation Week involves an emphasis on the numerous activities, leisure services and past-times, both active and passive, that people may engage in or undertake while clothes free. In essence, identical to what can be enjoyed when wearing garments. This isn’t to imply this special week is the only time we bare our bodies for fun and games. As bare practitioners, we all do that quite frequently!
This observance is a fairly recent event with the earliest documented date being 7 August 1976 as Nude Beach Day. It was first held at Truro Beach in southern California and at the Head of the Meadow Beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. It continued at these two locations as a single day cause for several years and eventually expanded into National Nude Weekend and added additional beaches to the locations.
As many nudist resorts weren’t located with access to a clothing optional beach, it soon became apparent that a name change and another theme was necessary. This resulted into what we know and celebrate as Nude Recreation Week.
Many clothes free destinations and resorts, looking for expansion of their financial options, now sought affiliation with the Nude Recreation Week observance. This opened the door to growth and popularity as the public no longer were as judgmental against clothes freedom as they once were.
As the public acceptance of clothing optional facilities increased, the commercial and membership restrictions against same gender loving (SGL) people remained deeply within the opinions and policies of the mainstream naturist/nudist societies. Homophobia and exclusionist policies remained in place and the largely growing SGL community of nudists took their cash elsewhere.
This resulted in the emergence of convenient, modern and new facilities that catered to the needs of the SGL community. The older and restrictive facilities soon began to notice a decrease in business and in finances. Initially, they refused to alter their policies and procedures while watching their numbers decrease and customers complain. Gradually, some of the more progressive establishments reversed and welcomed SGL customers and members.
Unfortunately, even to this day, there remains some bias within our body and clothes freedom world. As this is now the 21st century, the days of separation should be deep into the past for all of us.
Reading and writing!
Footnote:
In 2019, the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR) designated the second Saturday of July as International Skinny Dip Day. Personal experience for both Aaron, my spouse, and I as well as documented confusion over the meaning of skinny dip offer some hesitation as to the acceptance and annual observance of this event.
Logo for the first observance!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, July 10, 2026, and the proposed topic is: “Nude Pride!”
“Openness may not completely disarm prejudice, but it is a good place to start.” ~ Jason Collins ~ first active NBA professional to publicly announce he’s same gender loving
DEDICATION:
This post entry is published in posthumous appreciation, gratitude and as a tribute to Jason Paul Collins (2 December 1978 – 12 May 2026). May he rest in peace for all eternity.
“The door Jason Collins widely opened can never be shut again!” ~ Aaron Michael Peterson-Poladopoulos ~ ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
My thoughts:
Proverbial words of wisdom offered in a simple statement of fact by a man who had ability, skills and talent in his professional career. Essentially, a very basic truth: honesty is the best policy. The truth, especially about what and who we really are, may be criticized by others, but it can never be disproved. Honesty empowers and enables us.
I own who I am. I am same gender loving. I am gay. I am queer. I am a homosexual. I acknowledge and admit to being all of those labels. I know who I am. I know the truth.
My knowledge of the truth about myself empowers me to try to be the very best man that I can possibly hope to be. This knowledge also enables me to determine freedom and truth rather than restriction and dishonesty.
Jason Collins
The Late Jason Collins:
Jason Collins became the very first male professional basketball player to “come out” (announce) his sexual orientation while active in the National Basketball Association (NBA). His acknowledgement inspired a same gender loving (SGL) version of the NBA logo, shown below:
A colourful emblem that represents us being us! Not appreciated by everyone who’s a fan of the NBA but it definitely offers some “food for thought!”
Jason and his identical twin brother, Jarron, were born and grew up in Los Angeles, California. Jarron also played in the NBA.
His first professional team was Houston, Texas Rockets. He played throughout the USA including the New Jersey Nets, The Washington Wizards and his final season with the Brooklyn, New York Nets.
Prior to Jason’s coming out, he played in twelve (12) consecutive seasons in the NBA and impressed not only his fans but also his fellow professional athletes. Throughout his life he was dedicated to helping others in any way possible.
Jason came out as same gender loving on 29 April 2013 in Sports Illustrated magazine cover story. In May 2025, he married film producer Brunson Green.
On 11 September 2025, the NBA announced that Jason Collins was undergoing treatment for a brain tumor. On 11 December 2025, Jason revealed that he was diagnosed with stage 4 glioblastoma. He died at home on 12 May 2026.
On 22 June 2026, it was announced that Jason would be posthumously awarded with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage for his impact on GLBTQ+ visibility in professional sports at the 2026 ESPYS in July. The Arthur Ashe Award for Courage is given to a professional sportsperson who has made a difference beyond the field of play by fighting for what they value.
In announcing this honour, the NBA included that the award would be received by his twin brother, Jarron. Jarron’s confirmation added: “It is profoundly bittersweet but deeply meaningful to accept the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage on my brother’s behalf, celebrating a legacy of visibility, strength and love that will endure forever.”
Naked hugs!
Aaron and Roger/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for tomorrow, June 30, 2026, and the proposed topic is: “Bottoms-Up! June, 2026!”
“There was no gay pride before Stonewall. Only gay fear and gay isolation and gay distrust and gay self-hatred.” ~ Edmund White ~ gay author and Stonewall Inn customer
This upcoming Sunday, 28 June 2026 is the fifty-seventh (57) anniversary of the Stonewall Inn Riots (SIR!) This anniversary is reason to celebrate our progress as a community and culture and to recognize that we continue to have challenges and struggles to endure. As gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer+ (GLBTQ+) people, we march forward together!
As we read this summary of the events of 28 June 1969, we recall the efforts and the frustrations of all those who suffered before us and we salute their courage and sacrifice! This story is now our story, to recall and to remember with confidence, devotion, love and pride!
As bare practitioners, it is important for us to know and to understand our same gender loving (SGL) heritage. It is also the same importance for our heritage of nakedness. The Stonewall Inn riots (SIR) always are a part of our past, a part of our present and a part of our story!
Prologue:
World War II officially ended in 1945. The walls that divided different socio-economic and educational classes of people began to slowly disappear. The eradication of “separate” between persons of a variety of ethnicities and racial heritages began to decline also. These changes didn’t occur suddenly; it was an eventual shifting of bias, distrust and prejudices as the larger general society started the tedious, slow and incremental process of enlightenment and evolution.
The 1940s became the 1950s and social change lost the incredibility and novelty it once generated. A brief pause became evident as reluctance to move forward into the unknown overcame the dream to build and to renew. By the arrival of 1960, a temporary stalemate emerged that was short-lived and soon replaced by active and mounting protests from the disappointed youth and the despondent innovators.
The televised assassination of the youthful US President John Kennedy in November, 1963, ended the fragile truce between the progressives and the traditionalists. The growing frustration soon erupted into increasingly active and aggressive protests over racial injustices and segregation, feminism and women’s rights, the Vietnam war, military conscription (the draft) policies, equal labour practices and educational values.
Turbulent and violent soon became the usual descriptive to the situations unfolding in the lives of the nation. Traditional authority concepts began to recede into obscurity and the custom of unquestioned acquiescence to the “status quo” rapidly vanished.
While these drastic shifts in public opinion and perception appeared in broader society, subtle occurrences happened in the “homosexual” (gay, lesbian, bisexual) world as well. Still illegal and officially marginalized, all the while conveniently and openly despised, our “homosexual predecessors carefully, cautiously and discretely began to emerge in the larger urban areas such as Washington, D.C., New York City, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. They individually and in small groups joined in public protests and general boycotts focusing on the progressive social change movement.
In 1961, the state of Illinois legislature became the first to repeal the law designating “homosexuality” as illegal. The seeds of change and progress were finally planted!
June, 1969:
The Stonewall Inn (it was never a hotel) opened as a bar catering to the “homosexual” community in 1967. Prior to that, it had been a stable (for horses), a French bakery, a tearoom and lastly a restaurant that had burned out of business. It opened as a bar serving alcohol under Mafia-affiliated management and very closely connected to organized crime. The establishment consisted of two main rooms, each with its own dance floor. The front room was popular with older clientele and the back room attracted youth.
At the time of the Stonewall Inn Riots (SIR), it was unlawful for “homosexuals” to gather in public. Same gender intimacy was outlawed and persons subject to arrest and being fired from their jobs (with no legal recourse). They were ridiculed and attacked publicly often without any consequence. Simply being a “homosexual” was considered an antisocial and criminal act. Everyone was required, by law, to wear clothing appropriate to their birth gender – the only exception was for Halloween.
Friday evening, 27 June1969 was a hot and humid start to a weekend. Most of the patrons gathered inside the Stonewall Inn were looking forward to a night of dancing with their friends, relaxing with cocktails and enjoying a summer’s night in New York City. They had no idea that they were about to witness a historical event that would change their lives – and the “homosexual” world – forever.
“The door of the Stonewall had wrought-iron bars across this peephole, a little wooden thing that slid open. And the man inside would look at you and, if you looked like you belonged there, he would let you in.” ~ Chris Babick ~ Stonewall customer describing the entrance to Stonewall Inn
Both the dance floors at Stonewall Inn were full of dancing “homosexual” couples. It was now after midnight and 28 June 1969 was in its infancy. Suddenly, the music stopped. The lights that were dimmed to enhance the atmosphere came back on in a bright glare that caught everyone by surprise. Almost at once, the realization dawned on the festive crowd: the police were raiding the bar.
The New York City police department was long familiar with conducting raids on gay and lesbian bars. Their process was fairly routine and they all recognized “homosexuals” as a relatively compliant and passive crowd. For this reason, only one police transport vehicle (paddy wagon) and one marked squad car were included in the raid. Less than a dozen officers were assigned the task of managing and segregating the crowd, confiscating all the alcohol and arresting the Stonewall Inn employees.
“The police weren’t letting us dance. If there’s one place in the world where you can dance and feel yourself fully as a person and that’s threatened with being taken away, those words are fighting words.” ~ Tommy Lanigen-Schmidt ~ Stonewall Inn patron and riot participant
The arrival of the police raiding force caused participants to erupt inside the Inn. Customers searched in vain for an escape route or for a place to hide. The police immediately began confiscating both liquor and beer as evidence against the establishment and dividing the crowd: bar employees, cross-dressers (transgender persons) and the “regular” “homosexuals.” The bar employees and the cross-dressers were to be arrested for violating the law. The “regular homosexuals” were to be given citations once they showed the officers their proper identification.
The year, 1969, was at the end of a decade that had witnessed violent social unrest. The African-American struggle for civil rights, the birth of the feminist and women’s rights movements, the anti-Vietnam War demonstrations and the equal pay marches for primarily Latino immigrant farm workers were underway during this time. The “homosexuals” who had participated in these public unrests were energized and many wondered when their time for equality would happen. Little did they, and the police raiding the Stonewall Inn, know that moment had arrived.
As the police began checking the identities of those inside the bar, those with proper credentials were released and herded outside the door. Only this time, instead of just leaving the premises, they congregated on the sidewalks and at a nearby park. Once law enforcement attempted to disperse them, they grew confrontational and belligerent.
The police, unaccustomed to “homosexual” defiance, continued to press the order to vacate the area. The crowd, emboldened by their frustration with being treated as “deviants” and second-class citizens began to chant and to empty trash cans and hurl the garbage at the officers.
By this time, passers-by, curious as to what was happening, joined the angry and upset “homosexuals” to express their dissatisfaction with the raid. The crowd outside the Inn began to grow in both number, disappointment and curiosity. Once word of what had transpired inside the bar began to spread, even more “homosexuals” started to descend into the neighborhood and amass in the vicinity.
“You could hear screaming outside, a lot of noise from the protestors and it was a good sound. It was a real good sound that, you knew, you had a lot of people out there pulling for you.” ~ Raymond Castro ~ Stonewall Inn customer detained inside the bar during its siege
By now, the police trapped inside the facility understood that the situation had gotten beyond their control. They tried to call for reinforcements but were unable to reach any source for assistance. They had secured the bar but were trapped inside and the crowd outside was swelling in both size and fury. A few hundred patrons had now grown into a furious mob of several thousand and more were joining them by the minute.
No one in the New York police department had anticipated the “homosexuals,” always believed to be meek and mild, to fight back. The years of abuse. oppression and ridicule had taken its toll and the frustration now became revolution. The time for retribution was at hand. Unfortunately for the police, the pent-up anger at law enforcement was now being released and returned in kind. The police were now themselves prisoners inside the Stonewall Inn.
Two hours after the raid began, the police and their detainees were trapped inside the facility and no relief was in sight. The two-way communication devices between the raiding party and their office weren’t working properly and the only “pay phone” inside the bar wasn’t able to connect with any local police precincts. The passive “homosexuals” had finally achieved a “first” in their spontaneous riot: the police were contained, surrounded and they were all very nervous. By this time, the crowd outside the Greenwich Village neighbourhood bar now numbered more than three thousand with a full-fledged riot underway.
In an effort to relieve the inflammatory predicament, the besieged decided to send the detainees and half the officers inside the Stonewall in the two police vehicles to the closest local police station. There, the detainees would be formally charged with arrest and the officers could make arrangements for a police riot force to assemble and rescue the remaining law enforcement personnel. This relief effort finally was able to return to the bar several hours later and eventually dispersed the angry mob of “homosexuals” and curious onlookers after reinforcements finally arrived.
Despite damage to the Stonewall Inn facility and the loss of the license to sell alcoholic beverages, the bar opened for business (dancing and soft drinks) the following night. By Saturday night, stories of the historic disturbance the previous evening had spread throughout the city’s closeted “homosexual” community (primarily by word-of-mouth). A larger than usual crowd gathered both inside and outside the now notorious establishment. Most didn’t expect a repeat of the raid the night before and a significant number of those who came mainly to inspect the facility damage.
The police, however, had different ideas. They were strictly outside the bar – in full force – with a large number in riot gear. They had learned their lesson the evening before and were determined to remain in full control should the patrons become unruly again.
The “homosexuals” had been empowered by the riot the previous evening and weren’t about to be bullied into submission again. As the large police presence attempted to disperse those gathered outside the Stonewall Inn, they were confronted by verbal insults and an array of street-savvy tactics that saw law enforcement chase off onlookers, only to have them run around the urban block and return again. Silent obedience to uniformed officers was no longer a fact of life for New York’s “homosexuals.” They were tired of suffering abuse, disrespect, ridicule and treatment as second-class citizens.
The second night of the Stonewall Inn congregation wasn’t as disruptive and violent as the one before. No further damage was done to the bar establishment. However, an awakening consciousness was raised within the “homosexual” community that would change the way society viewed them and – most importantly – the way they perceived themselves.
For the first time, the too often compliant and passive “homosexuals” stood up for their rights and demonstrated that they, as individuals and together as a community, had “had enough!” Through time, this singular incident has been recognized by many as the spark that ignited the flame for the same gender loving equality movement worldwide!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Original!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, June 29, 2026, and the proposed topic is: “A Penny For My Thoughts!”
Reference sources:
Ann Bausman Stonewall: Breaking Out for Gay Rights
ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers! 