There are, at least in the English language, two months out of every year that begin with the letter: “A.” The initial occurrence\is April, the one that we’re in right now. It is also the first complete month of the newly arrived Spring season. It also denotes the return of natural growth and of warming temperatures outside. A hopeful and promising month of the calendar.
The second month that begins with the letter “A” is August. Chronologically, August is the exact opposite of April. It is the very last complete month of the Summer season. It is typically a month of heat and of sunshine; among us of Greek heritage, it is traditionally the month for our annual return to the homeland to visit with family, friends as well as celebrating our culture and customs!
For my spouse, Aaron, and myself, both of the A-months, April and August, hold a special significance. April because were both born during this month albeit on different dates. However, our birthdays are less than a week apart and we were birthed during differing years.
Secondly, but equally important, we were married on 15 August, 2015. The wedding itself was the result of a conspiracy collaborated by both pairs of our parents but welcomed by the both of us! Fortunately, my father was alive when it happened and he was able to witness it and to bless us both!
Naturally, Aaron and I are not the only two bare practitioners honoured during the A-months. Alex, my identical twin brother, shares the same birthday and the same birth year as myself. We also have a first cousin, Michael Poladopoulos, nine years younger, who celebrates his birth during the middle of this month. He is likewise a bare practitioner, Deaf and a secondary school art teacher. He is half-Greek and half-Nigerian (our father’s are brothers).
Concerning Aaron’s family, there are no additional persons with a similar “claim-to-fame.” However, there are quite a number of nieces and nephews waiting for maturity before a final, official determination is made!
Concentrating attention solely on the Peterson (Aaron’s) family and the Poladopoulos (my own) family in no way incorporates all of the A-month celebrants. Within the global bare practitioner community and culture alone, an entire listing is unfathomable! Even as a distinct social minority, we remain too numerous!
As a public site, ReNude Pride strives to remain accepting and inclusive of all the curious and those exploring their nakedness and their sexuality. We are all too aware of the feelings of being excluded, ignored or neglected. Like being forced to stand outside the home and only being permitted to watch through a window the social gathering taking place inside.
Many of us know these emotions firsthand and regrettably, some of us still have to cope with these even today. That’s why avoiding any repetition of these sensations is a priority for this publication!
So, in a serious and sincere effort to eradicate any exclusion and/or overlooking, Aaron and I invite anyone and everyone to an event to celebrate, commemorate and to enjoy nakedness! ReNude Pride’s very own:
BPO!
Bare Practitioner Occasion!
Anniversary? Birthday? Coming-of-Age? Coming Out? Any happening in life that you believe is worthy of commemorating within this calendar year, 2024, is enough reason for all of us to rejoice! Join in all the fun and laughter as we all strip out of our cumbersome clothes, toss away our inhibitions and gleefully engage together as community and culture in our very own special and unique collective occasion!
Our ultimate goal is to create an event that is as inclusive of all of us. Therefore, whatever the cause is determined to be: solo, a couple – bromantic or platonic – or a large group, we’ll join together and dance until all of our hearts, minds, and souls are overflowing with delight, jubilation and spirit. It makes no difference when the day occurs, the month and the date aren’t important! Aaron and I want all of us included and involved!
For far too long, our bare practitioner community and culture has enable the mainstream (majority) society the prerogative of identification of us. Their labels/names for us have often withstood (survived) the “test-of-time” and frequently became an epithet (slur) to use against us. This abusive and contemptuous identity becomes offensive and stereotypical in nature.
For example, about the time of the Stonewall Inn Riots (SIR) in June, 1969, the term “queer” emerged and quickly was assumed by general society to identify us – in a completely derogatory manner. “Queer” thus became very demeaning. However, our newly self-identified “gay” community actually liked the label “queer” and kept it with confidence and pride. We began to voluntarily even refer to ourselves and our culture as queer!
The broader society was baffled, confused and completely taken by surprise. How could we possibly endorse an identity intended to discredit and offend us? That same segment of society is still seeking another term to use, all these years later!
All we have to do is take a look now to see how queer has become synonymous with same gender loving. The mainstreamers continue to search for an appropriate replacement!
So please come and join with us as we jointly celebrate us being what and who we naturally are: ourselves! Bare Practitioners Occasion!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, April 12, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Quickie!”
ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers! 