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!
Just as his message proclaims to everyone around, he’s proud of his same gender loving nakedness and as a confident bare practitioner he is willing to share himself with others!
Arrival!
Relaxed!
No matter where we are, during the summertime, nature and our nakedness remain constant and compatible. A most definite “winning combination!”
Rooftop and preoccupied!
Welcoming the surf to the shore in the most natural way: clothes free!
Welcoming together!
Seasonal confidence!
Bare and without a single care as to what others may judge or think!
Bare expression!
For an overwhelming majority of us, being a bare practitioner is a choice that we freely make…
Desire to become bare!
whether we are alone or in the company of our companions and friends!
Bare camaraderie!
As bare practitioners, we do not intend to offend, we just want to be ourselves!
Our pride in being bare practitioners (SGL naturists/nudists) extends beyond the month of June every year. It’s an ongoing process that re-affirms our fulfillment and self-worth throughout the entire year.
“Our sense of confidence in ourselves doesn’t bestow on any of us the right of arrogance and/or the right of judgment. we, of all people, know better than to make that assumption. Most of us have been the target of judgmental and prejudicial behaviour (or worse) in our own lives and know, first-hand, how that makes people feel. Patience and tolerance of others, regardless of the beliefs and values they hold, should be our guide. Our pride in ourselves includes our pride in our actions towards others.
Being confident and proud of ourselves involves respecting the rights of others in allowing them to be proud of themselves, too. Our freedom should not entail denying the same to anyone else.” ~ Roger Poladopoulos ~ 1 June 2017
Naked Truth!
And we cordially invite you to join with us whenever possible!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Original!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, July 13, 2026, and the proposed topic is: “Bare Practitioner’s Day!”
“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!”
This year marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence! Happy USA Day to all! Remember to vote for change and hope in November, 2026, so that we can enjoy another 250 years!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, July 6, 2026, and the proposed topic is: “Nude Recreation Week, 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
The above graphic was shared with me by Aaron, my spouse, when we first began publishing ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers! in 2017. It depicts a man swimming with his swim briefs/underwear briefs held high above his head – and confidently displaying his hairy armpits! Need I note anything else?
Skinny-dipping:
A once popular colloquial American term referencing simply the act (art) of swimming naked. The only equipment (supply) needed is a source of water and clothes to discord (strip off). The expression (idea) was very popular throughout the rural American south: the former Confederacy. Perhaps the origin of the phrase is the skin (bare body) immersing (dipping) into the water.
Remember: the swimsuit (garment) for men and women didn’t become a fashion choice until the reign of Queen Victoria in the middle 1800s. Prior to that time, practically all recreational (leisure) swimming was always nude, although often segregated by gender.
Skinny-dipping can either be a planned event, such as a fund raiser for a charitable cause, a social gathering, a special occasion, etc. It also may be spontaneous – a spur-of-the-moment decision by a few that rapidly is engaged in by many. Often, it is just done solo – alone – either for comfort or relaxation.
The increasing acceptance of skinny-dipping/swimming naked is due to the rise in public acknowledgement of clothing optional and/or naturist/nudist destinations and resorts in general.
There are a number of new or remodelled facilities that offer facilities with specifically designated areas for textile oriented as well as for natural oriented guests.
In catering to both types of audiences, these facilities are broadening their base of consumer operations as well as expanding their margins of profitability.
There is no established process or standard for skinny-dipping. The procedure is based on each individual or situation specifically.
Primarily it is determined personally by individual according to their own comfort level removing their swimwear.
Clothing optional swimming occurs in all types of water, man-made or natural. For the majority, it is basically based on availability and precisely the level of heat!
In classic American literature, Samuel Langhorne Clemens (Mark Twain) popularized swimming naked (skinny-dipping) in his highly successful and notorious classics, The Adventure of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. These two characters inspired American youth to swim without clothing as often as possible – despite the emerging trend of wearing a swimsuit!
There is no mandatory procedure for water entry while skinny-dipping. The approach to swimming naked and the actual entry into the body of water is entirely up to each individual. Everyone follows their own level of comfort. Of course, peer pressure – the urgings of comrades and friends – also serves as a determining factor.
The same conditions apply to the strategy for exiting from the aquatic adventure. There are no established protocols so everyone leaves according to their own comfort and style.
Whatever works best for each skinny-dipper (naked swimmer) is good! The important accomplishment is to be safe and to have fun! A happy skinny-dipper is a repeat skinny-dipper!
Below is an important sentiment to keep in mind while enjoying swimming naked. The experience can be relaxing and rewarding for everyone involved. However, we should all keep in mind that for some people, swimming naked can be a very stressful and/or uncomfortable situation. Support all in their quest to enjoy their summer experiences!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, June 19, 2026, and the proposed topic is: “Juneteenth!”
Francois!
There is no posting planned for Monday, June 15, 2026.
June: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer+ Pride Month!
June is Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer + (GLBTQ+) Pride Month!
The Stonewall Inn Riots (SIR) happened on the early morning of 28 June 1968. In honour of that occasion, seen by multitudes of people throughout the world as the inauguration of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer + (GLBTQ+) equality movement, the month of June receives the attention of being GLBTQ+ Pride Month! Of course, we all know that our pride extends to everyday throughout the entire year! It is not limited to just one brief month in every year!
Rainbow Pride Flag!
The original Rainbow Pride Flag was inaugurated in 1978 for the San Francisco, California, USA, Freedom Day commemoration of the anniversary of SIR. The emblems were added to signify same gender love (SGL)! Yes, our flag-bearer is completely boxer-free nakedness!
The above image was the initial flag display header for our early post entries here on ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers! Before then, I also used the picture for my original Guy Without Boxers blog.
Progress Pride Rainbow Flag!
The Progress Pride Rainbow flag is now the current emblem for our GLBTQ+ community and culture’s global campaign for universal acceptance, equality, recognition and respect. It includes the rainbow design of our original pride flag plus the addition of the arrow to designate progress necessary to complete the inclusivity of both our community and our culture!
GLBTQ+ Pride Month 2026 is a time for us all to join in and celebrate and congregate each one of us being the basic person that we truly are! Of our community and culture being an open reflection of us and our institutions and our interests. Of our acceptance, our challenges and our joy!
Yet within this time of celebration and festivities, there are some extremely alarming realities that we are facing. These concerns and issues are in small doses now, but the potential for future expansion is very present and tangible.
The transgender community – especially the vulnerable youth – are under attack from those who seek to erase their very existence. Recently, the U.S. House of Representatives barely enacted a delay on voting on H.R.2616: a ban on schools nationally from teaching about gender identity, using correct names and pronouns, having reference materials representing transgender persons and acknowledging an individual’s transgender status and even their existence.
This conflict happened this year. In this, the halls of the U.S. Congress. The so-called “land of the free!” All courtesy of the fierce determination of the supposedly “elected” trumpster-dumpster!
The value of GLBTQ+ Pride 2026 is on the horizon and has yet to be fully realized. This is a mid-term congressional election year in the USA and the future of our freedoms is being severely tested.
There have been supposed basics of our democracy that we have been taught not to challenge or to interrogate. Yet the time is upon us now that these clauses no longer hold true or are valid. Institutions built when women couldn’t vote, when Black people were enslaved, when GLBTQ+ people didn’t legally and socially exist at all and social exclusion was theoretically baked into the very foundation of our laws and values.
If we are dedicated and serious in maintaining a democratic system that represents the dignity and will of all the people, then the time to evaluate and examine as to the structure of that system is now upon us.
Perhaps it is time to eliminate the electoral college?
Perhaps it is time to set term limits on the Supreme Court?
Perhaps it is time to rid politicians of corruption and greed?
We, the GLBTQ+ community and culture need to resolve to forge with other groups and organizations to unite and let the entire world know that not all of us residing in this country are blind followers of bigotry, greed and ignorance!
Happy Pride Month, 2026!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, June 5, 2026, and the proposed topic is: “Keep Pride Alive!”
Along the beach shoreline, inside a pool or just out in the open playing in the natural setting, the season is one for the proverbial “fun-in-the-sun!”
Pool!
There is one aspect of our nakedness that we as bare practitioners constantly remember: sun-sational sunscreen! The covering that we all know we can’t leave home without!
Fun-in-the-sun!
No matter who we are or what we do, when we’re enjoying nature, naturally, we need to protect ourselves from the ultraviolet sunrays that we are enjoying. Yes, it can be delightful and fun, but too long without any covering potentially can hinder our seasonal antics and cause serious health issues over time!
Before You Bare…Cover Up!
Here in the Northern Hemisphere, the Summer season doesn’t officially begin until 21 June, annually. However, the transition season of Spring is already in progress. Warmer temperatures and longer hours of daylight (sunlight) are also already upon us. As bare practitioners, our blissful dreams once again return into reality.
Aaron, my spouse, offers it best and honest. It advances our cause and needs no explanation:
“If nakedness is anticipated and/or expected it automatically loses “shock value” and instead becomes the normal, the routine. No judgment, no surprise!” ~ Aaron Michael Peterson-Poladopoulos ~ 24 August 2022
Therefore, coherent with our community and our culture, we comply with what we consider as normal and routine. That is our nakedness!
In keeping with that reality, this post entry seeks to remind us all of our health and safety, as well as the diligence and importance of the use of sunscreen. In our eagerness to get outside and frolic in the fresh air and warm sun, many of us forget one of the basic and essential rules of summer health. We all need to cover up (protect) our skin before we uncover (expose) any part or all of our body.
This entails the use of an appropriate sunscreen applied adequately (sufficient quantity), correctly (follow directions) and, when necessary, reapplied diligently. Using sunscreen allows most of us to make the most of whatever our summer plans may offer.
What should I look for in a sunscreen?
Regardless of where sun activity is happening, a private yard, ball field or court, park, trail, beach or shore, the product (sunscreen) should contain two elements for effective protection. Always look for a “broad spectrum” sunscreen that contains chemicals that block both UV-A and UV-B radiation from penetrating the skin surface.
While no product is completely waterproof, select a “water-resistant” type that is designed for long-lasting wear, especially if perspiring heavily or swimming. Choose a variation that is both easy to apply and feels good on the skin. There are numerous commercial brands available: creams, lotions, moisturizers, gels, sprays (aerosols), and solid stick types.
What Is SPF?
The initials SPF refer to sun protection factor. It is the measure of the effectiveness of the sunscreen in absorbing UV-B radiation. If someone sunburns after about 10 minutes of sun exposure, using a product of SPF15 extends the amount of time before sunburn occurs to 150 minutes or two-and-a-half hours. After this time, it should be reapplied to continue protection.
In terms of percentages, a product of SPF15 blocks 93% of the UV-B rays. One of SPF30 blocks 97% of radiation and one of SPF blocks 99%. The difference in protection may not always justify the added expense of higher SPF sunscreens.
What Is the Best Sunscreen For Me?
This depends on many factors, including age, skin type, activity, time of day, location (proximity to the Equator) and the UV index. For most skin types, a sunscreen with a minimum SPF15 is recommended. Persons with fair or lighter skin tones (all races) and low sun tolerance (burn easily) should use a SPF30. For minimal sun exposure, 90 minutes or less, a moisturizer cream may suffice (with correct SPF level). For extended periods of sun exposure and higher activity engagement, use a longer-lasting product such as a gel or lotion. Spray (aerosol or pump) are beneficial for hairy parts of the body, including arms and armpits, back, chest, legs and the pubic region. If a person is acne-prone, choose sunscreens that are oil-free or non-carnodegenic.
For persons with sensitive skin, the chemicals in some sunscreens may cause skin irritation. Use a product that contains only physical blockers (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide). A physical blocker does not penetrate the skin layers as do chemicals. Physical blockers stay on the skin surface to provide protection.
What Is the Best Way to Use Sunscreen?
If you’ve used sunscreen before and experienced sunburn, it was either applied incorrectly or it was the wrong SPF. For sunscreen to be effective, it must be in sufficient quantity, applied correctly (follow directions carefully) and thoroughly applied prior to sun exposure. It should also be reapplied when recommended by the directions. Remember the lips! Use a lip balm with a minimum SPF15.
How much?
One ounce – the equivalent of a full shot glass if mixing drinks – per adult body per application. Apply liberally all over the body, including behind the ears, on the edges of the ears and on the ear lobes. If in doubt, consult the application directions that accompanied the sunscreen.
When to apply?
At least 30 minutes before going into the sun. Reapply 15 minutes later. The extra application helps to cover body areas that may have been missed during the first application. Once in sunlight, reapply every couple of hours, especially if swimming, perspiring and/or towel drying frequently.
Who should use sunscreen?
Everyone needs skin protection. All races are susceptible to sunburn. Persons with darker skin complexions may have a higher tolerance for sun exposure but at some point will begin to experience sunburn. Bear and bare in mind that skin damage and serious complications later are the result of the failure to protect the skin.
What does the expiration date mean?
Sunscreen usually remains effective and stable for a period of three years. After the expiration date, the contents will begin to decompose and not afford the intended protection. Always check the expiration date before application. Discard any product that is past the recommended date!
African-Americans and Sunscreen:
In the Black and Hispanic communities, it’s a common misconception that their melanin-infused (darker) skin completely eliminates the necessity for sunscreen as protection. Yes, darker skin does protect from some UV rays, but all persons, no matter their skin tone, need the protection of sunscreen.
For a long time, all races believed that the darker complexions of persons of African, Hispanic and Middle Eastern ancestry/descent were fully protected from the harmful rays of the sun. Despite the fact that darker skin tones have greater genetic protection and tolerance than fairer (lighter) skin tones, everyone has a certain level of natural deficiency.
At minimum, human skin tones need at least an SPF30 for full protection from UV rays. Black people (on average) have a deficiency of about SPF17 therefore their level of melanin offers only a SPF13 level.
Concerns Regarding USA SPF Ratings?
Most consumers choose a sunscreen product based on the sun protection factor (SPF). Often selecting the higher SPF levels assuming that the level gives the best protection from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. In the USA, studies now prove that the domestic UV ratings are an unreliable measure of effectiveness.
An ideal sunscreen should provide equal broad-spectrum protection from both UV-A and UV-B rays. Throughout most of the globe, this is how sunscreen is rated. In the USA, however, the SPF value reflects the product UV-B ranking only.
Sunglasses Protection:
The most critical function of sunglasses is blocking ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The UV-A and UV-B sun rays damage the cornea, lens and retina of the eyes and increase the risk of cataracts, macular degeneration and photokeratitis (sunburn of the eyes).
By selecting sunglasses with 100% UV protection, polarized lenses and durable framing helps safeguard the eyes from both immediate and long-term sun damage. The use of sunglasses reduces the risk of sunscreen contact with the eyes.
Sunscreen is an important and valuable precaution in affording all of us, bare practitioners and otherwise, in the task of enjoying a healthy, productive and a very safe season of both summer and sun! Have fun and remember your sunscreen!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, May 18, 2026, and the proposed topic is: “My May Turn!”
ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers! 