It’s official and it’s approaching at warped triple-time speed! By the time this upcoming weeks-end arrives, it will already have happened. Are you prepared for it? Ready or not, it’s coming! What? you may ask. An extra pair of buttocks? An extra man to choose from? What, exactly, is our option here? Wait! Pause. It isn’t a pair of willing buttocks! It’s not even an extra body!
What is it?
The “+24” portion of the title here is in reference to hours, not bodies! Our bonus is a grand total of twenty-four hours! This year, 2024, is a leap year! Our bonus is an extra twenty-four hours which is the equivalent of one complete, extra, full day.
Since our calendar year is an officially designated and recognized leap year, the bonus that we’re gifted with is one entire day. A total of twenty-four hours. The question now becomes: what do we do with the extra day? Extra is not regular or usual. Therefore, shouldn’t we do something unusual?
The ideal way to observe this unique occasion is to give it holiday status. Award all of us with a day off work – with a full day’s worth of pay! Imagine: everyone dancing for joy and stripping off their underwear at this awesome and magical gift! Bare buttocks bouncing uncontrollably!
Joyful stripping!
The entire world in a bare, bouncing buttocks mode! Priceless! Extraordinary! Miraculous!
So remember: this year, 2024, February has a bonus grand total of 29 days! Happy leap year to all!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Thursday, March 29, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Bottoms-Up! February, 2024!”
“Racism takes many forms and our thoughts on racism, sexuality and nudity need to change.” ~ Joseph Ross Anderson ~ aka Race Cooper The Pink News SGL News Service London, UK 10 June, 2020
Prologue:
The examination and exploration of the topic of race extends beyond the limited concepts of just Black people and White people. It includes all of us, no matter our skin tone, ethnicity or racial heritage. Race, unfortunately, is also aligned with community, culture, politics, religion and value systems.
Regrettably, racism (racial discrimination and/or hatred based on skin tone) is often a “learned” behaviour – usually passed from one generation to the next – without any basis of proof or scientific fact. Unchallenged, it is frequently misunderstood as the “norm” – the routine standard.
ReNude Pride published a post entry here, Race On Race, last year on March 6, 2023. Click on the title to link. My spouse, Aaron, and I both offer this expanded version of the topic in the hope of overcoming our need to be reminded of the importance of this reality in our daily lives. This is the reason, among others, that we do not restrict this issue or topic exclusively to the period of Black History Month.
Race Cooper: tunnel of experience and knowledge!
RaceCooper is the stage name of Joseph Ross Anderson, a talented and thoughtful star of same gender loving (SGL) – bisexual and gay – pornography and outspoken advocate for bare (naked/nudist) rights, sexuality rights and racial equality. He was born and grew up in Toronto, Canada on December 5, 1973. Amazing, he didn’t begin his film career (porn) until 2009 – he was 36 years old! An age when most openly gay porn actors are ready to retire from performing live!
In the same year that he launched his film debut, he started blogging about the porn industry on blogger.com and swiftly acquired notoriety as “a-man-who-tells-it-all!” Race’s blog was a popular favourite as he kept no secrets from his readers. He consistently posted of his experiences with his fellow actors, both complimentary and flattering and…honest and real. His descriptions and observations of their intimate abilities and anatomical attributes made his blog a success for many and a regular “must-read” for both his followers and his peers in the film studios! His writing skills hastened to dispel the stereotype of the gay porn actor as egotistical, “flaky,” and self-obsessed.
He also began to publicly encourage and endorse the expansion of the alpha-man (top-man) and the beta-man (bottom-man) sexual identities to include versatility (preference to engaging in either sexual position or fluidity)!
Additional facts on Race Cooper are listed below:
Name: Joseph Ross Anderson
Height: 6′ (183 cm)
Weight: 180 lbs. (82 kg)
Hair: head (shaved) body (armpit, pubic)
Penis: 7.9″ (20 cm) circumcised
Sexuality: gay exclusive
Sexual position: versatile (preference: bottom)
Clothing status: bare
Film career: 2009 – 2014
“I’m an African-Canadian. Growing up in Toronto, I got to see how lots of White Americans reacted to Black people. Working in gay pornography in the USA, I personally saw how Black men were treated by White men with no difference between gay or straight.” ~ Race Cooper ~ The Pink News 10 June, 2020
Race Cooper: serious!
Race Cooper, based on his own experience in the SGL porn industry, views racism as “a daily constant in the USA.” He initially began working as a casting director for the exclusively SGL studios – Raging Stallion – before he moved to performing in front of the camera. He acknowledges that he was paid considerably less than his White peers and regularly and repeatedly had his work ethic and his intelligence questioned. He honestly believes that he was only hired initially in order for the studio to appear “less racist.”
“Homophobia and racism in the USA is the reasoning for discrimination and prejudice. It is part of the legacy of slavery. In Canada, race is just a difference. You shave your pubic hair, I let mine grow naturally. We’re both gay men, we’re just different in some ways.” ~ Race Cooper ~ The Pink News 10 June, 2020
Canada had slavery in the 1600s only. It was never a permanent institution like in the USA. As a slave, you were bought, you worked a couple of years, earned your freedom and then you moved on. Similar to an indentured servant. Enslavement was never a source of distrust and hatred. You worked, earned freedom and then became a neighbour – equal – not inferiour or subserviant.
Playful Race Cooper!
“As a Black gay man, I know and have witnessed bias, hatred and prejudice because of nudity, race and sexual orientation. It is unfair and unjust. It is wrong. As a performer in the porn industry, I’ve never experienced criticism for being publicly or for being socially naked. But I do know of fellow gay nudists who are judged because of their nudity. Clothes freedom is part of who we are. Just like race and sexuality, we don’t have a choice.” ~ Race Cooper ~ The Pink News 10 June, 2020
Race Cooper was interviewed by The Pink News, a GLBTQ+ news service in London, England, United Kingdom, on 10 June, 2020, for his thoughts on racial inequality in the SGL porn industry in the USA in light of the killing of the late George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement. He also wants the porn studios to openly admit that many White men – straight – have been cast into roles, intended for Black gay men. Many of these substitutions were in films catering to primarily SGL African-American audiences.
As a path forward, he’d like to see the studios hire and utilize “diversity mentors” to help casting and hopefully these very same mentors could advance the careers of actors of colour and other minority qualifications. He also advocates the ending of “gay-for-pay” and the immediate end to the shunning of HIV+ porn actors.
Race Cooper: bald head and buttocks!
In the conclusion of his interview with The Pink News, Race Cooper offered – in my humble opinion – his most daring and profound argument against bigotry, discrimination and judgment based on not only just race but sexual orientation and nakedness as well. This declaration was made on his own initiative and observation. Proof positive that Joseph Ross Anderson (Race Cooper) is – heart and soul – a brother bare practitioner and all of us welcome and embrace him in complete nudity and pride into our community and culture! True equality is a basic human right for us all!
“I’ve made numerous naked appearance at gay studio social events. The newcomers to our profession are often intimidated by us older professionals. Usually, fellow Black new actors are gathered, made to strip out of their apparel and paraded through the White guests who are fully or partially clothed only to be ridiculed, teased and tormented and not allowed to get dressed until the social is done.” ~ Race Cooper ~ The Pink News 10 June, 2020
Great observations, Race Cooper! We are grateful for your honesty!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, February 26, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Bonus: +24!”
As previously presented here on ReNude Pride, the sankofa Adinkra symbol, from that tribe residing in the modern countries of west Africa, Ghana and Ivory Coast. The symbol is featured in the above heading along with the wisdom it represents. A synonymous defining word is retrospective. A look back in order to acquire direction for the future.
Another version of the sankofa is offered below. The variance is in the symbolic emblems only. The definition and wisdom is identical for both.
Sankofa: varied emblem!
Purpose:
Today’s post entry is offered as a supplement to the posting: Bare! Black! SGL! That post was published here this past Friday. It is a satirical examination of the myth: Black people aren’t gay or naked.
This post is a retrospective (sankofa) consideration of photographs prior to the Stonewall Inn riots (SIR) of June 28, 1969. An event that precipitated the modern international GLBTQ+ movement. Please note: the subjects shown here in these photos are bare. The dates of the pictures are approximate based on the hair-styles alone.
A kiss!
Sankofa #1: Affection
The estimated date for this picture is the middle 1960s.
Rural couple!
Adinkra #2: Companionship
The hairstyles on these two men are possibly from the late 1960s.
Embracing couple!
Adinkra #3: Trust
The approximate date of this image are the middle to late 1960s.
Mutual affection!
Adinkra #4: Attraction
The estimated time of this picture is early 1960s.
Strongly encouraged!
Proud of who we are!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, February 23, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Race: Race’s POV!”
In 1999, alarmed over the statistics reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the effects of HIV/AIDS on the African-American community, the CDC and the U.S. Public Health Service convened a meeting with representatives of organizations serving Black Americans and persons of faith to address concerns over rising infection rates. Other organizations participating included Concerned Black Men- Philadelphia, Health Watch Information and Promotion Services, Jackson State University, Mississippi Urban Research Center, National Black Alcoholism and Addiction Council and the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS along with the heads of several African-American communities of faith. The National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day was conceived by these organizations and the official name agreed upon.
February 7, annually, was decided as the date of observance and the very first observance was announced for the following year: February 7, 2000. The event would be sponsored by the Strategic Leadership Council (SLC) – created specifically for this event – and the membership was determined and terms of office set.
The popularity of the Red Ribbon for the efforts towards HIV/AIDS awareness was noted by the SLC. At the time, awareness ribbons for a multitude of charitable causes were very important in focusing attention to the cause represented and to encourage support. This inspired the creation of an awareness ribbon for the purpose of support of the National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day efforts.
NBHAAD Awareness ribbon!
Four Key Components of the NBHAAD Campaign:
The SLC of the NBHAAD campaign mandates four (4) key elements for an inclusive and successful campaign. Each component is designed to build both individual and community strengths in combatting HIV/AIDS for all people.
The four elements and a brief summation are as follows:
Geteducated: Know the facts about transmission and prevention of HIV/AIDS.
Getinvolved: Learn about opportunities available in individual and community prevention efforts and become an active part of those efforts.
Gettested: Know your status and encourage others to do the same.
Gettreated: Receive proper healthcare and support to successfully live with HIV.
Dedication!
Analysis proves that people learn and retain knowledge most effectively from people they perceive as most like themselves. NBHAAD is an African-American focused organization, based within the community, to provide direction, guidance and information to the Black population specifically but not exclusively. It represents a resource that is both accessible, authentic and dependable.
Explore your options (choices)! Take back the control of your life!
An important message to share with others!
If your viral load (amount of HIV in your blood) is undetected, then sexually, your HIV is untransmittable!
This message is vital as it advises everyone of the significant benefits of not only getting tested for HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) also for seeking treatment for living with HIV. This enables persons to experience a healthier, longer and more productive life.
Knowledge is power!
HIV/AIDS Basic Facts:
HIV is the virus that causes AIDS.
AIDS is a result of HIV infection.
HIV is not spread through everyday casual contact.
Only a doctor can diagnose AIDS.
Arthur Ashe, Wimbledon Tennis Champion and AIDS educator!
Throughout the year, NBHAAD has sponsored innumerable locally-oriented activities and events to provide information and involvement on community issues and needs. This level of action increased general awareness and support for both prevention and treatment of the disease.
Personal Involvement:
I served both the City of Alexandria, Virginia Chapter of the Red Cross and the Arlington Red Cross Chapter as a volunteer (not paid) instructor trainer in three HIV/AIDS curriculums: Basic, African-American and Workplace. My responsibility was to teach others how to conduct community prevention education sessions within the curriculum they had elected to enroll. As a Greek man, I always had an African-American co-instructor with me. As a Deaf man, I always had a sign language interpreter with me.
Each class that I taught involved 36 hours of training and a passing score of 85 % on the final examination. Upon completion of each class, a certification was given to each student in recognition of becoming a Red Cross instructor.
Personalities:
Importantly – and fortunately – there are among all of our cultures many who are bold and brave enough to act and think for themselves. Their individual uniqueness is one aspect among the qualities that make life bearable (bare-able) for those of us who live around them or are influenced by them. Ideally, their insight and worldview makes a difference in the lives of others.
The two persons presented here I met through my volunteer position with the Red Cross African-American prevention education curriculum. Both of them are/were same gender loving men and African-American.
RodneyLofton
Rodney Lofton!
A native of Richmond, Virginia, and a student of mine who also became a volunteer with the Red Cross. We taught a teen peer education weekend-long seminar together three consecutive years. Rodney was the first Black deputy director of the GLBTQ+ community advocacy group: Diversity Richmond. In 2015, he received the Equality Virginia OUTstanding Virginian Award. For many years he served on the organizing committee of the NBHAAD function with the City of Richmond. He was the author of two books on growing up both Black and gay in the City: The Day I Stopped Being Pretty: A Memoir (published 2007) and No More Tomorrow: Two Lives, Two Stories, One Love (published 2009). He died in March, 2022, and is survived by his husband, Faron Niles. Rodney was first diagnosed as HIV+ in 1993.
Rodney’s first book!
*************************
KoryMitchell
Kory Mitchell
A mixed-race man born in Germany of an African-American father in the military service and a German mother. He grew up and attended schools in both Germany and the USA. As a young adult he achieved the role of actor within the gay pornography industry and starred in more than three dozen films. He was diagnosed as HIV+ in the early 1990s. When he learned of his status, he became a student of the Red Cross African-American curriculum and after receiving his certification he began teaching HIV/AIDS prevention education to others working in the gay porn industry. He appears at numerous NBHAAD campaign benefits and events and is affectionately known as the unofficial “Magic Johnson of gay porn!” When he became a celebrity, he had “blessed” tattooed across his shoulder and a cross tattooed on his abdomen to remind fans that he is a Christian. Shortly after his HIV+ diagnosis, he had the message “hope” tattooed on his neck. Instead of the letter “o” in hope, he had the red AIDS awareness ribbon placed there.
Kory’s “Blessed” shoulder and neck of “hope!”
Remember, it’s not who we are but it’s what we do that puts us at risk for HIV/AIDS!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next planned post entry here is planned for Friday, February 9, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “S’Naked Simply!”
National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD) occurs annually on February 7. This year, 2024, that date happens in the middle of the week on a Wednesday. Using the calendar to our benefit, publishing this post entry two days in advance affords us the chance to provide information of the significance of this occasion for all of us, not just African-Americans. That is the reason for today’s offering entitled:
“The Disproportionate Impact of HIV/AIDS on the Black Community!”
The purpose is to explore specific examples of disparities based on race that produced the multitude of deaths and infections within the African-American population here in the USA. “Disproportionate impact” refers to factors – beyond the control of those affected – that cause harm or injury to those being affected.
“NBHAAD: Part II!” is offered here on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, – the actual date for NBHAAD. It features an overall look at the offerings and provisions of the NBHAAD campaign.
Black SGL couple!
The Disproportionate Impact of HIV/AIDS on the Black Community!
To this day, there are some misinformation and myths surrounding the HIV/AIDS pandemic that remain within the minds of many Americans, even in the days of competition with the coronavirus COVID-19 period. One of the strongest of these untruths is that HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is an exclusively gay (same gender loving: SGL) disease. No matter of the scientific proof to the contrary, this falsehood remains. A close second place to this misconception is the unsubstantiated notion that Black people are highly susceptible to HIV.
In all honesty, it is the White population in the USA that has caused the alarmingly high rate of death and infection from HIV factors among African Americans. The serious mistrust of the public health services by persons of colour was caused and created by people of European descent (Caucasian/White) through bias, discrimination, hate, ignorance, prejudice and segregation. For generations, Black people suffered under the “Jim Crow” laws and separation. This resulted in numerous incidents and instances where the African Americans were subjected to trials and tribulations as “second class” recipients of poor care and mistreatment from the U.S. Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the local and state health services.
The most infamous and notorious of this disasters is known simply as the Tuskegee Experiment that was underway under the watch of the federal government from 1932 until 1972. It involved 400 Black men “officially” untreated by medicine in order to document and monitor the deterioration of health after being infected with syphilis. It was conducted in the deep south at the then Tuskegee Institute by doctors working for the federal government. Click the link below to see the study details on wikipedia:
Personally, when I first learned of this project, I was shocked that it was permitted to continue after the passage of legislation for equality in the 1960s. I was appalled that social consciousness didn’t end the study and that it was never an issue.
NBHAAD Awareness Ribbon
The results of this maltreatment is the overwhelming reason for the deep and profound distrust of the CDC and the U.S. Public Health Service by the Black population. It was one of the major obstacles that resulted in the delay by the community of colour to the realities of the HIV/AIDS crisis. This, in turn, created the explosion of the new disease within this particular community and culture.
With the issue of distrust of the public health agencies as the primary source of the disproportionate impact of HIV/AIDS in the Black American community and culture, another very important factor was the cultural and racial insensitivity of educational and prevention information distributed among this population specifically and the general population as a whole. Too often, vague and ambiguous language and reasoning was employed when direct and simple language should have been presented and used.
The majority of Black adults were the products of segregated educational facilities – often resulting in limited comprehension of the materials provided to them. This unclear information caused confusion and misinterpretation that strengthened frustration and resentment. Government and politicians were well aware of this disparity and failed to address this problem.
Important reality!
For example, instead of “negotiating” the “effectiveness” of the use of a condom, the direct action approach: “tell him if he’s not wearing one, he’s not getting any!” would have deliberately delivered the message in a clear and concise manner. Minimal room for confusion and hesitation with a response such as that! The meaning is plain no matter the gender of the individual receiving the reply.
Distrust and insensitivity in communication are two of the examples offered for the high rates of HIV/AIDS deaths and infections within the African-American community and culture. Another example of almost equal importance is the prolonged inaction and inertia from the government departments over the staggering statistics. Prompt examination over the reported data clearly indicated a major breakdown and inappropriate flaw in the materials and methods long before a serious problem arose. Had discrimination and segregation not existed prior to the outbreak of HIV, the results could and probably would have been significantly different.
Due to budget constraints and the executive and legislative blindness of the republican politicians, funds for public health concerns and programs were severely hampered while defense spending soared.
This situation initiated a dilemma rarely believable in the supposedly wealthiest country in the world. Repeatedly, funds were scarce and demands on the necessity of compliance skyrocketed. Resources were completely unavailable and politicians refused to even consider any concession to ease the crisis for “those” people – the Blacks and other ethnic and racial minorities, the gays and the drug injectors. Evidently, the republican belief was that society could only benefit from the death of “those” people!
Vital message!
Financial assistance and grants to local public service agencies and not-for-profit organizations working within the Black community on a local basis would have greatly reduced the widespread gap between mistrust and trust that existed. A local establishment would have afforded both at atmosphere of credibility and recognition that would enhance the information and message delivered. This would have alleviated the stigma of HIV/AIDS as being a “homosexual White man’s disease.”
Awareness and pride!
“As committed, dedicated, honest, open and sincere bare practitioners (same gender loving naturists/nudists), all we desire is for the world to see us as we perceive ourselves: all naked, all natural. We have nothing to hide and are without reason for shame. We are proud of our nudity and our same gender love. They are not cause for embarrassment, fear or guilt. That is simply what and who we are in our life.” ~ Roger Poladopoulos-Peterson ~ Deaf Gay Alliance speech Washington, D.C., 4 December 2022
Yet another barrier created by both the republican executive and legislative arms of the federal government that fatally delayed and hindered any productive reaction from the community of colour to the ravages of this pandemic.
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Wednesday, February 7, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “NBHAAD Part II!”
In the USA, the entire month of February, annually, is observed as Black History Month (now referred to as African-American History Month). It was started in 1926, when the noted Black historian, Carter G. Woodson (now remembered as the “Father of Black History Month) and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) jointly announced the second week of February to be Negro History Week. This particular week was chosen because it contained the birthday (February 12) of the late president, Abraham Lincoln, who issued the Emancipation Proclamation that freed the slaves held in the rebellious south during this country’s civil war. It also contained the birthday of Frederick Douglass, the noted Black abolitionist and influential leader (February 14).
Carter G. Woodson,“Father of Black History Month!”
The very first commemoration of Negro History Week was featured in segregated public schools in three states (Delaware, North Carolina and West Virginia) and the Black schools in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Frederick Douglass, Abolitionist and Black leader
Up until the commencement of Negro History Week, throughout this country, the most that anyone was aware of African-American history was when the topic of slavery was discussed. Otherwise, there was practically no mention of any achievement or contribution of any Black person in the history of the USA. Black people were largely viewed as nothing more than “second-class” citizens throughout this nation. Discrimination and segregation were practiced everywhere and severely hindered the recognition of any notable African-American leadership.
Black History Month encourages honouring persons of the African Diaspora!
Black educators and Black United Students at Kent State University in Ohio first proposed a month-long celebration for Black History Month in February, 1969. It was approved and first observed from January 2, 1970 through February 28, 1970.
President Gerald Ford first recognized Black History Month in 1976 during the USA bicentennial. He urged people to “seize the opportunity to honour the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavour throughout our history. He may have been the first president not elected for the job but he became the first one to publicly recognize the Black History Month celebration.
Looking for his past!
Personal Recollections:
As a child of Greek immigrants, I have very limited knowledge of what it was like to grow up in what was perceived by many to be a White man’s world. I do have some insight into the most definite deficiency of historical information concerning African-American history.
When my parents arrived in Richmond, Virginia, during the second presidential term of Eisenhower, the only home they could purchase was in a primarily Black neighborhood. The city was the capital city of the Confederacy during the Civil War and “old habits die hard (they were, after all, immigrants). Fine. The street that we lived on had a Greek Orthodox Church on one end, an Armenian Church in the middle and an African Methodist Episcopal Church on the other end. A celestial highway!
My oldest brother remembers the controversy surrounding the televised release of Alex Haley’s Roots. For many die-hard Confederate descendants, it was absurd and unforgiveable that White Confederate characters and their offspring were shown as evil, dishonest and violent. I imagine the truth does sometimes hurt.
Alex, my identical twin brother, and I are both Deaf but that didn’t prevent us from having Black friends in our neighborhood. Children don’t need an official interpreter to communicate between Deaf and hearing. We had several Black friends who shared with us in our nakedness (with enthusiasm).
Our motto!
Our neighborhood bordered the south side of the James River in Richmond. As we grew into our teenage years, Twin and I and our neighborhood friends frequented the James River during our summer school holidays. On one of those excursions, we discovered an area within the park very popular with the local same gender loving (SGL) people who were also active nudists. This resulted into an entirely different educational and enlightening world for all of us! The doors to bare practitioner manhood were opened – at last – and remain opened until this very day!
One of my neighborhood friends is named Paul Turner. We have become lifelong friends and have kept in contact with each other since our early teen years. He’s three years older than me and is also gay and a self-admitted bare practitioner co-founder and cohort! We jointly enjoyed and explored the SGL naked area of the James River Park almost daily. We continue to exchange laughter and memories of those summer “retreats” into our nakedness, our SGL identity and all the adventures and pleasures we had while maturing together! This past summer, we took a reminiscent hike to the riverfront park and our “classroom” of education into reality.
Paul and his partner have been a live-in couple for twenty-two years now. They’re both active in Richmond’s Black gay community and are very good friends to my spouse, Aaron, and myself. The four of us are exploring and negotiating the collective composition of a perspective of bare practitioner in today’s world. Our goal is a 2025 publishing.
Nudist friends are the best friends!
Black History
Happy Black History month to everyone! Enjoy the time that we all share together!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for tomorrow, Friday, February 2, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “A Dream Comes True!”
For multitudes of people, both those bare and those textile (clothed), the beginnings of a new calendar year encouraged them to adjust their lives in different ways. This led to the union of a new year with the practice of resolving (changing). Hence, the custom of “new year’s resolutions” as a tradition that soon became identical to a one word description: failure!
The humour that accompanied this new year’s resolutions idea was based on the popular conclusion that all such goals were doomed to abandonment within less than a month. January 1: New Year’s Day. January 31: new year’s resolutions discarded! Simple?
My personal experience with the unsuccessful new year’s resolutions syndrome and reality is based on timing. In the Northern Hemisphere, winter arrives on December 21, annually. The new year occurs less than two weeks later.
Factor into this situation darker days (less daylight/sunlight), colder outdoor temperatures, inclement weather conditions (ice, snow), health issues (colds, influenza, etc.) and other seasonal realities. There is no additional proof needed as to the predictable demise of new year’s resolutions success.
Snow + naked = s’naked!
In addition to the concerns addressed above, there remains one other personal reason for the collapse of desired changes in behaviour and routine for the new year. I am not amenable to the cold and inclement. Especially the cold; including beverages (year around: no ice) food (ice cream: never) and air conditioning/cooling is not necessary or needed. Heat and humidity is acceptable and preferred. As strange as this may appear to others, I am not alone in this predicament.
This (Washington, D.C. metropolitan area) is as close to the Arctic Circle as I will ever live. I do value my convoluted sanity! I know my strengths and weaknesses and frigid conditions are not on any list of change! Aaron, my spouse, is in complete agreement with me on this matter! If “intolerable” were a word used to describe either of us, it would be applicable here with our reaction to winter!
Another widespread excuse offered for the lack of success of new year’s resolutions is that people resist change, both negative and positive. “Old habits die hard!” is a popular expression often used to identify situation. This outlook (point of view) is common globally.
Stripping or clothing removal!
Once a habit/routine is acquired/learned, it then becomes difficult to alter (change). A prime example to illustrate this reasoning are bare practitioners! When clothes freedom is attained, that becomes the basic, essential procedure. This routine then evolves into what is customary (normal) for this community of individuals. This standard is virtually impossible to change. Simply ask this of any bare practitioner that you personally know! Aaron and I, among many others, are two who enthusiastically verify this fact!
Now we expand our considerations listing to include the lack of commitment and/or indifference. Far too many persons, regardless of their clothing status, enter into the new year’s resolutions context just due to the availability and convenience of the option. Numerous acquaintances perhaps are discussing this topic socially as January 1, approaches each year. In order to actively engage in the conversation, the “indifferent” may only randomly mention a remote adaptation that they may or may not wish to change. Then they may repeat the episode should the need arise.
Given this circumstance, if this decision receives even a secondary thought it should be looked upon as miraculous and obviously doomed for complete failure. This lack of serious commitment reduces any chance of success! Add the inconvenience of the temperature and weather realities and a winter resolution becomes even more synonymous with failure.
Optimism!
The arrival of the Spring season, annually, offers more promise of achievement and development of any alteration of behaviour and/or routine. The approaching improvement of external environmental conditions and the optimistic attitudes that generally accompany this often make people more receptive to introducing changes into their daily practices. Of course, we all know that there are no immediate environmental alterations between winter and the Spring season. However, just knowing that an end to the cold and inclement is in the future often helps in a mental adjustment that enables an improved attitude.
This development reduces our resistance to adopting change and affords many of us an increase in the success of our resolutions!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, January 26, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Perceptions!”
The recent blunder that I caused over my substitution of the proposed Bare: Modesty? post entry here for last Friday, January 12, 2024, created feeling of depression and vulnerability for me. A planned reunion with my BBFs (best bare friends) this past weekend offered me not only relief from my reaction but also realization that I can proceed with my projected revisiting of this undertaking in confidence. This posting is an appreciation gesture to Aaron, my spouse; to Jay, my BBF; and to Raheem, Jay’s partner.
Background:
In order to commemorate the fifteenth (15th) year of our BBF (bare best friends) relationship; Jay, my BBF, and I planned a two-night weekend celebration in an unfamiliar destination. Click the most recent posting for the update: BBFs to view. By the end of October, 2023, Aaron, my spouse, and Raheem, Jay’s partner, had joined the proposed occasion and we congregated in Canada this past weekend. Today’s post entry is the unplanned and hastily considered product of our BBFs summit!
It is winter here in the Northern Hemisphere; Canada is north of the border between Canada and the United States. The weather in the city is much colder than anything I am accustomed to experiencing! Being BBFs in a public hotel – as well as bare practitioners – we retreated to Jay and Raheem’s suite so that we could shed off our burdensome clothes, get comfortable and to relax and become social.
Raheem initiated the conversation by wondering how many people who read ReNude Pride were actually bare practitioners. That subject remained almost the exclusive focus for the two days and two nights that we spent in the hotel (due to the weather extremes outside). Fortunately, we were able to stay conveniently in our nakedness and to have all but two meals delivered to our suite!
We quickly developed a goal and purpose for this posting entry. The theme is: “Now that 2024 is here, explore it as a Bare Year!” The purpose is to encourage those who are uncertain of their personal level of comfort with nakedness to consider, explore and examine their feelings and reactions through suggested exercises to monitor their discovery and reality. The comments option/section is available for all to use as a communication tool to share with others.
ReNude Pride, as a blog, will publish periodically articles that will assist all of us in contemplating our thoughts and responses to predicaments and situations that we may encounter. This also includes examining different points of view on a wide variety to topics that possibly may help us reach a conclusion to certain issues that we may or may not face.
Hopefully the providing of exploratory methods or pathways for consideration, contemplation and determination can help with the achievement of a level of comfort with nakedness that will enable the pursuit of this aim or goal. Once this qualifying has been attained, implemented and understood, then progression to the next or another subsequent phase or stage becomes a possible development.
In the “Background” introduction of this submission, I gave the link to the BBFs publication here along with Raheem’s unofficial but affectionate designation as our “textile convert.” His dynamism – energetic leadership – in assuming the “moderator” role in our weekend gathering’s spontaneous discussion was rewarding to witness! It afforded an enthusiastic infusion and inspiration as we (Aaron, Jay and myself) participated in his “conversation coordination” as his subordinate audience.
In sign language, “I love you” is conveyed to Aaron, Jay and Raheem!
When this BBF reunion was initiated, Jay and I were the only two involved. Our partner (Raheem for Jay) and my spouse, Aaron, were aware of our planning. However, at that time, we were considering only a one night adventure of two friends who accidently met one another in a chance circumstance fifteen years ago. The logic for this was based on the fact that neither Aaron nor Raheem were a part of our lives when we first met. Now, the four of us are more than simply friends. Our status is now at the level of bare friends who are additionally bare practitioners! An entirely exclusive, remarkable and unique distinction.
The exclusivity of our relationship as BBFs, of course, involves our nakedness. We are what and who we are: bare. What we see in one another and share together is honesty. There are no clothes available to hide us. No disguise is necessary or needed. We are two bare same gender loving couples who offer friendship and respect. As individual couples, we have sexual intimacy but as friends we do not. For many, this reality is unbelievable. Often, reality itself is nothing more than: unbelievable!
Our exclusivity also involves our uniqueness. The unbelievability of our situation surprisingly eradicates yet another stereotype. Gay and naked frequently invokes mental images of an orgy. This is common mythology for the multitudes; regardless of their clothing status or their sexual identity. The four of us destroy that misconception!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, January 22, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Resolutions Reminder!”
Today marks the celebration and observation of both the official (actual) birthday and the Monday-holiday commemoration of the occasion both happening simultaneously.
Birthdate:
January 15, 1929
NobelPeacePrize
Recipient
Awarded to him by His Majesty, King Gustav VI Adolph of Sweden on October 14, 1964.
CivilRightsAdvocate
International
Non–ViolentProtest
Activist
Ordainedclergyperson
Professional
SouthernChristianLeadershipConference
Founder, 1957
Married: CorettaScottKing
Wife
Children: Yolanda, Martin L. King, III, Dexter Scott King, Bernice
USA: PresidentialMedalofFreedom
Posthumously given, 1977
NationalMarchonWashingtonforFreedomandJobs
Organizer, Keynote Speaker
August 28, 1963
Speech: “I Have A Dream”
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Fortunately, we live in a world where there are others among us who are able to recall and remember the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Fortunately, we live in a world that is “all-too-gradually” witnessing the dreams of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. materialize into reality. Fortunately, we live in a world that recently experienced the overwhelming election and re-election of a Black man, Mr. Barack Hussein Obama, as president of the United States. This, too, was a dream of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Fortunately, we live in a world that is living in the times of the “Black Lives Matter” movement – a dynamic, growing and popular awakening of social conscience to the basic fact that African-American people are entitled to certain rights and responsibilities within this country and within our world. Another dream of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that has now become alive.
Equality and brotherhood!
Yes! We are indeed fortunate that we live in a world where the dreams of a visionary and historical inspiration, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. have come to pass. And we are grateful for his sacrifice and his struggle. His example and his leadership – in addition to his remarkable dreams – opened to doors towards equality and justice that few see in their lifetime!
His dreams, his foresight and his wisdom instill a feeling and sense of hope within us all. Yes, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. continues to offer and to provide all humanity with courage and with dignity his accomplishment and his achievement of fairness, of knowledge and of non-violence. During an era of degradation, discrimination and prejudice he overcame those obstacles and chose forgiveness, harmony and peace!
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is and was a shining star who brightly guided our way into his dreams and himself into the dreams of many of us!
Wisdom from the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Unfortunately, we live in a world that continues to ignore and reject the profound and serious pronouncements of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In the United States today, despite the cultural, legal and social changes and progress that has occurred since his brutal assassination on April 4, 1968, many persons still refuse to accept the lessons of cooperation, forgiveness and inclusion that were endorsed and taught by the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In their minds, when his memory is involved or his name is invoked, they see nothing except the colour of his skin as the sole cause of discarding his dreams of future harmony and understanding. They are powerless and unable to move beyond racial hatred.
Thankfully, the efforts and examples set by the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. continue to diminish the numbers of those following hatred rather than healing. “Injustice anywhere remains a threat to justice everywhere.” A valid and unyielding truth!
In Israel today, the self-identified survivors of the the Nazi holocaust flagrantly demolish and evict native Palestinians from their United Nations sanctioned partition-designated homeland and property without concern for their safety, survivorship and well being. The so-called holocaust victims creating victims of their own inspired genocide. Cultural and ethnic hatred preferable to cultural and ethnic healing.
Ideally, the efforts and examples set by the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will inspire harmony and healing in triumph over hatred. “Injustice anywhere remains a threat to justice everywhere.” A valid and unyielding truth!
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. paramount speech, August 28, 1963!
Tragically and unfortunately, it is now evident that globally, throughout our world, all of us need to follow the important yet simple quotation from the wisdom of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. From the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, the Congo, the Sudan, the Ukraine and elsewhere, “Injustice anywhere remains a threat to justice everywhere.” A valid and unyielding truth!
In 1964, our entire world watched as His Majesty, King Gustav VI Adolph of Sweden graciously bestowed the international Nobel Peace Prize upon the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A man who responded to the bias, condemnation and hatred of his contemporaries in a heroic, non-violent and peaceful manner. A man who through bravery and courage exemplified his gallant and noble legacy: “Injustice anywhere remains a threat to justice everywhere.” Timeless and valuable advice that is applicable to us all – forever!
Thank you, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., for your care, concern and forgiveness of us all!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, January 19, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Bare New Year!”
Before progressing it is necessary to inform all the reader’s here that ReNude Pride’s author – myself – has made a stupid error! After publishing my previous post entry here this past Monday, I became consumed with composing Bare Modesty? for today. An overly ambitious but also grave mistake by me! There is no one to blame but myself!
Although on holiday from university, I lacked the ability, the energy, the expertise, the skill and the talent to complete the intended posting. I became confused, distracted and totally helpless! It soon became obvious that I was unable to continue on the Bare Modesty? topic and meet the publication deadline. I am setting the entire project aside for the moment. I will publish it – revised – during next month.
I sincerely apologize for inconveniencing you. I ask for your forgiveness and understanding. I am truly sorry for having confusing you like I have been confused. In summation, I offer the old adage: “Two wrongs do not equal one right!”
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Offering directions!
Now let’s direct this idea forward. Today’s substitute entry will approach the topic of modesty but from a completely different angle. Hence, the choice of the header image just below the article title to this – my blunder! This photograph depicts a bare practitioner using a fig leaf with his outstretched palm, indicating “stop!” His genitalia is theoretically “covered” by the proverbial fig leaf, yet his nakedness remains implied, obvious and understood by all.
Instead of concealing his penis, the fig leaf has the exact opposite effect. It directs our attention and focus on his state of being bare – body and clothes freedom – and not the usefulness of the fig leaf itself: covering. Hiding. Disguising. Concealment.
A very inefficient and poor attempt to satisfy one’s intention: modesty!
Also, an excellent and opportune linkage of this, a substitute composition, to the intended topic of modesty itself! Completely unplanned and yet a total coincidence! At least, this provides me the chance to offer this substitute entry as an “introductory prologue” to the upcoming publication of the original planned topic of Bare Modesty?
I earlier published here regarding the fig leaf and censorship. Please click the title below to visit that posting:
The utilization of the fig leaf for modesty is biblically referenced but lacks any proof or additional notation of supposed divine inspiration. The practice actually gained acceptance and notoriety later when artistically inspired to comply with popular religious developments to disguise the profusion of nudity in ecclesiastical artifacts: carvings, icons, portraits and statues.
This concept grew in both popularity and practice even though it became identified as a means of including blatantly naked representation within acceptable sacred approval.
Thus, church censorship and elimination of offensive – therefore unholy – nude depictions in ecclesiastical facilities and possession inadvertently preserved the evolution into the pornography business today.
There is no wonder of the obsession of the clergy over the current excesses of pornographic material! They have no one else to blame for it’s prevalence besides themselves or rather, their own professional forebears!
Confused!
The sense of confusion undergoing the ecclesiastical elite is comprehensible. They are the responsible authorities who defiled and determined that a creation of their deity was indecent, offensive and unfit for public exposition!
Not only did they endorse the concept and practice of social nudity by decorating it with a fig leaf; they also encouraged the growth and popularity of the ideal! Basically and essentially they had canonized both the fig leaf and the state of public nakedness! Their actions (or inactions) created a shared bonding of the fig leaf and naked as one common and united factor that has become body and clothes freedom: a movement that advocates and supports social nudity both privately and publicly everywhere.
As a bare practitioner, does this mean that my spouse, Aaron, and I are now sanctified? I already know that we are both saints but this status carries us into an entirely higher level of church endorsed responsibility!
Felipe Ferreira poses with an enlarged fig leaf!
The association of the fig leaf with nakedness introduces an entirely new relationship into the purpose of and the definition of modesty. From this perspective, fig leaf and nakedness and modesty itself now become a synonymous dynamic. Fig leaf implies cover (hide). Nakedness implies nudity. Modesty implies cover (hide). Therefore, nakedness or nudity are identical and/or synonymous throughout.
Or perhaps I have created even more confusion in this ambiguous post entry. Only time will reveal the truth. However, this remains as my prologue to Bare Modesty?
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, January 15, 2024, and the proposed topic is: ” MLK’s Legacy!”
ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers! 