We’ve now progressed to the third month of the new year, 2024. In my post entries here on ReNude Pride, in particular regarding new year’s resolutions, I’ve consistently focused on the poor timing for such life changes. The level of commitment to maintain the adjustment simply isn’t at the optimal level during the frenzy of the winter holiday season.
Reduced resolve:
The weather isn’t always conducive to the fluctuation of our daily routine. From seasonal temperatures to frigid temperatures and then to uncertain temperatures while adapting to all the other issues confronting us is not always in our best interests. Additionally, the realities of ice and snow, on a daily basis, often erases any resolve we may have.
Both my spouse, Aaron, and I have observed these result during our visits – jointly and separately – at our local fitness facility. Our job schedules don’t coincide so we visit the center at early mornings (me) or early afternoons (Aaron). The new year begins annually and the workout attendance soars. Everyone starts the new year driven to become fit and toned before the summer season is upon us.
As the weeks pass, the numbers of gym attendees starts to drop. Suddenly, the “fresh faces” at every workout station are gone and the only ones around us are the dedicated few who have been visiting the same exercise facility for as long as ourselves. The usage of the influx of new members noticeably begins to decline by the beginning of February. This year, the decrease in attendance is only now becoming apparent. Delayed!
Exercise!
Yet another example of the futility of the new year’s resolutions debacle. Why attempt to introduce positive improvements when the environment is so unproductive? That’s the reason Aaron and I both advocate Spring Resolutions instead of New Year’s Resolutions.
The arrival of Spring itself mystically promises a successful future. The rebirth and return of a new season of both growth and hope enriches most of us to physically undertake something new. The reappearance of warmer weather and the extension of the hour of natural daylight available daily offer us all encouragement.
Treadmill for health!
Improving our lifestyle and quality of life now seems easier and not as overwhelming. The mindset: I can do this! now becomes reality and not a figment of our imagination. Plus, for some mysterious and strange reason, the ice and the snow just suddenly melt away!
Stripping off his pants for Springtime!
Subtle Reminder: Spring, 2024, begins this month: March!
Consider creating a personal list (brief) of Spring Resolutions!
Keeping our resolutions list concise and simple increases our chances for a successful completion! Instead of over-burdening ourselves, focusing on a limited number of improvements enables us to consolidate our energies and to reduce distractions. Two or three successes are better than a dozen failures and guarantee an increase and a stronger self-confidence! A positive attitude empowers productivity and self-growth!
Fitness bar!
The majority of us lack the financial resources for a bare practitioner-accepting and friendly exercise/fitness accommodation. The result is that we have to contend with a textile (clothed) workout. Hopefully, the .gifs offered below provide us with some sort of inspirational incentive to strive for our very best; whether we are bare or wearing athletic gear!
Treadmill preparation!
Treadmill engagement!
Of course, our fitness-seeker (above) is wearing the minimal amount of gear as we all know that his personal preference is for complete nakedness! No matter how enticing our “treadmill-man” may think his exercise uniform appears, our bare practitioner instincts usually always focus on the examples perceived as being in common with our own: nudity!
Confused!
Confused?
Don’t suffer confusion! We’ve already survived leap year day (29 February, 2024), for this calendar year. Now is the time for us to return to an extrahour of daylight daily! Prepare yourselves and plan in advance. This annual phenomenon is now upon us!
Your watch timepiece!
Daylight Savings Time (DST) begins at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, 10 March, 2024!
Officially, this means that at 2:00 a.m., (local time) physically adjust your time-piece (cock, watch, etc.) to 3:00 a.m. Simple? Hopefully! Please remember to adjust the clock in your automobile! Remember: we are bare practitioners! We don’t have the luxury of unzipping your partner’s pants with the intention of “adjusting” his time! As bare practitioners, none of us should be wearing anything!
Friday footnote!
Friday Footnote: Book Recommendation!
TheGuardians is a fiction novel by John Grisham published in 2019. It is based on an actual legal case of an innocent man wrongly convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Diligent and thoughtful, it brings emphasis to the serious lack of honesty, integrity and justice in our vulnerable judiciary system.
S scenario that a probable majority of us hopes never happens; no matter our personal feelings on the legitimacy of capital punishment. A recommended read to evaluate and explore!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, March 11, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Maschalagnia II!”
This topic, Bare Modesty, was originally announced for publication in January, 2024. It was then postponed due to my personal confusion – over my notes and my draft – while composing the actual post entry. I then substituted another subject and re-scheduled the publication until the following month, February. Today is 1 March, 2024, and I am publishing a condensed and – hopefully – clarified version of my intended post entry.
I sincerely apologize once again for any confusion or inconvenience about this mistake.
Thoughtful identical twins!
Vulnerable? Susceptible? Conspiratorial?
Is it a message of embarrassment, guilt and shame? Or is it an encouragement to discover and explore comfort and relaxation in body and clothes freedom? Obviously, the men depicted in the above images are identical twins, so why do the Black twins imply that one of them has an issue with his nakedness and the White twins are both apparently accepting and unaffected by their nudity? In actuality, the Black twins (Daniel and Darren Shoneye) are both confident and proud of their bare practitioner status in the world! Neither of the Shoneye twins have any hesitation in proving their affinity for their sexuality or their nakedness in their lives!
Daniel and Darren: proud of themselves!
Also, a personal notation. Alex is my identical twin and we can verify that we have no problems in being same gender loving or in being publicly seen in our nakedness. The defining label is “identical” twins for a reason!
Felipe Ferreira and his “pride” tattoo!
Introduction:
The word bare is considered to mean naked, nude, uncovered, empty, void or without. A bare Felipe Ferreira is clothes free (naked). A bare shelf is empty. A bare mind is often used to describe my mental state of being and pursuit of that example would last forever!
The Modesty Syndrome:
Modesty implies the exact opposite idea. It is understood as concern or fear of being considered, seen or viewed as being bare. In particular, regarding textile (clothed). Often this word is involved with a person’s status of being dressed (covered) and/or undressed (uncovered).
In the image above, Felipe Ferreira uses his body language (communication) to confirm or reinforce our knowledge that he is – indeed – posing while totally bare. This makes the fact that he truly is in the state of body and clothes freedom and utilizing his hand as his communication tool to conceal his genitalia from our view. Hence, the subtle message of being “modest.”
Therefore, the action of concealment negates the intended body language while placing emphasis on the reality that Felipe is honestly, really and truly engaging in nakedness. The steps used to insinuate modesty thus have the opposite effect! In other words, “pretend” you don’t want to be seen naked!
Remaining on the picture of Felipe for one final thought. He has “pride” tattooed at the base of his neck. Is this tattoo reflecting his feeling about being same gender loving (SGL) or is it a summary of his feeling about being bare (his nakedness)? Given our frequent encounter of his clothes freedom while with another man, can we conclude it is his confidence in being both gay and naked?
Felipe Ferreira: body language and confidence!
According to his public comments on his tattoo, and his photographic opportunities, he has no problem or shame being both bare and SGL! “I am me!” is his response! At least now, he’s comfortable in modelling his pubic hairline!
Phoenix Fellington (right) and companion!
Absence of Modesty:
Featured above is ReNude Pride’s unofficial spokes-model, Phoenix Fellington, and his half-bare companion! Phoenix (birth name: TreLarun Fenderson) is the African-American bare practitioner on the right in the picture. There is no doubt as to his acceptance and comfort with both his nakedness and his SGL attraction (exclusively gay). Likewise, there is no doubt about his repulsion of being considered anything other than what and who he truly is!
In interviews, when questioned about his his nudity tendencies, his standard answer is: “I love to be nude surrounded by nature!” The former U.S. Marine has no regret over his SGL status!
Although his youthful companion wearing only his shirt and showing his masculine anatomy below his waist does raise questions in the minds of some. Why does he feel the need to conceal his chest? Perhaps he feels a chill but more than likely the shirt item was the decision of the photographer and/or his agent. It does appear strange his waving his hand while smiling and exposing his genitalia! Especially with our man, Phoenix, is fully and happily bare right there beside him. One fact is undisputed: neither of the two have an issue concerning modesty except for the obvious: “notme!“
The gay adult film industry (pornography studios) is known for hosting lavish gala events where top celebrity performers are welcome ( and enthusiastically encouraged to socialize naked/nude. This practice began in the mid-to-late 1970s when gay porn evolved into the “gay porn industry” label. When I initially laid my eyes upon this photo, Phoenix portrayed the proud “father” and his waving companion represented his overindulged child. I don’t know if this message/scenario was intended, whenever I encounter this image, that thought automatically reappears mentally.
Phoenix (center) directing his support staff in a scenic exercise!
As to the studio socials? Our spokes-model, Phoenix, has earned the reputation of being extremely outspoken and very “heroic” at these events, often chiding studio executives and their VIP cohorts for any shortcomings, accidental or otherwise, toward his co-workers in the industry. He firmly believes in equality and fairness for all – no matter their professional prestige!
The studio executives and management are finally and reluctantly accepting Phoenix for what and who he actually is. They recognize his talent and enthusiasm and his popularity in the gay porn industry; as long as he continues to produce the financial results they need, they grudgingly allow him to have the freedom he seeks for his professional standards: equality, fairness and primarily his unrestricted nakedness!
His charges of racial insensitivity against the Noir Male executives and the overwhelming success of his boycott of that studio’s discriminatory policies convinced them to accede to his expectations. Sometimes nakedness does achieve profound results!
A modest pose?
Reasoning Assumptions:
The photos directly above and below this section represent the theme under consideration: the subject (model/performer) often may not be in a determining role for the shared images. It may feature them but the details of how much of their anatomy is presented is beyond their control. Others, photographer/videographer, agents, studio executives. financial supporters, etc., may and usually do have the final decision authority.
Quite often, the model or performer has essentially no determination in whether they pose/perform fully exposed or not.
The lack of deliberate body language to obscure nudity does not eliminate the obvious fact. The person presented is naked and apparently unbothered by any emotions surrounding their lack of clothing or covering. The absence of body language to indicate modesty itself confirms that whoever made the decision is aware that any body language would reinforce the nakedness concept and ideal.
Nakedness obvious!
Various people have offered many reasons for their cautious approach to public nudity. Among some of the major excuses, the fear of a public erection – the growth of the male penis – is by far the foremost leader. What males seem to forget is that spontaneous erections – the subconscious occurrence – happens throughout one’s life and usually without any advance warning or conscious stimulation. The more accustomed a man becomes with his nakedness in social settings generally reduces this happening. Having several alternate plans in case this occurs generally helps a person to relax.
Another situation that causes hesitation in social nudity is the reluctance of some to the occasional reality that not everyone has a precise moment to remove any clothing they may wear. Many are uncomfortable in being the first to strip out of their clothing and baring themselves. However, if everyone hesitates, then few, if any, have the chance to enjoy the glory of their nakedness! The best solution for this issue is to plan to get bare whenever possible and let those hesitating make their own decision when convenience happens.
Bare but not bold!
My spouse, Aaron, and I have discussed these and other situations privately and then with acquaintances and friends numerous times and there are an endless number of reasons that people voluntarily give for procrastination. If a clothing optional beach or event is the destination, it is best for deciding when in route to engage in social nudity or not and simply have fun – with or without others. Delaying the joy-of-the-moment for someone else to take the initiative isn’t necessarily the best protocol to adhere.
Indecisive celebration!
Exhibitionism:
For some bare practitioners there exists an absolute fear of being perceived as being an exhibitionist. Exhibitionism is regarded as “the act of flaunting oneself in order to attract attention.” Psychologically, exhibitionism is viewed as “compulsive exposure of the sexual organs in public.” It stands to reason that an exhibitionist is “a person who compulsively (habitually) exposes themselves publicly for attention.”
For the exhibitionist, it is the reaction (response) from the person who witnesses the act that gives them pleasure. It is not the fact that they are naked. They receive their thrill (satisfaction) from offending or shocking another person, more often than not, by publicly stroking themselves. In summary, a thrill-seeker with shock-value!
In most instances and occasions, the offensive actions of an exhibitionist are illegal and are accompanied by serious consequences. It usually involves public prosecution, public embarrassment and humiliation outside of the legal ramifications.
In these situations, the position of modesty isn’t the issue. The person appearing or posing naked/nude doesn’t want the implication of being an exhibitionist associated with themselves not with their body! The modesty entailed here is not with nakedness itself. It is modesty concerning the exhibitionist label and perception.
Author’s advisory:
A sequel to this post entry is planned for Monday, March 4, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Exculpatory Evidence!”
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, March 4, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Exculpatory Evidence!”
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!”
