Background:
It has been quite some time – at least three years – since I have referenced my bare and gay modeling job and/or the two years that I was involved with it. I have no embarrassment, guilt or shame over that fact/reality. After all, it was an enormous milestone in my life that contributed to the publication of ReNude Pride (this site). Credit should go where it is due!
While earning and learning my baccalaureate degree at my university, I was an active member of the Lavender Club. This was the student club for bisexuals, gays and lesbians. At that time, those three were the sole identities professed by our community and our membership. The overwhelming majority of us considered ourselves gay.
The second largest component group identified as bisexual and was predominantly male followed by the third grouping: lesbian. To our knowledge, there was no census, survey or research done to uncover the discrepancy in numerical memberships. The unofficial reasoning that circulated among us students was that none of the women wanted to be known as a “lavender lesbian!” This observation was often repeated in jest!
As a student member of the Lavender Club (please make a note of: lavender), our faculty advisor was Dr. Rose (please note: rose). He also was the coordinator of the university’s programme of using graduate students, if interested, as nude models for the art and/or photography classes. Lavender? Rose? Were the university administrators attempting to organize a “rainbow” of surnames for the bisexual, gay and lesbian students?
Bare Professional:
As referenced above, Dr. Rose was the sole coordinator for the university’s naked models for the School of Art and he was the one who interviewed all prospective candidates. My situation was different from the others as he was aware of my comfort and familiarity with nudity as well as membership in several Washington, D.C. area clothes free social clubs. He approached me into joining his group of bare models. Of course I agreed! My first assignment as a naked model was to pose for a photography class interacting with fallen leaves the autumn after my graduation. Interacting with a pile of Autumn leaves while the students photographed me? Really?
A simple task that was a nightmare of a challenge. How “creative” could I be with a pile of leaves? Dr. Rose repeatedly emphasized to my modeling partner and myself that the project entailed both our nudity and nature (the leaves). Using the leaves to cover our anatomy was absolutely not an option. Little did he know that was never considered as a possibility by me! My goal: naked, front and center!
As for my modeling partner, he was obsessed with the wearing of a facial Halloween mask for the project. When I asked: why? He answered that he didn’t want his family or friends to know that he was posing nude. I convinced him that this was a project for the photography students, not creating pictures for an art gallery.
Once the project began and working with the leaves developed a pattern, the job became somewhat easier. It was no longer a tedious task. The camera (photography) students started to interact with us and we performed, danced, showered and countless other methods of socialization with the leaves ensued! The class became enthusiastic about the assignment and the focus evolved into having fun!
I realized how fortunate I was. An openly (out-of-the-closet) gay man who was being paid for having fun being naked! The center of attention of this group of photography students as we manually communicated (using ASL) suggestions and ideas as to what to attempt next! A very cool situation considering the fact that we were outside and it was already late October!
While posing, I began to fancy myself as a performer (actor) in the gay porn industry! Naked with all cameras and everyone’s attention focused on my every move and every whim with no one judging or shocked by my body and clothes freedom or the obvious fact that my man-to-man attraction was not a “taboo” (forbidden) subject! An ideal career aspiration for a 21-year-old man!
Author’s note: imagine me, nude and gay, entertaining the world with my talents! Unlimited financial success due to my superlative relationship with leaves!
While posing, I began to notice that the sunlight seemed to fade and then return. Dizziness one minute and then disappearing the next. Suddenly, after gasping for air, I lost my sense of connection with reality. I felt as though I were floating on waves. The next cognizant thought I had I was on a gurney in the back of a trauma vehicle on the way to a local hospital. I had fainted!
I had lost consciousness and stopped breathing while labouring among the leaves! I had never experienced such an episode in my life! I was kept in hospital for two days and informed that I was allergic to pollen from my co-stars – the leaves! My identical twin brother, Alex, nor I had ever experienced any allergy reactions before! This was actually a first for the both of us as well as all of our brothers!
This incident brought an immediate termination of my exceptional career in pornography with leaves! I continued to work as a bare model for the university’s School of Art and Photography for the remainder of that scholastic year and the next. Henceforth, I restricted my assignments to avoid contact with fallen leaf pollen!
My diagnosis with an allergy served notice to my parents and siblings to undergo testing. Growing up, there were no serious or urgent health issues for any of us. Fortunately, only Twin (the familiar name Alex and I use in referring to one another) and I were the only ones determined to be susceptible to pollen. Another amazing distinction to being identical twins: Deaf, gay, nudists and now allergy sufferers. Our unique notoriety qualifications listing continued to grow!
Upon being informed of his pollen allergy, Twin immediately asked the doctor if he was certain his allergy was to pollen and not to our shared preference for nakedness! Our physician assured him that it was solely a pollen allergy. Even today, we continue to laugh over his concern as to the cause of our allergy! In his defence, he reminds us that we were “only” 21 years old at the time!
As a footnote to the allergy theme here, in our paternal family we do indeed have a cousin, Michael, who is also a Deaf and an active bare practitioner. Within our family, his own “claim-to-fame” is that he does not suffer a pollen allergy!
Another footnote to my career as a bare model, I was relieved of any consideration for any future leaf responsibilities! However, in response to my incident, no engagements involving leaves was ever taken again by the School of Art! No one affiliated with the now School of Media wanted a repetition of my reaction and hospitalization. Evidently, once was quite enough!
A humourous closing note, shortly after my return to graduate studies at my university, a notice was anonymously posted on campus: “Warning! Roger does not play well with leaves!”
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, November 11, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Armistice Day/Remembrance Day!”
ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers! 