The arrival of our annual GLBTQ+ Pride Month celebrations encourages many within our community to experiment with the contemporary phenomena of selfie photography and/or posing. This engagement not only satisfies the curiosity and desire to explore the current obsession but to also provide them with a resource as to their appearance “in the eyes” of others.
This process offers them not only self-assurance but self-confidence as well. It affords them the opportunity to analyze their image but also judge themselves without making a public spectacle of their efforts. The privacy of their home environment enables them to comfortably express themselves as they have witnessed celebrities posing.
Creating these selfie pictures gives the self-photographer images to share with close friends to gain their thoughts on his posing. This additional insight often increases the number of poses a person may consider sharing with others and/or saving.
For those selfie creators who are unfamiliar with posing and photographing their nakedness, this presents them an ideal opportunity capture themselves in the bare practitioner mode (environment, setting). While gaining confidence with exposing their nakedness, it affords them the chance to share themselves with others through sharing their images.
This enables familiarity with body and clothes freedom. It no longer is a distant and foreign concept or practice but one that comes closer to comfort and reality – a sense of “normal” and routine. Another step in the journey towards bare practitioner! The process of exploration awakens knowledge and understanding.
This experience affords to some all that is necessary to pursue the lifestyle of an active bare practitioner. For the majority, it offers insight – a glimpse – into the community and culture and what it entails and promotes. This introduction does, hopefully, give birth to a respect and a tolerance towards all persons who are or become bare practitioners!
Advice!
My spouse, Aaron, offers the thought below:
“Same gender loving and nakedness are compatible and natural. They compliment one another; like a rose blooming on a bush.” ~ Aaron Michael Peterson-Poladopoulos ~ 28 March, 2022
In a more exemplary manner, I offer the following summation for today’s theme here on ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers! for pondering:
“Man designs fashions. Man makes clothes. Man makes mistakes! The measure of a man isn’t based on the clothes that he wears. The true measure of a man is determined by the clothes that he is not wearing! Bare is the perfection of the human body without the mistakes.” ~ Roger Peterson-Poladopoulos ~
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Thursday, June 19, 2025, and the proposed topic is: “USA: Juneteenth Holiday!”
This is precisely how an online acquaintance defined the meaning of this term to me. The year was 2008. We were in a chat room dedicated to same gender loving (SGL) men who were enthusiast of body and clothes freedom. I honestly can’t remember the name of the chat room nor my acquaintance’s screen name. But I do recall that he typed to me that he lived in the state of Massachusetts, USA. Some details one must never forget!
Growing up, Alex (my identical twin brother) and I both lived with an aversion to cold weather. Neither of us had any desire or dream of ever being bare outside in the snow! Until I was in the chat room that day in 2008, I had never acknowledged publicly that I had no experience being outside in my nakedness in the snow. As an erstwhile advocate of social nudity, I was simply too embarrassed to admit my innocence in the matter.
Yours truly, a inclement weather innocent!
S’Naked Virgin:
Even though I publicly “owned” my snow virginity while chatting with my friend in 2008, I refrained from publicising my status. True to the perpetual wisdom of the adage: “Old habits die hard!”
When I met and fell in love with my spouse, Aaron, in May, 2010, my s’naked virginity remained intact. The reasoning? Genetics.
“Twin” (that’s how I address my sibling, Alex) and I are both “heat and humidity” men. Centigrade or Fahrenheit, it makes no difference. The higher the temperatures, the greator our comfort and relaxation. Therefore, it must be in our genes. We have three older brothers and three younger brothers. Temperature preference, we are all eight the same!
Me, wondering what Aaron is preparing to do!
In December, 2010, we had an early snowstorm. Aaron and I had been living together for about six months. He, unlike me, was no innocent in being s’naked. He insisted he needed to preserve this opportunity on film, hence the images posted today.
While taking my pictures, Aaron “plucked” my snow virginity! He rolled handful of snow into a snowball and threw it into my bare, virginal buttocks not once but twice! One right after the other! In all honesty, I was shocked! My bare buttocks having intimate contact with snowballs – all without warning! Author’s note: that was not all he took from me that year!
Does that make me a s’whore? Snow + whore = s’whore. Do I qualify for spousal abuse?
Yours truly right after being “plucked!”
In the years following Aaron’s “plucking” of my s’naked virginity, I have engaged in being s’naked many times. I now readily admit to being recognized for my exclusive label of being a s’nudist (snow + nudist = s’nudist! Despite my s’naked status, I do wear boots while in the snow. I may be a fool for being s’naked but I am no idiot!
In addition, I shave my head hairs daily. Therefore, I wear a knit head cap in order to retain some body heat.
Experience and familiarity have served to increase my s’tolerance (snow + tolerance = s’tolerance)! Granted, the boots and knit cap have aided in this condition! My s’endurance (snow + endurance = s’endurance) – the length of time that I am able to spend s’naked is now increasing!
My s’endurance factor may be very temporary. The recent years have not provided us with snowfalls to justify being s’naked. The last snow that was of any convenience was in 2021. It has been cold, simply without substantial amounts of snow!
Perhaps I should file a s’lawsuit (snow + lawsuit = s’lawsuit). A s’naked slawsuit against the federal government for failure to present us taxpayers with a sufficient supply of snow for our s’naked adventures!
However, I’m not a snow-bunny just yet!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry is planned for here for Monday, February 12, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “A Week of Love!”
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!”
“I Love You” handsign body painted on his bare chest!
My brother, Alex, and I are monozygotic (identical) twins. We were both conceived of the same egg inside our mother’s womb. We share all the same physical characteristics, including our DNA. We’re both ardent and enthusiastic bare practitioners. In fact, the only distinguishing physical difference between us are our fingerprints. We are both Deaf from birth.
Even our sign language (manual communication) skills are, for all intents and purposes, identical. Whether interacting in American Sign Language (ASL), Canadian Sign Language (CSL) or Greek Sign Language (GSL) – our primary language – our hand-shapes, rhythm and speed reflect minimal variation. The only discrepancy appears when professional concerns or issues transpire.
Our Deafness, along with our same gender loving nature and our preference for living bare, is a part of what makes us unique. Surprisingly for some people, it does not cause us embarrassment or shame. It is also a trait that we share with others throughout the world. It is most definitely not a reason to run and hide from others nor to deny it in any way.
Me sharing the “I Love You” handsign totally natural!
Alex and I both recall the times that while at university, we seemed to create confusion and chaos when others learned that were both gay and nudists. Many seemed to wonder how we, being Deaf, could be publicly naked. (Interesting question: all you need to do is to remove clothing)!
Others were even more obsessed with the fact that as Deaf men, how did we know that we were gay. (I guess Deaf men are completely unaware of their individual physical attraction)!
Obviously, the notion that whatever inspires the hearing population is totally useless within the Deaf community never entered their minds. After all, it is simply a much too defiant and radical concept! How can it be possible for the Deaf and the hearing to be influenced in the same way?
Deaf pride: personified!
We may have divergent methods of communication; but the emotions and feelings have very little variance. What works well for one world generally does the same for another. After all, we are all human!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Tuesday, June 21, 2022, and the proposed topic is: “Summer, 2022!”
ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers! 