All Nudist, All Wrong

A blogger well known for his often sarcastic and mean-spirited posts has taken on the American Association for Nude Recreation and their just-announced Amazing Canvas Nudist Face and Body Painting Event to take place during Nude Recreation Week in July, 2012.

The problem is not so much that Mr. All Nudist is critical of the event, everyone is entitled to his or her opinion, but he has distorted and misrepresented the nature and purpose of the event, referring to it as "painting naked girls" and imagining "a naked middle-aged man painting a child's naked body".

This is reprehensible language, especially from one purporting to be a nudist. All he needed to do to do was pick up the phone and call AANR instead of jumping to conclusions and making false assumptions.

A couple of the photos he uses in the article are *not* representative of the AANR event, and were not provided by the organization. In addition, All Nudist previously touted the fun of body painting here, and even provided links to where paints can be purchased. The blogger was also present at a Badger Naturists Halloween party with "a bunch of folks that know how to have a good time", where body painting was one of the activities, and All Nudist posted a couple of photos here. The entire gallery is here.

Hypocrisy? You decide.

In case one wonders where such vitriol comes from, there is precedent on the All Nudist website for uncalled for, mean-spirited attacks. In 2009, a producer for Andrew Zimmern's "Bizarre World" contacted All Nudist inquiring about an organic gardening nudist group in Wisconsin, or other nudist groups and activities in the state. Now, anyone who has seen Andrew Zimmern's shows is aware that this is a gregarious man, always enthusiastic and positive about the foods and cultures he exposes to his viewers.

So how did Mr. All Nudist respond? It's hard to believe, but this is what he said:

You have apparently done absolutely no research whatsoever on the subject or you wouldn’t be asking these questions.  Not only are all of them answered on All Nudist , one of the top legitimate nudist/naturists sites on the Web, but are readily available with the minimum of effort on the internet.  As are Wisconsin nudist/naturist clubs, groups, forums, message boards, camps and year-round events.  Do you even know what AANR and TNS are? 

 Our guess is that you are someone who has taken some journalism or media classes and is doing a Summer internship, probably unpaid.  Close?...Be glad to help you after you do your  homework, consulting fee $75.00/hr, one hour minimum.  Or…maybe a promo on the show…Otherwise, read the damn website and learn more than you need to know.

Of course, the producer was mortified:

Your email was completely unexpected and uncalled-for. I have worked on ‘Bizarre Foods’ for more than two years, speaking with people in all corners of the world, and I have never encountered anyone with such a negative reaction to a few simple questions. There are plenty of friendly people in Wisconsin who are happy to work with us; we will get a great show without including naturism.

And now Mr. All Nudist is concerned that a body-positive AANR event will be bad PR for nudism, when his irresponsible and downright mean comments cost us all some damn good publicity.

And is Mr. All Nudist himself bad publicity for nudism? With blog posts on erections, swingers, nudists obsessed with sex. and other provocative subjects, one can draw distorted conclusions. And saying that young people "tend to be both exhibitionist and insecure" isn't helpful for appealing to a younger demographic.

I offer this so that if you do take the time to read Mr. All Nudist's incendiary and reckless writing, that you take it with a grain of salt. He refers to himself as a "cynical old bastard", and that is one point on which we recommend you take him at his word.

Please note that I am on the AANR Public Relations Committee, and these opinions are my own. Details of the body painting event are still being worked out, with full details to be announced soon.

Nudist Photos of the Day 03/18/10

The Sunday Newds 5/3/09

• Adelaide is hosting its first body painting championship.
• The photographs of 1200 nude people that Spencer Tunick took in Ireland last year will not be exhibited in that country.
• Historic Wyre Hall will be the site for British Naturism's annual Nudefest.
• A man who purchased a family nudist video claims he was tricked by the Feds into purchasing real child pornography. The site from which he purchased the nudist video was under investigation at that time. Previously I warned about web sites selling photos and videos of nude children because it's obvious that the intent of these "merchants" is to appeal to pedophiles. I think anyone selling or purchasing child pornography needs to be stopped, but the idea of our own government peddling smut seems equally reprehensible.
• Mike Redding of Carolina Traveler profiles some local nudists and is one of the few journalists able to clearly understand the philosophy.

  Think about it, businesses use sex to sell everything from deodorant to cars to beer to razors to shampoo. I don't know what the percentage is but sexuality is prominent in what Americans consume in advertising. So maybe it's weird the nudists are one of the few groups NOT using it. They seem hell-bent on getting you past seeing the body as just something sexual. Who knew that standing around naked would make their point? Or in this case, running around naked.

• The Ocean Angels, rowing across the Indian Ocean in the nude, are also in the lead.
• An art exhibit in Columbus, Ohio, focuses on the work of three women artists and their depictions of the human body.
• A restaurant in Duluth, Georgia, is set inside Jeju Sauna, so patrons can get naked before they order.
• An editorial wonders if SCOTUS is going to give automobiles more constitutional rights than it will grant to teens.
• The BBC covers the Swiss nude hiking controversy, and it turns out that the ban on naked hiking in Appenzell could be illegal.

  "I estimate there are only around 20 to 25 naked hikers in the whole of Switzerland," says lawyer Daniel Kettiger. "So really arresting them and fining them is a bit silly. And our courts do have better things to do." What's more, Mr Kettiger points out, Appenzell may have over-reached itself legally in deciding to introduce a prohibition. "The Swiss parliament voted to remove public nudity from the penal code in 1991," he explains. "So at a federal level, naked hiking is not punishable, and Appenzell's laws are not higher than the federal ones."

• The BAC's BURST Festival features Nic Green's Trilogy, "an uplifting celebration of the female body which ends in a big naked dance, including volunteers and willing audience members."
• The governing body for Ultimate Frisbee supports the decision of the University of Oregon for ending the season of its highly-ranked club sport team because five players went without pants and underwear during sectional play.

Is This Woman Nude?

Of course she is.

Sports Illustrated used bodypaint on model Julie Henderson, and three others, in a clever ploy to present nudity in their magazine, without technical nudity.

But of course, Julie is nude, just the same as if she were covered in tattoos. And if the exposure of the nipple is the actual definition of toplessness, then she is clearly topless in this photo.

Bodypainting is a traditional activity at nudist and naturist events. I don't think that anyone participating considers him or herself to be any less nude simply because there is a little bit of paint here and there on the body.

I have mixed feelings about what SI has done with these models. On one hand I applaud their efforts to push the envelope on acceptable nudity, and on the other hand I know it's just clever merchandising, exploiting women and their bodies simply for the pleasure of males, which in this instance has to be primarily adolescent boys looking for their own stimulus package.

Whatever the motive, the photos are pretty spectacular.

Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked

The Daily Newds 1/8/09

• Although unsuccessful in securing an official nude beach for Queensland, Anita Grigg of the Free Beaches Association has been named one of the top ten newsmakers for Noosa, Australia.
• Using Barack Obama as a canvas is the wish of New Zealand body painter Joanne Gair.
• Sir Ian McKellen will not be doing the Full Monty in the public television version of King Lear.
• An unofficial nude beach in New Zealand is coming under scrutiny over reports of overt gay sexual behavior.
• Two more signs of support for breastfeeding mothers who are protesting Facebook.
  
  Susan Nielsen:

  Facebook's policy is defensible from a business standpoint. The site wants to limit nudity and doesn't want to get into value judgments about tastefulness. (And let's face it: Of the many challenges facing new moms, the ability to post personal photos doesn't crack the top 50.)
  
  Yet after contacting several Oregon women who've joined the group or are passionate about breastfeeding, I see the value of this online protest. As they explained, online activism can be powerful -- as long it spurs real-world action rather than replaces it.

  Lori Colan, M.D.:

  As long as formula feeding remains the cultural norm, mothers and babies will continue to have higher risks of these maladies. Others have likened breastfeeding to going to the bathroom — something to be done in private, but I would counter that the normal act of an infant taking milk is not disgusting or immoral, or something to be hidden. Babies need to eat, and mothers need to feed them, wherever they are together.

  Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked

The Sunday Newds 11/23/08

• A dance concert at Macalester College in Minnesota features nudity.

  "I started with nudity as the subject matter itself rather than the effect of some other concept, because I was-and continue to be-interested in it as a social experiment," (Emily) Gastineau said. "It's been very specific to the context of Macalester, because in some places a naked dance would be totally unremarkable and in others it just wouldn't be done, but we're somewhere in the middle."

• A couple of radio hosts did their show in the nude in honor of Australian Nudist Federation's National Nude Week.
• The Chicago Tribune features two stories on nude recreation here and here.

  Some people who haven't tried nudity say, "I wouldn't want to see that person naked on the beach." I overcame that attitude. Most people are flawed, but nudists don't care what size or shape bodies come in, so the experience equalizes fat and skinny, old and young, gorgeous and not so gorgeous. Everyone's just there to have fun, to tan, to chat or to relax. Since I could forgive them their supposed flaws, I forgave myself my own. My confidence blossomed in all areas of my life. My appreciation of people for all their differences expanded.

• An Illinois man was cleared on 5 counts of creating child pornography.

  The former manager of the Discover More! Store at the Children's Discovery Museum in Normal was charged because of photos of five naked boys he took at a 2006 birthday party for his son at his home.
  
  While Shoemaker admitted in court that taking the photos was inappropriate, he denied directing the boys. He also said didn't think the six photos were lewd, just young boys displaying locker room-type behavior.
  
  The appellate court agreed, saying in its ruling "the photos ... appear to be examples of nudity without lewdness and not child pornography."

• An article in the Cape Cod Times equates nude sunbathing and streaking with public masturbation and sexual intercourse as problems being faced by local police.
• More nude calendar stories here and here.
• Body painting is part of the Taboo Naughty but Nice Sex Show, but artists and models claim it's less about sex than it is about art.

  "You're a canvas for someone's art and we get the pleasure of wearing someone's art," said the professional model.
  
  "We don't want to walk around and say, 'Hey, we're naked.' We want people to look at how well these people can do their job."

• Three nightclubs at the nudist community Cap d'Agde in France have been destroyed by fire, and investigators suspect arson resulting from mounting tensions between traditional nudists (naturists) and those who want to live a swingers lifestyle (échangistes).

  “We don’t want to put the échangiste places out of business,” said Gilles Beaumont, a naturist and regular at Cap d’Agde. “It’s true that we don’t like being mixed up with the swingers. But we respect other people and their right to behave as they please.”

• A couple is suing McDonald's because they left a cell phone with nude photos of the woman at an Arkansas restaurant, and the images ended up on the Internet.
• Lawsuits have been filed in Seattle against a school district over nude photos of cheerleaders distributed by cell phone.

  Both lawsuits, filed Monday in King County Superior Court, accuse school administrators of violating the girls' due process rights, needlessly sharing the photos with other school staff members and failing to promptly report the matter to police as possible child pornography.

• Naturist activist and attorney Allen Baylis will be lecturing at California Polytechnic State University on "Recreational Nudity - With Impunity".

Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked

The Daily Newds 10/14/08

• Choreographer Trajal Harrell draws upon his experience with nudie shows at the age of 11 in his stage work today.

  “When I really started to look into my own sense of nudity, of course, I had to go back to my family,” he says. “When I was a young boy in Georgia, my father would take me to the county fair. At some point in the evening, he would go into the hoochie-koochie show. As the years went on, I became more curious about what that was; when I was maybe 10 or 11, I realized that it was a place with naked women dancing. This was my first introduction to performing and nakedness.”

• Click here for slideshow of body painting models from fashion week in Los Angeles.
• A museum in Dusseldorf is featuring Diana and Actaeon. The forbidden glimpse of the naked body, a gallery show focused upon "chastity and desire, of seeing and being seen, voyeurism and exhibitionism".
• Three nude paintings by Jonathan Hutchings have been moved out of general view by the Harrow City Council for fear of public complaints.

  "The council are being stricter than they have been. Two or three years ago the life class paintings went on show and they OK'd it.
  
  "I think the paintings may be 'questionable' but it depends on who's calling it offensive."

• A study shows that many children are suffering from Vitamin D deficiency, which can usually be helped with just a little exposure to sunshine.
• Journalist David Marr feels "terrible" about ruining the lives of a child and a school principal for reporting about photographer Bill Henson's recruiting visit.

  "I did not understand its beat-up potential, I did not understand therefore that people would seek out the principal. I feel terrible for what's happened to those people, terrible." Marr, who last night argued that as long as artists acted within the law, police should be kept out of arguments about taste, said the controversy was due to "tabloid rage capped and validated by the Prime Minister".

  Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked