SPEAKING OF NUDITY | |
| There's nothing wrong, nudists say, with getting naked. Nudism, or "naturism," as it's sometimes known, is a social movement based on being in the buff. | |
| Naturist resorts are founded on the ideal of freedom - freedom from shame, freedom from clothes. They tend to be family-oriented places that frown on overt shows of sexuality, opting for nude volleyball games instead. (Indeed, many older guys gratefully remember nudist magazines for publishing photos of naked people back when those sorts of pictures, in an erotic context, were a crime.) | 
Premium Members click here for an X-rated illustration Non-members click here to join OutUK |
|
And clothing-optional beaches aren't just for Germany and France any more. From
coast to
coast, even conservative America is graced with places where you can lie around nude in
the
sun. In some places, nakedness can get you busted, while in others
(notably
certain federal parklands), nudity's just fine as long as nobody
complains
and no sex is involved. California has even launched its first
state-run nude
beach, just south of - where else? - San Francisco.
But let's face it, to some of us being naked is just plain sexy, and a number of non-naturist bare-butt venues reflect that. In places like Palm Springs and Florida, there are "clothing optional" gay resorts where hard-ons are just fine. "I simply love looking at naked guys," says one man. "Some people say that men look sexier when they're partially clothed, but I sure as hell don't think so." And therein lies the problem with the naturist ideal of desexing nudity. Would naked bodies be less arousing if we saw nothing but nudity all the time? Is it the forbidden nature of genital nudity that makes the sight of a dick exciting? Is total nudity "wholesome," which is to say "not sexually exciting?" Well, maybe. For some people. On the other hand, as one YMCA member says, "I've seen a whole lot of penises in my life - gym showers, nude beaches, my bed. But I never get tired of looking. They're like snowflakes, no two are alike. And a lot of them get me hot." One positive thing that parading around in the altogether may very well do is help a person overcome his sense of shame about his own naked flesh. "When I was young," that guy from the Y confesses, "I was just so uptight about my body that I found it hard to wear shorts in the summertime. But after being seen bare by just thousands of people, I feel much more at ease. I may not be a muscle god, but hell, it's my body, take it or leave it, and I'm comfortable with that." It's not even necessary to make your way to your friendly local gym in order to ramble in the raw. Some guys like to spend their time at home in the buff (assuming the neighbours either can't see or don't mind), and even a nonsexual gathering of friends hanging out with their cocks hanging out can be fun and relaxing. Afraid of getting a hard-on? Well jeez, it happens to the best of us. Relax. Which brings up a basic paradox about the traditional nudist creed. See, naturists say, the organs we use for sex are nothing to be ashamed of, and should be openly displayed. But what we do with them for pleasure? Well, that's something that should tastefully be kept private. Now clearly, jacking off in the steam room can be rude to those who simply don't want to see. But, within the bounds of good judgment and good taste, going naked in the world has never hurt anyone. Not as long as you keep the sunscreen handy.
Simon SheppardSan Francisco artist and activist Simon Sheppard is best known for his contributions to the erotic literary scene. He wrote hundreds of stories that appeared in S/M magazines; erotic anthologies; and over twenty editions of Best Gay Erotica and Best American Erotica. His Sextalk column has appeared on OutUK for more than 20 years. You can find out more about Simon Sheppard in this OutUK feature and tribute, or take a look at some of his many books that are still available:
Looking for something very sexy and just as smart? Man on Man collects the best and hottest gay sex writing by Simon, who is also co-editor of Rough Stuff: Tales of Gay Men, Sex, and Power as well as a collection of gay erotica called Hotter Than Hell. In KINKORAMA : Dispatches from the Front Lines of Perversion he takes readers behind the unmarked doors and black vinyl curtains that lead to the sometimes shocking, often hilarious, relentlessly arousing scenarios of extreme sex. There are also stories of bears in Tales from the Bear Cult: Beat Bear Stories from the Best Magazines. | |
