Celebrating the Life of Gay Social Nudity

Celebrating the Life of Gay Social Nudity
Celebrating the Life of Gay Social Nudity! Welcome to My Gayborhood: an Affirming Site For Men Comfortable With Their Nakedness and Their Sexuality! Just so that you know, not only am I not wearing any boxers, I'm likewise without bikinis, briefs, jockstraps or thongs: I'm totally nude!

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Naturist or Nudist?


 
Please take a moment and look at the photograph above and the one below. I have a few questions for you and they are: Of the two biological brothers (Darius and Devon King with Island Studios) pictured, which one of them is a naturist? Which one of them is a nudist? How do you make that determination? Is there really any difference? And now finally: Does it truly matter? Believe it or not, to some, it makes all the difference in the world. Even though we can all agree that they're both naked.
 
Naturist is considered a person who lives as close to nature or the natural state as possible. This includes being naked or clothes-free. A nudist is considered to be a person who chooses to be nude or without clothes. A fine line? Probably. Generally, a nudist is naked by choice; a naturist is naked by a commitment to a lifestyle that is more than just not wearing clothes (such as diet, transportation, etc.).
 
  
A nudist is more than likely to be someone who merely prefers to be naked in private or in social situations. This is where the term "social nudism" or "social nudity" possibly originated. It's possible for a naturist to also be a nudist. A naturist usually incorporates environmentally conscious life choices into their daily rituals and practices. Some naturists may opt for a communal style living atmosphere.
 
There are among the clothes-free community persons who hold to a very strict and dogmatic adherence to these differences. There are nudists who are very emphatic about their identity. The same is true for serious naturists. The differences may seem petty to some. However, for the die-hards of both camps, there is a line that separates the one from the other.
   
On the other hand, there are those (myself included), who use the two terms interchangeably and make no real distinction between the two. In this blog, I'll use both labels in reference to those who prefer to enjoy life, whenever possible, without clothing. I mean no disrespect to either naturists or nudists. After all, it is an individuals prerogative to self-identify in whatever way they so desire. I self-identify as both making no preference for either one. My personal feeling: why split the proverbial pubic hair?
 
Why address this issue at all if it makes no difference to me?  First, out of respect to those who do value the differences. Secondly, so that everyone who reads this journal understands the distinctions. And the final reason is that as of this publishing, I've already received  emails from two individuals (remarkable given the small readership thus far) who are exploring the social naturist/nudist life. It's the old "educator" role coming to the surface. I've been teaching now for a total of ten years. Old habits die hard.
 
Naked hugs.

     

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