Winter Bare

Winter Bare
Bare Stare and totally relaxed!

Sunday, January 31, 2016

Photo-Blog: Bottoms Up! January, 2016


Relaxing in the sunshine after a skinny-dip in the water! There's no better way to highlight your ASSets than this! Of course, not all of us are fortunate enough to be on nakation (naked + vacation = nakation) this time of year, but there's no denying this man his time of "fun in the sun!"


While the rest of us may be stuck indoors for the end of January, 2016, the above dude is giving us a prefect view of bottoms-up for the final day of the first month of the new, nude year! 


How do you bare your bottoms-up pride? Get your friends together and create your own ass alley!

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!

Bare With Pride




Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Bare: How Do You Stand?


While the 2016 is still relatively "new," think for a moment. When you're bare, how do you stand? Are you like the gentleman on the left, unsure of your nakedness and ashamed of your body? Or are you similar to the man on the right, confident and prepared to share your nudity with all those who care to look upon you? 

For the remainder of 2016, please personify comfort and integrity in being publicly bare (nude, naked or clothes-free). Keep these two stances, as well as others, in mind when we go forth and are bare in the company of others, regardless of their clothed status. 

Our body language often reflects our level of confidence in a particular situation. It also has the power to speak to others, with the message often more potent than any spoken words we may utter. 

Our "bare stance" tells the world either all of our shame or all of our confidence in our bodies and in our being clothes-free. The dude on the left is decidedly uncomfortable about his body, his being bare or both. He is holding his head down and avoiding eye-contact. He's concealing his "junk" (genitalia, penis). The message that he's sending out to the world is that he's uncomfortable and insecure. It's as though he'd rather be anywhere else besides where he is at this moment: completely naked and in front of the photographer.

On the other hand, the dude on the right is exuding both confidence in his being nude and in his body. He's holding his head up and and staring off ready to meet anyone, eyeball-to-eyeball. He's not avoiding anyone. He's standing tall and proud. 

Both men have very attractive bodies and are in relatively good shape. They're both well-tones and their weight is proportionate to their individual height. Aside from their respective skin tones, they're practically identical. Neither one has any obvious features to be of concern or to cause any embarrassment (unless the man on the left is unsure of his penis size).  

We all know that both gentlemen are following the directions of the photographer and/or photo-shoot director. If there's another message (aside from bare or nude pride) that is trying to be conveyed here, it completely escapes me. Personally, being bare is a matter of pride, not one of embarrassment or shame. Be confident of your nudity; stand tall and without guilt! 

Keep this image in the back of your mind the next time we're in a socially bare environment. Let's remember to send the positive message about our nudity to everyone present! 

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!

Bare With Pride




Friday, January 22, 2016

Friday Footnote: Snow Day!


As a major winter weather event (snow) threatens both the mid-Atlantic, northeastern and New England regions of the USA today, the guys above may not have blizzard conditions on their mind. Obviously, the trio are undressed and have other activities on their minds! Nothing is better than being bare in the warmth of sunshine! 

This is just a reminder that happier and warmer days are slowly on the way to the above-named regions. In two months time, Spring returns! I know that I can barely wait! 

Aaron (my husband) and I are hibernating and bare all weekend long. We have no need to depart our cozy, warm condo! 

A special note of gratitude to Barry West, a fellow blogger and a reader here, for his forwarding the above image. Check out his blog, Tales of West Hollywood. Thanks, Barry!

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!

Bare With Pride




Wednesday, January 20, 2016

It's The 'Dead' Of Winter!


For many years, I used to wonder why so many people often repeated the phrase. "the 'dead' of winter." What exactly did they mean? How can a season of the year truly die when we all know it will return again the following year? You never use the term in reference to any of the other three seasons, why only at winter? My young naked mind was full of these and other similar questions. My twin nor any of my older brothers had any answers.  

I went for years without any answer to these and other questions that I had. Eventually, I gave up on trying to understand this sort of wordplay. The questions began to fade away into the deep recesses of my mind. 

It wasn't until second semester of my first-year Literature class at university that I at last got a classical answer to these almost forgotten questions. It was in a poem by some early Victorian British poet that I read of the "death of nature" and the winter chill compared to the barren branches on the trees. Somehow the connection became real for me and I was able to understand the phrase. 

The image above evoked that memory of my "enlightenment" moment. A bare man alone walking through a barren forest. I think that I'm ready for the return of the Springtime! 

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!

Bare With Pride




Monday, January 18, 2016

Happy Dr. M. L. King,Jr. Day!


The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday

Today, Monday, January 18, 2016, is the observance honoring the birthdate of the late Rev. Dr. M. L. King, Jr., the slain civil rights leader. It is the only United States holiday commemorating an African-American. Dr. King's actual birthday is January 15, 1929, but Federal law mandates the celebration of most holidays on a Monday closest to the original date being celebrated. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. 

Dr. King was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1964. In 1977, he was posthumously awarded the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom by the (then) U. S. President, Jimmy Carter. 

During his lifetime, Dr. King was noted for his advocacy of civil rights, his commitment to non-violence and pacifism (especially for his vocal opposition to the Vietnam War) and his championing equal rights for people everywhere but particularly in the United States of America. 


Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was the undisputed leader of the movement to secure complete racial equality for oppressed peoples within the USA. He was one of the founders and guiding forces of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He served for many years as the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. 


Although Dr. King was killed before the modern GLBT equality movement was begun (he was shot dead in April, 1968; the Stonewall Riots happened in June, 1969), he is recognized as a definitive inspiration by the GLBT community. After his death, his widow, Mrs. Coretta Scott King, stated that she had no doubt in her mind of his support of the GLBT community in their struggle for equality. 

In the 1968 March on Washington, where Dr. King delivered his infamous and moving "I Have A Dream" speech, he never wavered in his support of Bayard Ruskin, one of the principal organizers of the event. Many of the other event organizers and some of Dr. King's own advisors had urged him to fire Ruskin after it was discovered that he was homosexual. Dr. King refused to do so and even had Ruskin appear onstage with him before the more than 100, 000 people congregated on the National Mall in front of the Lincoln Memorial. 

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!

Bare With Pride




Friday, January 15, 2016

Photo-Blog Nude Dudes: January 2016


Yes, it's now January, 2016! In the picture above, you'll notice our brave and chilled nude dude holding a sheet of ice in his hand! He'd better be mindful of the temperatures outside before he freezes into an ice cube! 

Maybe he should cuddle the man below and warm up next to his furry chest. That should definitely raise his body heat! Even though his being in front of the window-unit air conditioner doesn't necessarily aid in the "heating" process! However, his endearing smile, sexy body hair and open stance offer enough warmth to melt a glacier!


And, of course, now that winter is officially here, we can't overlook the many s'naked (snow + naked = s'naked) activities to be enjoyed outside!


Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!

Bare With Pride





Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Is He Really Bare?


There are many opinions and thoughts about what constitutes nudity. Some would look at the two images (the one above and the one below) and conclude that they're both bare but with shoes. Others may see the same pictures as they're not nude, they are wearing footwear. While most of us agree that the concept of nudity, nude, naked, bare, clothes-free, in the buff, etc., is the absence or lack of clothing or covering. However, within the culture of nakedness or nudity, it isn't always that simple.   

There are purists within the culture of nudity who argue that shoes are worn to cover the feet and therefore, anyone who is bare but wearing shoes aren't naked or nude at all. Then there are those who firmly believe that shoes are worn to protect the feet from harm or injury and therefore a person who is bare but wearing shoes is just as clothes-free as anyone who is barefoot and naked. 

It may seem like a small, insignificant point but this disagreement has been waged among the two opposite sides long before the invention of clothes and shoes. Neither side is willing to give even a tiny concession to the other. 

Please note, the nude dude in the top photo is wearing socks with his sneakers. The nude dude in the second photo isn't. I don't believe the issue of socks makes any difference as the conflict centers on shoes or foot covering. 



Where do I stand on this issue? some may wonder. Personally, I just live and let others live as they wish. My philosophy is that as long as I am nude, bare, naked (whatever) and happy, others may do as they please. If a man identifies himself as a naturist/nudist and wears shoes to protect his feet, fine. If he goes barefoot, that's fine, too. It is a matter of individual choice and responsibility. 

I choose to use sandals or shoes to reduce my risk of becoming incapacitated, whenever I am naked or clothes-free or on occasions when I absolutely must wear clothing. This is my personal preference and isn't mandated by some naturist/nudist governing body (if such even exists). By the way, I do not consider myself as any type of authority on who is nude and who isn't. I am merely one man who likes to live bare and that's it.

This past September I published a similar port here on Guys Without Boxers: Bare With Pride. In case you missed it, click the post title to view: Perspective: Bare Footgear.

For those reading here who live outside the same gender loving naturist/nudist culture, I'm fairly confident this question seems petty and like the proverbial splitting of the pubic hairs. However, it is one that causes debate and consideration within our community. 

I'm certain there are multitudes who disagree with my philosophy. That's cool. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I respect that fact. If you are compelled to differ from my point of view, please feel free to express your thoughts in the comment section below my blog signature.

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!

Bare With Pride





Sunday, January 10, 2016

Question: Will I Know You If You're Clothed?


For those who practice living bare, this isn't a rhetorical question. Nor is it that uncommon or unusual. Many of us meet others for the first time at social nudist events and therefore have no earthly idea of what the other looks like when dressed in clothes, especially in winter-time when most of us are covered or concealed in bundle-some layers of outer garments. The outerwear creates a distorted image of the physical shape, thus, a slim person appears heftier or thicker than what he actually is and the facial features are often hidden or partially hidden by knit hats, scarves or whatever. 

I know this to be true from personal experience. I'll share this you in this posting. Being bare offers many benefits. However, there are a few challenges as well. 

This past weekend, I received both an email and text from my same gender loving bare friend, Jay Blue, wishing me a "happy anniversary!" On Sunday, January 3, 2016, was the seventh anniversary of our meeting at a gay nudist social event in downtown Washington, DC. Since then, we've become close friends even though he's since relocated to a city in the mid-western area of the USA (Austin, Texas). We visit one another at least once a year and he and my husband, Aaron, have become great friends; rapidly moving from the "acquaintance" stage to friendship. 


On Saturday afternoon, January 3, 2009, I went alone to a nudist social "happy hour" at a  gay leather bar located near the DuPont Circle area of Washington, DC. Aaron and I had been in our relationship for a little over a year. He had to work that day and I decided to venture out solo. It was an unusually warm day, as a matter of fact, I wore shorts and a short-sleeved shirt for my walk to catch the metro (subway) for my ride downtown. 

Upon arrival at the location, I went upstairs to the "stripping" area, removed all my clothing, except sandals (a Health Department requirement), and returned downstairs to find the bar packed, almost wall-to-wall, with naked gay men. Usually, the nude "happy hours" attracted between 100-150 men. On this date, there were more than 240 gay nude-enthusiasts in attendance. The balmy weather had encouraged many more than just me to want to shed their winter layers of clothing and get "back-to-basics!"

Navigating the crowd, I couldn't find a seat available anywhere. As I circled the bar, I inadvertently became intimate with all manner of male body-parts, and they the same with mine. Then I eye-balled one empty stool at a table in a far corner of the room. A lone Black man was seated at the same table, watching the scene. 

I approached the table, smiled and wrote a note to him asking if I could join him. He returned my smile and offered me the vacant stool beside him. I indicated to him that I'm Deaf and began writing another note. Soon, we were frantically passing notes to each other and laughing at our wicked sense of humor. Within a few minutes, both of us were acting as old friends rather than new nude acquaintances. It seems the lack of clothing eased us into a relationship that the barriers of garments and assumed posturing denied to others. 



We were so engrossed in writing to each other, neither one of us had the time to order a cocktail! At subsequent naked happy hours, we both learned that neither of us drink alcohol and we both usually drink water or fruit juice. 

Before we realized it, almost three hours had transpired and neither of us minded the time that we'd shared. Jay (his name) and I discovered we both had a fondness for gay fiction novels, enjoyed nudity and naked functions, had worked endlessly for the presidential election of Barack Obama (this was just prior to his first inauguration) and were both avid amateur photographers. Before departing we exchanged email addresses, text numbers and promised to keep in touch.  

The week following our chance meeting we continued texting each other and sending emails. We both had plans for the following weekend and made tentative arrangements for the next weekend after that. Aaron and I would meet him and his boyfriend for an early dinner the Saturday just prior to then President-Elect Obama's official inauguration into the presidency. 

The following Saturday, January 10, 2009, I had stopped into a local bookstore to do some shopping before meeting Aaron for lunch. As I was leaving the booksellers, I made eye-contact with a man who was staring back at me. It was an overcast and briskly cold day and everyone was bundled in heavy coats, hats, scarves and gloves struggling to keep warm. This stranger and I paused for a second before going our separate ways, he into the store and I to my car in the parking lot. 

By the time that that I was exiting the parking lot, I had a text from Jay asking if he had just passed me leaving the bookstore. I replied "yes" and then realized that he was the "stranger" staring at me!

Neither one of us immediately recognized the other because of our wearing clothes!

We both laughed at this definite pitfall of being nudists! We still laugh over this incident even today. We've been the best of friends since that January, 2009!

Authors Note: The above is a true bare experience of when Jay Blue and I first met. The bare social was sponsored by ReNude Pride, at the time, one of the three gay nudist social organizations active in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. That organization is no longer active and two other groups have since assumed sponsorship of gay nude "happy hours" at different gay bars in the DC area.  

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!

Bare With Pride




Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Question: Do Men With Body Hair Stay Warmer In Winter?


Some may think the question is totally asinine. As body hair is usually very fine in texture, how can it possibly keep anyone warm? After all, all that awesome fur, even on the most hirsute of men, isn't enough to offer comfort on the frigid days of the winter season. Or does it? 

In the process of evolving, the original purpose of body hair was to retain body heat or to aid in perspiration to cool the body. Once humans began to wear clothing to protect the body from temperature extremes, the amount of body hair necessary diminished over time to what we see on men now. 

The diversity in the amount and density of body hair we have today is a result of the geographic dispersion of our ancestors and our own genetic markers. Someone born close to one of the polar icecaps who suddenly moves to an equatorial climate is not going to change his density of body hair overnight or even in his lifetime. Evolution doesn't work that way.   

The advent of clothing, over the course of many years (generations) has altered the necessity of body hair for staying warm during the cooler/colder times of the year. The result of this evolution has reduced the functional purpose of our hirsuteness. The result is that less and less body hair is required for the comfort (warmth) and the survival of our species, homo sapiens. 

Many same gender loving men are attracted to men with body hair, yours truly included. As a nudist, I happen to prefer my man to be as natural as possible, and this includes his being hairy in all the "right" places: armpits, pubic area, and any chest hair that nature has endowed upon him. This is my personal preference.

I understand that others think and prefer otherwise and I respect their feelings and choices. A shaved or un-naturally hairless man just isn't attractive to me. However, to each his own preference. 






Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!

Bare With Pride