Author: natplace

Italian poll on nude sunbathing

You might think that Italy, one of the more socially conservative and religiously encumbered countries in Europe, might be very disapproving of nude sunbathing at the beaches. (Voters last month failed to approve a referendum on reproductive freedom that was opposed by the Catholic church. And 76-year-old renowned author Oriana Fallaci has actually been committed for trial next year in criminal proceedings for blasphemy — more on that here — because she has written critically of Islam.)

But perhaps the attitudes of most Italians are more open-minded than their legal and political institutions would indicate. A recent poll commissioned by the Italian Naturist Federation indicates that most Italians think nude sunbathing is perfectly natural:

While topless sunbathing is widely practiced in Italy, bottoms are usually required and nudists can face fines of more than 500 euros ($595) on some beaches, the Italian Naturalist Federation said.

But the federation said a poll it commissioned from a mainstream media outlet found nearly 70 percent of those surveyed said they would sunbath nude if everyone else did it. More than 80 percent said nudism was not erotic, but natural.

Not bad. And the fact that beach topfreedom for women is widely practiced shows that Italians are a lot better off in body acceptance that the U. S…

The news story is also here.

You might think that Italy, one of the more socially conservative and religiously encumbered countries in Europe, might be very disapproving of nude sunbathing at the beaches. (Voters last month failed to approve a referendum on reproductive freedom that was opposed by the Catholic church. And 76-year-old renowned author Oriana Fallaci has actually been committed for trial next year in criminal proceedings for blasphemy — more on that here — because she has written critically of Islam.)

But perhaps the attitudes of most Italians are more open-minded than their legal and political institutions would indicate. A recent poll commissioned by the Italian Naturist Federation indicates that most Italians think nude sunbathing is perfectly natural:

While topless sunbathing is widely practiced in Italy, bottoms are usually required and nudists can face fines of more than 500 euros ($595) on some beaches, the Italian Naturalist Federation said.

But the federation said a poll it commissioned from a mainstream media outlet found nearly 70 percent of those surveyed said they would sunbath nude if everyone else did it. More than 80 percent said nudism was not erotic, but natural.

Not bad. And the fact that beach topfreedom for women is widely practiced shows that Italians are a lot better off in body acceptance that the U. S…

The news story is also here.

Originally published July 16, 2005

Portland 2005 WNBR report

The WNBR contingent in Portland, OR, seems to have been the world’s second largest (after London) — 169 strong, according to this report:

“23 minutes we ride! Clothes off!”

After the midnight count-down to pants down, the 90 people at the dance met another slew of naked people in the street all waiting for the moment of truth. Clothes were stuffed into saddlebags, body paint was slapped on. The one toddler, who was not naked, but well bundled up against the chilly night winds, was strapped onto his seat and into his helmet. Not everyone was naked, but everyone was sexy!.”

The figure of 169 riders mentioned later in the report represents folks who joined after the start. But that’s not all — a number of spectators apparently joined in the fun also:

I saw a few not-so-innocent bystanders swinging their own clothes and personal fetters around their heads in support.

Sounds like a good time was had by all.

Here’s a handful of photos documenting the fun.

Originally published July 16, 2005

Positive press report on naturism

It’s a fine article, except for one thing that really, really irritates me: headline writers who cannot resist the temptation to use “The Naked Truth” as a headline for a story on naturism. I guess they think they’re being witty and original. Unfortunately, I’ve seen this used dozens of times. Oh, well. (By the way, headlines are often written by someone other than the writer of the story, so we won’t blame her.)

The naked truth

Jennifer Parks
Edmonton (Alberta) Sun
July 9, 2005

It took me less time than usual to get ready last Saturday morning, because I didn’t bother getting dressed before I went to work.

No, I’m not the newest member of the Naked News team.

Nor did a momentary lapse in judgment lead me to drop the bonds of modesty in a heap on the floor.

I wanted to enter the headspace of the people I was interviewing, who happened not to be wearing any clothes.

The rest of the article reports on conversations the author had with various members of the Helios Nudist Association near Edmonton. Nice article, but no surprises for experienced naturists.

Originally published July 11, 2005

New publisher of books on nudity

Great idea, eh?

Heureka Productions is now publishing three books on nudity:

  • Harvey – The Spirit of Lady Godiva
  • Jim Woycke – Au Naturel: The History of Nudism in Canada
  • Mark Storey, ed. – Theatre Au Naturel: A Collection of Naturist Plays

Harvey’s (he has a last name but doesn’t use it) book consists of striking photos of naked people in public places around North America. The pictures were staged and taken in a hit-and-run fashion, but you’d never know it from looking at them. They show what could be, if our culture ever came around to a sensible attitude towards nudity.

Each play in the collection of naturist plays features nudity in some way or other. The collection includes Tom Cushing’s classic nudist play “Barely Proper”. There are also some new plays from the “Nude Beach Trilogy”, which were performed at the Seattle Fringe Theatre Festival in 2003.

All the plays are short — the whole book is only 133 pages. Any naturist group might want to perform some of the plays for their own entertainment. It would be even more interesting if some of the plays were picked up by experimental or academic theater groups that really want to incite and inspire their audiences to “think different”.

Each of the books can be ordered directly from Heureka, or from Amazon.

Originally published July 8, 2005

Follow-up: Strike Daytona Beach, FL from your travel plans

By all means, if you’re going to Florida, make it a point to visit the legally nude sections of Apollo and Playalinda beaches at Canaveral National Seashore. (But watch out for the space shuttle launch on July 13. Playalinda, which is just a few miles north of the launch site, is closed for several days around that time. Also, watch out for the really blood-thirsty local mosquitoes.)

However, by all means, do not plan to stay or spend money in Daytona Beach, just a few miles north of Apollo Beach. We would suggest spending time at Ormond Beach, just north of Daytona, or New Smyrna Beach, south of Daytona (and closer to Apollo). Most of the folks in Daytona are very nice, but there are a few nasty suckers in that town:

Topless woman arrested while protesting nudity law in Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.
A stay-at-home mother was arrested when she exposed her breasts to protest laws that bar women from publicly going topless.

Elizabeth Book, of Ormond Beach, pulled down her top Saturday at a city auditorium, where she stood near four Grecian muse sculptures that are nude from the waist up.

Book, who had spread word of the protest days in advance, was arrested on a charge of disorderly conduct.

It was just a few days ago we wrote that Book had won a legal case which affirmed she had the First Amendment right to bare her breasts. So much for public officials respecting the law and people’s free-speech rights.

Other references for this story: here, here.

Originally published July 6, 2005

Follow-up: 600 naked PETA protesters in Pamplona!

Back on June 19 we wrote that this was coming up:

Animal campaigners go nude to protest Pamplona bull run

PAMPLONA, Spain (AFP) – Some 600 animal-rights campaigners, all in the nude, brought the northern Spanish city of Pamplona to a virtual standstill as they protested against the nine-day running of the bulls festival.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) organized a nude run to highlight the group’s opposition to the “cruelty” of the traditional festival, starting Wednesday, which sees dozens of bulls stampede through the streets after revelers who try to outrun them.

“There were 600 of us. We got our kit off,” run coordinator Shaun Gifford told AFP.

“Four years ago when we first tried it, it was just 20 brave souls taking on the whole bullfighting scene.”

600 naked people protesting! Yow. Sounds like fun. Wish I’d been there. Don’t you?

Visit the Running of the Nudes Web site for additional information, pictures, and video.

Originally published July 6, 2005

AANR wins right to challenge VA law against juvenile camps

4th Circuit reinstates juvenile nudist camp’s free-speech lawsuit

RICHMOND, Va. — A federal appeals court Tuesday reinstated a lawsuit challenging a 2004 Virginia law requiring parental supervision at a nudist camp for juveniles.

A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the American Association for Nude Recreation can pursue its claim that the law violates its free speech rights, crimping its ability to spread its nudism philosophy.

There’s a fair amount of a story behind this, but we’ll leave the telling for another time. This intervention of the appellate court is a perfect example of our judicial system at it’s best. We desperately need an independent judiciary to protect the rights of minority points of view against the uninformed prejudices of the majority. We have a First Amendment that guarantees free speech for a reason, and we need the courts to ensure that this guarantee is respected.

Although the story doesn’t mention it, AANR was assisted in this legal effort on behalf of naturists by the ACLU. Of course, we are well aware that many “conservatives” hate the ACLU. For example, there’s this from last year:

Only days ago, the ACLU argued that the potential for abuse be damned; a Virginia nudist group has the right to open a nudist camp for young children. They argue to deny same is a violation of the group’s constitutional right to privacy.

Logical minds would be hard pressed to imagine any scenario in which the “Framers” of the Constitution intended for said right to be applied to such intent.

The ACLU argues, “So for these kids, being around other naked kids [and adults] is something perfectly normal, and the camp is very highly supervised.” To which I would reply, “That is exactly my concern lest we forget the countless number of children who were sexually assaulted by priests.”

And this, from the American Family Association:

The American Civil Liberties Union is apparently going to court to defend teenagers’ “right” to go naked. According to an Associated Press report, the ACLU is filing a federal lawsuit against the state of Virginia to contest a law that bans nudist summer camps for teenagers. The law, which goes into effect tomorrow, was passed by Virginia lawmakers in response to an annual week-long camp run by the White Tail Park nudist colony. Kent Willis of the ACLU claims the statute was an over-reaction on the part of the state legislators, and that it interferes with families’ rights to make their own lifestyle choices.

Add this support of naturist rights in Virginia to your list of reasons to join and support the ACLU.

The news story is also here, here, here, and here.

Originally published July 6, 2005

UK garden welcomes nude visitors

Come into the garden, Maud (but leave your kit behind)

Coach loads of naturists were last night getting ready to flock to a Wiltshire garden to enjoy its first ever nudist day next month. Hundreds of the enthusiasts will head for Abbey House Gardens in Malmesbury for its inaugural ‘Clothes Optional Day’.

The historic gardens, which welcome tens of thousands of visitors every summer, are home to ‘Naked Gardeners’ Ian and Barbara Pollard.

The couple often prune and plant in the altogether, but don a minimum of clothes while the gardens are open to the public.

But now, for the first time, they are opening their gardens for one day to anyone who wants to shed their inhibitions and their clothes and tour the five-acre site.


Read the full story.

Originally published July 6, 2005

Boobs, not bombs

Antiwar protesters go topless in Union Square [Link still valid!]

A dozen antiwar activists from Mendocino County took their tops off in San Francisco’s Union Square shopping district Thursday, using what they said was their best weapon to get the public’s attention

Pretty darn tame stuff… but at least they weren’t arrested.

Originally published July 3, 2005