One of our readers sent in a link to an article Why skin cancer rates continue to increase, asking that it be passed on. Additionally, not mentioned in this report, but reported by the World Health Organization is the link between Climate Change and Skin Cancer. Studies also indicate that tanning beds contribute to the rise in the numbers of skin cancers. This increase is also reported in other publications, for example, Skin Cancer Foundation . For ideas on how to reduce the risk of skin cancer, including how to pick a good sunscreen, checkout the Environmental Work Group Guide to Sun Safety. .So, while you enjoy summer, don’t forget to practice safe sun.
Month: June 2014
Thanks for the Freedom! month
by Sun Meadow
AANR has designated July 2014 as Thanks for the Freedom! month. We will join AANR in celebrating our veterans during the entire month of July.
Look what veterans, active duty and inactive duty military personnel and their spouses can get during July 2014:
They will receive AANR grounds fees and room rates;
they will be offered a 3-month subscription to The Bulletin;
they will be put on the email list for the Undressed Press;
and they can get savings on advertising in The Bulletin.
In addition, AANR has encouraged us to have a fundraising event for a veterans nonprofit organization. Charitywatch.org, a nonprofit watchdog group, rates a host of different charities, and gives them a grade based on various factors.
• Nonprofits whose budgets devote at least 75% to programs,
• who spend $25 or less to raise $100,
• who do not hold excessive reserves,
• and who are “open-book” in their disclosures receive an A rating.
Three veterans charities received an A+ rating:
• Semper Fi Fund/Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund
• Fisher House Foundation
• Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund
We selected Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, which raises funds to build centers serving returning veterans suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress.
Here is their mission statement:
The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund serves United States military personnel wounded or injured in service to our nation, and their families. Supporting these heroes helps repay the debt all Americans owe them for the sacrifices they have made in service to our nation. They are, in the words of our founder, the late Zachary Fisher, “our nation’s greatest national resource,” and they deserve all the help that our nation can provide. The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund is a leader in meeting this important national mission.
Check out their website: http://www.fallenheroesfund.org
If you decide to donate, and if you itemize your tax deductions, you have two choices. You can donate on their website, but if you do, they will not know the donation comes as part of an AANR event. You can also make a check out to Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund and send or take it to Sun Meadow. We will send all those checks with a cover letter stating that the funds came from our AANR fundraising event. If you do not itemize your deductions, you can just put it on your Sun Meadow bill and pay it when you pay your other charges. We will write a single check for all those donations.
Related Images:
Clothing Optional performance – a sell out!
There are only four more performances of the play “To the Naked Eye”. And only one of those performances are clothing optional. If you have the opportunity, you should see it.
It runs on Thursday – Saturday from June 6 – June 28 at the Cornish Playhouse in Seattle Center The best part is that Thursday nights are clothing optional nights. You get a fifty percent discount if you disrobe. Last Thursday’s performance was a sell out, so be sure to reserve your seat,
To get advance tickets for Clothing Optional Thursdays
Send an email to tickets@playwrights-theatre.org with:
*Name
*Date of the show you wish to attend
*The number of tickets you need
*A Phone number where we can reach you.
They will give a call in the afternoon or evening and take a credit card over
the phone. Tickets will be available at Will Call the night of the
performance.
Related Images:
Nude Use of Mazo Beach Threatened
Nude use at Mazo Beach, a popular beach in Wisconsin, is being threatened writes an article in the Huffington Post by Michael McLaughlin. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/13/mazo-beach-nudists_n_5493883.html. This threat is described in a NAC (Naturist Action Committee), with specific requests actions. In particular, the Master Plan for the Lower Wisconsin Riverway is being rewritten. We want to encourage the DNR to not make modifications to the plan which would prevent nude use of this beach.
View the NAC Alert by clicking here.
For information about Mazo Beach, visit the Friends of Mazo Beach blog by clicking here.
Related Images:
“To the Naked Eye” Review
by Jim Lahey
“To the Naked Eye” is a world premiere play by Seattle playwright James Lyle running at the Cornish Playhouse Studio at Seattle Center through June 28. Performances are Thurs-Sat at 8PM. The Thursday performances are audience clothing optional, and half price for those going nude. (As a friend said, “They’re paying ‘us’ to be nude? I’ll be there!”)
The play consists of six comedic vignettes that examine our perceptions around the meaning of nakedness. The play shows a positive and healthy attitude and doesn’t sensationalize or sexualize nudity.
The first and last stories together examine our reactions to nudity and the differences in our attitudes toward male and female nudity. These had originally appeared together as a one act play in 2010 entitled “Clothing Optional”, here parts 1 and 2. The favorite story for myself and several other attendees was “Art Therapy”, a group therapy session among five famous works of art, mostly nudes. It was wonderfully witty, and examined our feelings about being viewed and stared at, our feelings of inadequacy and body acceptance, differing views of attractiveness through the ages, shame, and judging people by appearance or by thoughts and ideas. Other stories examined love and attraction, nakedness and vulnerability, and the difference between seeing and imagining nudity.
The author writes “So it has always surprised me that we don’t see nudity more often on the stage, since theater is all about heightened emotions and powerful metaphors… It’s less usual that we get to watch real characters cope with the emotions that come with nakedness, whether seeing it or being seen, through action and dialogue. Naked people, after all, are people.”
The director, Zachariah Robinson, writes “… the deeper theme contained within the text challenges us as the audience to reconsider our common perceptions… Only by courageously allowing our vulnerabilities, flaws and imperfections to shine as brilliantly as our strengths, can we be free of judgment and insecurity and allow ourselves to truly experience the majesty of life.”
As two of the characters say, “After all, wasn’t the whole point of our discussion that clothed or naked doesn’t matter?” “No, the whole point was that clothed or naked shouldn’t matter.”
The actors are all great. I especially felt that Alexandra Novotny showed great contrast between two characters she played, one who was nervous and apprehensive but curious and intrigued when she encounters someone nude, and the other a confident, comfortable and amused nude.
The play is witty and funny, and takes a thoughtful look at a wide range of ideas and feelings about nudity and our bodies. As another attendee wrote, “the play is a must see.”
On the first audience clothing optional evening, all but a handful of the attendees took the no clothes option. The best presales so far have been for the Thursday clothing optional evenings.
We attended opening night and the first clothing optional night and there was a definite difference in the feeling of the audiences. The clothing optional audience was actively enjoying the whole evening and laughing at the wit throughout. While that was generally true on opening night, there was also nervous giggling at times over the nudity, and they were a bit more restrained. The actors made similar comments and said that they really enjoyed performing for the naked audience.
The Cornish Playhouse Studio is the former Intiman Playhouse, at 201 Mercer St., Seattle. The Studio is the smaller venue, off the courtyard behind the main Playhouse. Make sure you’re in the right theater, getting tickets for the proper play, or you may reenact parts of the play when you undress in the lobby. Parking is available across the street in the McCaw Hall parking structure, and possibly on side streets to the north. There is also a lot at about half the price that’s almost as close, on the west side of Warren just north of Republican, under the Expo apartments. From there you can head down the walkway at Republican into the Seattle Center past the first building, and head left over to a staircase down to the theater.
One of the play sponsors is Seattle New York Pizza & Bar, at 5th & Roy, around the corner from the QFC, and about three blocks from the Cornish Playhouse. They have a deal for groups attending the play. They say to show the ticket stub but would likely honor the deal before the play if you tell them you’re attending.
To get advance tickets for Clothing Optional Thursdays
Send an email to tickets@playwrights-theatre.org with:
*Name
*Date of the show you wish to attend
*The number of tickets you need
*A Phone number where they can reach you.
They will give a call in the afternoon or evening and take a credit card over the phone. Tickets will be available at Will Call the night of the performance. Seating is open and begins at 7:30.
If you have questions or comments about the play or attending the clothing optional evenings, you can write to secretary@aanr-nw.org, or to the tickets@ address above.
Related Images:
Support Petition to Designate One Mile of Jacksonville Beach as Clothing/Optional
Add your support to help create a CO portion of Jacksonville Beach.
To:
Mayor Charlie Latham of Jacksonville Beach
One Mile of Jacksonville Beach Should be Designated as Clothing Optional
Florida is a beautiful state with a diverse population. The variety of cultures that can be found here is almost as large as our variety of plant life. Living in this peninsula, one learns the importance of respecting this. Our diverse population and plants truly make this state special, and it is something to be respected and celebrated. Just as we have given way to respect other’s cultures and our environment, we must allow others to practice their beliefs.
When you think of a nudist or naturalist, what is it that first comes to mind? Many people assume that nudists are over-sexualized and vulgar. These negative stereotypes and judgements have been assimilated by America’s cultural links to Puritan and Victorian moral codes, as they have connected nakedness and sexuality together. The question is, when dealing with nudity and sexuality, is one really the cause of the other? When one is naked, should it only be seen as sexual?
Much of American society depicts that answer as yes, however, some think differently.The practice of nudism is purposely nonsexual. It serves as a personal comfort and a stronger sense of freedom. There is the belief that nudism helps with self-esteem, relaxation, and overall well-being.
It should also be noted that in cultures around the world, nudity is not seen as strictly as it is here in the States. Rick Steves, a journalist with the Chicago Tribune wrote within one of his articles,
“Americans may be taken aback, but Europeans think nothing for shedding their clothes at the beach or in a public bath. Nudity is the norm.”
-(In Europe, Strip Off All Your Inhibitions).
Yet in the end, I am not here to convert you to believe in one or the other, but rather ask that we respect each belief.
This is why I believe, as a resident of Jacksonville Florida, that a section of Jacksonville Beach should be designated as clothing optional. Jacksonville Beach stretches out over 22 sq miles, with around 4.1 miles of sandy beach land (jacksonvillebeach.org). With only one mile designated as clothing optional, more than 3.1 miles of the beach would still be left as “clothing-required” (–or however you want to term it–). In this we give way for everyone to go to the beach however they choose. As many will want to go to a clothing-required beach, they will definitely have the choice within more than 3.1 miles of land, not to mention Neptune Beach and other surrounding beaches as well; and for those who recommend clothing optional, they may now have the option also.
I love this country we live in. One statement I read by a journalist named Larry Darter in an online article on nudism read, “After all, personal freedom is one of the hallmarks of democracy” (Stereotypical Naturism). This statement is very true. I am asking that the city of Jacksonville allow all people to practice our personal freedom and designate one mile of Jacksonville Beach as clothing optional.
Related Images:
Six Nude Bike Events in Portland for Saturday June 7
These rides are protests against “big oil”.
MORNING NAKED RIDE
Irving Park, NE 7th Ave and Fargo St, Portland Take Trimet (Near Basketball Pavillion)
11:00am – 2:00pm
Start the WNBR day right with a morning naked ride. Or warm jacket and bottomless ride. We’ll wander quiet streets, enjoy body acceptance. Bring body paint, caps and warm socks. Bare as you dare.
This ride will end at Coe Circle for a picnic lunch before the Sunny Nekid Ride and the night-time ride. If you add all these up you’ll be riding naked all day!
Policy of no photos by ride participants.
Ker Nal And Pas’t Tire, ted101at gmaildaht comm [forum]
NAKED METRIC CENTURY
Irving Park, NE 7th Ave and Fargo St, Portland Take Trimet (Meet near Basketball Pavillion)
11:00am – 11:00pm
Ride 100 km naked — we’ll string together the 4 sunny naked rides and the night ride. Morning Naked, Sunny Nekkid, Fig Leif Naked, St. Johns Naked, and WNBR.
Bring body paint and sun hats.
Cameras discouraged.
SUNNY NEKKID RIDE
Coe Circle, 3900 NE Glisan St Take Trimet
2:00pm – 4:30pm
Fun ride in the sun, celebrate body freedom, bring paint for self expression & messages. Clothing optional, cameras discouraged.
This is the biggest day-time nekid ride. We’ll ride through all five quadrants of Portland. Busy streets, quiet streets and paths. Ride ends in NW at the Fig Leif Ride.
Policy of no photos by ride participants.
FIG LEIF NAKED BIKE RIDE
Forest park, top of NW Thurman St. Take Trimet (500 yards beyond the entry gate by the Port-a-Potties)
5:00pm – 6:30pm
Naked 10K off road bike ride on NW Leif Erickson Road at 5:00 pm Saturday, June 7th. This is an uphill ride over a bumpy road to St Johns. This ride is scheduled to start after the Sunny Nekkid Ride and end in time for everyone to join the St Johns Naked Ride at 6;45 pm which in turn will ride to the start of the night time World Naked Bike Ride. Meet by the Port-a-Potties about 500 yards beyond the entry gate at the top of NW Thurman St hill. Please, cameras are discouraged.
Henry, Henry5Kmat gmaildaht comm [forum]
ST. JOHNS NAKED RIDE
Block Bikes PDX LLC, 7238 N Burlington Ave Take Trimet (We’ll move over to the plaza across the street if we run out of sidewalk.)
6:45pm – 7:45pm
We’ll ride the 10 miles together to the start of the WNBR from St. Johns. We will take side streets as much as possible and be as nude as desired. We’ll ride slowish, but faster than the WNBR. I highly encourage safe cycling…especially when partially nude.
Block Bikes, bikeshopat blockbikespdxdaht comm [forum]
WORLD NAKED BIKE RIDE
Normandale Park, NE 56th Ave and NE Halsey Take Trimet (DO NOT BLOCK HALSEY)
8:00pm, meet at 8pm, depart at 9pm
This year’s largest, evening naked bike ride will take place at sunset! Join us at 8pm to get amped up to strip down, hang out and ride.
RIDE IS NOT A LOOP – and will end several miles from the start point. Please plan accordingly (bring a map or smartphone to help you route back to the start).
Ride departs at 9. Please do not trash the park, please be safe on your bike (wear shoes and a helmet!) and respectful to others. While basic mechanic service may be available on-site, please have your bike tuned up before arrival.
WNBR Team, pdxwnbr.org, theworldnakedbikerideat gmaildaht comm [forum]
WNBR AFTER RIDE – LATE NIGHT FOOD CARTS
Lillis Albina City Park, N Russell and Flint Ave. Take Trimet (Meet 15 Minutes after the end of the World Naked Bike Ride)
11:30pm
Join Food Carts 4 Charity for an After the World Naked Bike Ride to some Late Night Food Carts around town.
Bring $ for food, Clothing Optional
We will meet shortly after the end of the World Naked Bike Ride and head to some Food Carts that are open.
Our route will be determined by where the WNBR ride ends but you can count on going to the following locations at a minimum.
Related Images:
Nudity, Nudism and our Society – Part 8
by Mel Kanner
Number 7 in a series of articles examining the changes that I have observed to the practice of nudism over the years and our society’s view of nudity.
Archive: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7
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Clothing
We, as nudists, go without clothing when we can. Which when you stop and think about it, is very strange. With a few minor exceptions, all seven billion of us on this planet, live in a culture in which clothing is the norm, and is required.
In order to understand what we get from shedding our clothes, perhaps it would be valuable to look at some of the ways we use clothes in our society. And what that says about us.
Obviously, the primary use of clothing is for protection from the weather or from hazards. It is either too cold, or there is too much sun. As nudists we know that it is not a good idea to be nude while frying bacon or welding.
Our “need” for clothing goes beyond just protection. It is ingrained into our culture, our way of life. It contributes a significant amount to our economy and the vocabularies of our languages. Coats, hats, gloves, parkas, boots, sweaters, socks, stockings, vests, pants, jackets, shoes, etc. etc. When learning a foreign language, after learning how to count from one to ten, and the colors, you work on words for clothing. (The hat, le chapeau).
We use clothing to distinguish between different groups: our tribe from that other tribe (we wear blue feathers, they wear red feathers); our religion from that other religion (we wear skull caps, they wear turbans); our leader from the rest of us (s/he wears a crown, we don’t); our country from that other country (we wear lederhosen, they wear kilts).
We use clothing to distinguish between the sexes. In general, males wear pants, females wear skirts. There are exceptions, of course, and some variations in different cultures. We have particular customs, styles, ways of dressing that are different for men and women. On women’s jackets the buttons are on the left and the button holes on the right. For men it’s the reverse.
Over the centuries these styles have changed — the rules about the type of clothing permitted to be worn by the sexes have changed. Now, in our western culture women are allowed to wear pants, but men are not allowed to wear skirts (except for kilts) or dresses. Men wearing women’s clothing is a form of humor. We even have different styles of bicycles for men and women to accommodate the differences in clothing.
We use clothing to distinguish people by their function or occupation. Military uniforms are instantly recognizable. As are uniforms for police, nurses, judges, clergy. And for the employees at McDonalds and at my local big box hardware store.
We use clothing to distinguish a person’s class or status — where they are in the social order and how much money they have. In previous more class-ridden societies, such as in England during the Downton Abbey days, there were different standards of dress for each of the classes. In current North American society this is not as distinct, but it is still there. We still have white collar, blue collar.
Before I retired, I would often have to meet with customers in professional establishments. Slacks, dress shirt, and tie were considered the minimum acceptable attire. This was particularly true on the east coast. On the west coast, the tie was not necessary. Full “business” attire (for men) — suit, dress shirt, tie, dress shoes — is usually only worn by politicians, lawyers, and preachers (in the South).
(In the last couple of decades, a sort of reverse dress code emerged. Geeks developed a style of less formality, and a visiting geek (like me) who wore a tie, lost some credibility, even on the east coast. The CEO of Apple when presenting the latest and greatest Apple products does not wear a suit and tie.)
Notice that when I mentioned “dress shoes”, you knew what I meant. We have standards of formality of dress that is part of our culture. Clothing for different occasions — weddings, funerals, church, proms. Clothing for different activities — gardening, tennis, jogging. White tie, black tie, dressy, casual. We have standards as to what clothing can be worn for each occasion. Don’t be under-dressed, don’t be over-dressed. As we grow up, we are taught the appropriate “rules” for these different types of dressing. For example, look at the ads in advance of Easter to see what little girls and little boys are expected to wear.
We have standards as to what clothing can be worn with other clothing — one doesn’t wear a striped jacket with checkered pants. Some colors don’t go well with other colors. Except when it was a fad, men didn’t wear pink shoelaces. In general, even now, men don’t wear pink (except in a tie, sometimes).
I can’t speak for women here. Their clothing requirements are much more complicated. And what can and can’t go together is beyond me.
We use clothing to carry things. Pockets are very functional. Most men, for most occasions, can carry all of what they need without some sort of external purse or satchel. At least that is the way it used to be. Now with all the extra smart phones, tablets, etc. many men (including me) carry some sort of external bag. It is still not appropriate to call it a purse, but …
We use clothing for adornment, for decoration — a ribbon in the hair, a flower in a lapel, a scarf to add some color, a piece of jewelry — rings (fingers, toes, ears), watches, earrings, cuff links, tie clasps, lapel pins. A man’s tie has no other function.
I have not exhausted the list of the ways we use clothing. Stay tuned.