New wallpapers added to Nakedism

New images have been added to Nakedism's wallpaper downloads page, bringing the total number of wallpaper designs to an even dozen.

As with the previous updates, all the new designs are available in three sizes. Just navigate to the Wallpaper Downloads page, and click the size under each thumbnail that best fits your computer desktop. Then use your browser to download the file to your hard disk or other storage medium.

Your browser may also let you directly apply an image to your desktop background.

Nakedism rides nude in Seattle Pride parade

Nakedism founder and webmaster, B. Alexander, joined nearly two dozen naked men and women on wheels for Seattle's annual Pride parade on Sunday. Members of the Body Pride Ride (BPR) group, often decorated with varying amounts of body paint, regularly appear at the Pride parade and other events to promote body acceptance. This was the first year Bucephalus joined them on their public ride.

This year's BPR contingent consisted of approximately 20 nude (or nearly nude) cyclists and a couple of naked men on roller blades. The group rode through Seattle's popular Capitol Hill neighborhood, stopping at one health-food store and two public parks to pose for photos before continuing downtown to be part of the parade itself.

The naked cyclists appeared near the beginning of the 3-hour parade, which traversed Seattle's downtown retail core along 4th Avenue, lined with hundreds of thousands of spectators.

Announcers along the parade route introduced the cyclists with a BPR-prepared script, saying "This proud peloton shouts 'Pride for every body' because every body is beautiful!"

"These colorful Bare-what-you-dare folks are here to remind us all that we are not defined by our wardrobe, not by shirts or ties, not by tuxes or heels, not sequins nor suspenders," the script continued. "Diversity is about accepting and respecting all our differences ... Seek your body pride!"

After their part in the parade, many of the cyclists stopped to watch the remainder of the procession. The group then proceeded to the Seattle Center, home of the 1962 World's Fair, where a Pride festival was in progress. As they have done in years past, the cyclists joined others frolicking in the Seattle Center fountain while thousands of festival goers looked on.

Getting stroked

The business of massage enjoys something of a mixed reputation in this company. On one extreme are those who have learned the joys and benefits of a healthy rubdown. But on the other, massage is associated with prostitution, which can lead to burdensome regulation of massage therapists and confusion for potential customers.

As a consumer of massage, my own approach is similar to my views on nudism: I'm not sure why there should be a sharp dividing line between the relaxing of tense muscles and the satisfying of erotic desire. They needn't be the same thing, of course, but there is also no reason the two can't blend together when agreeable to both the giver and receiver of massage.

It was just such a relationship that I had with my longtime massage therapist Javier. For years I had only the most professional, nonsexual service from him. But as we grew better acquainted and eventually both became single, we decided to explore other possibilities as well.

The story Getting rubbed the right way, in our Stories section, tells of one of the first of those encounters. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I had recalling the good times.

Skinny dippers in Wales set record for charity

Nearly 400 people stripped naked and rushed into the sea to break a world record and raise money for charity. The Midsummer Skinny Dip event, which took place at Rhossili beach on the Gower peninsula in Wales, set out to break the record of 250, raising £12,000 for Marie Curie Cancer Care and the National Trust.

To break the record, participants had to be naked and remain in the sea for at least 10 minutes. According to a BBC report, a spokeswoman for the National Trust has claimed the group succeeded in their goal.

The event was held in the early morning to discourage gawkers and encourage those who might be shy about public nudity when more people were around.

The organizer, Alison Powell, 35, an online publishing editor living in Bristol, termed the event "fantastic" and says people are already talking about doing it again next year. Much of the organizing for the event was done through Facebook.

Nakedism joins nude cyclists in Seattle solstice parade

Nakedism's webmaster, B. Alexander, was one of hundreds of naked cyclists who participated in the annual naked bike ride that has become a traditional part of Seattle's solstice parade. Held in the arts-oriented neighborhood of Fremont, a large contingent of cyclists don nothing more than a little body paint (if that) and lead off the parade held on the Saturday that precedes the summer solstice.

Technically, the "Solstice Cyclists" are a separate organization and not an official part of the parade or its sponsoring organization, the Fremont Arts Council. But what began as a group of renegade naturists frequently chased down by police has now become an accepted Seattle institution, drawing hundreds of nude (or nearly nude) participants and thousands of onlookers.

Riders and spectators faced less than ideal conditions, with rain and cool temperatures prevailing throughout the day. But despite the drizzly weather, the show went on, much to the appreciation of cheering crowds.

"This was my first naked bike ride," said B. Alexander, Nakedism webmaster, "and the first time I have been naked in front of so many of my Seattle neighbors. But it's a challenge I couldn't postpone any longer. And besides, everyone loves the naked cyclists. Fremont is proud of its quirky traditions."

Top photo copyright © 2011 SeattleTim on Flickr; bottom photo copyright © 2011 Jeff Slostad on Flickr.

Police arrest man for jumping naked by hotel window

Police in Madison, Wisconsin, weren't the only ones attracted to the sight of a naked man jumping on a bed in a second-story hotel window last Saturday. But they were the only ones who thought it was a good idea to compound the public display by hauling the man to the police station naked.

According to news reports, Kevin Horner, 25, or Minneapolis, Minnesota, was jumping up and down on a bed in his room at the University Inn last Saturday morning shortly after midnight. Horner was nude at the time.

Despite being on the second floor, Horner's actions in the well-lit room drew an audience of about a dozen bystanders. Among those present was a Madison police officer, who interrupted his routine foot patrol when he noticed the crowd paying attention to the hotel room window.

Horner stopped the show when he became aware of the police presence. Officers found Horner's room and arrested him on a tentative charge of lewd and lascivious behavior. "The goal of the officer was to keep any innocent bystanders from being exposed and offended by the view," said police Spokesman Howard Payne, in a report at Madison's The Cap Times.

The report further states that Horner "was given a pair of pants and other clothing upon arrival at the Dane County Jail."

Excuse me?

Perhaps Nakedism is misreading the story, but the published reports strongly imply that the police took Horner out of his room without letting him (or asking him to) dress first. So concerned were they about Horner's naked body on display that they hauled him through the hotel (naked), into a police vehicle (still naked), and all the way to the county jail (naked there, too) before letting him cover up.

One has to wonder which party here is really guilty of lewd and lascivious behavior.


Note: Photo is for illustration purposes only and does not depict the reported events.

Off the beater path

For better or worse, a tank-top style t-shirt has in our day come to be called a "wife beater," thought to have originated from various film images in which men of the lower classes wearing such undershirts were seen beating their wives. Examples include Marlon Brando in the 1951 film version of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire or the 1980 Robert De Niro film Raging Bull.

Despite the repugnant notion of domestic violence built into these roles (not to mention the term wife beater itself), the seething sensuality of such raw, untamed masculinity never escaped the notice of any gay man. And so it comes as no surprise that the shirt itself became a kind of sex symbol and even fetish for some guys.

Add to that the suggestive power that partial nudity has over total exposure, and you have a potent recipe for a sensual male image.

But decide for yourself. A couple of years ago, photographer Andrew Caldwell and I enjoyed exploring the visual possibilities of the wife beater look. Combined, of course, with my own penchant for as much nudity as I can get away with. Check out the Beater photo set now in our gallery collection.

Naked hiking takes divergent trails in Switzerland and Germany

As the case of nude hiking in Switzerland nears its ultimate hearing in that country's supreme court, many media sources are taking a look at naked hiking in Germany, which opened an 11-mile nudist hiking trail just over a year ago.

The Swiss case involves an unnamed hiker who was fined for a naked walk in the eastern Swiss canton of Appenzell, which had banned nude hiking there the previous year. Locals complain that the man appeared nude in full view of a communal barbecue area as well as by residents of a Christian care home. According to the UK news outlet The Telegraph, Appenzell is a conservative area with many anti-nudist residents. Nevertheless, Switzerland itself has no national law against public nudity as long as it is not lewd. Many expect the case to end up before the country's highest court.

Meanwhile, naturists in Germany have been enjoying their own sanctioned nudist trail near the town of Dankerode, about 200 miles west of Berlin. The trail has enjoyed considerable popularity among German naturists since it opened on May 29, 2010.

Undoubtedly, more American nudists would be grateful for similarly sanctioned hiking areas and beaches in their own country. But here at Nakedism, we see such provisions as stop-gap measures at best and the ghetto-izing of nudism at worst. Creating separate spaces for nudity only reinforces the idea that it is somehow harmful to see the human body in its natural state. It sets up a "separate but equal" kind of discrimination similar to that used to limit the rights of African Americans before the Civil Rights Act.

How much better it would be for the public at large to get over its fear and instead accept those who don't wish to wear clothes without the kind of panic or derision that so often accompanies the sight of an unclothed human body.

Naked adventurer rescued at sea

An Irishman who had hoped to set a record for being the youngest person to row across the Indian Ocean alone — not to mention completely naked — had to be rescued after a head injury put an end to his recent attempt.

Keith Whelan, age 29, had barely begun what was expected to be a 14-week journey when a large wave struck his craft, throwing him across the boat's cabin and slamming his head into a bolt that left a gash on his head. Whelan stopped the bleeding on his own but decided to contact a friend via satellite phone. Australian authorities diverted a nearby Japanese commercial cargo ship to rescue him, where medics treated his injury.

The cargo ship hoisted the young adventurer's boat onboard, but choppy seas at the time resulted in some damage to the vessel, forcing him to abandon the rest of the trip for now.

Despite
harsh conditions,
the young man pledged
to make the entire ocean
trek completely
naked.

A native of Athy in Ireland's Kildare County, Whelan sails nude to avoid wardrobe-damaging encrustations of ocean salt. Consequently, he has embraced the title of "the Naked Adventurer," the name of his blog and Facebook page, which he planned to keep updating on the journey with the help of onboard solar panels. Despite harsh sun and unpredictable storms, the young man had vowed to make the entire trek from Australia to Mauritius stark naked.

The adventure was intended to publicize Whelan's fundraising for the charity Keep a Child Alive, which provides treatment and support to children and families affected by HIV in Africa and India.

Whelan's quest is not without precedent. In 2008, 24-year old Wiltshire student Sam Williams (shown below) rowed solo — and naked — across the Atlantic to raise money for African farmers.

Connecticut drops charges against nude model

The state of Connecticut has declined to press charges against a New York man who was summoned to court for posing nude on a public parking garage. As reported in a May 27 post on Nakedism, 36-year Charles Kearse was approached by police after nearby residents saw him posing nude on a Bridgeport parking garage.

Kearse, who also goes by the name Ahkmel Pharod, was told to appear in court, where he talked to Assistant State's Attorney Craig Nowak.

"I spoke to Mr. Kearse at length," said Nowak in a story reported by CTPost.com. "He showed me his modeling portfolio and at the end of our conversation I determined that his actions, while being an error in judgment, did not rise to the level of criminal activity." (Samples from Kearse's portfolio appear with this story, used with permission.)

As a result, the state did not proceed with the pending charge of second-degree breach of peace.

For his part, Kearse confirmed the story in a comment written to Nakedism, explaining that he had been contacted by the photographer, who paid his travel expenses. "I left court just as fast as I arrived," he noted, adding that the prosecutor "smiled and said have a good weekend."

Kearse also gave Nakedism a copy of an email that purports to show the rooftop nudes was the idea of the photographer, Israel Guibbory. But in news reports, Guibbory claimed to be surprised when Kearse disrobed on the roof.

"I am going to file a Defamation of Character lawsuit against the photographer," Kearse told Nakedism.

One size fits ill

An old joke says that if a guy tells you that "It's not the size that counts, it's how you use it" — then he's got a little one. That may be true, just it may be true that it's important to know how to use one's cock.

But the fact remains that for many people, cock size really does matter.

In my case, it usually matters in a negative sense. As another saying goes, I'm not a size queen, but I can be impressed. Sure, I love the look of a big schlong. But if an otherwise hot guy has a small cock, it makes little difference to me. I'm more interested in how good he is at kissing and sucking, and how his ass feels wrapped around my own cock.

The problem with big cocks only, well, arises when it's attached to someone who wants to fuck me. Some people are into pain. Some people are into challenges. (I've met both.) I'm into neither. I'm just glad that most of my gigantically hung friends are more interested in receiving than giving.

But there was one night when I met a true giant of a man — a veritable Penisaurus Rex. His member made my jaw drop, and not in a good way. And he wanted it in my ass.

I recount all the sordid details in this week's story offering, When Size Really Does Matter, now available in our Stories section. Check it out. And consider sharing your own stories of giant cocks you have known.

Celebrity outrage over nude photos promotes body shame

Hardly a day goes by anymore without some celebrity's nudity popping up in the news media. A couple of weeks ago, it was Congressman Anthony Weiner's eponymous organ supposedly bulging through boxers in a tweet to a college woman (photo at left). More recently, actress Blake Lively is denying the authenticity of nude self-photos circulating on the Internet, while Jennifer Lopez and her legal team are trying to block the release of video of her dancing nude on her 1997 honeymoon with former husband Ojani Noa.

But it didn't end there. On Friday, it was mixed-martial artist Tito Ortiz's turn to proclaim his innocence in tweeting a full-frontal self-portrait (photo below). "Someone hack my f**king phone," he reportedly tweeted after realizing what had happened.

Oh please.

First of all, Nakedism makes no comment about, nor are we in a position to evaluate, the claims of innocence of the various parties. Whether publicity stunts, flirtations gone wrong, or genuine invasions of privacy, we cannot say.

But the fact remains that in every case, the denuded party claims to be aggrieved or outraged or victimized. Such a state of affairs (pardon the expression) would simply not be necessary if people weren't so terrified by the fact of unclothed human anatomy.

It wasn't always this way. In the 1970s, a number of celebrities posed nude without shame for magazines like Playgirl. But most of these were seen as attempts to rekindle publicity for a dying career. (The same may be true for Ortiz, who hasn't won a fight in some time.) In any case, it never caught on as a trend.

Since then, digital cameras and the rise of the Internet have transformed the ease with which photos can be produced and distributed, not to mention their ubiquity. Americans are awash in digital photo sharing, and many of those include naked flesh.

But one thing hasn't changed: People are still ashamed of being seen naked. In fact, the shame has arguably increased since the 1970s. If the so-called sexual revolution produced lasting results in some areas, it produced only a backlash in the realm of body acceptance.

Despite the taboo nature of nude photos, people continue to take them and pose for them. As we reported last month, as many a quarter of Americans are thought to have taken or posed for naked pictures. Many of these, like the Ortiz photo, appear to be self-portraits.

Perhaps what is needed is a celebrity — preferably many celebrities — to come out of the closet with their nude photos and say, "Yeah this is me, naked. So what?" If enough opinion leaders set a good example of body acceptance, maybe real change would follow.

We have
some simple
advice for celebrities:
Don't get mad —
Get naked.

Our advice to celebrities — and everyone — is simple: Don't get mad. Get naked.

Sadly, Tito Ortiz, despite his reputation for being controversial, might have been one to get the balls rolling. Unlike retired basketball player Dennis Rodman, whose occasional nudity seems to underscore an attempt to show how unusual he is, Ortiz's photo reminds one of the typical in-the-mirror shot that so many of us have seen and taken in a moment of self-pride.

But instead Ortiz chose to react with an expletive and a denial, which, true or not, was designed to distance him from the act of self-revelation.

I'm not sure why he bothered. After all, his girlfriend and mother of his 14-month-old twins happens to be Jenna Jameson — a porn star.

Soccer star will run through the streets naked

Basque soccer star Bixente Lizarazu will keep a promise made last year to run naked through the streets to celebrate his team's promotion to the French football division known as Ligue 1.

Lizarazu, a former Bayern Munich left-back and France international, stated nearly a year ago that if Évian Thonon Gaillard, a football club from France's Alpine region, won the promotion, he would run naked through the city streets. That happened last week when Évian won a 2-1 victory over Stade de Reims. It was only just a year ago that the team was promoted to Ligue 2 following the 2009-10 season.

A French TV channel asked the 41-year-old defender if he planned on keeping his striptease promise. "I'll do it, I'll do it," he said. "I'll keep my word, I'll do it, but I'm not going to call the international press."

Lizarazu, who is a shareholder of Évian, won the Champions League with Bayern Munich in 2001 and helped France win the World Cup in 1998.

Photos of Lizarazu's muscular chest and a video of his naked legs and shapely butt are available to the public on the blog Just Beautiful Men.

Rainy day fun

Where I live, we get a lot of rain. But sometimes, staying indoors on a rainy day isn't so bad. Especially if you happen to have a friend who will help you pass the hours with some idle fun.

That's what happened to me a few weeks ago. A good buddy of mine was in town for the weekend. And when the weather made sight-seeing a less-than-desirable option, we turned our sights on each other. The rhythm of the rain beating on the windows was a throbbing echo of our own tender passions.

But don't take my word for it. Check out the newest addition to Nakedism's video page and click on Rainy Day Ride. I think you'll agree the damp weather didn't dilute our drive.