Dick the halls

The holiday season is here, the time to spruce up your place with some special seasonal decor. But don't stop at beautifying your home! Your own personal treasure could use some festive additions of their own.

One approach is to buy jewelry especially designed for male genitalia. The most common, of course, is the standard cock ring. In addition to being functional, some have serious aesthetic appeal. One of my favorite is one I bought at an artist's gallery in Palm Springs. You can see it in the photo on the left.

But some of the most creative ways to enhance your package start with simple, inexpensive silicon cock rings. Their flexibility makes them the ideal jewelry for an organ that has a tendency to change its size. Experiment with putting them on different places on your shaft or scrotum. To get extra festive, try multiple kinds and colors.

Don't stop there. Some masturbation toys will fit on the cock like a kind of sleeve, calling special attention to your unit in a most original way.

In addition, many so-called chastity devices can function as attractive erotic accessories. One of my favorites is a kind of cock harness that does little to enforce chastity (since it has way to be locked), but puts a hard cock on rather nice display.

Give it a try, especially if you plan on attending a Nude Year's Eve or other appropriate event. If you need more ideas, check out this month's photo set, Home Dickorating, available now in our photography department.

Because the family jewels deserve some jewelry of their own.

The allure of the older man

What is it about older men? When I was a gay man in my twenties and thirties, 20-something men never paid me any attention. But as I approached my mid 40s and beyond, suddenly there was a subset of younger men that were totally into me. It came as quite a surprise, even though I myself had found many an older man to be attractive.

Some see the mature man as having more authority and control, an inner calm that bespeaks confidence, masculinity, ans security. They see the greater range of experience as an indication of reliability and substance. For them, older equals wiser.

Others simply find older men to be more considerate. One friend of mine, who in his single days tended to go only for those many years his senior, reports that older men always treated him with so much greater respect and courtesy than those in his own age group.

For myself, I find men of all ages to be attractive. But there is something to be said about a guy who has had plenty of experience in bed and the fun that can bring to a hot encounter.

A case in point is my friend Tom (or GoodToms in his online persona). A man of sexy maturity and sensuous skill, Tom knows how to make a man feel good. Eventually we decided to see how our chemistry translated into film. To find out for yourself, head over to Sexy Time Theatre and check out our newest video, Tomfoolery. There's no better evidence of how hot some down and dirty Daddy-on-Daddy drilling can be.

Naked riding 'round the world

Just type "World Naked Bike Ride" or even "WNBR" into Google or any search engine, and you'll find a wealth of information about people riding bikes naked, not just in one or two places, but in cities around the globe. According to the official web site of the World Naked Bike Ride, the nude cycling event is intended to "celebrate cycling and the human body," as well as illustrate cyclists vulnerability and protest oil dependency. The site claims to have inpired events in 70 cities and 20 countries.

Nakedism itself has participated in multiple naked bike rides, including one we reported on in 2011.

But while WNBR is not an erotic event, the fact remains that just being around other naked people (especially in repressed societies like ours) can be, well, stimulating. On multiple occasions I have seen men sporting varying degrees of penile tumescence. Boners are a natural part of life, but unfortunately they can be interpreted by law enforcement as "lewd behavior," even if there is no sexual behavior per se surrounding the arousal.

Of course, to us at Nakedism it seems strange and wrong to criminalize the human body or even its sexual expression, so long as that expression doesn't infringe on the rights of others. And sorry, but the rights of prudes don't include getting to choose exactly what you do or don't see in public. We're all exposed to images, fashion, and events both private and commercial that we'd rather not see. In a live-and-let-live society, we have the freedom to look away.

But until that ideal is realized, we will enjoy what public nude events we can — including public hard-ons. It may not be the World Naked Boner Ride, but we can always dream.

This month, however, you don't need to limit yourself to dreaming. For our September photo set, we've collected images by photographers Andrew Adam Caldwell and Breefs from the 2010 and 2010 WNBR events held in Seattle. These include the local tradition of having a group "shower" at the International Fountain at the Seattle Center, near the world famous Space Needle.

Curious? Head over to our photo department, and check out Naked for a Cause. And get ready for a hard ride.

The undressing room

Few places in our gymnophobic society permit, let alone encourage complete undressing. Locker rooms and changing rooms are among the rare exceptions. Of course the owners of apparel stores don't expect customers to get completely naked in the changing room. This is true even for stores selling underwear; most states have health laws forbidding customers to try on underwear except perhaps over existing clothing (understandably).

Still, to those of us interested in naked eroticism, the opportunity to get naked in a public place can have a kind of risky appeal. The most extreme case I heard of was an allegedly true story posted in an online forum. The writer tried a ploy of self-forced exhibitionism by stripping in a dressing room, hiding his clothes, and then moving (naked) to another dressing room. When other customers came around, he peeked his head out and explained that someone had stolen his clothes and asked for help. (I have no idea how he could make this story believable, but perhaps I've forgotten some details.)

The writer went on to say that the man he approached found the story funny and entered the changing room to see that the writer was indeed naked. Thoroughly amused, the customer then went and got his girlfriend and brought her to see the naked writer for some further laughs and humiliation. Finally the couple agreed to help the naked writer find his clothes, which they did without much searching.

I have no idea if the story is true or not, but there is something hot about having two people getting their amusement at a man's naked predicament.

But even if one doesn't involve others, just getting naked in a place where full nudity is unconventional can be a turn on. Perhaps that was the idea behind the dare an online acquaintance recently gave me. He told me not just to strip completely naked in a clothing store changing room, but to masturbate and catch the whole thing on video. So I accepted the challenge and found a shopping mall store where I could carry it out.

But don't take my word for it. Head on over to our Naked Dare Theatre and see for yourself in a new video I call No underwear allowed. Then come back here and let me know what naked dares you have tried recently.

Decorate your desktop with the latest wallpaper

Whether you use your system for daily work or occasional play, the same old space can get a little boring after a while. Why not change out that desktop background with a whole new image? Nakedism has some new choices for you.

With themes drawn from recent photo shoots, our Desktop Wallpaper department offers three new images to dress up your desktop. Just choose Wallpaper Downloads from the Photos menu at anytime to see all available images. Then click the resolution most suited to your system. Then use your browser to save it to your own system.

The new images include let you choose from the magnificent Kory Mitchell for a dark background, the silver-beard study for a light background, or the seaside view for a scenic look. If none of those suit you, continue browsing the rest of the collection. We're confident you'll find something suitable to spruce up your computer display.

The mile long dare

Riding a bicycle naked in public is not new to me. Last year, I participated in several naked group rides, including Seattle's Solstice parade, a Gay Pride parade, and two events for the 2011 World Naked Bike Ride.

But riding naked with a group, one that has coordinated with police and city officials, is one thing. Biking on your own with no special permits or warning to anyone is quite another matter. But that's the dare I accepted from a friend a little while back.

According to the terms of the dare, I had to bike one mile naked. Shoes and helmet were allowed. The route had to include traveled streets (no isolated roads in the middle of nowhere allowed). I was also required to pass through at least one intersection.

As it turned out, I crossed two major streets, passed close to an all-night gas station (where someone hollered at me), and had to dodge cars and pedestrians so I didn't get too close to either (but was surely seen by both).

The second intersection proved the riskiest. The light was against me, and I dismounted to press the crosswalk signal. But there were people loading a car trunk nearby and another car on the far side of the intersection, parked but with headlights pointing my way. So rather than wait for the light, I bolted and ran the light to disappear into a darker neighborhood.

It was exhilarating, risky, and kind of hot. That said, I must confess that I was a little too rattled after my ride to add a jackoff scene to the end of the movie. But maybe you can provide the strokes on your own.

To join the fun, direct your browser to Naked Dares theatre, and check out the latest edition, Spokes and strokes. And be sure to let us know of any fun dares you've done yourself.

Getting kinky with Kory

This month, Nakedism is pleased and proud to bring our members a close look at at rising model and adult performer Kory Mitchell. If you're a fan of hot men or gay porn or both, you may already know Kory from his video work with studios like Edger9 or Kory's own erotic Tumblr blog.

If not, then this month's special photo set will be an extra big surprise — and we do mean big. For Kory has not only honed his body into a beautifully proportioned work of lean muscle, but he is also blessed with the kind of proportions that most men can only dream of having.

In this latest photo essay by Andrew Adam Caldwell, Kory shows us a range of looks, with emphasis on some pretty kinky (and fun!) gear, including everything from a code-red harness and knee pads to an easy-access rubber wrestling singlet. It's the kind of teasing, revealing gear that shows off more than it hides — just the way we like it.

But hey, don't take our word for it. Head on over to the photo collections now and check out this month's gallery, Kory does kink.

Parking violation

Many of us have kinks, fetishes, or other sexual interests that we may feel are different from the norm. In these cases, it may be difficult to find friends or play partners that share our interest. Thankfully, the Internet has provides some solutions, either in finding people like ourselves locally or, if not, finding those with whom we can share some interest over the medium of the Web.

Take my case, for example. As may be obvious from this site, one of my interest is in the area of naked dares. But I have yet to find anyone locally with whom I can enjoy this activity. No matter. I have found one or two people online who are willing to hand out challenging dares. In fact, I often hesitate to ask for a dare, nervous that it might be too risky to follow through on.

One such dare master (as I like to call them) told me to go for a walk in a public park in my underwear, with my cock out. Not only that, I had to stroke my dick and shoot my load as well. Not too difficult, I figured, as long as I did it late at night. Sure, I'd have to risk violating park curfew, but at least no one would see me. So I did just that, passing only one other person in the park, but sticking to the darkest shadows for the deed.

Unfortunately, the dare master was not pleased. When I told him mission accomplished, he explained that every dare I do for him has to be documented with video. Yikes! There is no way my camera could capture that action in a totally dark glen. I would have to repeat the dare in daylight. This was going to be harder than I thought.

How did it go? See for yourself. Just stroll on over to Naked Dares video theatre and catch the next showing of A shot in the park. It could help you take a load off.

Naked Dare Theatre makes its debut

Nakedism is proud to announce the opening of a new video theatre devoted to the genre of naked dares. Members can check out these videos at any time by choosing Naked Dares from the Video menu at the top of any Nakedism page.

A naked dare, of course, is a challenge to do something or go somewhere completely nude that is outside of one's comfort zone and may even carry an element of risk, such as being naked in public or a place where nudity is not normally expected. Although some of these dares may include sexual arousal and even orgasm, in many (if not most) cases, the goal is simply to take the risk of potential vulnerability or self-humiliation. Why? Because it's fun. And for many of us, naked dares are a turn-on as well.

Our debut feature comes to us from an exhibitionist and naked enthusiast who goes by the name of Exhibit Gay. In this startlingly brave video, EG makes his mortgage payment to Bank of America, via at ATM. And not just any ATM, but one in the middle of shopping center in broad daylight! As if that weren't enough, EG takes the humiliation factor to an even higher level by wearing a leather slave collar and handcuffs.

The video
makes a symbolic
statement, with EG as
the naked, chained, and
helpless slave serving a
mechanistic, inhuman
banking system.

"The [original video] is actually longer," EG told us, "because the damn ATM machine kept screwing up and spitting the checks back at me. At the end I did get seen by one guy, who happened to walk up. I ducked around the side of the building and madly started putting clothes back on. He looked at me kinda weird but didn't say anything."

Hot stuff.

But there is a deeper meaning to this video as well. EG has been in a battle with Bank of America for years in an attempt to keep them from foreclosing on his home. The symbolism here is perfect, with EG as the naked, chained, and helpless slave serving a mechanistic, inhuman banking system. Who says erotica can't also make an important artistic statement?

Whatever the level of appreciation you find in this video, we think you'll enjoy it. So check out Naked Deposit, now playing in Naked Dare Theatre. And keep an eye out for more dare videos to come.

Got a naked dare you'd like to see? Write up your ideas in the comment section here!

Naked came the crowd

For the last couple of years, the good folks over at Buck Naked in Public (BNIP) have gone beyond their usual offering of photos and videos of clothes-free men in a variety of public places. These days they are also sponsoring a series of "Nude Ins," events to encourage group public nudity in their home city of San Francisco.

Their second Nude In, held last September in the Castro Commons plaza at the corner of Castro and Market Streets, drew a naked crowd of nearly 60, thanks in part to a viral Internet announcement and some unintended publicity that grew out of pending legislation by a city council member hoping to put limits on the behavior of public nudists.

The gathering also drew plenty of media attention, and the event was covered by the New York Times, ABC, CBS, Fox News, and numerous other news organizations, both written and broadcast. To see BNIP's own coverage of the event, check out their free-access Nude In 924 sample video.

I'm pleased to report that Nakedism was also present for that event, where we rubbed naked elbows with textile-free men (and even one woman) of all ages and shapes. Also in attendance were Nakedism blogger Marc Alderman as well as our photographer-in-residence, Andrew Adam Caldwell. Between the two of them, they produced a considerable volume of photographic coverage.

Fortunately, you can get a taste of that collection by checking out this month's photo set. The images there will give you some idea just how easy — and entertaining — it can be to shed your clothes with dozens of other souls and have a naked good time. Check out Bare in the square now in Nakedism's photo gallery

A daring occasion

One aspect of nakedism in which I like to indulge is the naked dare — being goaded or challenged to do something naked, either in front of others or in situations where you could be caught in a potentially humiliating way. Because not everyone is into this particular form of naked play, I have often had to take my dares from friends on the Internet.

For example, a video I made last fall consisted more or less people requesting me to take naked risks on my deck — in effect a series of dares.

Lately, I've gotten dares from other Web sites. Some of these were simple ones, like getting the mail naked. Others, like the one I did this past week, were a little more exotic. Fortunately, I caught most of it on video in a short I call Trash night. And it's now posted in Nakedism's video theatre, where you can read the details of the dare to help you make sense of the video.

I plan on filming and posting other naked dares, as time and weather permits. Please send in your ideas! What naked dares turn you on? Which would you like to see me try on video? You never know: I just might do it.

Silver lining

As someone who didn't start widely revealing his naked body until well into adulthood, issues of aging are never very far from my mind. But despite the vaunted youth-oriented nature of our culture, I have been lucky to find middle age (or later, depending on how you define it) to be a relatively comfortable period with its own special perqs.

Sometimes (though probably not as often as I'd like), I'm comfortable enough with my age that I even let my beard grow out to show its full silvery nature, free of any cosmetic tampering. It was on such an occasion last year that I posed for photographer Andrew Adam Caldwell, producing this month's photo set, Silver age, available now in the Nakedism collection of galleries.

Of course, the original Silver Age had little to do with aging per se. The term comes to us from the Greek writer Hesiod, whose poem Works and Days describes the Silver Age as the second of five "Ages of Man" in which people lived as children for a hundred years, only to age suddenly and die.

Perhaps Hesiod's Silver Age isn't terribly different from my own. For even as my hair grows silvery, I still enjoy much the same freedom and frolicking that children enjoy, albeit with a distinctly adult bent. When my time comes, I hope it is the quick descent that Hesiod describes. But for now, I'm just enjoying the silver lining of growing older.

Appropriately inappropriate

For many years, porn legend Michael Brandon has been hosting a sexy charity event known the "Inappropriate Behavior Pool Party" in which naked porn stars cavort with eager party goers and everyone enjoys some outdoor bbq, games, and of course hands-on contact with the fukerati.

The most recent event was held this past month at the Helios resort in Palm Springs and benefited the drag-nun organization known as the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. As luck would have it, I happened to be in Palm Springs that very weekend, enjoying a little break from Seattle gloom. I knew this event was one I would not want to miss.

I was not disappointed. Party rules allowed cameras during the first half of the event, but not the second. So I spent my first hour or so shooting video of the stunningly handsome and mostly naked porn stars and other guests present. A couple of porn stars were even friendly enough to give my own cock a few strokes or (in one case) even go down on me. (Yes, I filmed that, too.) Finally, right before the camera ban went into effect, the special porn guests assembled for a photo shoot seen in the above photo.

Of course many people aren't able to travel to such events. But not to worry. You can check out this portion of my vacation in Dirty pool, now playing the Nakedism video theatre. It may not be quite the same as being there. But I hope it will give you a satisfying taste.

New wallpapers debut for the lusty month of May

Spring has arrived, and you know what that means: Time to clean off the clutter and cobwebs and give your place a bright, spiffy look. But spring cleaning needn't be just for homes. Why not give your desktop a fresh appearance as well? Replace that aging desktop wallpaper with some new offerings from Nakedism.

Our Wallpaper Download page includes three new looks for you to choose from:

• The sun rising over a beautiful cityscape, as appreciated by man in his most natural state
• An Olympic-style swim champ showing off his medals — and his mettle
• A health nut relaxing at home, peeling himself a big banana

Of course, spring is more than just a time for cleaning. It's also traditionally the time of year when a man's fancy turns to thoughts of lust. With a little luck, some new wallpaper might help you out in that area as well.

There's only one way to find out: Head on over to our Desktop Wallpaper page and download yourself a change of background for your screen. As always, our wallpapers come in three sizes to ensure the best fit for your system. Cheers!

Loving in leather

May is a month of multiple holidays, from May Day at the beginning to Memorial Day (in the U.S.) at the end. But for a certain subculture around the world, May is time for another ritual: The time for the annual pilgrimage to Chicago to attend the International Mister Leather conference and contest, commonly known as IML. The event takes over an entire downtown hotel, filling it with nothing but participants, voyeurs, and hangers-on to the leather scene.

One popular component of the gathering is the vast vendor fair that occupies large portions of the hotel with all manner of leather paraphernalia, clothing, toys, and fetish gear. (On a dare, I once walked the entire circumference of the vendor area stark naked, finally getting stopped by hotel security just as I was completing the assigned task.)

The leatherfest also includes many dances as well as impromptu play parties, in addition to the contest that forms the climax of the multi-day affair. And throughout it all, there is a surreal quality of being in a hotel where at every turn people are walking through the lobby, down halls, and up and down escalators in leather or revealing fetish wear.

And so to honor this annual celebration of the leather life, we offer this month a collection of leather-themed photos. Joining me in these smoldering shots is my sexy friend Gary, whom you saw in a previous photo set. I hope our new set, the Lure of Leather, gets you in the mood for a little kinky exploration of your own.

Nakedism founder appears in Fetish Force video

Nakedism founder Bucephalus Alexander joins a cast of experienced porn stars and hot novices in one scene of the new Fetish Force production Pony Up. Set in the Seattle queer-punk bar Pony, the feature combines bondage, glory holes, watersports, public exhibitionism, humiliation and hardcore gang rape with high erotic intensity.

In "Pony Up for a Punish Fuck," the scene with Alexander, a young customer, porn newcomer Kurt Andrews, enters the bar where Kyle Wood, Tony Hunter, Leo Forte, Tony Buff, and Alexander are enjoying a few early evening beers.

Buff confronts Andrews, telling him that if he wants to hang out with them, he's going to have to pony up. Before the fresh-faced boy knows what is happening, Buff and Forte have Andrews bent over a bar stool, tied down by his wrists and ankles. Buff whips out a pocket knife and goes to work on the boy's clothes, leaving them in tatters.

The group then takes their turns assaulting the fine male form bound helplessly before them. By the time the scene is over, Andrews is raped and urinated on by nearly everyone present.

"Forced stripping and public sex are part of my own collection of fetishes," Alexander said. "But this was my first experience with watersports, on or off the screen. I was so turned on by the hot men peeing on the bound victim, I jacked off my second load of the day."

The feature includes four other scenes involving a variety of fetishes, including additional pissing, glory holes, and sounds as well as plenty of good old fashioned rimming and fucking. These scenes feature performers Draven Torres, Doc Benway, Preston Steel and Rogue Status.

Pony Up was directed by Tony Buff and is available from Fetish Force, a division of Raging Stallion Studios.

New exhibitionist blog debuts

Nakedism is pleased to welcome the sound of an extra pair of bare feet padding down our not-so-hallowed halls: Longtime nudist and exhibitionist Marc Alderman will be sharing the often sexual, always naked details of his life as a showoff in My Life Stripped Bare, a new blog that debuts today here on Nakedism.

Marc is lucky enough to live in Florida, where the warm climate almost begs its citizens to strip down. Yet Marc is one of the few brave enough to answer that call. And not just by being a nudist. His photos of appearing naked in public places are the stuff of legend on photo-sharing sites like Flickr. But despite the risks, Marc bares it all for his art of naked enjoyment.

So please check out this first installment of Marc's clothes-free memoir. And check back regularly for more of his ongoing adventures in the flesh.

Olympic fantasies

The centuries old tradition of Olympic competitions is one that inspires lofty ideals while simultaneously focusing on the very down-to-earth possibilities of the human form. Even those of us who don't have any particular interest in organized sports sit up and take notice when the heroic bodies of the Olympiad stride across our screens or other media.

And, I dare venture, those events that bare the most skin (such as swimming or diving) may arouse the most attention of all. How many millions have experienced their own private fantasies involving Olympians like Michael Phelps or Alexandre Despatie?

The original Olympics were, of course, performed in the nude. And while we may be glad that some sports still come close to that ideal, it's disheartening on one level to see the development of new high-tech swimsuits that cover the body more than ever.

But in our mind's eye, at least, we can turn back the clock to a less skin-phobic era, and imagine athletes who are willing to bare it all for sport, for country, and for the ideals of naked achievement.

That's the little fantasy I indulged in a few years ago in the studios of photographer Andrew Adam Caldwell, in which I posed as a would-be swim champ who refused to stay clothed. And in this month's gallery I share those fantasy images with you.

Whether your fantasies are Olympic, or just Olympic in size, check out this month's photo set, Olympic Cock, now on display in the Nakedism photo gallery.

Bare in the bar

Wouldn't it be great if there was a place where people could get naked in public anytime they want? Sure, there are places like that in Europe. But in the uptight western hemisphere, such locations are harder to find.

But one state in the U.S. has a constitution that protects free expression, and with it a fair amount of public nudity. As long as you are only nude and not being "indecent," you're free to be naked pretty much anywhere. That state is Oregon.

In Portland, I have seen a woman ride a bicycle down the street completely nude. And every Thursday night for years, the Eagle bar has had Bear Naked Billiards, a time when anyone can play pool clothes free. For that matter, they don't mind if you're naked in the bar ever — as long as you behave yourself.

(Sadly, a man was convicted of indecency in Corvalis, OR, last year for riding his bike naked. The jury believed police who said the man admitted he enjoyed his nudity for sexual excitement, even though he denied the statement in court.)

Although I don't get to Portland as often as I like, I definitely drop trou anytime I'm in the Eagle. The first time I was there, I also met a couple of hot young guys who were likewise enjoying a little billiards in the buff. Sadly, that is a stark difference from other cities and their uptight attitudes.

This week I chronicle some of those differences from an erotic point of view in our True Stories department. For all the arousing details, head on over and check out the memoir, Bare Naked Bar Room.

Shadow dancing

Buster Sly (often just "Sly" to his friends) is beautiful and sexy man, besides being a talented and versatile performer both on and off the adult video screen. I was lucky to make his acquaintance a few years back, and luckier still to have him join me for a Nakedism video and photo shoot last autumn.

It was a hot session, and Nakedism chief photographer Andrew Adam Caldwell captured many eye-catching and mouth-watering images that day. I hope to post more of them in the future. But this first set focuses on Andy's artistry at working not only with models but also the shadows they cast.

Why care about shadows? Perhaps because less is more: Shadows always suggest more than they show. Body shadows can be beautiful yet cryptic, erotic but not explicit.

Shadows also provide a haunting symbol of sex itself: These ephemeral shapes not only mirror the naked bodies who cast them, but serve as a metaphor for the passionate acts they imply — simple, dark, and fleeting, but also compelling, entertaining, and fun.

Decide for yourself as you click through this month's photo set, Shadow play, now open for your viewing pleasure.

Gymnos

There is a certain irony in the word gym, those modern day temples to calisthenic eye candy. For while it derives from the Greek word for naked (gymnos), fitness clubs today, like most public places, have strict rules about how much skin you can actually show. In fact, a friend of mine was once scolded by a club employee for wearing shorts without an adequate lining; apparently his genitals flopped around too much for her sensibilities.

But wouldn't it be great to go back to classical times, at least for a little while, and enjoy the kind of nude exercise that gave us this word to begin with?

That's the premise that I, and trusty photographer Andrew Adam Caldwell, decided to put to the test — in a very risky way. While a lot of porn movies are set in gyms or weight rooms, most are performed on a video set dressed up to look like a gym. Those that are filmed in real gyms are almost always shot when the gym is closed to the public and reserved only for the filmmakers.

Every inch
of my naked skin
and bouncing cock were
on display for anyone who
should happen to open the
door, or even peek in
the large windows.

In contrast, I took the personal challenge of stripping naked in an all-night gym (one with no attendant) when any of the regular patrons could have walked in and seen me lifting weights or otherwise exercising in the buff. Every inch of my naked skin and bouncing cock were on display for anyone who should happen to open the door, or even peek in the large windows.

As a kid, I used to find gyms, locker rooms, and public showers — even empty ones — so erotic I would get a boner just exploring them fully clothed, thinking of the communal nudity of the showers or the fit manly bodies that would rub shoulders as they went about their workouts. Now that I took the chance to get naked not just in the lockers, but the main gymnasium, I was so turned on I could barely finish a workout. I knew I had to get off right there in the gym.

Fortunately, no one caught me. Except, that is, on video. Now you can catch the whole thing in Nakedism's Video room. Just head over there and pop into Naked workout cinema. And to get in the spirit, maybe you should get naked, too.

Men of muscle

However common it is to give lip service to the relativistic nature of sex appeal or the diversity of body types to which people are attracted, the fact remains that the mass media (especially but not limited to adult entertainment) is rife with a particular idealized look that purports to be the very definition of seethingly hot sexual beauty.

That look, of course, consists of very low body fat, and for men a V-shaped torso with ripped, defined, muscles — the bigger, better.

Debate rages over the degree to which the media promotes and fetishizes a look or merely represents the zeitgeist of society's sexual desires. Whatever the case, most of us are affected by these images, and many of us strive to emulate them through diet and workout regimens or to attain them in our sexual partners.

In my own life, the daily struggle for a better body is never far from my mind. But despite my own limitations, I have been lucky enough to share intimacies with a few men of this same legendary beauty — impossibly built studs with jaw-dropping physiques and handsome faces. I learned very quickly that a great body is no predictor of great sex, a great personality, or pretty much anything else.

Still, I'm not complaining. In this week's true sex story, I look back on a day in which I was lucky enough to bone two serious muscle studs in one day. Despite the differences in the two men, it was a double helping of hotness any way you look at it. For the full scoop, go to our Stories department and check out the memoir I call Ordering In.

Naked in the city

Risk. There is no question that you are inviting the real possibility of problems when you choose to violate society's rules of covering up. Even just taking off your shirt in the wrong situation can get you anything from angry looks to being thrown out the door.

But to get naked in public — really naked, completely bare-assed — takes the danger to an higher level.

It's a chance I've taken a number of times now, heading out with a photographer or other friend to pose for photos or just act on a dare. Often we choose to minimize the risk by going out after dark or on a holiday when few people are around. But sometimes I've even gotten buck naked (without even shoes) in broad daylight.

One such adventure took place just over a year ago. Talented photographyer JayBee took me to several urban locations, including a strip mall, a Krispy Kremes drive-in, a power substation, and a synagogue. I was standing where any passerby could see my 6-foot 5-inch frame completely bare from head to toe.

The electrical substation was particularly scary, as it lay in the middle of a bend in the road. I could hear traffic in the distance but not see it well enough to judge how close it was getting. It was on a normally busy road and I was fucking nervous. (You can easily tell that from the photos!) But I wanted to push myself to take the risk. And to show in a hopefully artful way, that there is more than one way to generate electricity.

And now it's time to get naked again, figuratively, as we post the results of this photo safari in our photo set for February: Naked in the city. As you look at the photos, ask yourself this question: Would you dare do the same?

The long view

Have you ever admired someone from afar? Maybe it was someone at your workplace or the gym or the neighborhood watering hole. Someone who made your jaw drop and your mind go a little bit crazy with fantasies?

You know the kind I mean — the kind of guy who is so beautiful and perfect that you figure you don't stand a chance with him. Someone whose magnetism is so striking that you don't dare say hello to him, much less flirt or ask him out.

If not, well then you're probably just not as shy as the rest of us. You don't have to worry about the longing and the hoping and the wondering. You don't have to put up burden of wanting, whether it be from an aching heart or an aching hard-on. You're lucky.

But I'm lucky too. Because one such fantasy man finally came my way. Not after a few days or weeks or even months. But in a random, magic moment some twenty years after I first clapped eyes on his perfect face, eyes, and body.

In this week's true story, I recall the events of many years ago, the seed of desire that was planted, and the way it finally blossomed. If you're curious, head on over to our Stories section and read the memoir, The Twenty-year Seduction.

Get a new look for a new year

Anew year has begun, and such beginnings are a traditional time for making changes. You may already be well on the way to fulfilling — or ignoring — your own New Year's resolutions.

But here's a change you can make in just a few seconds: How about a new look for your computer screen's background? To help you out, Nakedism has published a series of new vistas in our Desktop Wallpaper department. You'll find echos of our recent Super Moon photo set, as well a study in window light to brighten your virtual desktop. Finally, we've included another in the ever popular theme of public nudity.

Check them out. Just head over to Wallpaper Downloads, click the link closest to your desktop size, and save the file on your system. Then apply it to your desktop.

A role in the hay

Of the bazillion fetishes one could name, a fairly common one is the attraction some guys have to those in a particular career or life role. Some straight men, for example, might have a fetish for flight attendants. Among gay men, you might find some attracted specifically to marines, construction workers, bartenders, or porn stars.

If you think about, many of these attractions make sense. On the one hand, marines and construction workers are the stereotypical apex of masculinity in our cultural lore. And on the other, bars and porn studios tend to hire only the finest of male specimens.

I don't have any such fetish myself. But without actually seeking it, I have gotten lucky with men from a number of different walks of life, including a truck driver, a couple of hot bartenders, and even a porn star or two.

In this week's True Stories section, I recall an encounter with one of Seattle's best looking and sexiest bartenders, a story I call Friday's harbor. Although we only had a few sex dates, I still recall them as among the best sex I have had. Maybe it will help you recall some fun times of your own.

Full-on moon

Our moon has an elliptical orbit, which causes it to draw closer to us on some occasions and move further away on others. When those close passes coincide with a full moon, the effect is called a super moon. Such a so-called perigee-syzygy makes for a slightly larger light to rule the night, and, perhaps, a little more lunar-inspired mischief.

So when such an event rolled around last March, it seemed like a good time for friend and photographer Andrew Adam Caldwell and I to go out and capture a few full moons of our own. Pedestrians and passers by were still pretty common at the relatively early hour of moonrise on America's west coast. Because of that, and the low spring temperatures, I was a little shy about getting completely naked at our main chosen location.

But the show must go on, and I tossed my shirt and dropped my pants repeatedly, mooning Andrew's camera for my art and for those who comment that I don't show enough butt shots.

For the results, turn to this month's photo set, Super Moon, and check out the examples of moonlit (and public) nudity, with a few doctored studio shots thrown in for good measure. And remember: This butt's for you.