Screw the looking glass

Sing, o muse, of the tale of Narcissus, handsome son of Cephissus and the Liriope, who spurned the love of others and found satisfaction only in the sight of his own reflected image!

Or so goes the myth. Today, the name of this self-centered man is applied to an egotistical obsession with one's own beauty and an unhealthy pride and selfishness generally.

At the same time, however, experts tell us that is good to love ourselves, that self-esteem and a strong self-image are signs of a healthy psyche.

Where do you stand? When you look in the mirror, do you like what you see? Are you willing to remove all your clothes for that reflection and study your own nakedness in admiration?

For a long time, I struggled to find myself attractive. Indeed, my forays into naked self-portraiture with my first digital camera were an attempt to pose myself in a way that would overcome some serious self-loathing and let me see myself in a positive light — literally. Years after beginning this hobby, I achieved what I consider a very positive milestone when I moved into an apartment with large floor-to-ceiling mirrors. There I discovered that I had improved my body and my attitude so much that I enjoyed jacking off to the sight of my own bare flesh and hard cock.

Of course, a healthy life is a balanced one. Narcissus took that same of self-admiration so far that he ignored others and eventually drowned chasing his own reflection.

As for me, I seldom masturbate before a mirror anymore, but I reserve the right to explore that possibility anytime the mood strikes. In fact, I did just that a few years back in the studio of photographer Andrew Adam Caldwell. We were preparing for photo shoot, but before I stepped under the studio lamps, I stopped to admire my form in a large mirror sitting in the back of the room. Andrew recorded that moment for you in a photo set called Narcissus, now featured in the Nakedism photo department.

I leave it up to you whether is is a healthy exercise or not. If you think it is, try finding a mirror of your own and embrace the Narcissus within.

Balance of power

Most of the time we assume that good, healthy sex acts represent an equal sharing between two people. Whether one is insertive or receptive, the assumed ideal is that each person is getting exactly what they want.

But in real life, as also in a lot of erotic fiction, there is often an imbalance of power, sometimes subtle, sometimes overt.

Take the issue of penetration, for example. In our heterosexist culture, the insertive partner is assumed to have more power over the one receiving. In BDSM stories, the cocksucker is assumed to be the submissive, the victim. This of course is an extension of male chauvinism and misogyny that assumes that anyone who takes the receptive or "female" role is weak. But does that really make sense? What could be more vulnerable for a man than to have his most sensitive organ within the teeth and jaws of another? One quick bite would quickly reveal who really had the power in that arrangement.

Then there is the issue of clothing. On the one hand, nudity is often portrayed as a symbol of power and control — as in the case of heroic statues or when exhibitionists terrorize shocked women. On the other, nudity is seen as the ultimate vulnerability — such as when prisoners stripped to reduce their resistance or when school boys are depantsed by bullies.

A powerful imbalance presents itself when when one person is naked and another clothed. And in our culture, the naked person, whether it be a patient with a clothed doctor or a naked pledge with clothed frat brothers, is often assumed to be the one with less power. Take that naked person outside, where they run the risk of being seen and arrested, and the vulnerability increases exponentially. Or so we assume.

The issues of control, power, and vulnerability are never far from the mind of a true nakedist. So we decided to play with some of these symbols and situations in our latest video, Naked for my cocksucker. Check it out in our Nakedism Video Theatre and decide for yourself: Is this a balanced arrangement? Or at any moment could one person find himself a kind of sexual victim? And if so, who would it be?