Is Posting of Full-Frontal Nudity Exhibitionism?

I received the following comment to my Canyon Creek post this morning:

arent you being a exhibitonist by posting pics of yourself? Showing everything is not good for nudists.

Anonymous | 12.15.09 - 8:48 am

Normally I respond to comments with a follow up comment, keeping the thread together. However, this is a topic I wrestled with for a long time as I tried to figure out how my chosen lifestyle fit in with an honest depiction of myself. And I've come to the conclusion that we, as nudists, need to quit hiding that which we profess doesn't matter being seen . . . our nudity. And that includes our genitals. My blog is written for nudists and naturists . . . and for anyone curious or interested in just what this lifestyle is all about. It is meant to debunk the popularist misconceptions about body shame . . . it's meant to show that we can have fun being nude without any sexual overtones. It is meant to encourage all nudists to set aside fears and misapprehensions and live what they preach. In my humble opinion, showing everything IS good for nudism. I practice what I preach.

Am I an exhibitionist? Depending on how you interpret the word, yes, I am. I'm damn well proud of my body and I try the best to keep myself in shape. So yes . . . I feel good inside when people I unexpectantly encounter on the trail comment positively on my nudity, or viewers of the images I freely post to this blog and my photo albums give a thumbs up. There is nothing sexual in the images . . . they are not meant to elicit a sexual response from anyone, nor provide me with a sexual thrill from knowing someone is looking "at everything" . . . my genitals. Those genitals are simply one more part of my body. I don't hide them. Does that make me an exhibitionist? Again, it depends on interpretation and context.

I'm fully aware that some visitors to this site are coming here seeking nude images for their own perverse pleasures . . . voyeurs. So what? there is little, if anything, I can do about that short of retreating and burying my head in the sand. I give fair-enough warning on my site before a visitor sees any frontal nudity. That's the limit of my obligation to the easily-offended visitor. Beyond the opening screen the images I post are not strategically-posed nor censored. I'm a big-enough man . . . I can deal with you taking me anyway you wish. Hopefully, that's following along and enjoying the mental imagery of my nude hikes in nature . . . nothing hidden because it is time for nudists and naturists to be honest with their beliefs.

***

Have you ever noticed that coy, strategically-posed nude images often convey a sexual undercurrent not matter the context? Nude calendars . . . Calvin Klein full-color, glossy ads . . . Victoria's Secret mannikin's on full front window display in our supposedly family-friendly malls ...

Compare the two images below. One . . . the one from the post you object to . . . shows everything. The other . . . well, I got playful with the pose and placed a large leaf to obscure my genitals. Which one is more provocative? Which one has the sexual undercurrent just waiting to be elicited out of the image . . . has the viewer wondering what lays hidden behind the leaf?

Hannibal Lecter: First principles, Clarice. Simplicity. Read Marcus Aurelius. Of each particular thing ask: what is it in itself? What is its nature? What does he do, this man you seek?

...

Hannibal Lecter: He covets. That is his nature. And how do we begin to covet, Clarice? Do we seek out things to covet? Make an effort to answer now.

Clarice Starling: No. We just...

Hannibal Lecter: No. We begin by coveting what we see every day. Don't you feel eyes moving over your body, Clarice? And don't your eyes seek out the things you want?

Those lines from Silence of the Lambs have always intrigued me . . . the nature of desire and wanting. What are your eyes seeking out? I think the short discourse is appropriate in our context. We covet what we don't have, and in the case of coy, strategically-placed poses we covet what we can't see, what is not given to us and is just beyond our grasp. We sexualize the image. When we are open and honest about our nudity what is there to want that we aren't seeing already? You can't read anything extra into the image.

So, to answer your question, Mr. Anonymous, I truly believe full frontal nudity in appropriate settings is very good for nudism. It can only serve to prove to to curious, the almost-convinced, the fully-covered textile that we have nothing to be ashamed of and we will not be cowed into feeling shame for ourselves. Every body is a wondrous Creation . . . the nude body is especially beautiful. Why hide any part of that beauty?