**********************************************
NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE
UPDATE
**********************************************
http://www.naturistaction.org
**********************************************
Copyright 2008 by the Naturist Action Committee, which is responsible for its content. Permission is granted for the posting, forwarding or redistribution of this message, provided that it is reproduced in its entirety and without alteration.
DATE: November 30, 2008
SUBJECT: Lee Baxandall Memorial Service
TO: All naturists
Dear Naturist,
Lee Baxandall, founder of The Naturist Society, died recently in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. His wife, Johanna, has announced a secular memorial service for Lee.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
2:00 PM
Seefeld Funeral Services
Oregon Street Chapel
1025 Oregon Street
Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54902
Lee is survived by his wife Johanna, by his sister Ann, by his son Phineas, by two grandchildren and by thousands and thousands of naturists.
Lee’s life and his deeds have affected and influenced many people. Nicky Hoffman Lee of The Naturist Society is compiling specific remembrances of Lee Baxandall. If you have a story you’d like to share, please send it to Nicky by e-mail at: nickyh@naturistsociety.com.
Complete obituaries will appear in upcoming issues of The Newsletter and N magazine. Tributes to Lee Baxandall will be a part of Naturist Gatherings and Festivals in the coming year.
Naturally,
Bob Morton
Executive Director
Naturist Action Committee
-------------------------------------------------
Naturist Action Committee (NAC)
- PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903
Executive Director Bob Morton
- execdir@naturistaction.org
Naturist Society: Nicky Hoffman Lee
– nickyh@naturistsociety.com
Online Representative Dennis Kirkpatrick
- naturist@sunclad.com
-------------------------------------------------
Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked
Sunday, November 30, 2008
The Sunday Newds 11/30/08
- Women in Manchester, England, are getting breast enhancements at twice the rate as women in London.
"Oh, women have massive boobs in Manchester," my 22-year-old law student cousin, Sarah, who lives just outside the city, tells me breezily. "There’s a lot of money around and it’s that Manchester look, isn’t it? Low cut tops, perma-tans, hair extensions. If you go out in town on a Saturday to places like Tiger Tiger or Circle Bar everyone is dolled up. Big breasts are just part of the look."
- Thanksgiving is celebrated at the Riverside Ranch the same as everywhere else, with the exception of clothing.
- British rugby teams are rivals on the field, as well as with their competing nude calendars.
(Flanker Andy) Hazell said his team mates did not need much convincing to take their clothes off for charity.
"It's just a bit of fun and we thought it would be good to do something like this," he said.
"The boys are always willing to take their clothes off and pose around, so it seemed a logical thing to do really." - When Suzanne G. Fullam proposed a nude calendar project to benefit a local library, she was told that it would be impossible to get a group of men to pose naked.
A few months later, a contingent of firefighters pulled up for a photo shoot, jumped out of the truck and stripped down. Mr. (Cortland A.) Gariepy was stunned and told them to put their clothes back on until he’d set up the shot. “They were definitely the most comfortable. I saw a lot of things I didn’t want to see,” he said. Now, an image of several firefighters, including Chief Joseph Rogowski, with strategically positioned axes and hydrants graces one of the months in the newly released calendar.
- A German caregiver at a day care center allowed a small group of children to play naked in a separate room after they had repeatedly removed their clothing on their own.
The nude frolicking of some of the children first began after the summer holidays. The fact that other children were disturbed by the lack of clothing did not put an end to the practice. Staff decided to put the nude kids in a separate room, where they could play, under supervision, in all of nature's glory. While the parents of the kids playing au naturel were informed, other parents were not. And when word got out, parents were incensed, talking about "pornography" at the day care centre.
- Parents of a Michigan teen suspended for sending a topless photo of herself to classmates are considering a lawsuit for gender discrimination because male students take photos of themselves topless all the time and are not suspended.
- The Watford Naturist Swimming Club in Great Britain is celebrating its 40th anniversary.
- Artist Melissa Sharplin has been painting nudes since she was 15 years old, and drew her inspiration from a stack of old Playboy magazines.
"I went to fashion school and always loved fashion advertising and women's figures and trying on clothes. I have always loved the female nude", she says.
"In the 70s it was about free love. It was about beauty and natural beauty." - AP reporter Hugh Mulligan has died.
Competing with AP colleagues in New York for choice feature assignments, Mulligan drew the short straw — a weekend in a Pennsylvania nudist colony.
Oh, great," his hostess-to-be said by phone. "You'll be here in time for the square dance."
Mulligan later described her as "5-feet-2 in any direction and barefoot all the way up to her harlequin sunglasses" and said the July 4 barbecue was "about the same as any other place except that people tend to stand a little further away from the fire." - Seven students were suspended from a Michigan high school for nude cell phone photos, but any potential criminal charges are uncertain.
Since the girl who took and sent the picture is under 18 the picture is considered child pornography, a felony, and anyone involved in having or sending the picture could face penalties that (Grand Blanc police Det. Robert) McFadden said range from seven to 20 years in prison. "Honestly I don't think we're going to send any kids to prison for 20 years, or even seven," McFadden said.
- I've said time and time again on this blog that if nudism can actually become a thriving capitalist profit cash cow, it will gain more widespread acceptance. Richard Mason, the president of the Florida Naturist Association says it's time for the state of Florida to "grow up" and create more nude beaches, which would create revenue from parking fees and help with state revenue problems. "Naturists like to be around the ocean," he said. "You put one of those beaches in Palm Beach County and it will draw a lot of people."
- Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls band ended up topless on stage after challenging the audience to donate some money to charity.
"i made a joke from stage the other night during the collection for the danger ensemble (because steven pointed out that i looked like i was about to take my bra off). i joked that i would take my top off if someone donated $500 to the danger ensemble. and [expletive], some generously crazy person went to the club ATM and gave steven five $100 bills. so i had psycho crank up the painful techno remix of coin-operated boy and we had a topless rave (well, it wasn't much of a rave, and i was the only topless one, but we definitely all danced to flashing lights and bad techno) to end the show. i'd say the offer stands, but i think i'll tack on an extra hundred-dollar donation bounty for anyone who wants to see the topless rave again."
- Rosario Dawson is proud of her body, in part because her mother took her to nude beaches when she was young. "She'd say, 'I hate tan lines,' and off our bathing suits would go."
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
NAC Advisory - Death of Lee Baxandall
**********************************************************************
NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE ADVISORY
**********************************************************************
http://www.naturistaction.org
**********************************************************************
Copyright 2008 by the Naturist Action Committee, which is responsible for its content. Permission is granted for the posting, forwarding or redistribution of this message, provided that it is reproduced in its entirety and without alteration.
DATE: November 28, 2008
SUBJECT: Lee Baxandall (1935-2008)
TO: All naturists
Dear Naturist,
The Naturist Society has announced with profound sadness that its founder, Lee Baxandall, has died in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Baxandall, who had suffered from Parkinson’s Disease, was 73 years old at the time of his death on November 27, 2008.
Baxandall began his work as a naturist activist more than 30 years ago. With a background in writing and publishing, Lee’s naturist passion led him in 1976 to form the Free Beaches Documentation Center, which he located in his hometown of Oshkosh. By 1980, Lee had founded The Naturist Society (TNS), and TNS had presented its first Gathering for naturists. ‘Clothed with the Sun,’ the flagship publication of TNS in its early years, was renamed ‘Nude & Natural,’ or more simply, ‘N’ magazine in 1989. Today, the magazine has a staff of professional and volunteer writers, but in the early days, much of the content of the magazine was pure Baxandall.
Lee was also the initiating force behind other familiar naturist organizations. In 1983, it was a Baxandall idea (and $70 in seed money that Lee pulled from his own pocket and gave to Murray Kaufman) that led to the TNS special interest group that would become Gay Naturists International. In 1990, Baxandall jump-started the Naturist Action Committee as an adjunct to TNS. The Naturist Education Foundation followed in 1993.
For the decades of the 1980s and 1990s, ‘Lee Baxandall’s World Guide to Nude Beaches and Resorts’ was the standard companion for those seeking information on naturist destinations throughout the world. Each edition of the World Guide reflected Lee’s naturist philosophy, not only for growing numbers of naturists, but also for the benefit of an expanding mainstream audience. Baxandall’s World Guide is the inspiration for ‘The World’s Best Nude Beaches and Resorts,’ a recent TNS publication that carries on the tradition.
In 2002, recognizing the inevitable effect of his declining health, Baxandall transferred ownership of The Naturist Society to a carefully selected handful of longtime associates. TNS is necessarily a dynamic organization that responds to the changing needs of its members. Nevertheless, owners Nicky Hoffman Lee and Margaret Thornton have remained remarkably faithful to the vision of Lee Baxandall.
DETAILS AND ARRANGMENTS
Arrangements are pending. Lee’s family has not yet announced details. More complete obituaries will, of course, appear in N magazine and in The Newsletter. The Naturist Action Committee will distribute further information in the form of NAC Updates, as details become available.
The directors of the Naturist Action Committee and the Naturist Education Foundation join with the ownership and staff of The Naturist Society in marking, with respect and appreciation, the passing of an exceptional individual.
“Body acceptance is the idea. Nude recreation is the way.”
- Lee R. Baxandall (1935-2008)
Naturally,
Bob Morton
Executive Director
Naturist Action Committee
---------------------------------------------------------------
Naturist Action Committee (NAC) - PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903
Executive Director Bob Morton - execdir@naturistaction.org
Naturist Society:
Nicky Hoffman Lee – nickyh@naturistsociety.com
Online Representative Dennis Kirkpatrick - naturist@sunclad.com
---------------------------------------------------------------
Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked
NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE ADVISORY
**********************************************************************
http://www.naturistaction.org
**********************************************************************
Copyright 2008 by the Naturist Action Committee, which is responsible for its content. Permission is granted for the posting, forwarding or redistribution of this message, provided that it is reproduced in its entirety and without alteration.
DATE: November 28, 2008
SUBJECT: Lee Baxandall (1935-2008)
TO: All naturists
Dear Naturist,
The Naturist Society has announced with profound sadness that its founder, Lee Baxandall, has died in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Baxandall, who had suffered from Parkinson’s Disease, was 73 years old at the time of his death on November 27, 2008.
Baxandall began his work as a naturist activist more than 30 years ago. With a background in writing and publishing, Lee’s naturist passion led him in 1976 to form the Free Beaches Documentation Center, which he located in his hometown of Oshkosh. By 1980, Lee had founded The Naturist Society (TNS), and TNS had presented its first Gathering for naturists. ‘Clothed with the Sun,’ the flagship publication of TNS in its early years, was renamed ‘Nude & Natural,’ or more simply, ‘N’ magazine in 1989. Today, the magazine has a staff of professional and volunteer writers, but in the early days, much of the content of the magazine was pure Baxandall.
Lee was also the initiating force behind other familiar naturist organizations. In 1983, it was a Baxandall idea (and $70 in seed money that Lee pulled from his own pocket and gave to Murray Kaufman) that led to the TNS special interest group that would become Gay Naturists International. In 1990, Baxandall jump-started the Naturist Action Committee as an adjunct to TNS. The Naturist Education Foundation followed in 1993.
For the decades of the 1980s and 1990s, ‘Lee Baxandall’s World Guide to Nude Beaches and Resorts’ was the standard companion for those seeking information on naturist destinations throughout the world. Each edition of the World Guide reflected Lee’s naturist philosophy, not only for growing numbers of naturists, but also for the benefit of an expanding mainstream audience. Baxandall’s World Guide is the inspiration for ‘The World’s Best Nude Beaches and Resorts,’ a recent TNS publication that carries on the tradition.
In 2002, recognizing the inevitable effect of his declining health, Baxandall transferred ownership of The Naturist Society to a carefully selected handful of longtime associates. TNS is necessarily a dynamic organization that responds to the changing needs of its members. Nevertheless, owners Nicky Hoffman Lee and Margaret Thornton have remained remarkably faithful to the vision of Lee Baxandall.
DETAILS AND ARRANGMENTS
Arrangements are pending. Lee’s family has not yet announced details. More complete obituaries will, of course, appear in N magazine and in The Newsletter. The Naturist Action Committee will distribute further information in the form of NAC Updates, as details become available.
The directors of the Naturist Action Committee and the Naturist Education Foundation join with the ownership and staff of The Naturist Society in marking, with respect and appreciation, the passing of an exceptional individual.
“Body acceptance is the idea. Nude recreation is the way.”
- Lee R. Baxandall (1935-2008)
Naturally,
Bob Morton
Executive Director
Naturist Action Committee
---------------------------------------------------------------
Naturist Action Committee (NAC) - PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903
Executive Director Bob Morton - execdir@naturistaction.org
Naturist Society:
Nicky Hoffman Lee – nickyh@naturistsociety.com
Online Representative Dennis Kirkpatrick - naturist@sunclad.com
---------------------------------------------------------------
Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
The Daily Newds 11/25/08
- 52 year-old Kim Cattrall has posed nude for a photo based upon Titian's Diana and Actaeon as part of a campaign to raise money to purchase the original painting.
- A Florida night club has sued the city of Destin, claiming that city ordinances against nude dancing are in violation of the First Amendment.
- Alton Illinois is considering an ordinance change which would prohibit shirtless male bartenders.
A federal court case is being interpreted to mean it is unconstitutional to specify which gender is prohibited to be topless in a nudity ordinance, and so the city wants to comply with that ruling, said Corporation Counselor Jim Schrempf.
- While Alton is considering a ban on male nipples, firefighters in Peoria are baring theirs to raise money for charity.
- Nigerian woman are threatening a nude protest over the insensitivity of an oil company.
- In discussing the outrage over a topless photo in a Cambridge undergrad magazine, a writer concludes that prudishness is a rite of passage for any educated person.
- The Righteous Mothers singing "Old Fat Naked Women for Peace" is pretty cool. "Knock it off or we'll take it off."
Monday, November 24, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
The Sunday Newds 11/23/08
- A dance concert at Macalester College in Minnesota features nudity.
"I started with nudity as the subject matter itself rather than the effect of some other concept, because I was-and continue to be-interested in it as a social experiment," (Emily) Gastineau said. "It's been very specific to the context of Macalester, because in some places a naked dance would be totally unremarkable and in others it just wouldn't be done, but we're somewhere in the middle."
- A couple of radio hosts did their show in the nude in honor of Australian Nudist Federation's National Nude Week.
- The Chicago Tribune features two stories on nude recreation here and here.
Some people who haven't tried nudity say, "I wouldn't want to see that person naked on the beach." I overcame that attitude. Most people are flawed, but nudists don't care what size or shape bodies come in, so the experience equalizes fat and skinny, old and young, gorgeous and not so gorgeous. Everyone's just there to have fun, to tan, to chat or to relax. Since I could forgive them their supposed flaws, I forgave myself my own. My confidence blossomed in all areas of my life. My appreciation of people for all their differences expanded.
- An Illinois man was cleared on 5 counts of creating child pornography.
The former manager of the Discover More! Store at the Children's Discovery Museum in Normal was charged because of photos of five naked boys he took at a 2006 birthday party for his son at his home.
While Shoemaker admitted in court that taking the photos was inappropriate, he denied directing the boys. He also said didn't think the six photos were lewd, just young boys displaying locker room-type behavior.
The appellate court agreed, saying in its ruling "the photos ... appear to be examples of nudity without lewdness and not child pornography." - An article in the Cape Cod Times equates nude sunbathing and streaking with public masturbation and sexual intercourse as problems being faced by local police.
- More nude calendar stories here and here.
- Body painting is part of the Taboo Naughty but Nice Sex Show, but artists and models claim it's less about sex than it is about art.
"You're a canvas for someone's art and we get the pleasure of wearing someone's art," said the professional model.
"We don't want to walk around and say, 'Hey, we're naked.' We want people to look at how well these people can do their job." - Three nightclubs at the nudist community Cap d'Agde in France have been destroyed by fire, and investigators suspect arson resulting from mounting tensions between traditional nudists (naturists) and those who want to live a swingers lifestyle (échangistes).
“We don’t want to put the échangiste places out of business,” said Gilles Beaumont, a naturist and regular at Cap d’Agde. “It’s true that we don’t like being mixed up with the swingers. But we respect other people and their right to behave as they please.”
- A couple is suing McDonald's because they left a cell phone with nude photos of the woman at an Arkansas restaurant, and the images ended up on the Internet.
- Lawsuits have been filed in Seattle against a school district over nude photos of cheerleaders distributed by cell phone.
Both lawsuits, filed Monday in King County Superior Court, accuse school administrators of violating the girls' due process rights, needlessly sharing the photos with other school staff members and failing to promptly report the matter to police as possible child pornography.
- Naturist activist and attorney Allen Baylis will be lecturing at California Polytechnic State University on "Recreational Nudity - With Impunity".
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
The Weekend Newds 11/21/08
- Did you know that Spencer Tunick did a nude photo shoot in a Brooklyn bar on election night?
- The daughter of an English cricket legend has organized a nude calendar to raise money for breast cancer.
"We were all nervous about going completely nude. But it's brought us closer and we're so glad we've done it.
We just hope the money raised will help." - Should the government restrict pornography? Yes and No.
- In Las Vegas, women apparently cannot enter some topless bars unless accompanied by a male. A writer wonders how that can be legal.
- The whole world will be laughing hysterically if the Janet Jackson nipplegate episode is actually heard by the United States Supreme Court.
- Speaking of nipples, American Apparel's new ad campaign features some.
- Six figurines lampooning Disney's seven dwarfs have been banned from a New Zealand gallery because of their sexually graphic positions. Sleazy, Gropey, Horny, Randy, Rumpy, Grabby and Dick?
- The 15 year-old Ohio teen facing a felony for sending a nude photo of herself to classmates unexpectedly revealed that she received similar photos in return, prompting prosecutor Ken Oswalt to open an inquiry into bringing new charges against some boys.
He said after the hearing the girl might not understand that a depiction of a male juvenile without a shirt does not qualify as child pornography..."This is serious stuff," he said. "I'm not out there telling (students) one thing and then not backing it up."
With this statement Oswalt proves that this entire fiasco is all about him covering his own ass. What higher office are you running for, Ken? It's not about the children, it's about the prosecutor maintaining his credibility. How can a child who does not even understand the meaning or pornography be charged with a felony?
The good news is that the judge has left it open for the girl to have the case dismissed if she adheres to certain conditions, a way out that the overzealous prosecutor was apparently unwilling to offer. - Moorehead State University is holding its second annual Nearly Naked Mile charity run.
- A Cambridge student who is under attack for appearing topless in a magazine is getting a lot of support from her peers.
Natalie Szarek, women's officer at the Cambridge Union debating society, said: "We totally support her choice to do this photo. It's entirely up to her what she does and we would never tell an individual what they can or cannot do with their body."It's inconceivable that any action could be taken against her and we would certainly support her in that case."think the whole thing has been blown out of proportion - she has done nothing illegal."
- A Catholic priest who was arrested for jogging nude around a Colorado high school track has been put on probation and required to register as a sex offender for at least 10 years, even though there was no sexual act associated with his run. The priest will appeal.
- What thoughts are running around inside the head of a nude artists' model?
- An editorial in a Pennsylvania newspaper makes the following statement: "Taking, sending and possessing nude pictures of anyone 18 and younger is a felony". If that is true, then all parents with nude photo of their child on a rug or in the bath must burn the images immediately.
- Students at Northern Michigan University celebrate the first big snowfall of the season by running nude around a courtyard.
The Brule Run is also just one of many organized streaking events held on college campuses around the United States.At Dartmouth College, students celebrate an annual swim across the Connecticut River by running back to the starting point in the nude. Students at Tufts University in Massachusetts celebrate the end of the fall semester by streaking around the residential quad, and at Hamilton College in New York they actually have a varsity streaking team.
- A man in his sixties stripped naked in a public shower when a small group of children ages 5 to 11 were present.
...as a result of complaints by parents, a report of the incident and the relevant CCTV footage were forwarded by Newtownabbey Council to local PSNI officers.Mr. Hollis also raised the matter with Councillor Jackie Mann, who this week called for an end to communal changing areas at the Valley..."This was a nasty incident and I hope the kids who were present weren't too upset by it." Councillor Mann went on to criticise Council officials for not acting sooner in reporting the matter to police.
- Australian naturists presented a petition with 1000 signatures demanding for the government to establish a nude beach.
- A woman stripped down in various New York locations in order to study the reactions of people. Video here.
Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
The Daily Newds 11/18/08
- Skinny dipping on Danish beaches has been declared a legal right.
- Professor Linda Kay is recognized by a former student while she is completely nude in a locker room.
My daughter, who just entered university and is the same age as many of my students, calls it "highly disturbing" that I disrobe at all in a public locker room. When she occasionally accompanies me to the Y for a swim, she'll head to the bathroom to undress in private. She won't even remove her bathing suit in the shower and strongly feels I should follow her lead.
But years of swimming in a master's club at a public pool, where communal showers were the rule, have accustomed me to the open concept. It never fazed me to stand naked before fellow swimmers in my club, maybe because most of us were middle-aged and sagging in similar places. - The reborn Fontainebleau hotel in Miami will feature a "European bath" where topfree sunbathing will be allowed.
- Nudism could be the answer to help boost the economy in a section of Australia.
“We’re keen to encourage other people to enjoy the freedom of social nudism. It’s not sleazy, offensive or sexually orientated. Getting your gear off is a great leveller - people aren’t judged by the clothes they wear and everyone interacts happily without preconceived ideas.’’
- A proposed Penthouse casino could feature completely nude women serving as dealers.
- Stephen Gough, Great Britain's "Naked Rambler", has been cleared of a breach of the peace charge for leaving a Glasgow prison without wearing any clothes, due to lack of evidence.
- Actress Kate Hudson is willing to appear nude on screen as long as it's important to the story.
“My mother and father never made a big deal about nudity in our house. “I often walk around naked or just wearing panties. Actors are all supposed to be emotionally naked anyway,” she said.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Saturday, November 15, 2008
The Weekend Newds 11/15/08
- In addition to dropping the anti-nudity proposal, the Seattle parks commissioners asked parks officials to explore the possibility of creating a clothing-optional beach in the city.
- An Australian writer observes that people seem to be baring more skin these days.
L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival director Karen Webster says fashion trends move in cycles rather than straight lines. The recent flourishing of flesh is not necessarily leading to maximum exposure — or, heavens forbid, rip-roaring nudity. To the contrary, a counter trend is emerging that could again see people dressing up rather than down, she says.
- A Polish priest has been convicted of wilful exposure for sunbathing nude or nearly nude in a Melbourne public park.
Magistrate Janet Wahlquist found that Father Pawlowski was indeed naked in the park and that most people would find it obscene that a grown man was sunbaking naked in a park where children might play.
She fined him $400 and recorded a conviction. - A provocative dance theatre show in Toronto has "16 performers putting on and taking off their clothes like going through a continually revolving door".
- Australia has passed a new set of protocols for artists who work with nude children.
Council CEO Kathy Keele says the protocols are designed to strike a balance between protecting children and upholding the right to freedom of expression.
Artists are claiming that the new guidelines are unworkable.
"If you're working with anyone under the age of 15 and they're to be fully or partly naked, you would have to send us the permission of the parents or guardian, stating that you have explained the context of the work to the parents and the child, and that they understand the nature and the intended outcome of the work," she said.
"They [must] commit to direct supervision of the child while the child is naked."Tamara Winikoff, executive director of the National Association for the Visual Arts, said that requiring artists working with all children under 15 years to get parental permission was restrictive.
"That's problematic, particularly for people like documentary photographers who work in the street," Ms Winikoff said. "At the moment there are no restrictions on taking crowd photographs or photographs of people in the street without their permission … This would impose a very, very unreasonable restriction."
Friday, November 14, 2008
NAC UPDATE 11/14/08 - Washington: Seattle REJECTS nudity ban!
**********************************************************************
NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE
UPDATE
**********************************************************************
http://www.naturistaction.org
**********************************************************************
Copyright 2008 by the Naturist Action Committee, which is responsible for its content. Permission is granted for the posting, forwarding or redistribution of this message, provided that it is reproduced in its entirety and without alteration.
DATE: November 14, 2008
SUBJECT: Seattle, WA
TO: All naturists
Dear Naturist,
Very good news! The Naturist Action Committee offers this Update concerning a proposed ban on nudity in the public parks of Seattle, Washington. The Board of Parks Commissioners received the proposal at its regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, November 13.
The Board has rejected the anti-nudity proposal. The matter has been removed from the Board's agenda for future meetings.
NAC board member Mark Storey attended the meeting, and he addressed the Commissioners on behalf of naturists and others who oppose the proposed prohibiting of nudity.
MARK STOREY'S REPORT
Mark has filed this narrative report:
The Seattle Parks Board of Commissioners met Thursday evening in Seattle's Park Headquarters, in part, to receive a staff-generated proposal for a ban on nudity in Seattle parks. Approximately 20 nudity-friendly men and women attended the meeting, hoping to express their disfavor with the ban proposed by Seattle Parks. After preliminary discussion by Parks Superintendent Tim Gallagher, board Vice Chair Jackie Ramels informed the audience that no public input would be accepted that evening on the topic of the proposed ban, and that everyone would have an opportunity to speak his or her mind on January 8 when the board had scheduled a public hearing for the ban.
Naturists in the audience were disappointed, but I had heard about this policy shortly before the meeting, and signed up to speak anyway. When Ramels asked if I was hoping to speak about nudity, I said, "No, I had no wish to address the proposed ban. I instead wished to praise the board for the Seattle Parks Strategic Action Plan Summary of Public Feedback that I had received that day. Gallagher laughed, and waved me up to the podium, saying, "Bring him up here!"
The only person to speak from the audience, I thanked the Parks Department for organizing such an efficient means of receiving public input a couple of months ago, when they wanted to hear what users of Seattle parks wanted done in the upcoming five years. I said that my wife and I had attended two of the meetings, and were impressed with how well they were run. I was also impressed with the detail of the report, and how among those expressing interest in off-leash dog areas, swimming pools, green spaces, and other public uses, the one item of interest that outranked all of them was the amazing outpouring of interest in developing a clothing-optional beach at a Seattle Park. Where other requests came in batches of two or a half dozen, the number of comments favoring clothing-optional beaches stretched across 22 pages! I did not remind them that NAC had sent out an Action Alert six months ago, and that many of the comments may have been inspired by NAC. I wanted the board to have clear in their minds in the minutes to come that there were many, many people in Seattle who liked the idea of at least some toleration for nudity in public parks.
I concluded my two-minute address by saying that NAC and local groups looked forward to conferring with Seattle Parks in determining how best to accommodate this broad-ranging user group. I could not tell if the board was amused or not, but Ramels asked the next couple of potential speakers if they too planned on talking about "the Strategic Plan." All seemed ready to let the board hear from Seattle Parks, and changing the agenda to account for the audience's clear interest in nudity issues, move directly to the proposal.
Seattle Parks Strategic Advisor Karen Tsao presented the proposal for the ban, sounding a little nervous, but graciously sympathetic to those naturists sitting around her. The board immediately, though calmly, questioned the need for such a ban. Were there really so many complaints about nudity? And what about all those people who seem to enjoy it? Couldn't Seattle Parks accommodate skinny-dippers by providing a designated portion of beach with signs alerting passersby to the clothing-optional policy there?
Some on the board wished to hear from the public in coming weeks, to hear why so many people clearly wanted a clothing-optional beach. They also wanted to hear why some felt offended. Ramels moved, however, that the board reject the ban for now, to urge Seattle Parks to continue to give use permits as they have in the past (e.g., to naturist groups or for naked bike rides), and to limit future permits to groups who allowed problems to arise or who generated too many complaints. She-and most of the board-felt that a case by case approach to specific groups was better than an overarching ban on nudity in city parks.
Board member Terry Holme made the point that there is a clear distinction between the evening's proposed ban and the loud call for a clothing-optional beach. While he agreed that the ban was ill-advised at the moment, Seattle Parks should also be open to discussion about accommodating those who wish to sunbathe or skinny-dip in Seattle.
This was outstanding! NAC and its body-accepting friends entered this meeting fearing Seattle Parks would ban nudity, and we walked out with the Parks Board saying "no" to the ban and charging Seattle Parks to enter into discussion about creating the state's first officially sanctioned nude beach!
Be assured that NAC and its local allies will be presenting naturist-friendly alternatives to Seattle Parks in the days and weeks to come. In a follow-up NAC Advisory we'll let people know how they can send emails or letters to Seattle Parks to support this effort, even with the cancellation of the now no longer needed January 8 public hearing. For tonight, know that your amazing response to NAC Alerts calling for comments on Seattle Parks' Strategic Plan and for attendance at tonight's meeting has paid off better than in any single project I've been involved with.
MORE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
Additional information and links are available, along with this NAC Action Alert on the web site of the Naturist Action Committee. Go to: www.naturistaction.org and then select "Alerts" to find this NAC Update under Current Updates. NAC will distribute new information on this important situation as it develops.
PLEASE HELP NAC TO CONTINUE HELPING NATURISTS!
The Naturist Action Committee is a volunteer nonprofit organization that exists to advance and protect the rights of naturists throughout North America. To do its job, NAC relies entirely on the voluntary generosity of supporters like you. Please donate generously to NAC.
NAC
PO Box 132
Oshkosh, WI 54903
Or call toll free (800) 886-7230 to donate by phone using your MasterCard, Visa or Discover Card. Or use your credit card to make a convenient online donation: www.naturistaction.org/donate/
Thank you for choosing to make a difference.
Naturally,
Bob Morton
Executive Director
Naturist Action Committee
---------------------------------------------------------------
Naturist Action Committee (NAC) - PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903
Executive Dir. Bob Morton - execdir@naturistaction.org
Board Member Mark Storey - storey98@aol.com
Online Rep. Dennis Kirkpatrick - naturist@sunclad.com
---------------------------------------------------------------
Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked
NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE
UPDATE
**********************************************************************
http://www.naturistaction.org
**********************************************************************
Copyright 2008 by the Naturist Action Committee, which is responsible for its content. Permission is granted for the posting, forwarding or redistribution of this message, provided that it is reproduced in its entirety and without alteration.
DATE: November 14, 2008
SUBJECT: Seattle, WA
TO: All naturists
Dear Naturist,
Very good news! The Naturist Action Committee offers this Update concerning a proposed ban on nudity in the public parks of Seattle, Washington. The Board of Parks Commissioners received the proposal at its regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, November 13.
The Board has rejected the anti-nudity proposal. The matter has been removed from the Board's agenda for future meetings.
NAC board member Mark Storey attended the meeting, and he addressed the Commissioners on behalf of naturists and others who oppose the proposed prohibiting of nudity.
MARK STOREY'S REPORT
Mark has filed this narrative report:
The Seattle Parks Board of Commissioners met Thursday evening in Seattle's Park Headquarters, in part, to receive a staff-generated proposal for a ban on nudity in Seattle parks. Approximately 20 nudity-friendly men and women attended the meeting, hoping to express their disfavor with the ban proposed by Seattle Parks. After preliminary discussion by Parks Superintendent Tim Gallagher, board Vice Chair Jackie Ramels informed the audience that no public input would be accepted that evening on the topic of the proposed ban, and that everyone would have an opportunity to speak his or her mind on January 8 when the board had scheduled a public hearing for the ban.
Naturists in the audience were disappointed, but I had heard about this policy shortly before the meeting, and signed up to speak anyway. When Ramels asked if I was hoping to speak about nudity, I said, "No, I had no wish to address the proposed ban. I instead wished to praise the board for the Seattle Parks Strategic Action Plan Summary of Public Feedback that I had received that day. Gallagher laughed, and waved me up to the podium, saying, "Bring him up here!"
The only person to speak from the audience, I thanked the Parks Department for organizing such an efficient means of receiving public input a couple of months ago, when they wanted to hear what users of Seattle parks wanted done in the upcoming five years. I said that my wife and I had attended two of the meetings, and were impressed with how well they were run. I was also impressed with the detail of the report, and how among those expressing interest in off-leash dog areas, swimming pools, green spaces, and other public uses, the one item of interest that outranked all of them was the amazing outpouring of interest in developing a clothing-optional beach at a Seattle Park. Where other requests came in batches of two or a half dozen, the number of comments favoring clothing-optional beaches stretched across 22 pages! I did not remind them that NAC had sent out an Action Alert six months ago, and that many of the comments may have been inspired by NAC. I wanted the board to have clear in their minds in the minutes to come that there were many, many people in Seattle who liked the idea of at least some toleration for nudity in public parks.
I concluded my two-minute address by saying that NAC and local groups looked forward to conferring with Seattle Parks in determining how best to accommodate this broad-ranging user group. I could not tell if the board was amused or not, but Ramels asked the next couple of potential speakers if they too planned on talking about "the Strategic Plan." All seemed ready to let the board hear from Seattle Parks, and changing the agenda to account for the audience's clear interest in nudity issues, move directly to the proposal.
Seattle Parks Strategic Advisor Karen Tsao presented the proposal for the ban, sounding a little nervous, but graciously sympathetic to those naturists sitting around her. The board immediately, though calmly, questioned the need for such a ban. Were there really so many complaints about nudity? And what about all those people who seem to enjoy it? Couldn't Seattle Parks accommodate skinny-dippers by providing a designated portion of beach with signs alerting passersby to the clothing-optional policy there?
Some on the board wished to hear from the public in coming weeks, to hear why so many people clearly wanted a clothing-optional beach. They also wanted to hear why some felt offended. Ramels moved, however, that the board reject the ban for now, to urge Seattle Parks to continue to give use permits as they have in the past (e.g., to naturist groups or for naked bike rides), and to limit future permits to groups who allowed problems to arise or who generated too many complaints. She-and most of the board-felt that a case by case approach to specific groups was better than an overarching ban on nudity in city parks.
Board member Terry Holme made the point that there is a clear distinction between the evening's proposed ban and the loud call for a clothing-optional beach. While he agreed that the ban was ill-advised at the moment, Seattle Parks should also be open to discussion about accommodating those who wish to sunbathe or skinny-dip in Seattle.
This was outstanding! NAC and its body-accepting friends entered this meeting fearing Seattle Parks would ban nudity, and we walked out with the Parks Board saying "no" to the ban and charging Seattle Parks to enter into discussion about creating the state's first officially sanctioned nude beach!
Be assured that NAC and its local allies will be presenting naturist-friendly alternatives to Seattle Parks in the days and weeks to come. In a follow-up NAC Advisory we'll let people know how they can send emails or letters to Seattle Parks to support this effort, even with the cancellation of the now no longer needed January 8 public hearing. For tonight, know that your amazing response to NAC Alerts calling for comments on Seattle Parks' Strategic Plan and for attendance at tonight's meeting has paid off better than in any single project I've been involved with.
MORE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
Additional information and links are available, along with this NAC Action Alert on the web site of the Naturist Action Committee. Go to: www.naturistaction.org and then select "Alerts" to find this NAC Update under Current Updates. NAC will distribute new information on this important situation as it develops.
PLEASE HELP NAC TO CONTINUE HELPING NATURISTS!
The Naturist Action Committee is a volunteer nonprofit organization that exists to advance and protect the rights of naturists throughout North America. To do its job, NAC relies entirely on the voluntary generosity of supporters like you. Please donate generously to NAC.
NAC
PO Box 132
Oshkosh, WI 54903
Or call toll free (800) 886-7230 to donate by phone using your MasterCard, Visa or Discover Card. Or use your credit card to make a convenient online donation: www.naturistaction.org/donate/
Thank you for choosing to make a difference.
Naturally,
Bob Morton
Executive Director
Naturist Action Committee
---------------------------------------------------------------
Naturist Action Committee (NAC) - PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903
Executive Dir. Bob Morton - execdir@naturistaction.org
Board Member Mark Storey - storey98@aol.com
Online Rep. Dennis Kirkpatrick - naturist@sunclad.com
---------------------------------------------------------------
Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked
Thursday, November 13, 2008
NAC Action Alert - Seattle, WA
**********************************************************************
NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE
ACTION ALERT
**********************************************************************
http://www.naturistaction.org/
**********************************************************************
*Copyright 2008 by the Naturist Action Committee, which is responsiblefor its content. Permission is granted for the posting, forwarding or redistribution of this message, provided that it is reproduced in its entirety and without alteration.
DATE : November 12, 2008
SUBJECT: Seattle, WA
TO : Seattle area naturists
Dear Naturist,
The Naturist Action Committee wishes to make you aware of an important situation in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Parks and Recreation Department's Board of Park Commissioners will be presented on Thursday evening with a staff-prepared proposal that would prohibit nudity in any public park or park facility open to the public. Seattle presently has no such rule, and a rich tradition of clothing-optional use has
quietly developed at parks in the city.
WHEN
November 13, 2008
7:00 PM PST
WHERE
Board of Park Commissioners
100 Dexter Avenue N
Seattle, WA 98109
WHAT IS NAC DOING?
NAC board member Mark Storey will be at the meeting, along with others from the Seattle area who oppose the proposed park rule. The Naturist Action Committee has already given a number of local media interviews on this issue.
WHAT IS NAC ASKING YOU TO DO NOW?
If you live in the Seattle area, NAC is asking you to attend the meeting on Thursday evening. Each of those who attend will have an opportunity to speak briefly (2 minutes). This is very short notice, but the information was made available to the public only late Wednesday.
If you speak, NAC suggests that you focus on Parks & Rec's own Strategic Action Plan. Comments solicited from citizens during the recent development of that Plan overwhelmingly asked for the inclusion of clothing-optional areas in public parks. The proposed rule simply ignores the voices of those citizens.
YOU WILL HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE TO ACT
A formal public hearing for the proposed ban on nudity has been scheduled for January 8, 2009. You will have another chance to act. Please watch for additional NAC Action Alerts, Advisories and Updates on this important topic.
MORE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
Additional information and links are available, along with this NAC Action Alert on the web site of the Naturist Action Committee. Go to: http://www.naturistaction.org/ and then select "Alerts" to find this NAC Action Alert under Current Alerts.
PLEASE HELP NAC TO CONTINUE HELPING NATURISTS!
The Naturist Action Committee is a volunteer nonprofit organization that exists to advance and protect the rights of naturists throughout North America. To do its job, NAC relies entirely on the voluntary generosity of supporters like you. Please donate generously to NAC.
NAC
PO Box 132
Oshkosh, WI 54903
Or call toll free (800) 886-7230 to donate by phone using your MasterCard, Visa or Discover Card. Or use your credit card to make a convenient online donation: http://www.naturistaction.org/donate/
Thank you for choosing to make a difference.
Naturally,
Mark Storey
Board Member
Naturist Action Committee
---------------------------------------------------------------
Naturist Action Committee (NAC) - PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903
Executive Director Bob Morton - execdir@naturistaction.org
Board Member Mark Storey - storey98@aol.com
Online Rep. Dennis Kirkpatrick - naturist@sunclad.com
-------------------------------------------------------------
Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked
NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE
ACTION ALERT
**********************************************************************
http://www.naturistaction.org/
**********************************************************************
*Copyright 2008 by the Naturist Action Committee, which is responsiblefor its content. Permission is granted for the posting, forwarding or redistribution of this message, provided that it is reproduced in its entirety and without alteration.
DATE : November 12, 2008
SUBJECT: Seattle, WA
TO : Seattle area naturists
Dear Naturist,
The Naturist Action Committee wishes to make you aware of an important situation in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Parks and Recreation Department's Board of Park Commissioners will be presented on Thursday evening with a staff-prepared proposal that would prohibit nudity in any public park or park facility open to the public. Seattle presently has no such rule, and a rich tradition of clothing-optional use has
quietly developed at parks in the city.
WHEN
November 13, 2008
7:00 PM PST
WHERE
Board of Park Commissioners
100 Dexter Avenue N
Seattle, WA 98109
WHAT IS NAC DOING?
NAC board member Mark Storey will be at the meeting, along with others from the Seattle area who oppose the proposed park rule. The Naturist Action Committee has already given a number of local media interviews on this issue.
WHAT IS NAC ASKING YOU TO DO NOW?
If you live in the Seattle area, NAC is asking you to attend the meeting on Thursday evening. Each of those who attend will have an opportunity to speak briefly (2 minutes). This is very short notice, but the information was made available to the public only late Wednesday.
If you speak, NAC suggests that you focus on Parks & Rec's own Strategic Action Plan. Comments solicited from citizens during the recent development of that Plan overwhelmingly asked for the inclusion of clothing-optional areas in public parks. The proposed rule simply ignores the voices of those citizens.
YOU WILL HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE TO ACT
A formal public hearing for the proposed ban on nudity has been scheduled for January 8, 2009. You will have another chance to act. Please watch for additional NAC Action Alerts, Advisories and Updates on this important topic.
MORE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
Additional information and links are available, along with this NAC Action Alert on the web site of the Naturist Action Committee. Go to: http://www.naturistaction.org/ and then select "Alerts" to find this NAC Action Alert under Current Alerts.
PLEASE HELP NAC TO CONTINUE HELPING NATURISTS!
The Naturist Action Committee is a volunteer nonprofit organization that exists to advance and protect the rights of naturists throughout North America. To do its job, NAC relies entirely on the voluntary generosity of supporters like you. Please donate generously to NAC.
NAC
PO Box 132
Oshkosh, WI 54903
Or call toll free (800) 886-7230 to donate by phone using your MasterCard, Visa or Discover Card. Or use your credit card to make a convenient online donation: http://www.naturistaction.org/donate/
Thank you for choosing to make a difference.
Naturally,
Mark Storey
Board Member
Naturist Action Committee
---------------------------------------------------------------
Naturist Action Committee (NAC) - PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903
Executive Director Bob Morton - execdir@naturistaction.org
Board Member Mark Storey - storey98@aol.com
Online Rep. Dennis Kirkpatrick - naturist@sunclad.com
-------------------------------------------------------------
Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked
NAC Advisory - Lake Willoughby, Westmore, VT
**********************************************************************
NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE ADVISORY
**********************************************************************
http://www.naturistaction.org
**********************************************************************
Copyright 2008 by the Naturist Action Committee, which is responsible for its content. Permission is granted for the posting, forwarding or redistribution of this message, provided that it is reproduced in its entirety and without alteration.
DATE : November 12, 2008
SUBJECT: Lake Willoughby, Westmore, VT
TO : All Naturists
Dear Naturist,
This is an Advisory from the Naturist Action Committee concerning Lake Willoughby, which is located in the town of Westmore, Vermont, and lies within the Willoughby State Forest.
BRIEF HISTORY AND DISCUSSION
During this past year, a clothing-optional beach on Lake Willoughby in Westmore, VT, was threatened by a petition to ban nudity in that town. The Westmore Selectboard held two moderated public hearings on the issue before choosing to table the issue indefinitely.
After the matter appeared to be settled, one of the three members of the Selectboard resigned due to health reasons. The Westmore resident who had petitioned the Selectboard in January to ban nudity in the town began a campaign for election to the vacant seat, but he was defeated by a substantial margin at a town meeting on September 4.
Members of the local naturist group, Friends of Willoughby Southwest Cove (FOW), were vigorous opponents of the proposal to ban nudity. Several of the Westmore residents who had initiated and supported the petition to ban nudity subsequently targeted a particularly visible member of Friends of Willoughby by lodging a complaint in July with the Vermont Department of Forest and Parks (FPR) and claiming environmental damage to the clothing-optional beach area. At the end of August, FPR sent letters to the FOW President and another member ordering them to appear at a meeting with FPR officials on September 18, 2008, to discuss the alleged environmental “crime.”
Although the meeting was not portrayed as a direct threat to the beach, NAC has determined that it may be retribution for opposition to the anti-nudity ordinance, and/or an attempt to intimidate FOW members, detering them from taking part in grassroots activism to protect the clothing-optional status of the beach. To represent the two FOW members, as well as the interests of naturists, NAC carefully identified, interviewed and retained a well qualified local attorney.
The attorney contacted FPR and requested information concerning the case. FPR suddenly postponed the meeting, saying that it required more time to compile the necessary information. FPR has since sent documentation to the attorney and has rescheduled the meeting for mid-November.
WHAT IS NAC DOING?
NAC board member Virginia Schnee has supported Friends of Willoughby SWC by providing guidance at their monthly meetings and taking part in their meetings with legal counsel. Since March 2008, NAC has been working closely with Friends of Willoughby SWC, who will continue to spearhead the local effort to oppose any future anti-nudity ordinance in the town of Westmore, VT.
The Naturist Action Committee has retained an attorney to protect the rights of Friends of Willoughby SWC members for the matter involving the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation.
WHAT IS NAC ASKING YOU TO DO?
This is an advisory. NAC is asking that you DO NOT take action at this time. Participation from naturists outside of Westmore and the surrounding Vermont towns, no matter how well intentioned, could possibly jeopardize the carefully organized local efforts of NAC and Friends of Willoughby.
MORE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
Additional information and links are available, along with this NAC Action Alert on the web site of the Naturist Action Committee. Go to: http://www.naturistaction.org and then select “Alerts” to find this NAC Action Alert under Current Alerts.
PLEASE HELP NAC TO CONTINUE HELPING NATURISTS!
The Naturist Action Committee is a volunteer nonprofit organization that exists to advance and protect the rights of naturists throughout North America. Legal representation is sometimes necessary, but it’s expensive. To do its job, NAC relies entirely on the voluntary generosity of supporters like you. Please donate generously to NAC.
NAC
PO Box 132
Oshkosh, WI 54903
Or call toll free (800) 886-7230 to donate by phone using your MasterCard, Visa or Discover Card. Or use your credit card to make a convenient online donation: http://www.naturistaction.org/donate/
Thank you for choosing to make a difference.
Naturally,
Virginia Schnee
Board Member
Naturist Action Committee
—————————————————————
Naturist Action Committee (NAC) - PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903
Executive Director Bob Morton - execdir@naturistaction.org
Board Member Virginia Schnee - virginia@schnee.com
Online Rep. Dennis Kirkpatrick - naturist@sunclad.com
—————————————————————
Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked
NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE ADVISORY
**********************************************************************
http://www.naturistaction.org
**********************************************************************
Copyright 2008 by the Naturist Action Committee, which is responsible for its content. Permission is granted for the posting, forwarding or redistribution of this message, provided that it is reproduced in its entirety and without alteration.
DATE : November 12, 2008
SUBJECT: Lake Willoughby, Westmore, VT
TO : All Naturists
Dear Naturist,
This is an Advisory from the Naturist Action Committee concerning Lake Willoughby, which is located in the town of Westmore, Vermont, and lies within the Willoughby State Forest.
BRIEF HISTORY AND DISCUSSION
During this past year, a clothing-optional beach on Lake Willoughby in Westmore, VT, was threatened by a petition to ban nudity in that town. The Westmore Selectboard held two moderated public hearings on the issue before choosing to table the issue indefinitely.
After the matter appeared to be settled, one of the three members of the Selectboard resigned due to health reasons. The Westmore resident who had petitioned the Selectboard in January to ban nudity in the town began a campaign for election to the vacant seat, but he was defeated by a substantial margin at a town meeting on September 4.
Members of the local naturist group, Friends of Willoughby Southwest Cove (FOW), were vigorous opponents of the proposal to ban nudity. Several of the Westmore residents who had initiated and supported the petition to ban nudity subsequently targeted a particularly visible member of Friends of Willoughby by lodging a complaint in July with the Vermont Department of Forest and Parks (FPR) and claiming environmental damage to the clothing-optional beach area. At the end of August, FPR sent letters to the FOW President and another member ordering them to appear at a meeting with FPR officials on September 18, 2008, to discuss the alleged environmental “crime.”
Although the meeting was not portrayed as a direct threat to the beach, NAC has determined that it may be retribution for opposition to the anti-nudity ordinance, and/or an attempt to intimidate FOW members, detering them from taking part in grassroots activism to protect the clothing-optional status of the beach. To represent the two FOW members, as well as the interests of naturists, NAC carefully identified, interviewed and retained a well qualified local attorney.
The attorney contacted FPR and requested information concerning the case. FPR suddenly postponed the meeting, saying that it required more time to compile the necessary information. FPR has since sent documentation to the attorney and has rescheduled the meeting for mid-November.
WHAT IS NAC DOING?
NAC board member Virginia Schnee has supported Friends of Willoughby SWC by providing guidance at their monthly meetings and taking part in their meetings with legal counsel. Since March 2008, NAC has been working closely with Friends of Willoughby SWC, who will continue to spearhead the local effort to oppose any future anti-nudity ordinance in the town of Westmore, VT.
The Naturist Action Committee has retained an attorney to protect the rights of Friends of Willoughby SWC members for the matter involving the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation.
WHAT IS NAC ASKING YOU TO DO?
This is an advisory. NAC is asking that you DO NOT take action at this time. Participation from naturists outside of Westmore and the surrounding Vermont towns, no matter how well intentioned, could possibly jeopardize the carefully organized local efforts of NAC and Friends of Willoughby.
MORE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
Additional information and links are available, along with this NAC Action Alert on the web site of the Naturist Action Committee. Go to: http://www.naturistaction.org and then select “Alerts” to find this NAC Action Alert under Current Alerts.
PLEASE HELP NAC TO CONTINUE HELPING NATURISTS!
The Naturist Action Committee is a volunteer nonprofit organization that exists to advance and protect the rights of naturists throughout North America. Legal representation is sometimes necessary, but it’s expensive. To do its job, NAC relies entirely on the voluntary generosity of supporters like you. Please donate generously to NAC.
NAC
PO Box 132
Oshkosh, WI 54903
Or call toll free (800) 886-7230 to donate by phone using your MasterCard, Visa or Discover Card. Or use your credit card to make a convenient online donation: http://www.naturistaction.org/donate/
Thank you for choosing to make a difference.
Naturally,
Virginia Schnee
Board Member
Naturist Action Committee
—————————————————————
Naturist Action Committee (NAC) - PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903
Executive Director Bob Morton - execdir@naturistaction.org
Board Member Virginia Schnee - virginia@schnee.com
Online Rep. Dennis Kirkpatrick - naturist@sunclad.com
—————————————————————
Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked
The Daily Newds 11/13/08
- A public hearing will be held in Seattle in January 8 on a proposal to ban nudity in public parks. The new prudishness seems to come from Parks Superintendent Tim Gallagher who has been on the job less than a year. The new rule is reported to use 53 words just to describe exactly what the word "nudity" means. This should be a major issue for The Naturist Action Committee, so expect a lot more news on this issue over the next couple of months. Stories here and here.
- A judge in Oregon has cleared Bobby Hammond of criminal indecent exposure charges for his participation in Portland's World Naked Bike Ride Event, finding that naked cycling has become a "well-established tradition" and is a legal form of "symbolic protest". This ruling could play a role in debating the new proposed Seattle anti-nudity ordinance.
- Amanda Gass, Miss Lubbock USA, has been forced to resign over Halloween photos which allegedly showed her topfree wearing only body paint and shorts,
- TERA's Paul Rapoport responds to a recent incident where a breastfeeding mother was asked not to feed her child at a pool.
The obvious problem is that to breastfeed, a woman in a bathing suit must expose a breast or two. Those who claim that exposed women's breasts are indecent are invited not to look. Those who claim that they harm children are invited to think, and stop imposing an irrational fear on kids.
- The Times-Tribune in Scranton writes about the growing trend of teenagers sexting each other. The article mostly deals with all the potential legal consequences, but ends on this note:
But Daniel Macallair, executive director of the California-based Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, a nonprofit that advocates alternatives to juvenile incarceration, said the focus on the strictest criminal punishments is not the best way to address the issue.
“Labeling some teenager who does something stupid as a lifetime sex offender solves no problems,” he said. “It will create more problems than it will solve.”
He encouraged a community-wide response to the incident that involves parents and schools, but not the criminal justice system.
“Are you trying to push someone to the margins of society for the rest of their life, is that the goal here?” he said. “And have we really thought this through?” - Arianne Cohen gets an invite to a nude dinner party, and bravely attends.
There was no sexual vibe. Through three courses of Indian food, I found that my need to check out men’s packages had passed in its entirety, and that skin is just another set of clothes. People carry themselves differently when naked; it’s more authentic. You can read who people are at a glance. I imagined the heavily makeup’ed fashionistas of my Upper East Side neighborhood melting down under these conditions, their coiffed facades broken, their personalities unable to function in the harsh light of reality. There’s something very real about naked dinner.
- Lizzy Caplan was comfortable in shooting nude scenes for the HBO series "True Blood".
"You'd think you'd feel awkward because there's just a bunch of dudes standing around watching," she said. "But it's this weirdly liberating thing."
- Ireland's Nell McCafferty defends posing completly nude for a photo-realistic painting on display in Dublin.
"Sure, I'm against people using the beauty of women to sell cars and things, and that hasn't changed. The message is different here, it is about showing the body for all its age.
"I haven't exactly had any offers from car companies asking me to help sell even their second-hand cars since the picture appeared. What would I sell? Trabants?," she said with loud laughter. - Kellyn Lindemann is trying out to be Playboy's 55th anniversary centerfold, and is inspired by her mom, Bo Black, who graced the cover of the September 1967 issue.
"I'm actually a fairly religious person. Our body is a gift from God. I look at it more as art. Bo taught us to celebrate who we are and be comfortable with ourselves."
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
The Daily Newds 11/12/08
- Eight Ohio teens are facing child pornography charges for exchanging nude photos of classmates, but in New Hampshire police only issued warnings when nude photos surfaced at Salem High School. .
"This is not a Salem High School issue; this is an issue of the times," said Principal William Hagen. "This isn't just happening on cell phones; it's happening in MySpace accounts and Facebook accounts."
- A 15 year-old Ohio girl, accused of sending nude photos of herself to classmates, will not be labeled a sex offender, but she will become a felon under a plea agreement.
- The sexting phenomenon has hit the Scranton-Wilkes Barre area.
According to District Attorney George Skumanick Jr., the youths could be charged with sexual abuse of children or criminal use of a communication facility.Both charges are felonies.
- The "erotic review" magazine C-Spot is Jessica Tang's creation.
“It is a means for students to combine the intellectual, academic, and creative with the erotic,” Tang said. “We are working to build C-Spot up to a be a seriously recognized and professional publication” by “handling our content with care, sophistication, and responsibility, and rendering them through the unique view of bright, young Columbia students.”
- A nude portrait of 64 year-old Irish writer and feminist Nell McCafferty has one writer struggling with the stark reality of the image as contrasted with society's centuries old perception of human beauty.
- Iowa's Supreme Court will review a lower court's decision that an all-nude dance club is protected under the law as "theatre" art.
- The Milwaukee Gay Arts Center and the ACLU have sued the city in federal court, claiming that the 2005 closing of a production of Naked Boys Singing was a First Amendment violation.
- An Australian nudist resort is bringing back "anything goes" hedonism because family-friendly nudism isn't bringing in the bucks.
- Most people over the age of 12 never heard of Adrienne Bailon before her nude photos hit the Internet. It's a familiar story: Disney star takes nude photos of herself, the photos are stolen and distributed, star is mortified and apologizes, then star gets recording and movie deals. Does anyone really fall for this crap anymore?
- "Naked Idealism" seems to embrace most nudist philosophies except for the actual nude part.
- The art show "A Revealing Beyond Nudity" is being held in a gay bar in Alaska. The show is "not about the nudity," the artist said. "It's about what's behind it."
- The Sunshine Coast Regional Council has rejected all proposed sites for Queensland's first legal clothing-optional beach.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)