I understand the difference, in fact I always thought of Body Positivity as what WebMD called Body Neutrality. But I never really looked or felt about my body the way most people who embrace Body Positivity do. It was more Body Acceptance. This is me, this is my body. Oh well. Sure I could attempt to change it, spend countless hours and dollars trying to improve it, in fact did for many years of my life, with little to nothing to show for it. I'd lived with an overwhelming desire to be a nudist, to live clothes free whenever I could. But because of my body, what I and the rest of the world thought of it, there was no way I could ever realize that dream.
Then I learned of the "Nudist Mindset" when it came to Body Positivity, Body Acceptance or Body Neutrality. Nudists see but don't judge. They look at you for the person you are, not the way you "look". Once I fully understood this, I became my dream. A nudist. Did my body change? No. Did the way I felt about my body change? No. I'm still the same skinny tall frame person I was 50 years ago. What changed was how I cared what you or anyone else about my body. I've been Body Shamed pretty much my entire life. And it continues to this very day, the double looks, the smirks, the whispered comments and pointing. In the last decade or so, Body Shaming became taboo. You can't do that anymore. But this forbidden "act", only applied to those who are overweight.
For years I did everything I could to hide my body. Today, I don't care what others may say or think of it. That's their problem, not mine. So I guess I'm Body Neutral, I really don't care what anyone calls it, I'm me and I'm a nudist, no longer afraid or worried about what anyone thinks. Because when I'm with fellow nudists, We're all the same.
Acceptance would be synonymous with neutrality here.
The way I see it, we have limited time and resources. Will I benefit more in the long run by exercising 5 hours a week or applying that time to a different activity?
When I was younger, I truly enjoyed working out hard at the gym. The weightlifting burn and runner’s high felt good. I also got muscular and fit, which also had its advantages. So, it was time well spent.
But suppose I didn’t enjoy it. In the long run, I’d be better off applying that time to writing or photography or something else I enjoyed more and doing the minimum amount of exercise I needed to stay healthy.
Walt Whitman: "Human bodies are words, myriads of words, (In the best poems re-appears the body, man’s or woman’s, well-shaped, natural, gay, Every part able, active, receptive, without shame or the need of shame.)" There are photos of Walt at an advanced age - naked. He wasn't ashamed.
Over 20 years ago we made the decision to tell both of our families, most of our friends and many of our business associates and connections that we are nudist. A few have seen us nude in person and many have seen nude photos of us, plus several have found us on the internet. We quit caring about what others think, it's just who and what we are.
A body is a tool to carry your brain around and do the things you want/need to do. It doesn't exist to satisfy the desires of other people: This is a great reminder especially for the world we are living today, being bombarded with messages of vanity
Regarding aging and nudity, Frank Cordelle's book of photography - "Bodies and Souls: The Century Project" - may be of interest. Frank set out to document ordinary women, ages from 9 months to 94 years, all naked. They posed willingly for him and seemed quite unashamed. Apparently many, if not most, weren't naturists. The images aren't in any way "pornographic".
I was fortunate to have lunch with Frank at a restaurant around the time the book came out (2006). He was a very "normal" guy and a fine photographer. He planned to produce a second volume but died a few years later, unfortunately. Copies of the book (maybe used) can be purchased at Amazon, AbeBooks, and other online booksellers. And here are some reviews: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/188486.Bodies_and_Souls
This one is non gender. Meaning that though your comment is exclusively about women and their acceptance of themselves at all ages from the book. it rings true to males of all ages too.
But what I have to say about age and body acceptance as a life long nudist. (Age 4, no clothes, out the door!) is that casual nudity as witnessed in my home, among friends, and a few relatives through out my lifetime is this and anyone reading might want to make note of it.
The quest for improvement never stops and that subliminally transfers to “body improvement “ not body acceptance. Nobody excepts that they have a life threatening disease. They seek help. The analogy though extreme is clear.
As for naturism at all ages “want for better never stops”; It’s inherent from the modern German gymnosophy established
in modern times from the Greek culture of exercise.
So what does all this mean in relation to the post ?
Simply this: Your never going to stop wanting to improve. It’s a survival instinct.
Accept less than that, you’ll die sooner. It’s why so many older naturalists still seek the sun, go to the pool, engage in light exercise.
And oh by the way live longer than others. It’s the vitamin D thing you know.
I'm not so sure about the sun. Sun makes a mess of our skin. Lots of sun exposure is very solidly linked to skin cancer. When the UV index is high, I use sun screen. You do not need lots of sun to get enough vitamin D, especially if you eat a reasonable diet.
Here is how I view acceptance. If I have a life threatening disease - and I've had a couple - the reason I seek the best treatment is because I accept that I have it. Denial is the opposite of acceptance and can kill. I consider acceptance to be a completely neutral term.
If there is nothing to be done for it and I have exhausted all possibilities then I accept that, barring a sudden advance in science or a miracle, I will die. Which I have to accept will happen eventually, regardless of what happen now.
Taking good care of your body just makes good sense, besides helping with longevity. After all, your body is what keeps you alive - if you treat it well. Just as true for both men and women. So you do want to watch your weight, get exercise, take your vitamins and medicine, etc. And the thing about naturism is that it's a very visible sign that you appreciate your body.
I'm grooving where you are. I sometimes feel resentful that there is almost a synonymous conversation in nudism about women, nudity and body acceptance, but this is not because I don't think that body acceptance isn't important. It's the starting point for so much. It's more when it becomes dogmatic and the answer to everything as well as the chiding on days when you don't feel great about your body. I've decided that my acceptance is that I'm going to have a range of emotions about my body and will take them as they come.
While I think that this is an inclusive challenge and topic for everyone, I think that women are more culturally oppressed regarding their bodies and likely have a higher need to see reality as well as say eff off to the culture that sponsors people like Martha Stewart looking like a much younger person.
Like I said I was born Spina Bifida and Hydrocepholous in a society that was not and is still not as forward thinking as it should be although I was born and raised in Darwin in The NorthernTerritory. And as for 5 I would have dropped my clothes where ever and when ever I could as soon as I could I was just a child of 2 conventional but by no means Conservative parents.
i've been thinking about how i've changed recently. i don't really notice it in my face and while i know i've gained weight, it never felt like a lot? i always thought meh, it's prob like 5lb or something, but then my phone likes to do this thing where it's like hey here's this picture from 6 years ago (usually not of me, but my family bc i'm the family photographer LOL) and i go, damn, we really have changed. aside from my weight ig, i see it a lot on my hands, which i heard is common. i kind of stopped painting my nails because of that but then this month i was like "why tho??" and i painted my nails xD (well, only one, it was bad timing, they all chipped and broke, so i'm waiting for them to grow out a bit more). it's funny bc i don't really see how the ppl around me age, esp if i see them regularly, but then i'll have these moments where im thinking and i'll be like, it's been X-years, we've all aged! and it's kind of amazing in a way?? haha idk what im trying to say
Aging definitely beats the alternative. But regardless, I’ve always viewed body positivity as simply a lack of guilt, not letting body challenges make you feel bad about yourself. I value health highly — I want to stay fit, maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle. Some take body positivity to far reaches, even promoting a lifestyle that celebrates unhealthy lifestyles. While it’s not my preference, it’s ok, it’s their life. But as I age, I have to pay more attention to smart fitness, diet, medical decisions. I’ve only got one body. I want to keep us on speaking terms.
A very different topic.. Wonderful article in beautiful words, with lovely poems.. Ageing is as natural as the sunrise & sunset..It will be always there..As you have said very rightly, any attempts to prolong ageing will not certainly add a single second to life..I liked it very much..
In my situation I can't forget about my body. I have arthritis in most joints with my knees and thumbs being worst. It places a limits on living and involves a fair amount off effort to keep moving as I want to. I have to accept it because there's no other option. Not accepting it does not make the pain go away and only adds frustration and anger to the mix.
I also just came off a month of illness, a septic infection, that was pretty bad at one point. Trying to nurse myself back again to health again has been a central focus of my life since I fell ill.
I understand the difference, in fact I always thought of Body Positivity as what WebMD called Body Neutrality. But I never really looked or felt about my body the way most people who embrace Body Positivity do. It was more Body Acceptance. This is me, this is my body. Oh well. Sure I could attempt to change it, spend countless hours and dollars trying to improve it, in fact did for many years of my life, with little to nothing to show for it. I'd lived with an overwhelming desire to be a nudist, to live clothes free whenever I could. But because of my body, what I and the rest of the world thought of it, there was no way I could ever realize that dream.
Then I learned of the "Nudist Mindset" when it came to Body Positivity, Body Acceptance or Body Neutrality. Nudists see but don't judge. They look at you for the person you are, not the way you "look". Once I fully understood this, I became my dream. A nudist. Did my body change? No. Did the way I felt about my body change? No. I'm still the same skinny tall frame person I was 50 years ago. What changed was how I cared what you or anyone else about my body. I've been Body Shamed pretty much my entire life. And it continues to this very day, the double looks, the smirks, the whispered comments and pointing. In the last decade or so, Body Shaming became taboo. You can't do that anymore. But this forbidden "act", only applied to those who are overweight.
For years I did everything I could to hide my body. Today, I don't care what others may say or think of it. That's their problem, not mine. So I guess I'm Body Neutral, I really don't care what anyone calls it, I'm me and I'm a nudist, no longer afraid or worried about what anyone thinks. Because when I'm with fellow nudists, We're all the same.
Acceptance would be synonymous with neutrality here.
The way I see it, we have limited time and resources. Will I benefit more in the long run by exercising 5 hours a week or applying that time to a different activity?
When I was younger, I truly enjoyed working out hard at the gym. The weightlifting burn and runner’s high felt good. I also got muscular and fit, which also had its advantages. So, it was time well spent.
But suppose I didn’t enjoy it. In the long run, I’d be better off applying that time to writing or photography or something else I enjoyed more and doing the minimum amount of exercise I needed to stay healthy.
Walt Whitman: "Human bodies are words, myriads of words, (In the best poems re-appears the body, man’s or woman’s, well-shaped, natural, gay, Every part able, active, receptive, without shame or the need of shame.)" There are photos of Walt at an advanced age - naked. He wasn't ashamed.
You were lucky enough to be a skinny able-bodied 18 year old. I was born with Spina Bifida . If I had to do it all again I would start at 5.
As I gaze into the mirror each morning I thank goodness that I feel better than I look. lol!
Over 20 years ago we made the decision to tell both of our families, most of our friends and many of our business associates and connections that we are nudist. A few have seen us nude in person and many have seen nude photos of us, plus several have found us on the internet. We quit caring about what others think, it's just who and what we are.
T & K
A body is a tool to carry your brain around and do the things you want/need to do. It doesn't exist to satisfy the desires of other people: This is a great reminder especially for the world we are living today, being bombarded with messages of vanity
I can definitely relate. I have no interest in pleasing anyone else, I just want to be healthy and able to do things as long as I can
Regarding aging and nudity, Frank Cordelle's book of photography - "Bodies and Souls: The Century Project" - may be of interest. Frank set out to document ordinary women, ages from 9 months to 94 years, all naked. They posed willingly for him and seemed quite unashamed. Apparently many, if not most, weren't naturists. The images aren't in any way "pornographic".
I was fortunate to have lunch with Frank at a restaurant around the time the book came out (2006). He was a very "normal" guy and a fine photographer. He planned to produce a second volume but died a few years later, unfortunately. Copies of the book (maybe used) can be purchased at Amazon, AbeBooks, and other online booksellers. And here are some reviews: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/188486.Bodies_and_Souls
The reviews sell the book !
This one is non gender. Meaning that though your comment is exclusively about women and their acceptance of themselves at all ages from the book. it rings true to males of all ages too.
But what I have to say about age and body acceptance as a life long nudist. (Age 4, no clothes, out the door!) is that casual nudity as witnessed in my home, among friends, and a few relatives through out my lifetime is this and anyone reading might want to make note of it.
The quest for improvement never stops and that subliminally transfers to “body improvement “ not body acceptance. Nobody excepts that they have a life threatening disease. They seek help. The analogy though extreme is clear.
As for naturism at all ages “want for better never stops”; It’s inherent from the modern German gymnosophy established
in modern times from the Greek culture of exercise.
So what does all this mean in relation to the post ?
Simply this: Your never going to stop wanting to improve. It’s a survival instinct.
Accept less than that, you’ll die sooner. It’s why so many older naturalists still seek the sun, go to the pool, engage in light exercise.
And oh by the way live longer than others. It’s the vitamin D thing you know.
I'm not so sure about the sun. Sun makes a mess of our skin. Lots of sun exposure is very solidly linked to skin cancer. When the UV index is high, I use sun screen. You do not need lots of sun to get enough vitamin D, especially if you eat a reasonable diet.
Here is how I view acceptance. If I have a life threatening disease - and I've had a couple - the reason I seek the best treatment is because I accept that I have it. Denial is the opposite of acceptance and can kill. I consider acceptance to be a completely neutral term.
If there is nothing to be done for it and I have exhausted all possibilities then I accept that, barring a sudden advance in science or a miracle, I will die. Which I have to accept will happen eventually, regardless of what happen now.
Taking good care of your body just makes good sense, besides helping with longevity. After all, your body is what keeps you alive - if you treat it well. Just as true for both men and women. So you do want to watch your weight, get exercise, take your vitamins and medicine, etc. And the thing about naturism is that it's a very visible sign that you appreciate your body.
I'm grooving where you are. I sometimes feel resentful that there is almost a synonymous conversation in nudism about women, nudity and body acceptance, but this is not because I don't think that body acceptance isn't important. It's the starting point for so much. It's more when it becomes dogmatic and the answer to everything as well as the chiding on days when you don't feel great about your body. I've decided that my acceptance is that I'm going to have a range of emotions about my body and will take them as they come.
While I think that this is an inclusive challenge and topic for everyone, I think that women are more culturally oppressed regarding their bodies and likely have a higher need to see reality as well as say eff off to the culture that sponsors people like Martha Stewart looking like a much younger person.
Like I said I was born Spina Bifida and Hydrocepholous in a society that was not and is still not as forward thinking as it should be although I was born and raised in Darwin in The NorthernTerritory. And as for 5 I would have dropped my clothes where ever and when ever I could as soon as I could I was just a child of 2 conventional but by no means Conservative parents.
i've been thinking about how i've changed recently. i don't really notice it in my face and while i know i've gained weight, it never felt like a lot? i always thought meh, it's prob like 5lb or something, but then my phone likes to do this thing where it's like hey here's this picture from 6 years ago (usually not of me, but my family bc i'm the family photographer LOL) and i go, damn, we really have changed. aside from my weight ig, i see it a lot on my hands, which i heard is common. i kind of stopped painting my nails because of that but then this month i was like "why tho??" and i painted my nails xD (well, only one, it was bad timing, they all chipped and broke, so i'm waiting for them to grow out a bit more). it's funny bc i don't really see how the ppl around me age, esp if i see them regularly, but then i'll have these moments where im thinking and i'll be like, it's been X-years, we've all aged! and it's kind of amazing in a way?? haha idk what im trying to say
anyway, great post, as always!!
Aging definitely beats the alternative. But regardless, I’ve always viewed body positivity as simply a lack of guilt, not letting body challenges make you feel bad about yourself. I value health highly — I want to stay fit, maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle. Some take body positivity to far reaches, even promoting a lifestyle that celebrates unhealthy lifestyles. While it’s not my preference, it’s ok, it’s their life. But as I age, I have to pay more attention to smart fitness, diet, medical decisions. I’ve only got one body. I want to keep us on speaking terms.
Yup. There is a big difference between saying, "I like my body just as it is." and, "It is what it is. How do I properly maintain it?"
A very different topic.. Wonderful article in beautiful words, with lovely poems.. Ageing is as natural as the sunrise & sunset..It will be always there..As you have said very rightly, any attempts to prolong ageing will not certainly add a single second to life..I liked it very much..
Excellent post, thank you for sharing something I have started to think about as I age.
I can't quite agree with that. Pain is your body telling you quite clearly that it is relevant.
Sorry for wording it so badly.
In my situation I can't forget about my body. I have arthritis in most joints with my knees and thumbs being worst. It places a limits on living and involves a fair amount off effort to keep moving as I want to. I have to accept it because there's no other option. Not accepting it does not make the pain go away and only adds frustration and anger to the mix.
I also just came off a month of illness, a septic infection, that was pretty bad at one point. Trying to nurse myself back again to health again has been a central focus of my life since I fell ill.