While the biological continuum is an important part of the project and provides a vital framework for other issues, this is much more than a mere developmental chronicle. Many of the photographs, for example, are accompanied by personal statements written by the participants themselves. These are often highly personal and intensely moving. The combination of words and pictures has proven to be very powerful based on all public and media responses to exhibitions and publications to date. The subjects portrayed are, quite simply, real-life people free family nudist videos. They are not stars or models. They span all ages, body types, and have a rich variety of experiences to draw upon and to share. CENTURY is about real women in real bodies, not the caricatures in the worlds of media and advertising.
The track record of the project so far has been one of art being able to bridge educational and therapeutic gaps, and perhaps most importantly, to be able to stimulate thought and discussion about subjects that are often Young in our society: namely nudity and sexuality, violence, health issues, aging, our attitudes toward women in general, and their portrayal in the media in particular. Men and women often respond to these photographs in somewhat different, gender-specific ways, though there is certainly a substantial commonality of experience as well. The comments I hear most often from women have to do with the healing impact of the photos. To be able to see others with all their "imperfections," to share their laughter or their pain, often to admire the way a person accepts who she is can be very empowering. For many of the women who participated in this project, the act of being photographed in the nude has been an important therapeutic experience. For men - who are often uncomfortable looking at pictures of nude women, and who often have a difficult time distinguishing between nudity and sexuality - the impact of seeing this collection of photographs has been largely educational: they see women who are real human beings, as opposed to a series of impersonal toys in a sexual nudism (and frequently violent) environment. A primary goal of this project is to provide a healthy alternative to the way women are represented in the media nudist colony. The education of children and the re-education of adults are equally important. To these ends, CENTURY has been exhibited nationally in nudist hotel galleries, at colleges and universities (usually at the request of a Women's Studies Department or group, and normally with extensive classroom/seminar discussion), and even in Churches. These photographs have also been used extensively for group and individual therapy by a variety of (mostly) female therapists. A gallery showing in Taos, N.M., during the summer of l996 provided two dramatic examples of the impact this project can have. First, in the professional opinion of a therapist there, one woman’s life was saved as a direct result of some connections she made while viewing the exhibit. A second woman came to the show with her therapist as part of the weekly work they were doing on some serious body image issues. After an hour in the gallery, she decided not to have breast implants... CENTURY will continue to be shown at different venues around the country. When
completed, it will be published in book form so as to be available to the public at large.
It may also be published as a CD-ROM to be used by educators and licensed
therapists. These pictures represent about one third of the work to date. No attempt is made to complete this chronology in strictly arithmetic terms, i.e. 1,2,3...98,99,100 - there are already occasional duplications of age, and certainly some gaps. It will always be so. What is important is to be representative and inclusive. Regardless of their circumstances, the girls and women whose portraits appear here are both brave and wise. They are role models for all of us. |
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Miami Nude
Beach Nudity, Please Read!
There's something liberating about the antic of being naked. The
freedom. The exhilaration. The lack of pocket lint. Unfortunately, for
most people the notion of nudity requires some rationale - no matter how
silly that rationale may be. Streaking across a football field.
Skinny-dipping in a lake. Mooning for the camera. Photocopying your
butt. Playing naked Twister. Flashing a nun after sixth-period class,
hoping she didn't recognize you and isn't at this instant phoning your
parents. For most people, it's all about the naughty thrill of getting
caught or exposing a private part. But not for all. No, for many it's
perfectly routine, as normal and natural as, say, kissing hands or shaking
a baby.
Nude beaches are the perfect denominators for these two groups, the
puritans and the pure exhibitionists, the fakirs and the non-fakers. Think
of it as a big game of strip poker where everybody has crappy hands. The
thing to remember is that nude sunbathing isn't about sex or exhibitionism
- we'll leave that to the nudist colonies and Courtney Love. Nude
sunbathing is about elation and free-spiritedness (and avoiding wedgies
and ugly tan lines).
I've made the trek to No Clothes Land many a time. I've dropped trou in
Europe, where it's no big deal - heck, even the Royal Family has displayed
a boob or two (not counting Prince Charles). Black's Beach in San Diego
is world famous for nude sun worshipping. And, of course, here in Miami,
we have Haulover Beach.
One of the misconceptions about nudity is that every human body is
beautiful (Right). The key to inoffensive nude sunbathing is to do just
that - sunbathe. Do not play volleyball in the buff. No grilling or
barbecuing. Even if your Playgirl's Mr. January, do not perform an oil
and air filter change on your auto while naked. An watch the jogging -
you could poke somebody's eye out.
Nude beachgoers often have their social cliques and routines. They picnic
and fraternize, and they love to mingle. Zoiks. These people who sashay
up and down the beach wearing nothing but a smile and a spare tire are the
same folks you find in the receiving line at a wedding wielding a business
card and a can of Binaca.
When I venture to Haulover, I stick close to my blanket or hit the water.
I don’t wander about. It’s like you want to work the room, but there’s
no place to put your hands and no appropriate place to hang your Walkman.
(Plus, you feel like you’ve gone to a party and everyone’s wearing the
same thing.) Personally, I happen to like being naked. It’s never
bothered me. I often get home from work, disrobe, and sit naked on my
couch eating cereal. (Did I just cross the line of too much information?)
Some people are uncomfortable naked. I’m not. What I do have a problem
with, however, is being ugly and naked. Statistics show that the number
of people who enjoy nude sunbathing is proportionate to those who should
put something on. Like a tarp. Or one of those tents that they use when
they’re debugging a house. That one of the reasons why I prefer the
sanctity of my blanket. I can feign sleep (or death, if necessary) should
some naked old man approach me and start to discuss today’s undertow as he
squats liberally in front of me.
Sunscreen: I’d be remiss if I didn’t stress the importance of proper
protection. Those regions that rarely see the light of day are the first
to succumb to the sun’s deadly rays. Hence, watch your behind, or your
buns will be toast. As for – how do I say this politely – garnishing your
weenie, yes, your little buddy needs sunblock, but remember, you’re in
public. There a fine line between safety and pleasure when applying
lotion to Mr. Happy. I’ve seen guys go at it like they’re greasing a fire
pole. So take it easy. Don't make things hard on yourself.
When it comes to accessories, there are certain things you should and
should not bring to a nude beach. Telescopes and binoculars are definite
no-nos. You may think of this as a ball game, but I’m sure the Red Sox
would beg to differ. Likewise with a camcorder – carrying a video camera
at a nude beach is the pervert’s equivalent of driving by a schoolyard
with a van full of candy. As for ready, avoid books with titles like
Justice of the Piece. Stick to Field and Stream, Reader’s Digest or the
Gideon Bible. Sunglasses are a must. If you’re gonna ogle, at least do
it behind your Maui Jims.
As for your random beach bump-ins, there are obvious encounters. Besides
bodies that you’d rather not see naked, piercings are immensely popular.
Popular, I surmise, because they’re in places that wouldn’t necessarily
be exposed at Publix (unless you shop at the new one by the bay). I’ve
seen nipples that look like parachute rip cords.
And below the belt, I’ve seen piercings that made me recoil. (Come to
think of it, I’ve seen coils down there, too.) And little napkin rings.
And something called a Prince Albert. I’ve seen less metal at a gun
show. And shaving. Hmmmm. Apparently trimming the hedges has become all
the rage. Some folks go for the close cropping; others like it smooth. I
haven’t seen topiary this creative since I was at the Botanical Gardens.
Nude sunbathing can be a kick, an exciting way to liven up an otherwise
dull day at the beach. For the ladies, it means being able to wear a
sundress without worrying about unsightly strap lines. For the guys, it
means there’s no need to adjust the boys: it’s a wind sock now. For all
of us it means an escape, a break from our daily worries and cares, a
moment’s freedom where less is so much more – except when it comes to that
sunscreen.