I see that several SL bloggers are beginning to ‘sign off’ for the holidays now, with no more postings planned until Christmas has been and gone (New Year in some instances). It’s my expectation that SL Naturist will continue to blog throughout the Christmas period. Abigail and I don’t foresee either of us stepping back from blogging over the festive period and there may actually be a bit of a stepping-up of midweek blogging.

As you’ll have gathered now, our ‘routine’ seems to be to largely research our posts and then blog at weekends, whereas Ella & Pookes seemed to have no set pattern and an almost daily posting routine. Abi finished work on Friday for 10 days, and I finish on Wednesday for a week, so I think both of us will endeavour to bring you the best in Second Life naturism over the Christmas period.

Trine

Just flicking through the pages of several of today’s UK newspapers, and I’ve noticed a story in which an exhibition, designed to stop body shaming, has been banned from a public square on the basis of a single complaint. The photographs feature nude women, captured in nature, and are the work of Danish photographer Mathilde Grafstroem. There’s a slideshow of her work at her blog, and her Twitter account also shows some of her work. They have been deemed ‘offensive’ by the police.

On the contrary, they’re not ‘offensive’. They’re empowering, and positive. Which in an increasingly negative world is what we expect from our cultural production. I’ve managed to get some of these ‘offensive’ photos from a Danish newspaper called Extrabladet.

This sort of attitude not only poisons cultural production, but attitudes to a positive body image and impacts on naturism too.

Trine

Black Eye Friday? I’d never heard of it before, but it seems the last Friday before Christmas in the UK is fast becoming a rather unpleasant experience, marked with excessive drinking and the subsequent injuries, illness, assault and fights that go with it as offices hold parties, people get bonuses and there’s a headlong, lemming-like rush to ‘have a great time’. Because it’s Christmas. It all seems ludicrously feral to me, as photos via the link show.

What is appalling about it is that the media, and the population in general, sometimes have this idea that there is something wrong with naturism, that taking our clothes off is somehow sordid. Yet naturists conduct themselves with dignity and restraint. We can have a drink, we can have a good time, but we never become ridiculously and hideously obnoxious in our efforts to quietly pursue a wholesome lifestyle.

The photos above are a sad indictment of British drinking culture, and British culture in general. It’s shameful that people feel the need to behave in such a manner. Meanwhile, Santa hats and naturism can be put together in a refined, dignified, wholesome manner.

Abigail