Tag Archives: Independent newspaper

A naturist package holiday?

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Today’s (UK) Independent newspaper has a report on a ‘mainstream’ naturist holiday. A package tour, if you will, and once past the tired old cliches in the headings (‘grin and bare it’, ‘Beach Bums’) I’m delighted to report that Tristan Rutherford, the author, paints a beautiful picture of an idyllic holiday in positive, glowing terms.

 

nudism

Naked package holidays? Does this mean that naturism is finally going ‘mainstream’, as the Independent puts it?

Well, it rather looks as if what was once ‘niche’ vacationing may have reached a point where travel companies do see it as a viable business venture. It always was. Naturism has long been a preserve of an older generation, freed of mortgage and child responsibilities, often shorn of the sexual (yes, sexual) hang ups of a younger generation. As people get older they get more comfortable with their bodies, no long fixated on how big their penis is, how perky their breasts are, how ironing-board flat their stomachs are.

Now, though, the idea that you can essentially fly to pre-determined locations, with all accommodation, and car-hire thrown in as well, for a little over £500 ($850, 625 Euros) for a week’s holiday, with a plethora of excellent food and drink available, means that it just could open up to people who’ve never considered the option before. I hope so. As I keep repeating, it all becomes ludicrously normal after…an hour or so.

Never considered it? Follow the links provided within my link.

Ella.

Enlightened Linden Labs

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I picked up this story from London’s Independent newspaper, which reports that a kind of Second Life game for Nintendo, sporting little avatars that look like 8-bit computer inventions less sophisticated than Mario. It appears that gay relationships are outlawed/banned/discouraged…take your pick.

 

Tye Marini, a gay 23-year-old Nintendo fan from Arizona in the US, launched a ‘Miiquality’ campaign to protest against the exclusion of same-sex relationships in the game.

In Tomodachi Life players are encouraged to create avatars that mirror their friends and family in real life.
“I want to be able to marry my real-life fiance’s Mii, but I can’t do that,” Mr Marini told the Associated Press. “My only options are to marry some female Mii, to change the gender of either my Mii or my fiance’s Mii or to completely avoid marriage altogether and miss out on the exclusive content that comes with it.”

Mr Marini noted that the inclusion of same-sex relationships was more important for Tomodachi Life as the game was intened to be a “representation of your real life”.

“You import your personalised characters into the game. You name them. You give them a personality. You give them a voice. They just can’t fall in love if they’re gay,” he said.

Note that: You give them a personality. You give them a voice.

Which is precisely what we do with our SL avatars.

Yes, we’ve all had reason to moan and bitch about Linden Labs in the past, and will probably do so in the future, but hats off to them for allowing/permitting/encouraging (take your pick) SL to accurately reflect RL.

Yes, I know there are technological issues involved in making SL readily available (graphically) through smartphones. It’s  a shame that it hasn’t happened because, if it were possible, I reckon SL would be the pick of any virtual reality worlds and that people would be deserting other platforms in their droves to come to SL. Simply because it accurately reflects the wide range of sexuality that exists in RL.

So, bravo Linden Labs!

ringo and cecil_001b

 

A couple of my SL gay friends, Ringo and Cecil, demonstrate their love for each other.

It’s 2014. We don’t really need to inhabit a world -real or virtual- which has a pre-1960s, mid-20th century, mindset, do we? If it’s none of your concern (and the sexuality of others should never be any of our concern if it’s between consenting adults) don’t go there. And don’t try to impose your mindset on others.

Ella.