Ee our culture signify nude men as often as we do nude women

as a means to remove the shock value of the nude male.

As free family nudist photos knows, nudity is bad. It is simple.
hat they
Nudity equals sex. Which
might have
Delight . . .
when eight years ago, I
learned about a website
Named LDS Skinny-Dipper
Connection1. To me, this
on the level of "military intelligence." I had to check it out.
According to the website, its constituency is "Loyal members
"Families
forever, naked and not ashamed," it said. "Wholesome interest
in social nudity under suitable circumstances," it said.
I smirked. This was going to be entertaining, reading the rationalizations of these people attempting to warrant this type of
thing!
I read through the site. I read every word---and there
were lots of words! http://mutualgravity.com/archangel/webcontact/d_signinsimple.php?action=signup&CID=240&EID=&S=default.css&return=https://nudismvideo.site promised that nonsexual social nudity
is a positive, favorable thing. It is educational because it permits
everyone to see what human bodies really look like---instead
than have the glorified, air brushed images we see in the
media every day. It strips away the mystery of the human
body---particularly those components we keep concealed from each
other---and decreases lust because people become comfortable and familiar with all the body parts. It combats body
shame and negative self-image. It cultivates openness and trust
because it lets you be completely who you are and still be
accepted by others.
as soon as I finished, to my shock and amazement, I exclaimed,
"They are correct! There isn't any doctrinal objection to wholesome,
nonsexual social nudity!"
Oh, there were all sorts of LDS ethnic objections, all sorts

T

D. MICHAEL MARTINDALE is the author of the critically acclaimed LDS novel Brother Brigham. He has
been a naturist activist for several years and is in the
Procedure of developing a web site on family naturism at
FAMILYSKINNYDIPPERS.COM. Martindale lives in Salt
Lake City, Utah, and works as a Web developer.
PAGE 44

of "folk doctrines" against it, tons of objections to sexualized nudity. But no bona fide official doctrine against nonsexual nudity.
It's simply that most folks do not know there is such a matter as
nonsexual nudity. Recall the equation, "nudity equals sex."

T

HAT WAS ALL I desired: permission from people who
understood my LDS hang-ups. I printed out the entire
LDS Skinny-Dipper Connection web site and presented

what you think," I said to her.
She didn't read all of it (there were a lot of words!), but she
read a substantial portion of it, handed the papers back to me and
said, "Well, I think it is rationalization, but if you need to do it,
go ahead." (Bless her heart.)
I did. I became a full fledged, practicing Mormon naturist.
From other naturist hikers, I learned how to trek nude safely. I
Seen locations such as Diamond Fork hot springs in Spanish
Fork Canyon where a convention of naked soaking has existed for
decades, and eventually I seen a few naturist resorts and
nude beaches.
The first time I attended the temple after I began practicing
naturism, I was apprehensive.
I used ton't know how I'd feel, knowing all the things I had done
Nude. Because, actually, all I had was an "intellectual testimony"
of nudism Rationally, I was convinced. But being born and
raised in America and within the LDS Church, I had lots of
Mental conditioning that was not so readily overcome. Would
Would an evil spirit follow me inside, alerting a
discerning temple president to my unworthiness? Would God
strike me down? These were the agitated ideas that
churned in my head as I entered.
But as I walked from the front desk where I revealed my urge to the changing room, a feeling of peace came over
me. It appeared to say, "Don't worry about it. Everything is fine."
For three years, that was the only spiritual symptom I
had that my alternative to adopt naturism was appropriate to
God. But from time to time, it'd strike me how out of step
my nudism was with conventional Mormonism, and doubts
would arise---am I actually deceived like most Mormons would
consider me? I remember one time in particular when my wife


dress code. She brought her swimsuit; I didn't.
Before the celebration, we attended the wedding reception of a
We sat and ate mints and nuts and white
cake with another couple in the ward. The entire time, I kept
wondering what this couple would think of me if they understood

not so long ago that I was laughing at the thought of a
Mormon nudist.

WHILE MANAGING ORDINARY day to day living, I
struggled and studied and meditated and prayed
over the doubts engendered by both halves of my