A moderator speaks out

I was honoured when Richard asked me to join the group of moderators on this site although not having done that kind of thing before, I recognised it would take some getting used to.

So how should I act as a moderator? Should I delete or warn about content I do not like. Definitely not, what I like or dislike is completely irrelevant. This is not a naturist/nudist site so ideas that align with that lifestyle, although they overlap, do not give sufficient guidance. So what to do?

To me it comes down only to the aims of the Naktiv site and the rules that have been developed to support those aims. My motivation for sticking to the task is strongly aligned with these aims, i.e. to “support and encourage naked activities everywhere, educate society that the naked human body is acceptable in all contexts and to decriminalize the naked human body”. The aims are clear, to promote the idea that just getting on with life without clothes is good. These aims do not include sexual liberation, however important that may be- we cannot take on the whole world. Others have taken on that task and good luck to them, this site is about living daily life nude. If it evolves into a sex site then I shall quietly duck out.

So what should I do if someone posts a photo clearly centred on their genitals? The first thing to consider is, does it break the rules. Generally yes, rules 1-3. Does the photo support the aims of the Naktiv site? It could do, after all, genitals are no more or less unacceptable than an elbow. But then I should consider the aims of the Naktiv site, will the photo help with those aims? Probably not as those seeking more information about a nude life will probably misinterpret the photo and lead them to think the site is yet another tawdry sex site- they will go elsewhere. Far worse, any suspicions they may harbour about the nude life may be reinforced so the photo will have done the opposite, to have worked against our aims. So the conclusion is, ask the poster to remove it or to transfer it themselves to the private area reserved for such photos so that what is left does support the aims.

The rules outline unacceptable content. Whilst any text gives scope to argue over meaning, in general they are quite clear. The best photos show people going about their activities (apart from sex) whilst nude and in most genitals are clearly visible. So what, that is how we are made, the issue is context, apparent intention and the likely interpretation that others make, particularly those just setting out on our quest. It is not about proof, definitions of intention or any related pedantry so beloved of lawyers, it is about what ordinary nude people think is worth doing or not. I am an ordinary nude person and I try to judge posts by what I would show my non-nude friends in order to demonstrate why I like being nude, i.e. to promote nudity. Would I show them cock-shots, pussy shots or “nude glamour” photos from porn sites? No.

In general I do not like deleting anything, so far I have done it just once. Far better to encourage people not to post content that breaks the rules and to explain why- hence this blog. Encouragement not force, promotion not preaching.

So please please please, if you are thinking of posting a photo of your genitals, think about how it may hinder our cause. The same applies to photos clearly lifted from soft or hard porn sites and all the other stuff we see that does not support our aims.

If you don’t like the rules then post comments to that effect and lets have a discussion, perhaps they will be changed but don’t post and be dammed, think of the rest of us trying to promote nudity. There is a long way to go yet.