One of the good things about being a naturist is there are no unacceptable nude photos in our books. We accept the human body in any shape, colour and size and it doesn't matter if there are scars or amputations or deformities of any kind. Those who know me should know that I'm quite open about posting my own nude pics and I do so freely. But there is a group of photos of mine that I am embarrassed about and would never post them online. No, I haven't undergone any surgery and I don't have any deformity that I know of. This can happen at any time of the day or night and it certainly happens quite consistently when I'm asleep or when I've just woken up. And most naturists agree that such photos are unacceptable.
I'm talking about the erect penis. Everyone knows that an erect penis does not necessarily have to be related to any sexual activity. I'm not a medical doctor but I'm sure any doctor will tell you that every man wakes up with an erection. But it is considered inappropriate to expose the erect penis in naturist resorts and in photos posted on naturist sites. You can search through all the photos I've posted on this site and on other naturist websites and I assure you there is not a single photo in which there is the slightest hint of an erection. I'm very careful about weeding out such embarrassing photos.
But lately, I'm beginning to ask myself if I'm imposing an unnecessary taboo on nude photos. An erection can be as natural as nudity itself. And since I'm one who is always snapping photos and selfies, it's not surprising that some of my pics will also include such taboo photos. I will dutifully remove any such pic before posting them online. And the truth is I'm embarrassed of them.
I wonder if there are other naturists who feel the same way. Are we being natural or will there one day come a different generation of naturists who are truly unembarrassed about anything related to the human body?
The tricky thing about posting photos of erect penises is that "spontaneous" erections are conflated with sexual arousal. That's one more argument, and a big one (no pun intended), that can be used by those that equate naturalism with perversion. As for the argument that one has to post photos of their erect penis just because it's natural and spontaneous is nonsense. If one is walking around with a perpetual erection it's time to lay off of the Viagra. Erections, especially those of a non-sexual nature, don't last long or shouldn't unless one is suffering from Priapism. Surely one can wait until the erection subsides before snapping photos for public viewing. Then we have issue of encountering textiles while sporting woodies. Explain to them about "spontaneous" erections. I have never had a problem with "flying the flag" while out and about while nude. I think that probably applies to the vast majority of us. Just my two pence.
I agree with you as usual KT. The rules of the site are also pretty clear about the whole thing.
At the same time I guess that different opinions (not so different, reading the comments above) may come from different reasons for sharing pictures. There are members who dont publish pictures at all, others that do publish very often. Maybe thats the "real" thing, why do we share our pictures? I may try writing down a blog on this.
I think it's just the personality. I play in the church orchestra and everyone in church knows I love to take selfies. When they need a photo of the orchestra playing at, say, the Bishop's Consecration two years ago, they only have to ask me and I can produce the photos. So, if I take so many selfies when I'm clothed, it doesn't make sense that I don't take nude selfies, seeing that I'm a nudist. And since I share all my clothed selfies all the time, it makes sense that I should also share my nude selfies. Unless of course if I'm a closet nudist and I only share clothed selfies but hide my nude selfies. I wrote about this in my blog once and many people were outraged with me. They want to be ashamed of their nude pics without someone telling them they're ashamed. LOL.
But I should add that while I merrily post my nude selfies all over the internet in my blog and twitter and tumblr, I do not post erect pics. I'm embarrassed of those.
Yeah, I never did either. I think I perceive those as being "too personal" to share with people I dont even know 😉
While I consider my penis and testicles to be a perfectly valid parts and have no problem with having mine visible in a picture of me I would not want to be photographed in a erect state any more than I would like to be photographed while taking a dump. That is natural too but not something that I feel should be photographed.
haha yes, good point
I agree totally but the more TV pushes the boundary of what is acceptable we may have our minds changed. I read the other day of the enormous amount of children who are addicted to pornography sites. I was horrified.
I think an erection is a sign of sexual interest and as such not appropriate in public if you are in a non sexual environment. Would you like to explain why that nice man has a stiffy to your kids? Thought not. Or do you want him letching your partner while you are having a picnic? Thought not. Sure they happen naturally and sometimes unintentionally but you need to respect others and either cover it up or roll over onto your stomach.
Sure, time and place for everything.
Perhaps it is just conditioning. Not too long ago you would only get full frontal females in films now it happens sometimes with men. For example in the series Game of Thrones, which is a hugely successful series. If erections became common place on TV we would accept it as normal I suppose. What do you think? In 10 years time we may be at that point.
I saw on beaches in Barcelona often young guys and older men with semi hard ones and full erections. Thats just nature I think. Who hasnt had hard one on the nudebeach ?
When it happens, I usually use a towel to conceal it. I don't think I can walk down a beach with an erection. That'll be too embarrassing.
I just lay on my back with penis standing and start thinking of something boring…….in sauna I let him hard….
I agree with those who dont feel erections should be hidden. Yet I see a difference between a social network as the Naktiv site, and its willingness to "spread the word" for naturism, and an erect penis in a naked context.
As anyone who grew up in naked campings I know my erections have been spotted many times in those special years Shane already talked about. And just a couple of years ago at 42yo I woke up naked under a tree and found out I was in that condition and probably have been for a while given the big smiles coming from some other naked people in the surroundings. In this kind of context an erection will be seen as an expression of who we are, but a glimpse to a hard penis doesnt equate to a picture archived on a social network for all to see.
I dont like the compromise, since we all thrive to find areas for a wider bigger encompassing freedom and we perceive the Naktiv site as one, but by compromising I hope we can better spread our word.
Oh well, and I thought I was being quite original to come up with this topic. LOL. Maybe I'm not on many naturist forums but I don't recall having seen it discussed. I just know that on some forums, erection pics are taken very seriously and I know someone who got banned for posting them. That kind of reaction was just too extreme, I thought. I personally wouldn't post erection pics but I have no strong objection to that sort of thing.
It's my impression that all naturist friendly sites have threads discussing erections, of one sort or another. It appears to be quite a common topic.
It appears that this site is run by the same kind of people who run the textile society. If the only reason for the "no erection pictures" rule is that someone might be offended, we have a serious problem. "I am offended by…, and there ought to be a law/rule" is the same bullshit we are fighting to try to get a few more feet of nude beach in various parts of the country.
I may be offended by the fact that my neighbor-gal's favorite word has four letters, begins with "f" and ends with "k", but when I am visiting her in her home, she has the right to say whatever she wants. What I am "offended" by is NOT the guide to her behavior.
It is time for nudists to get BIGGER than the textiles around us, and quit using "offended" as an excuse. If you are "offended" by a picture of an erect penis, put your panties back on, because you are NOT a nudist.
I can't help but whole heartedly and totally agree with you Steve.
When people are offended they are asserting their learnt value system onto others. When you take offense or exception to anything you see or hear, the problem is solely and entirely yours. If something jars with you, that's a cue from the universe that you've hit a mental limitation or barrier.
On the flip side of this coin is the fact we live in a broader society and in order to coexist, compromise is obviously required otherwise we'd never get on with anyone. Not only that, if nobody took our needs into consideration they would see fit to take a dump on the public pathway in front of our house every morning, so balance between anarchy and the American system of "freedom", which isn't free at all, is required.
For your part you can free yourself of all barriers but not judging yourself or others. That is, accepting all things as they are and moving on. This in fact is extremely liberating because instead of wasting endless energy on something that has no real significance in the grand scheme of things, you just move on and so stay truly free.
Any barrier or limitation is entirely within your own mind.
This is probably one of the more sensible discussions I've seen around this topic. What I find kind of amusing is how infrequently erections have anything to do with arousal. Most, if not all, guys are probably fully aware of this, and yet like nudity itself and sexuality in general, we go along with the misinformed masses.
I count myself exceedingly lucky that the Dutch family who I would credit with introducing me to naturism during my early teens were open minded enough to totally ignore erections. If anyone is able to remember back that far, you'll be well aware if the breeze was the slightest bit too brisk, or you spotted a female underwear ad, that's all it took.
Being in an environment where it was no big deal and nobody paid any attention was fundamental in understanding one's body at that age. A time of immense change. Being able to understand, and even more importantly, accept all functions of the body as perfectly natural and normal insulates you from so many hang ups later in life.
I guess society is confused enough already about sex and nudity without confusing it further with open acceptance of erections.
Much like existing nude photography, there are images obviously intended to be provocative and arousing, and those that are just natural and wholesome. As difficult as it might be for some to comprehend, there are plenty of harmless pics of guys in varying states of erection that are not the least bit sexual or intended to be.
In summary I would say erect male members are akin to erect female nipples. 1% of the time it's sexually related. 99% of the time it's the body functioning normally and naturally.
I do like your "spotted a female underwear ad" reference! 😀
Always did it for me. I remember how exciting the first Playboy magazines were. Now all those images are quaint and referred to as 'vintage'
As naturists and men we should not be embarrassed about having erections. We should be proud of our erections. It's what we do, it's why we have penises, it's what they are for.
It is likewise the same with sexual arousal. It just happens. It might be a visual clue from another person or group of people, it might be a thought, a sound, or even an unconscious trigger from somewhere deep in our reptilian brains. It is normal. It is good. It makes the world go round.
The issue is what we do with our erections and the pictures of them. The rule of this site is that we do not share our magic 'stiffy' moments so that this not become a porn site. That's a good rule and I think we should all keep it. We should also play down our 'hardening' moments when in the company of naturists to keep with the precept of non sexual naturism.
The issue that others may be 'offended' by seeing something that does not harm them is the reason that we wear clothes most of the time anyway. I would rather be in a 'live and let live' society than one that panders to individual's 'perceived offences'
So enjoy your erections, celebrate them, just not here.
http://www.gonakedmagazine.com accepts erections as normal male states of physiology. Happy Bare is right, a time & place…
I m proud when I have an erection,,,,,even on the beach
You shouldn't not post them here because "some people could be offended", you shouldn't post them here because it's against the rules 😀
exactly – and that rule is there for that very sensible reason.
Isn't it high-time we quit exiling penises AND erections, since they are a normal part of every man in the world – about half of the world's population. If you are ashamed or embarrassed about yours, you have two choices, keep it in your panties, or have it cut off. Erections are a normal part of being male, and may happen spontaneously, totally-devoid of any sexual arousal. The only man I ever recall having any where near a full erection in a nudist resort was zonked-out on a lounge chair. He was relaxed, and it just happened. Nobody paid him any attention, and nobody bothered trying to rouse him or cover him up. I love it when I wake up with a "morning-woody", because those events are few and far between, and my equipment doesn't work as well as it used to.
If someone happens to take a picture of you zonked out with an erection, be glad you had it, and they documented it, because that means that everything is working like it is supposed to.
Let's face it, erection can happen anytime. However, erection is a direct symbol of sexual arousal. So yes, an erection is natural, but others may see it as very sexual, and this is not what you want. To avoid any misinterpretation, I would discard pics with obvious erections. My 2 cents.
That's precisely what I've been doing. That is why as I have said in the blog, you can't find a single photo of mine where there is an erection. They would have been weeded out rigorously from the start. I suppose it's the perception that people have that it's, as you rightly put it, a direct symbol of sexual arousal. But I fear I'm on dangerous ground when I say that. To textile people, nudity is strongly associated with sex. When I was in the university hostel as a student, I would always sleep naked. Once, my roommate wanted to do the same thing and that night he slept naked. The next morning, he told me he couldn't sleep because he had "sexual thoughts" because he was naked. I remember thinking he was a pervert but he wasn't. He was just a typical textile guy who associated nudity with sex. I've met naturists who insist that there is nothing wrong with an erection in a naturist context. Although I can't find a valid reason to support my prejudice (I can't think of a better word than "prejudice"), I'm still inclined to the view that people must cover up their erection in naturist resorts and delete erection photos on naturist sites. I just have this niggling suspicion that I may one day be viewed as excessively old-fashioned and conservative and a new generation of naturists may hold a different view.
Nah, erections aren't cool.
That is my stand too. The fact that I would find erection photos embarrassing must mean that I don't find them cool at all. But are we right? Do we have the same basis for our objection as textile folks have for nudity? They say nudity is associated with sex but we say they are wrong. The reason for our reaction to erection must be because we think it's sexual. But that's not correct either. I can't think of a good reason to feel that way about an erection except that it's a non-objective and irrational feeling that I have. I can't think of a reason to oppose it that is not also a reason that the textile world uses against nudity per se. Just thinking out loud and turning it into a blog. LOL.
Great, thought-provoking blog, Ernest