Happy Leap Year Day!

LEAP YEAR DAY

FEBRUARY 29, 2012

Come on and join in the celebration!

This year, unlike the past three years, we all have an extra day to be naked!

Make it special and unique!

Spend the day outside and free of all your clothes!

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!

Black, Blogger, Christian And Gay

Author's Note: This is the final post here at DQN In Northern Virginia in observance of Black History Month, 2012. It's been an exciting month for me; I hope the same for all of you.


I first became acquainted with Bradley two years ago, during the spring of 2010, as we were both beginning blogging. As "newbies" together, we soon began exchanging emails and IMs. We've stayed in communication over the past two years and have shared hopes, dreams and disappointments. I'm honored and pleased that he consented to this interview in order that all of you can meet him and examine his blog: http://www.musiquespoetry.com  His blog is more than just poetry; but, it is always fresh, honest and poetic. I encourage all of you to visit there often for a different perspective on life from a man I affectionately refer to as my "Lil Buddy." Please sit back and enjoy the interview with Musique's Poetry!

Please introduce yourself .
Hello, everyone! I want to thank Roger and DQN for thinking of me to write in this awesome blog. A little about me, I'm Brad aka Musique. I write and own the blog, Musique's Poetry, http://www.musiquespoetry.com I love blogging and since 2010 I've finally come to grips with my sexuality.

At what age were you aware that you are gay/queer/same gender loving?
I was 14 when I discovered my love for the same gender. I noticed that certain guys gave me butterflies. I also noticed that I was curious about the male anatomy and what it would be like to be with a man. Granted, I had never had sex with a female until 2005, I still knew that men would be my plight.

Did you have any gay role models growing up?
As a little Black Boy in the south, especially rural South Carolina, it was rare that I had a gay role model. Many of my role models were the straight men in my family as well as female celebrities such as the late Whitney Houston. However, I did look up to RuPaul, but not because he was a gay or because she was a drag entertainer, it was due to her style and her boldness. I craved that boldness.

Was the church that you were raised in affirming or homophobic? How did this make you feel?
The Church that I was raised in was very homophobic. I remember hearing preachers say "God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve," or either, "I refuse to allow my son to become a sissy."

Growing up in an African-American environment, what was the general attitude towards gays? Was this feeling also the same within your family?
Growing up in an African American or Black American family and community, Gay is one of the worst things you could be. I have gay cousins and my relatives keep silent, however, some are accepting of LGBT people. Most Black people I know are on the Down Low or are just plain out homophobic. However, I know and see so many Black Gay men and Black Lesbian women as well as Transgender people of color everywhere.

As a teen/young adult, were most of your gay friends black, white? Did you feel the need to conceal them from your family?
Growing up I hid my sexuality, however I had predominately White friends. The Black kids didn't really accept me for some strange reason. I guess because I was very articulate and I was one to conform to the Pop Culture. However, I did have a couple gay friends. My family knew them, but did not know their sexual orientation. I did feel it necessary for it to hide that from my family. However, I did get caught by my uncle having sex with a Black Male friend. We were banned from ever seeing each other again.

Growing up in the South, we all know that you experienced some discrimination. How much do you feel was based on your race? How much on the knowledge/perception of you being gay?
In the South, I have endured some discrimination. I remember when I was about 9 years old I was at a clothing store in Laurens, SC and I had to use the bathroom. A White lady asked about the restroom and the man told her in the back; however, when my uncle inquired the man said they had no public restrooms. I've also been discriminated against by a former employer because I'm gay. Everyone knew that I am gay because I am a former Female impersonator.

Once you accepted your sexuality and became sexually active, how did you handle the conflict with your faith?
For 5 years, I battled with deciding to try and be straight or to accept that I am Gay. In 2010, I got tired of being trashed by a religious group due to my orientation. They kept trying to "pray the gay away," when they found out that I accepted my sexuality, they condemned me and made me feel that I was less than a child of God. I had changed my whole entire personality and appearance to please them. Since I've left, I've come out as well as decided to deal with gay issues on my YouTube.com channel, The Bradley Show as well as Musique's Poetry.

In your personal opinion, are religion and your sexual orientation incompatible? Please explain.
Religion and sexuality really are compatible. If religion is taught out of love and not out of the spirits of control and hatred, the various religions would understand how SGL people move and work. Just like Christians say it's an abomination, you really don't see any examples of people being murdered or punished for being Gay. In my opinion your sexuality and religion are two separate entities.

Based on your own experience, what is the greatest challenge being African-American and gay?
The greatest challenge of being Black and Gay is really finding acceptance and not being frowned upon or being called "white washed." Another challenge could be constantly asked if I have HIV/AIDS or being told that I will die of the pandemic.

Many assert that the Black community is more homophobic than the White community. What are your thoughts concerning this allegation?
I can't really say if the White community or Black community is more homophobic. All I know is that homophobia is deadly. Too many people are being murdered because they cannot control who they love.

Despite what some claim, we all know that racism exists within our gay community. What have you experienced?
I've had some experiences with racism in the Gay community. I've seen it among Black gays as well. I've heard other Black men say they refuse to be a "Snow Queen" which is a term for Black men who date White men. I remember being on a hook up site and I refused to hook up with a man who was White. I told him that I was seeing someone and that I didn't want to hook up. He called me a "nigger" and told me to die of AIDS and go to hell. I blocked him and reported him for harassment and abuse on the site.

Were you compelled to look outside the Christian denomination in which you were raised in order to reconcile your faith and your sexuality?
Although it seems paradoxical to be a Black Gay Christian, however, I look at it like this. Jesus never spoke against the gays. No where in the Bible do you see gays being hurt or even the mention of someone who was gay and had to ultimately be delivered. The Bible really doesn't go into great detail on homosexuality so therefore I believe God really doesn't have a problem with homosexuality.

As an adult, how have you incorporated Christianity and being queer?
I believe that if I live by God's word and do as He's commanded me then I will receive my heavenly reward. God does not look at your sexuality nor does He look at who you sleep with. He looks at your heart and how and if you served Him whole-heartedly.

I self-identify as Deaf, queer and naturist/nudist (DQN). How do you identify?
I identify as a Christian, Black man who happens to be gay. My sexuality is just a small part of who I am.

What inspired you to begin blogging?
I began blogging in college. It was something that I wanted to do in order to reach people. I also saw people doing it. I saw it as a way to promote my music and me being an actor and singer. I saw it as a chance to reach other Black, Gay Christians like me.

What is your greatest challenge as a blogger?
As a blogger, I face the challenge of people coming to my family and relatives printing out pages from Musique's Poetry and the Bradley Show in order to "expose" me for being gay and for just speaking what they are scared to say. I also face criticism from religious people as well as my family because I am open and very vocal about various subjects.

What are your visions for Musique's Poetry?
My vision for Musique's Poetry is to reach young, old, gay, straight, black, white, yellow, red, all people. I'm not in it to be a celebrity blogger, but if I do become a celebrity blogger, so be it. Just as long as I reach one person, I will be okay.

What would you care to share concerning Musique's Poetry?
I would like to share that Musique's Poetry is open for all people and all races. It is solely my opinion, which is like a butt hole, everyone has one. I also am grateful that people in my hometown acknowledge my blog.

Thank you, Bradley, Musique's Poetry author and my Lil Buddy, for sharing with us both your life, your faith and your blog! I appreciate your time and energy and you for being you! Please, visit Bradley at http://www.musiquespoetry.com and go there often!

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!


Hang In There!

Don't give up! Regardless of how frustrated and tired you may be, think positive and hang in there! I know that most of us are already too through with winter (I know that I am); however bear (bare) in mind that the end is almost here. It's now the final days of February. The cold temperatures are almost over. Spring-time is fast approaching. 

Despite the freakish and unseasonable snowstorm that swept through the mid-Atlantic and northeast regions of the country this past October, overall, it's been a relatively mild winter. The temperatures have remained consistently moderate and the snowfall minimal. There have been no severe icings. As far as winters go, this one has proved tolerable; borderline nonexistant. That's the reason that there's been virtually no bitching and moaning from me on this site.

At the same time, it is winter.  For the most part, it has been too cold for any long periods of outdoor nudity where I live.  Multiple layers of clothing are still necessary. Then there's always the possibility that the weather will turn nasty sometime in the forseeable future. I'm not being a pessimist; I'm being realistic. We aren't completely free from inclimate precipitation quite yet. The opportunity remains, the threat just isn't as great.

Be brave and be optimistic! The frigid season is on the wane. The signs of this change are all around us. The hours of daylight are slowly increasing with each passing week. Soon, daylight savings time will arrive. When this happens, our hours of daylight will leap forward just as we leap into an extra day of nudity for this year!

So don't despair about what little bit of winter remains. We all know that it won't last long. From here on out, we'll soon be shedding those extra layers of winter garment, one layer at a time. Happier and warmer days are coming our way!

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!

The Color Of Nakedness

Art portrait by Maurice Ronet: The Princes of Alhambra (http://www.mauricepegasi.blogspot.com

Yesterday, my fellow blogger, Zee Jai, published the following quote on his blog, Ka-os Theory (http://www.ka-os.blogspot.com.). As I contemplated its meaning, I became intrigued and decided to share it here.

"Nakedness has no color: this can come as news only to those who have never covered, or been covered by, another naked human being." ~Zee Jai

Nudity is the ultimate equalizer of all men. Nude, together, none of us are any different from the other.  No matter the number of possessions or the socio-economic status, we are all the same. Race and ethnicity aren't important as physically we are essentially identical.

Nudity allows us all the pleasure of kinship and intimacy, of union and solidarity. When nude, we are indivisible. As we are embraced in our nakedness, then, and only then, can we truly appreciate and experience the unity and universality of our nakedness, our collective nudity.  

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!

Maryland Senate Passes Marriage Legislation

The State of Maryland is poised to become the eighth state to legally recognize same sex marriage. Last night, the State Senate passed the proposed bill with a vote of 25-22. Governor Martin O'Malley has already announced that he will sign the legislation into law. Congratulations, Maryland, for taking a step towards total equality for all peoples!

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy! 

Thursday Tribute: E. Patrick Johnson

E. Patrick Johnson is the currently the Carlos Montezuma Professor of Performance Studies and African American Studies at Northwestern University. He has published extensively in the subjects of race, class, gender and performance in addition to touring and presenting his own solo performances. He holds both a BA and MA in Speech Communication from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and a PhD in Speech Communication from Louisiana State University.

His recent awards and honors are the Errol Hill Award for Outstanding Scholarship in African American Theatre Studies, given in 2004 by the American Society for Theater Research. In 2005, he was the recipient of the Martin Duberman Fellowship from the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies (CUNY). The Northwestern University Graduate School presented him the Clarence Ver Steeg Award in 2007.

His first volume, Appropriating Blackness: Performance and the Politics of Authenticity was published by Duke University Press in 2003. He co-edited with Mae Henderson Black Queer Studies: A Critical Anthology, also published by Duke University Press, in 2005. His most recent book, Sweet Tea: Black Gay Men of the South-An Oral History, was released in 2008 by the University of North Carolina Press. At the present, he is working on an anthology of black queer performance texts and researching queer sexuality and performance in the Black church.

His performing credits include his one-man show entitled "Stange Fruit" which toured the US between 1999-2004. His present show, "Pouring Tea: Black Gay Men of the South Tell Their Tales" is on tour featuring various narratives from his book, Sweet Tea.

Mr. Johnson, in Sweet Tea: Black Gay Men of the South-An Oral History, made both African-American same gender loving history as well as queer history, in general, by opening the eyes of both our GLBT community and mainstream society to the lives of Americans before unseen. Living in the South during legal segregation, some of his older subjects had to often endure multiple layers of discrimination and duplicity simply in order to survive. The fact that these courageous souls not only were able to navigate the intricacies of bigotry is a testament to their individual heroism. Their stories provide proof to the adage "that which doesn't kill us only makes us stronger." Johnson, in bringing their stories to our attention, also offers to us all inspiration as we face the daily struggles of life respectively and collectively as we fight to end de facto legal oppression culturally.

Not all of the voices reaching us from Sweet Tea are those of men who lived through the age of Jim Crow and second class citizenship. Many are experiences from the post-Civil Rights era up to and including the present. My favorite from my contemporaries is the glimpse into the life of Tim'm West, one of the fathers of gay hip-hop. His experiences from growing up in rural Arkansas to his life in academia and our queer pop culture are both enlightening and entertaining (as are the vast majority of Johnson's subjects). E. Patrick Johnson, in transcribing these lives from oral to print, has preserved a colorful and rich tapestry of our culture for posterity. He has provided an important and invaluable service to us all, as individual queer men and as the GLBT culture.

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!

Nudecentric Briefs

FOR A NATURIST/NUDIST, THE ONLY REASON FOR OWNING A PAIR OF BRIEFS IS TO TAKE THEM OFF!

NUDE NEWS

MapMuse Releases 2012 Nude Beach and Naturist Locator Maps
Reston, Virginia

MapMuse announces the 2012 release of its Nude Beach and Naturist Maps, a series of web maps and an accompanying iPhone app that plot the locations of nude beaches, nude resorts, nudist resorts, nudist colonies and nude runs around the world. The maps are intended to serve as the premier online guide and review platform for the naturist community.

"Our maps and services have always been very popular with the nudist community," says Mike Pilon, owner of MapMuse. "This year, we're looking to parlay that popularity into a push to become the go-to platform for naturists who want to share and learn about local nude hotspots and hangouts."

In the past, naturists have been forced to rely on word of mouth and outdated print guides to find nearby beaches and meet-ups. With MapMuse's maps, the locations of nude beaches and other nude places of interest become readily accessible. Users can browse each map for close by locations or search for ones far and wide, acquiring instant driving directions with the click of a mouse. Most beach and business listings are enriched with helpful web links, background information and contact details, as well as user-submitted reviews, ratings and photos. "Think of it as a specialized Yelp or Trip Advisor for naturists," says Pilon.

Naturists can now access the maps from their mobile devices, provided they have an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. MapMuse's "World Nude Beach Guide" retails for $2.99 USD on the iTunes App Store and offers all the conveniences of the web maps plus some handy mobile features, such as one-touch dialing, emailing and navigation. Users can also submit reviews and photos directly from their devices.

MapMuse, an internet and app development company based in Reston, Virginia, is no newcomer to the locator business. Their website, which typically sees around seventy thousand visits per day, has countless maps for almost every topic imaginable. To view a complete list of MapMuse's naturist maps, go to: http://www.mapmuse.com/nude
Source: PRWeb press release

Africa's Naked Domestic Services Company

Cape Town, South Africa


A nudecentric business has now arrived on the African continent. Often in the recent headlines for its homophobia and attempts in the proposed criminalization of  gays, Africa now is home to a cleaning/house staff  service available in both Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa. The Natural Cleaning Co ("your one stop naturist service") offers a range of staff for a variety of jobs for nude or semi-nude home/office cleaning to nude cooks, butlers, handymen, accountants, attorneys and personal trainers.

The Natural Cleaning Co has strict rules of conduct, including no body contact. When hiring late last year, the company received more than 500 applications. The current staff number 20 full time. Founder/owner Jean Paul Reid commented: "People like looking at beautiful things. When you need a service like fixing your door handle and you can choose a handsome handyman and the choice of him doing it naked, semi-naked or fully clothed for the same price, it's a no brainer."

Visit their website at: http://www.naturalcleaning.wozaonline.co.za.  
Source: iAfrica.com
Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!

After Mardi Gras: Nude Rewards

Today is Ash Wednesday on the western calendar: the traditional start of the Lenten Season. It is the day after Mardi Gras, the culmination of the Carnival season. Now, yesterday I posted about the Mardi Gras custom, originating in New Orleans, Louisiana, of men exchanging beads with women to reward them for baring their breasts. These beads were worn around their necks, draping over their breasts, which were the anatomical areas exposed.

Taking this tradition to the next logical conclusion, these accompanying photographs demonstrate to us exactly how these men celebrated their respective Fat Tuesday. One look at the dude above let's us all know immediately what part of his hirsute body he chose to share with anyone who cared to look. His beads highlight his pride and joy.

The gentleman featured below is accentuating his exposed anatomy. Evident in his picture, he has every right to exhibit his most admirable attribute. It's worth every gold coin adorning his buttocks and then some. All that glitters, at least in his case, is indeed gold!

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!

 

Mardi Gras, 2012

"Mardi Gras" is the French for "Fat Tuesday," the tradition being this is the last night to consume fatty foods and for personal indulgence before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the western Christian Lent (the pre-Easter fasting and penitential season). In the UK and most Commonwealth countries, it is known as "Shrove Tuesday" (from the word "shrive" meaning "confess"). This name stems from the need to attend confession prior to the start of the fast.

The Mardi Gras season, or Carnival season, (Shrovetide in the UK), begins after the Epiphany holy day and ends on Ash Wednesday. Popular practices include the wearing of costumes, masks, overturning social conventions, sports competitions and parades with participants and spectators enjoying all types of jovial and alcohol inspired behavior. For many, this period is a time of revelry prior to the austere Lenten season. Currently, celebrations focus less on the religious aspects of the festival events and almost totally are directed towards both the commercial and the secular.

New Orleans, Louisiana, due to its' French colonial heritage, has become internationally reknown as the Mardi Gras celebration capital city in the United States. The city's historic French Quarter is the epicenter of these festivities. One of the lasting rituals evolving from New Orleans during the early 1900s was the baring of breasts by women in exchange for beads or other trinkets. This custom has now become popular with both genders and may or may not involve the exposing of breasts, buttocks or genitalia.

In our own culture of queer nakedness, many local groups, individuals or resorts host Mardi Gras celebrations or parties. The reason is evident in the simplicity of the accessories necessary for the festival. Beads, in the customary colors of gold, green and purple, and masks are all that are required. For many of us, Mardi Gras has become not so much an observance of the start of a religious period of penance as it marks the gradual demise of the cold winter and the advent of the warmer temperatures of spring.  Whatever the true basis for the social activities, Mardi Gras is ingrained on many calendars as a time for partying nude with our community.

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!

The Naked Presidents

HAPPY PRESIDENT'S DAY!

In honor of all of our national chief executives, some often overlooked facts that are an integral part of our collective nudestory (nude + history). The following U.S. Presidents regularly swam naked, even while living in the White House:

 

John Quincy Adams, 6th President (March 4, 1825-March 3, 1829)

President Adams swam naked in the Potomac River daily at 5:00 A.M. Anne Royall, a journalist knew thia and after being repeatedly refused a presidential interview, she went to the river and held his clothes hostage until she was granted an interview. She became the first woman journalist to interview a sitting president.

Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President (September 14, 1901-March 4, 1909)

In his autobiography, appropritely entitled "Autobiography," President Roosevelt wrote: "When we swam in the Potomac River, we usually took off our clothes."

Lyndon Baines Johnson, 36th President (November 22, 1963-January 20, 1969)

President Johnson swam nude in the White House pool on a regular basis. He often held policy meetings with aides while swimming and required that all his aides swim naked, also.

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!

Happy Mardi Gras Weekend!

HAPPY MARDI GRAS WEEKEND! HAPPY CARNIVAL WEEKEND!

PEACE! GET NAKED. ENJOY!

Artist Maurice Ronet And His Nudes

It was back in the early days of January, 2012, when I discovered the art blog, The Princes of Alhambra. I was immediately impressed with the realistic and terrific art featured on the site: fantastic images of men, both nude and otherwise, most of them in distinctive gay environments or situations. I'm by no means an art critic nor expert; but, I do know what I personally admire and like, every piece of art that I saw increased my appreciation of both the artist and his work. I remember thinking: this is one helluva talented man! The same day of my discovery, I emailed the artist/blog author, Maurice Ronet, introduced myself and begged him to allow me to include his site on My Blog List here at DQN and invited him for this interview. He promptly responded and graciously consented to the interview and here we are.

I added his blogsite, The Princes of Alhambra, to DQN In Northern Virginia's My Blog List the same day after I received his affirmative reply. If you haven't already done so, I encourage you, the reader, to visit it when you finish reading his thoughts here. Please scroll down to the My Blog List gadget on the left side of your screen and click on the portrait or title there. In the meantime, here's the artist, Maurice Ronet.

Please allow me to start by commenting on both your talent, your gift and your generosity in sharing with us all through your blog. Thank you for agreeing to grant this interview; it's an honor. I'd like to begin by having you introduce yourself to the readers here?
Warm greetings to all readers. My name is Maurice Ronet (I have nothing to do with the French actor except the name) but I sign all my work with the nickname of Maurice Pegasi. From an early age, I felt a great admiration for the painting. My parents encouraged me to take art classes at once, which I did as a complement to my academic studies.

How old were you when you understood that you're gay? Have you always created gay themed art?
From a young age I understood and accepted my sexual condition and I have never denied to anyone. Thank God times have changed but much remains to be done to the full normalization of sexual freedom in the world.

Not always had the opportunity to include gay-themed works in my work, this decision came later. It is an injustice that these issues have been excluded or hidden in other fields for so long. The male nude freely expressed either alone or in groups is a worthy aesthetic value. I can appreciate it a great deal of strength, vigor, dynamism, emotion and harmony.

In my humble opinion and untrained eye, you're an artistic genius. I particularly appreciate the reality of your work. The scenes and men that you depict are in honest, believable situations and settings. As a practicing gay social naturist/nudist, I'm extremely grateful for the positive and proud images of queer male nudity that you create and project. So often in life, we gay nudists are condemned and misunderstood both due to our sexual orientation and our culture of nakedness.  

Have you always featured nude men in your work?

As I said before, not always. I had this opportunity. I started painting landscapes and portraits. The gay issues were rejected by the sponsors in the exhibits. Only after finding gay groups, who encouraged me to do was when I developed this kind of art that attracts me. So online, in Internet, I feel like in my own home.

What was the reaction to your nude art? Supportive? Critical?

Well, I do not know if I'm the best person to answer this. In gay circles believe that the reaction is supportive. But in the straight world I can't tell you what their reaction is. You know, I hate having to put art into categories, but unfortunately people are accustomed to.

Did you "come out" as gay through your art? Or did you "come out" prior to creating gay themed works?

This is the story of the chicken and the egg, which came first? I think everything is simultaneous and it all links together. The latter claim would have to be gay to paint exclusively gay issues. I do not think so, I'm sure any artist could develop this type of art no matter what their sexual orientation.

Your subjects all appear lifelike, comfortable and relaxed. They are very natural in their nudity. Europeans, as a whole, are more accepting and receptive to the nude human body, both in art and in reality, than most Americans. Probably due in a large part to our puritanical legacy here. Obviously, you know and understand your material through personal observation. Given the large number of nudist beaches in Spain, let's explore your experience with social nudity.

Do you consider yourself a naturist/nudist? If so, when did you begin to practice?

One of the greatest pleasures I have felt in this life has been to swim naked in the sea. It's a feeling of freedom and direct communication with nature around us. Many times I feel a terrible envy of indigenous peoples who practice nudity as natural. I do not mind showing my naked body to the other but not a necessity. However, I do need to be surrounded by naked male bodies. My house is full of them in paintings and sculptures. Sometimes, I get used to swim naked with my friends in the pool at my house or theirs. Unfortunately, I never had the chance to do nudity in open spaces and under the gaze of strangers, but never too late if happiness is good, eh?

Do you visit nudist beaches/resorts to research your subjects?

As you said in Spain there are many public places and private centers where you can do nudity. The coast is full of them so it is inevitable to see nude walking in front of your very eyes, LOL! Of course, a beautiful and shapely body is enough to make your imagination fly and I must confess that I have more than one chosen as a model for my paintings.

What inspires your art?

There are many things that inspire me. A beautiful body in a natural landscape is one of the nicest views you can have in life. Look at a scene that we could classify as pornographic, if you transferred it to a natural environment, you world see how it automatically loses that pornographic value and is transformed into an image full of tenderness and feeling. The beauty of two bodies making love is infinite. The result contains all the elements to be considered a true work of art, beauty, feeling, perspective, harmony, strength, force and motion.

Any advice to any aspiring nude artists?
My best advice is don't waste time and immediately begin to offer the world the best of them. I also encourage them not to get carried away by the prejudices of others. Wherever they see beauty is that there is beauty and must offer the world. Good luck!

Anything else that you care to share with us?
Nothing more to thank you the opportunity to express myself and make myself known to your readers. You are very kind and I am eternally grateful.

Maurice, thank you so very much for your time in being with us. I appreciate your support of our community and our culture. I admire and respect your art and am grateful for the beauty that your remarkable talent brings to our world. I sincerely hope that we can do this again!

Once again, please visit Maurice's art blog, The Princes of Alhambra, by checking his title in My Blog List on this page or:http://www.mauricepegasi.blogspot.com. Go there often to feast your eyes on his work.

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!
Author's Note: Maurice's work that's presented here with this interview was selected by me based solely on what caught my eye and appealed to me personally. It is not a judgement on any of his art.

Maurice Ronet, a self-portrait. Interested in purchasing his art, email him at: mauriceronet@yahoo.es.

Thursday Tribute: George Washington Carver

"Where there is no vision, there is no hope." George Washington Carver

George Washington Carver was an internationally acclaimed scientist who focused on agricultural products. He is attributed with the discovering of many beneficial uses for peanuts, sweet potatoes (yams) and for clay. A Black man born during the Civil War, he overcame racism to achieve the status of a preeminent scientist and renowned academic.

Carver was born in January, 1864, a slave in the southwest of Missouri. As an infant, he was kidnapped by slave traders but soon abandoned when they realized he suffered from whooping cough. He was then adopted by his mother's slaveowners, Moses and Susan Carver.

When he was 13 years old, he left home and attended a boarding school for Blacks. In 1890, he entered Simpson College in Iowa, where he was the only African-American student. One year later, he transferred to Iowa State College in order to major in a subject that interested him most: agriculture. After graduation, he became the only Black faculty member at his alma mater. Shortly thereafter, he was invited to chair the agriculture department at the Tuskegee Institute, a university for Black students founded by Booker T. Washington located in Tuskegee, Alabama. This meant moving to the deep South as institutionalized segregation was becoming entrenched.

As a professor at Tuskegee, Carver challenged his students to think creatively, independently and to constantly question. As an advisor and mentor, he emphasized self-sufficiency and resilience, especially in the face of the strict segregation found in Alabama. When he wasn't teaching and overseeing students, he involved himself in painting and religion. Throughout his entire life, he always maintained an optimistic attitude, despite his demeaning and racist environment. Carver was quoted as: "I can't do my work if my heart is bitter."

As an agricultural scientist, he is credited with discovering multiple uses for peanuts and the oil extracted from them. He taught poor farmers and sharecroppers the variety of practical uses for many nutritious and commonly grown crops. He developed a diverse range of products, including flour, ink and moisturizing facial cream. He also experimented with developing rubber from the sweet potato plant. Carver's research and carefully documented experiments lead to the later development of biofuels and organically-based household cleaning products.

Living in an age when same-sex attraction wasn't openly acknowledged, discussed or even legal, Carver was discreet in his personal life. However, within Tuskegee Institute's closed academic community, his preference for males was widely known and tacitly tolerated due to his esteem within that community. Carver often provided peanut oil massages privately for his special male friends.

In 1916, George Washington Carver was granted membership in The Royal Society of London. In 1923, he received the Spingarn Medal from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). In 1932, Simpson College, Iowa, awarded him an honorary degree. Carver died on January 5, 1943.

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!     


Nudecentric Briefs

FOR A NATURIST/NUDIST, THE ONLY REASON FOR OWNING A PAIR OF BRIEFS IS TO TAKE THEM OFF!


NUDE NEWS


Swarthmore University students have now created their own special blog to both celebrate and to showcase their nude bodies. Started at the beginning of the current semester and launched around January 23, 2012, this nudist blog is powered by Tumblr.com and has grown steadily since its' inceptions. The blog is titled "Swattie Bodies" and is described by the anonymous site administrator as a "safe and friendly place for Swatties of all shapes and sizes to celebrate their bodies, naturally."

The new site has posted pictures of both male and female students, most totally nude. Interested readers have also posted numerous comments and questions to the site administrator as well as comments on the respective photograph submission(s). While not mandatory, all submissions have taken care to conceal their identity by cropping their heads from entries. The site's creator explained this unwritten policy offering: "I think it would make it easier for haters to hate on the blog if they figured out who maintains it."


The blog has three entry requirements that are prominently displayed on its banner at the top of the page. The rules are: 1). You must be a Swarthmore student, alumnus or on campus. 2). You must be 18 years of age or older. 3). Be nice, nasty comments will not be tolerated. All submissions are restricted to the collegiate community by accepting only those sent through a Swarthmore email account or by indicating a distinct affiliation with the school.

The security in place regarding submissions is lacking in public access to the blogsite. No security identification is requested denoting the reader as a member of either the collegiate community nor meeting the age specification. The unusually openness of the site and its' availability are cited by some students as cause for concern. One freshman, who wished to remain unidentified, stated: "The moderator could be some awesome body-positive person or some creepy lonely person who just wants to know what Swatties look like naked."

Swattie Bodies joins a growing list of other college nudist websites, including Boobs@Bard, Vag@Vassar and Brown Bares. The aforementioned anonymous student commented on the positive body message these various blogs offer: "People with body types not seen in popular media are featured on these sites and they showcase the vast variety of the human body in a sexy context. It's not just about seeing what different bodies look like, it's about seeing how different bodies are sexy, sensual and beautiful."  

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!
Source: Swarthmore Phoenix

Happy Valentine's Day!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

FEBRUARY 14, 2012

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!

Naked Love

Roses are red, violets are blue.

We're both together nude, and I love you.


Okay, those lines are very simple, stereotypical and sophomoric; but, they do express the sentiments befitting the season surrounding St. Valentine's Day. In celebration and recognition of the international date for love and romance, here are some images and some poetry to help get you into the mood for tomorrow. Also, in order to keep you outside the proverbial doghouse, here's your friendly reminder that tomorrow, February 14, is Valentine's Day!


Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!

With looks disheveled,

flushed in a sweat of drunkeness

His shirt torn open,

a song on his lips and wine cup in his hand

With eyes looking for trouble,

lips softly complaining

So at midnight last night he came and sat on my pillow...

~ Hafiz (circa 1320-1389)

I give you my hand!

I give you my love, more precious than money,

I give you myself, before preaching or law;

Will you give me yourself? will you come travel with me?

Shall we stick by each other as long as we live?

~ Walt Whitman "Song Of The Open Road"

"Children of the future age,

Reading this indignant page,

Know that in a former time,

Love, sweet love, was thought a crime!"

William Blake (1757-1827)

Nude Novice Notes: A Blogger Brother Begins A Nude Journey

COME ON OUT OF YOUR CLOSET OF CLOTHES AND WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF SOCIAL NUDITY!

Introduction:

My primary purpose in featuring this particular column as a part of this blog is to offer some basic information to those thinking about joining our culture of nakedness. It's secondary reason is to offer guidance and support to those men who are relatively new to social nudism. A form of online resource on the culture and customs of our queer naturist world.

Nude Novice Notes is by no means is intended to be the final authority on gay social nudity. To be honest, I don't believe there is one source for that: our community is too diverse and traditions vary from group to group, region to region and country to country. It simply is a guide as men negotiate their way into our world.

When I learned that a brother blogger, Pimusique, had made the decision to explore our same gender loving nude culture, I thought: this is an excellent opportunity to share with men considering our lifestyle and those men who are novices in our lifestyle the thoughts and  background of another queer man who's doing the same. An effort to "each one, reach one, teach one." An experience to show by example rather than thoughts and advice. A sort of "hands on" lesson reality lesson through cyberspace, if you will. We all know, and it is proven educational strategy, that people learn best from those they perceive as similar to themselves. Who better to serve as a role model for new nudes than one himself? As an African-American blogger, there's no better time to publish his story than February, which is Black History Month.

I hope that my fellow blogger and naked comrade will share more with us here as he embarks on his nude journey. One benefit from working with him over this past month has been the beginning of a friendship that hopefully will last a lifetime. Pimusique's blog is featured in My Blog List here. I urge you to visit it, if you haven't already done so.  Now, sit back and enjoy the interview with Pimusique.

Pimusique's Blog Avatar

A Fellow Blogger Begins A Nude Journey:

One of the blogs that I've followed and promoted in My Blog List here at DQN In Northern Virginia is the recently revamped Pimusique (formerly: From The Desk Of Pimusique). I've enjoyed the content and perspective offered on this site for several years now and I'm particularly excited as to the new direction the author, Pimusique, is taking his publication in 2012. In a recent post, he shared some personal adventures that he's undergoing in this new year. One of these, exploring gay social nudity, appealed to me as something that would be of interest in addressing here at DQN In Northern Virginia. I contacted him regarding an interview and he graciously agreed to discuss his thoughts.

Thank you for consenting to do this interview. It's an honor. Would you like to introduce yourself?

First, let me say that it is a joy, an honor to make your acquaintance. When you contacted me to do this interview, I gave you a quick "Yes sir!" Because to be tapped to have such an opportunity is just outstanding.

My name is Thaddeus Lonzie Works. I was born in Camilla, Georgia, and raised in Albany, Georgia, about three hours south of Atlanta. I came to Atlanta in May, 1985, and that was when my gay sleeping giant was awakened.

What inspired you to write a blog?

There was this blog that I used to read faithfully; one day he posted something and I commented. He asked me if I had ever considered writing my own blog. A year passed and one night I gave it a trial run and I could not stop writing about my life: where I had been, what I have done and my sexual adventures.

You are very frank and open in your writing/blog. Are you that real in person?

LOL! I have always spoken the truth or what I have felt at that moment, not disrespecting anyone. When I am asked, "What do you think?" my answer may piss someone off, but, they will say, "He told me not what I wanted to hear but what I needed to hear...the truth!" I really think that I talk too much concerning my personal life but by me doing so it may help someone to find a release in their lives. I help to make them an individual with a strong amount of respect from others.  

The recent renovation of your blog, From The Desk Of Pimusique to the new Pimusique, is refreshing. Is this part of a New Year resolution? Any special reason for the evolution?

That came from a conversation back in early December. I was at a dinner and the host was talking about early retirement and a healthier lifestyle. He looked over at me and said: "Thaddeus...I'm going to re-invent myself for the next year." On my way home I kept hearing "re-invent myself." When I got home I was full of thoughts of re-inventing myself to where I will really let my readers into the deep, deep, deep secrets of my life. Secrets where others will never reveal about themselves and what they wanna do or have done. I had to kill off the "old man" (From The Desk Of...) and give a "new life" to the new (Pimusique). He is going to give it to you raw and uncut with no chaser.

Pimusique is written from the perspective of a proud gay African-American man. At what age did you acknowledge your sexuality? Are you open/out to your family?

I am open with my family. I did not tap into my openly sexual being until about ten years ago. I have always had this sexual power within me since my teen years. There was a power that would come over me when I just wanted to be down and dirty sexually with someone and I would leave them overly satisfied and myself drained for hours. But that would only happen with a random piece of ass.

  

Pimusique: Thaddeus L. Works

In an update to your blog, Pimusique, post on Saturday, January 7, 2012, you wrote: "I have been informed and now I have some interest in the nudist scene as well. I strongly think that I am leaning toward the nudist because as you already know I sleep nude, I do not wear underwear and when I am home I walk around nude." As a queer naturist/nudist, this amended information intrigued me and I'd like to discuss this with you. I know this topic is of interest to the gay nudist readers at DQN In Northern Virginia. It isn't too often that we meet someone who is so honest and public about their desire to experiment with same gender loving social nudity.

How long have you been a home nudist? What made you decide to start being nude at home?

This happened when I was about 17 years old. I would always sleep naked and walk around my bedroom naked. I would come in from anywhere and just had to get out of all my clothes. I think this goes back to when I was a toddler. Little boys love to run around naked. You have to chase them down before and after a bath to cover them up because they will run outside like that.

Any embarrassing moments being caught naked in your home?

LOL! This question takes me back again to when I was 17 years old and I was sleeping naked. My mother heard a noise in the house one night and so she went on patrol checking all the rooms. The next morning at breakfast she asked my brother and me did we hear something fall during the night. I laughed and said: "No one is going to come up in here." She said: "After I checked your room, I knew no one had come in because when I opened your door all I saw was your ass in the air."

As you know, most of us are raised in a home environment that isn't very "nudist friendly." We are taught by our family, church, society, etc., that nude is lewd. It's something to be ashamed of and dirty. We're told that "good, decent people don't go around naked." This is especially true in the United States where many of us learn at an early age that "modesty is the best policy." As a result of this puritan way of thinking, many of us grow up with a sense of "body shame." We're encouraged to equate nakedness with evil and sin. Only a few of us are brought up in homes where nudity is considered acceptable, healthy and normal.

As a child, what were you taught about nudity?

I was raised in the country and you did not show skin at all if it wasn't your arms or face. You are right, nude was rude. Even not wearing undergarments was just nasty and shameful.

When younger, did you ever go skinny-dipping with family/friends?

That is something that I always wanted to do but never have. I still wanna do it. That would blow my mind with a group of naked people, all wet.

Aside from skinny-dipping, any other childhood/adolescent nudist experiences?

There was this dude that stayed about three houses down from me. I used to go over and we used to suck each others dick and jack off. I was not into eating ass then. I would tell him I am coming over through the back yard naked. I would leave out the back door of my house and run three houses down to his house naked with a pair of white socks on. I was 17 and he was 21.

By the time that many of us reach our teenage stage, the lessons about modesty versus nakedness are already ingrained in our minds. As adolescents, most are already suffering from "body anxiety" due to puberty, developmental/growth issues and a budding sexual awareness. This creates awkward tensions and stress during an especially difficult age. We are self-conscious, ashamed and extremely shy when it comes to nudity. At the same time, we are curious about sex and about the human body, regardless of gender.  

During this emotionally confusing and difficult period of our lives, some of us participate in a few adolescent antics/pranks as a means of releasing this pent-up sexual energy. We also use these activities as a way of satisfying our natural curiosity and as a venue for teenage rebellion. As painful as this may be, I'd like to ask that you once again become a teenager, just for the purposes of this interview. LOL! Please, bear (bare) with me through this. This isn't an easy thing to do, so I am grateful for your cooperation and honesty.

Did you ever suffer any shyness about being naked in the locker room/showers when in high school?

In high school I got a failing grade because I would not dress out for my tennis class. I just could not take off my clothes in front of the other guys because they were all so well-toned.

Did you ever have any feelings of "penis envy" or other anxiety about being naked publicly with your peers?

I used to see other dudes in the locker room with 8-10 inches of dick and we were all the same age. I was a late bloomer so I did not have a nice size dick, hard or soft; nor did I have any pubic hairs. These other guys, they would just be hanging out wet and soapy in the showers. Then, when they dried off, their dicks would hang like elephant trunks, even the uncut boys.

As a teen/young adult, did you ever try "streaking" (running nude in a crowd of strangers) or "mooning" (exposing your ass in public)?

Never tried that. I would look when others did it but I did not have the equipment nor body for that type of action.

Now, we can return to the present. You're finally an adult again, my blogger brother! I appreciate your patience and understanding through this interview process. At this time, I just have a few more questions and then we'll be finished here, for the moment. Earlier in this discussion, you stated that you're currently a home nudist and you've publicly admitted in your blog, Pimusique, that you're taking this all to the next level and entertaining the idea of involving yourself in the gay social nudist community.

Do you at present have any friends who are same gender loving naturists/nudists?

No, I have no friends that would even think about being a nudist. There is this blogger in DC, a Black dude (author's note: Gay Nudist In DC) who's a nudist and he gave me some info about it. I am trying to get to one of the events to see if it's a good fit. I have voiced my desires to them and they read my blog also. When they read that post, they just laughed and said: "Yeah, right." Most Black males do not get their dick pierced (author's note: Thaddeus did; back early this year). Most Black males do not go around without any underwear. I am not like most Black males.

Any particular reason for trying social nudity now?

It's always been a desire and if I don't do it now...then when? The time is right here and right now.

Have you ever been in a relationship with a man who's a nudist?

No.

Have you ever just informally "hung out naked" with a few close friends?

No, I have no nudist friends that I know of or that will tell me the truth. But, after they read this, I might have a few new friends. Would you like to be my friend? LOL! Author's note: I agreed enthusiastically to be his friend and mentor.

You are aware that some associate gay male nudity as an excuse for sexual activity. Any thoughts about this?

I am not really interested in what people think or have to say about that. I am a grown man among other grown men. If sex happens, so be it. We are not teenagers and we are doing what society says we should not do. (Author's note: as teens).

Anything else that you'd care to add here? Concerns? Nervous? Excited?

None at the moment, if I do, I'll get in touch. I am writing a book that will be real and raw, more so than what I can post on my blog. If you wanna know more detailed shit that happens in my sexual life, go to: http://www.pimusique.org or: http://www.pimusique.blogspot.com.

Thaddeus, I'm grateful for your being candid about your feelings and thoughts here and being frank about any earlier experiences in your life. I know everyone reading this welcomes your honesty. I'm sure that a number will begin reading Pimusique so as to follow your journey into our queer culture of nakedness. I hope that we can do this again after you've participated in a few nude social functions in order to keep abreast of your nudist life. Thank you very much for your time, your cooperation and your generosity. Best wishes as you shed the clothes of bondage and step into the freedom of nudity!

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!

 

Thursday Tribute: Bayard Rustin Centennial

This year, 2012, is the centennial of the birth of Bayard Rustin, one of the leading figures in the U.S. civil rights movement and the struggle for gay equality and social justice. Mr. Rustin is pictured to the right with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in early 1963. He was also a personal friend of the late Dr. King, Jr.

Mr. Rustin was born on March 17, 1912, in West Chester, Pennsylvania. He was raised in the same city by his maternal grandparents, Janifer and Julia Rustin. He grew up in the dual faith communities of his his guardians, African Methodist Episcopal Church (grandfather) and his grandmother's Quaker church. He attended Wilberforce University, a HBCU college in Ohio where he was a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. He left before sitting for his final exams and later attended Cheyney State Teachers College (now Cheyney University of Pennsylvania). A talented tenor vocalist, he was on music scholarships at both universities.

Rustin joined the Young Communist League in 1936 because of their stance against racial equality. About the same time, he became exclusively a Quaker (Society of Friends). Upon completion of an activist training program conducted by the American Friends Service Committee, he moved to New York City in 1937 and began studying at the City College of New York. While there, he became active in efforts to defend and free the Scottsboro Boys, nine black men in Alabama who were alleged to have raped two white women.

During World War II, Bayard refused to register for the draft. The result was three years incarceration in a federal penitentiary. Despite the fact that he was arrested 23 times for nonviolent protest, he never lost his conviction that equality should be pursued through peaceful but confrontational efforts.

In 1947, helped to organize the Fellowship of Reconciliation, a pacifist group working for an end to segregation. That same year, he coordinated the Journey of Reconciliation, an event challenging through civil disobedience the practice of segregating passengers on interstate busing. The Journey of Reconciliation later served as the model for the Freedom Rides of the 1960s. In 1948, he travelled to India to learn techniques of nonviolent civil disobedience directly from the followers of Mahatma Gandhi.

In 1953, Rustin was arrested in Pasadena, California, for homosexual activity. He was initially charged with vagrancy and lewd conduct. He plead guilty to a lesser charge of sex perversion (as consensual sodomy was officially known in California at that time). He served 60 days in jail. This was the first time his homosexuality became public knowledge through the media. Prior to this incident, he had been candid about his sexuality. Following his conviction, he was fired from his position with the Fellowship of Reconciliation.

Bayard helped to organize the Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott in 1955, after the Rosa Parks incident. In 1956, he became an advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., specializing in the nonviolent strategies of Gandhi. Before Dr. King's involvement with Rustin, he had permitted his home and family to be protected by armed guards. Mr. Rustin convinced Dr. King to abandon armed protection and to adopt a pacifist approach to civil protest.

The following year, 1957, King and Rustin began organizing the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). As this movement emerged into prominence in the civil rights struggle, many African-American leaders became apprehensive that Rustin's homosexuality and past Communist affiliation could harm or undermine the equality fight. U.S. Representative Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. forced Rustin's resignation from the SCLC in 1960 by threatening to discuss his morals charge and open homosexuality in the U.S. Congress. Even though Bayard was open about his same gender attraction and his arrest was a matter of public record, it wasn't widely acknowledged outside the civil rights leadership cadre.

Rustin's organization and logistic strengths couldn't be overlooked when an unprecedented mass gathering was being planned. Despite objections from others, Dr. King insisted Rustin be included in the development of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. His abilities proved invaluable when the historic occasion arrived and was successful beyond any one's expectations.

In the early 1970s, Rustin served on the Board of Trustees of Notre Dame University. Throughout the rest of his life, he remained active with the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). He continued to fight for employment fairness and for civil rights of all minorities.

Bayard Rustin, always honest and open about his sexual orientation, was a early and staunch advocate for equal rights for all homosexuals. A gay activist long before the Stonewall Riots, he often stood alone in championing the civil rights of all people, regardless of their sexuality. He was even attacked and publicly disparaged by the segregationist Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina in the chamber of the U.S. Senate. Threatened by the enormity of the 1963 March on Washington, Thurmond denounced Rustin, by name, as a "Communist, draft-dodger and homosexual" and had his entire arrest record entered into the Senate record. Rustin responded by publicly acknowledging all three accusations.

Shortly before he died, speaking at a gay rights rally, Rustin said: "Twenty-five, thirty years ago, the barometer of human rights in the United States were Black people. That is no longer true. The barometer for judging the character of people in regard to human rights is now those who consider themselves gay, homosexual, (or) lesbian."

Bayard Rustin died on August 24, 1987, of a perforated appendix. He was 75 years old.

"We are all one. And if we don't know it, we will learn it the hard way."
~ Bayard Rustin

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy! 

Getting Your Date Naked For V-Day

That international day of affection and romance, Valentine's Day, is less than a week away. The one day that is celebrated by all countries and cultures as a day of true love for that special someone in our lives. The time for us to honor and observe the legendary legacy of Cupid as we pamper the object of our desire.  Valentine's Day: Demonstrative day. The day that we demonstrate to those that we admire and love exactly how important they are are in our lives. Time to show to them how much we really care.

Only there's one small problem. The proverbial apple of our eye doesn't share our preference for nudity. Our beloved isn't at all comfortable in his skin in social nude settings. Now, our devotion and love for this man does blind us to this disparity in otherwise routine gatherings; but, after all, this is Valentine's Day and we want to make the day special not only for our lover; we want it unique for ourselves as well.

Aware of our man's modesty/shyness, short of slipping him a "roofie" (I'm not advocating doing this), chances are we're not going to be able to charm him out of his clothes in any type of social environment, regardless of how much we try. At least, not right away. However, there are some activities that we can undertake in the privacy of his home/our own home or the shared abode (if the relationship has progressed that far), that may ease him into the nude zone and increase his comfort level.  

Here are some suggestions of things that we can do that not only may get our mate acclimated to being naked outside  the bedroom; an added bonus is they are also are romantic and exciting as well. And Valentine's Day is dedicated to romance and excitement, right? And what we'd like is nothing more than to be nude with our true love, right? Please, take a look at the ideas, select those that work for you or use them as a guide to develop some of your own.  

1. Life/drawing/photography session at home.

If you don't have some on hand, buy some art supplies or simply pull out your camera. Then take turns creating nude images of each other. Be creative and have fun using household items as props to enhance those Kodak moments. One of my favorites is to each have a camera and photograph each other simultaneously.

2. Give a massage.

Spread an old bedsheet or towel on the floor and tell you men that you're going to treat him to a relaxing and sensual massage. Place lit candles around the room and turn off the lights. Have a hand towel handy to wipe off and some massage/body oil nearby. Strip together (maybe undressing each other) and focus on the massage before moving on to other intimate engagements.

3. Take a bath together.

Bathing and/or showering together has always provided for romance. Take this ritual one step further and make it a prolonged and intimate event. Use lit candles and champagne to set the mood. Buy some new bath products to spice up the moment as well as moisturizer to massage each other with afterward. Take your time in the tub adding hot water as needed. If possible and practical, rent a luxury hotel suite with a bathtub comfortable for two.

4. Strip chess, checkers, etc.

This idea is a variation of the game of strip poker. To capture the atmosphere, dim the lights and use candles. The rules are simple: for every piece that you capture, your man needs to remove an item of clothing. The same applies to you. Serve champagne or wine as you both engage and disrobe each other. The object isn't to get the other nude first: it's to get naked together.    

This list isn't all that we can do to get our date into the mood. Again, feel free to take the concept and make as many adaptations as necessary to make it work for you and your man. The important theme here is to create a romantic interlude for you both as well as to make your partner comfortable with being naked with you while you both participate in activities without your clothes. Last, but not least, have a special and intimate Valentine's Day!

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!

NBHAAD, 2012: Fact Sheet

Today, February 7, 2012, is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

I Am My Brother/Sister's Keeper: Fight HIV/AIDS!

When we look at HIV/AIDS by race and ethnicity, Blacks have more illness (Blacks represent only 12% of the U.S. population, yet account for 45% of new HIV infections and 46% of people living with HIV disease in 2006); and more deaths (Blacks accounted for 57% of deaths due to HIV in 2007 and the survival time after an AIDS diagnosis is lower on average than it is for most other racial/ethnic groups). In 2009, Blacks accounted for 44% of all new HIV infections.

The AIDS diagnosis rate per 100,000 among Black adults/adolescents was 9 times that of whites in 2008. The AIDS diagnosis rate for Black men (85.5) was the highest for any group, followed by Black women (39.9). By comparison, the rate among white men was 10. The rate of new infections is also highest among Blacks and was 7 times greater than the rate among whites in 2006.

Among the U.S. population overall, Blacks are more likely than whites to report having been tested for HIV in the last 12 months (40% to 14%). Among those who are HIV positive, CDC data indicate that 33% of Blacks were tested for HIV late in their illness-that is, diagnosed with AIDS within one year of testing positive for HIV (in those states/areas with HIV name reporting); by comparison, 30% of whites and 36% of Latinos were tested late.

In 2009, an estimated 16,741 Blacks were diagnosed with AIDS in the U.S., a number that has slowly decreased since 2006. By the end of 2008, an estimated 240,627 Blacks with an AIDS diagnosis had died in the U.S. In 2007, HIV was the ninth leading cause of death for all Blacks and the third leading cause of death for both Black men and Black women aged 35-44.

The number of new infections per year among Blacks is down from its peak in the late 1980s, but has exceeded the number of infections among whites since that time; new infections have remained stable in recent years.

A recent analysis of 1999-2006 data from a national household survey found that 2% of Blacks in the U.S. (among those aged 18-49) were HIV positive, significantly higher than whites (0.23%). Also, the prevalence of HIV was higher among Black men (2.64%) than Black women (1.49%).

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

http://www.nationalblackaidsday.org