Author’s note: A recent heated exchange con twitter prompted this post. be forewarned if you don’t want your view of race and diversity challenged move on don’t continue reading. If you want the tried and true status quo “progressive” view on nudism things stop reading now and explore and enjoy the rest of this site. Rant warning complete.
The Golden Globe award winning hit show on HBO, Girls has been criticized in many quarters for its lack of diversity. The show based in NYC had no character interactions between the main characters and any people of color. This in New York City possibly the most diverse city on the planet maybe with the exception of Toronto, Canada. The show has also been highlighted for its regular instances of nudity. The creator, writer, director, and star of the show has stated in interviews that she is not at all uncomfortable being nude. Some nudists have hit upon this as a way to champion the cause of the clothesfree lifestyle. At face value one could say what is all the hubbub about? It is a story about young white women in the city that never sleeps who are comfortable in their own skins. However, a more discerning eye might may recognize the show presents a distorted viewed of both nudity and diversity in the city that never sleeps. Should the artist be able to freely express such a distorted view of reality as some suggest, without being challenged or critiqued? Should those who practice nudism or naturism be concerned rather than celebrate. In my opinion the answer to the first question is No and the second Yes
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The second season of the show started Sunday night on the same night that the show won a Golden Globe. Perhaps in response to the criticism from the first season it starts with the conspicuous placement of some African Americans behind so cast members in a street scene. The is followed by scene with the star of the show interacting with an African American. Sounds good so far right. Except the interaction is a sexual encounter of course she is nude. If fact also all of the nudity in the show is connected sex. The characters are rarely if ever nude is just ordinary living. rather they are only nude as a precursor to sex or in the aftermath of a sexual encounter. I’m not sure that that is something nudists want to celebrate. Furthemore the introduction of an African Amercian male as a sex partner to Hannah the main character played Len Durham only serves to perpetuate and reinforce historical stereotypes of African American’s as one dimensional sexual beings. In the scene following their sexual encounter, Hannah casually tells her new black boy toy that she doesn’t want to hear anything about love.
All these this negative messages are by no means obvious. Without a deep awareness of the historical racial messages embedded in our thinking by the media they might never be noticed by even the most progressive among us. However, the free flowing nudity that is only associated with sex should be obvious to all but the most undiscerning nudist or naturists. So its time to take off their rose colored glasses. In the opinion of this newbie nudist of color GIRLS is no friend to the nudist cause and definitely not to black folks and other non white people.
