Some weeks ago I was in a taxi going home when I witnessed a terrible incident. I was in the back seat and a woman came in beside me. She was wearing a spaghetti strap blouse and a short mini skirt well above the knees. I acknowledged her then paid no further attention to her. Another taxi driver came up to the window and to my horror (not to mention hers), he proceeded to reach through the window into the taxi and lift up the woman’s skirt to look under her. Just as the woman raised an alarm, the taxi drove off. Needless to say, I was sick to my stomach for the actions of this uncouth man. A Woman should never be thought of as more accessible because of the clothes she’s wearing. It is her right to wear whatever she pleases without being harassed or assaulted. This is how we function in civilized societies.
The incident affected me deeply and I reflected on the
general vulnerability that women feel in our society. Many men feel that they
have the right and privilege to have access to a woman’s body simply because
they are born male. It seems to me also that black women endure a lot of this
abuse as well because by being black women, they fall into two categories that
traditionally have been marginalized, 1. Black and 2. Women.
I feel that in order for Naturism /Clothes Freedom to grow amongst Persons of Color they will have to psychologically or even physically remove themselves from the Black community because the populace will not support them. The alternative is for them to remain in the community but launch protests and campaigns against ill treatment. The Black LGBTQI sector is a good example of this.
Banding together in groups of like minds is critical for any
movement to flourish, and the Naturist/Clothes Free community is no different. There
are several naturist organizations the world over that seek to do just this and
these efforts have to be applauded. However, there is often a dearth of
representation in these organizations from People of Color. I have often thought
that a major reason for this is that person of African Descent have been so
marginalized and sidelined that they generally have an inferior/ shame based
view of themselves and consequently an inferior view of their bodies. It is
conceivable to imagine that a part of the reason that more Persons of Color don’t
participate in nudist activities is because they don’t feel that their bodies “match
up” to other bodies and their sense of belonging is challenged. Coupled with
this is the very real vulnerability that women indeed Black Women, feel
in society, and how this translates to being asked to be naked in a public club, even though there are rules and regulations that see to their safety.
Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be that way and the Naturist
/ Clothes Free Community is a great example of where a woman does not have to feel
the pressures that she may feel on the road. In Naturist Facilities, Clubs and
Resorts, Persons of Color are made to feel welcome and if an individual if
darker hue is made to feel unwelcome, a protest will ensue because the rules
are clear. It rarely happens though. In Naturist/ Clothes Free organizations,
Black People will find many principles already in their favor, principles that we
ought to hold dear whenever and wherever we gather in groups. These principles
are true for all persons but especially for women and indeed, Black women. I have
highlighted a few.
1
1. Women should feel safe to experience and participate in Clothes Free activities without fear of harassment. The rules against harassment are plainly stated and upheld in Clothes free Facilities and violators are removed.
F.
F 2. Familiarity or “being forward” (I’m reminded about that Beres Hammond song Tempted to Touch) with a woman either by touching, or gesturing etc. is strictly forbidden in Clothes Free settings. The rules are clear and enforced. Only friends and family are allowed to be familiar in this way
3.
3. Cat Calling and Free Compliments (even just, “I
like your eyes”) are not allowed between strangers. Again, the rules are clear.
Strangers may become friends but these are only permitted after the friendships
have gelled.
These guidelines are some of the ones that I highlight that ought to be upheld and insisted on whenever and wherever persons and Persons of Color gather for Nudist events. Fortunately they are already normalized in Clothes Free facilities. When these are enforced, many of the issues that were brought up in the “Still not asking for It” protest are nullified.
A woman is not more accessible because of what she wears. That is and has always been her right of self- expression. Indeed, whether she is half or fully nude, she is the sole arbiter of how she is to be treated.
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