No Sunscreen Allowed! Really???

ABC NEWS reported a story yesterday that's just unbelievable .  It seems a mom in Washington state sent her daughters to a school field day, along with pack lunches and sunscreen that the girls could apply over the course of the day.  Their skin is very fair. One suffers from albinism. They burn easily.

But school officials refused to allow the girls to put on sunscreen (or to provide an alternate) because it is considered a form of "medication."  Without a doctor's note in writing it would be strictly against the rules to let them "self medicate" during school hours.  The result? The kids got sunburned! Badly!

The story has exposed the fact that, indeed, most school systems ban use of sunscreen unless it's under a doctor's orders.  There's even talk that some summer camps do the same.

If your children were to attend a Kids Nudist Summer Camp during the season you can bet on one thing: they would at least be allowed to use sunscreen!

Live Birth MRI OK, Breastfeed Pics Not?

THE INTERNET is such a strange place these days, with "rules" and "standards" that seem to change by the hour and make little sense to the Bare Platypus.

Today, for example, the front page of Google News carried a story about the first-ever live birth filmed in an MRI chamber .  With the chamber cam covering all "movement" it's very easy to tell that a live birth is taking place, and to view the exact moment that a fetus becomes a baby.  It seems this video has the potential to be a great educational tool for obstetricians-to-be, parents, etc. We have no problem with this filming and online posting if it promotes a greater understanding of the human body.

Our only question is, why does this video somehow pass the unwritten guidelines for useful instruction, when pictures (or video) of breastfeeding do not?  Why is video of a fetus passing through mom's birth canal "ok" while video of a toddler streaking naked along the beach is not okay? Or will Facebook eventually decide to suspend the account of anyone displaying the MRI birth on their Facebook page? 

Ah, well.  The complications of filming and displaying a live birth in an MRI provide one more reason for Platypuses to stick with laying eggs!

Celebrate Independence from Clothes on JULY 4th

THE MOST famous of summer holidays is nearly upon us.  Plan now to celebrate Independence Day by declaring independence from your clothes!  Remember too that the annual celebration of Nude Recreation Week closely follows the July 4^th holiday weekend.  Many nudist clubs offer special events and pricing to get first time visitors to give nudism a try.

You can make Jello cups in red, clear, and blue layers, then enjoy them naked outside or inside.  No clothes to clean up!

You can buy some fireworks and/or sparklers if they’re legal in your state, then appoint a designated (clothed) person in your group to light them off while the naked observers admire from a safe distance.

You can enjoy a picnic in the buff---whether in your yard or living room.

You can also celebrate that some of America’s best patriots and leaders enjoyed skinny dipping.  John Quincy Adams took daily dips in the Potomac.  Benjamin Franklin spent at least an hour each day completely naked in his room after waking.  Lyndon Johnson skinny dipped to exercise and ease his mind as the Vietnam War waged.

Similarly, nudity has played a significant role on the stage of American history from time to time.  There was even a Civil War skirmish fought between soldiers who got caught with their pants down when the enemy showed up unexpected!  See http://www.civilwarinteractive.com/ArticleRobertSmall.htm

06/24/12 Walter of the Week

JODI JAECKS is the distinguished recipient of this week's Walter award for significant contributions to "normalizing" the human body.

Jaecks is a breast cancer survivor who underwent mastectomy surgery twice as the disease claimed parts of her body, but didn't conquer her spirit.  She pursued swimming for exercise and to build stamina, but couldn't get a swimsuit to fit properly. Moreover, nerve endings in her doctored chest caused her pain when the suit tugged in the water.

Ms. Jaecks asked the Seattle Parks and Recreation department if she could swim topless in department pools and was initially told, "no."  When her story made local headlines, the Parks and Recreation department reconsidered and said it would make an exception to its rule requiring "gender appropriate" swimwear.

Realizing that a sole exception will benefit her but leave other breast cancer survivors to potentially the same experience she endured, Ms. Jaeks is now pressing Seattle to change its rules on topless swimming for all who have had to undergo the surgeon's scalpel.  You can read more by clicking Seattle .

To Jodi Jaecks who overcame breast cancer and made us all rethink what is "appropriate" swim attire, this week's Walter is for you!

Play Naked in the Rain

TROPICAL STORMS have battered a number of states this week, dumping inches and inches of rain.  No sun for nude sunbathing, so what’s a nudist to do?  Be a kid again!

Why not take off your clothes, go outside, and let the rain fall?  Make mud pies in your birthday suit!  Add some soap to a slip n slide and let the rain provide the water!  Escape cabin fever and do it naturally naked. 

Breast Cancer Survivor Allowed to Swim Topless

ONE BIG story appearing in news media this week concerns a woman who underwent a double mastectomy, overcame breast cancer, then couldn't get a swimsuit to fit right.  It's about a Seattle, Washington parks and recreation pool which, at first, refused to allow this woman to swim topless.

Most importantly it's about a system that reconsidered, changed its mind, and did the right thing.  We invite you to read News Accounts .

Now that we accept that a woman can swim topless when her breasts have been removed during life-saving surgery, will we take the next step and let our young daughters without developed breasts swim topless too?  Ultimately, will we realize that breasts are not sexual objects---or at least do not have to be---on any female?

We can only hope!

Supreme Court Ruling a Hollow Victory for Nudity on TV

BARE PLATYPUS closely followed a case that went all the way to the US Supreme Court this term.  It started years ago when the Federal Communications Commission levied fines of $1 million+ against ABC television stations for airing an episode of NYPD Blue that included a woman's bare buttocks.  The scene showed her derriere as viewed from the perspective of a young boy who mistakenly walked in on her while she dried herself after showering.  (Separately, the case also involved expletives uttered during an awards program broadcast live by the Fox network.)

This week the High Court Threw Out the Fines but issued no sweeping vindication of nudity or the 1st Amendment.  Instead, the Court merely ruled that the TV networks in question couldn't have foreseen that they would face massive fines over the incidents given that the FCC had made some changes in its indecency policy.  The ruling leaves the FCC free to make future changes to the policy and does not give advocates on either side the decisive answers they sought.

For our part, the Bare Platypus has to ask, what could be objectionable about simple footage of a woman showering?  We all shower most mornings.  We all have a bum.  Just how does reminding us of those two facts cross the line into indecency?