Stepping outside of the bubble of naturism comes with a risk with today’s post. I read earlier on Twitter about how we need to gently push the boundaries, rather than to overtly get in people’s faces resulting in conflict and push back. Of course that makes a lot of sense. The last thing we want as naturists, is to lose ground to the reactive, fearful, and negative broader society. We want more opportunity to be nude, socially and in private.
I guess this image of me having coffee on our front patio at ground level is a bit out of the box, pushing the boundaries as the three apartments just out of view on the property are all full. As well, I rarely add in an image of me only partially clothed. But seriously, a light cover sometimes takes off the chill and makes life more comfortable.
Now, when it comes to a blog site about naturism, the blog site exists within a relatively safe bubble as it is read by other naturists. I doubt if any non-naturists ever come back for a second visit if they even stumble upon the site for one uncomfortable exposure [pun intended]. It is that bubble that I will likely challenge with today’s post which tackles a political dimension. I realise that most of my readers are well aware of the politics within their own countries which negatively impact the world of naturism. Since so many governments are becoming reactive and conservative, basically against anything that challenges the status quo, naturism is at risk, a growing risk. Naturists are not seen and valued as part of the status quo.
Naturists come in all political persuasions – nationalists, internationalists, those who believe in the issue of climate change and those who are deniers, those who both pro and anti immigrants, and the list goes on. The only thing that unites us is the desire to be free of clothing. So, what I have to say in the words that follow will likely find ready and loud opposition. And that is okay as we need to safeguard freedom of speech.
Yellow Vests – Gilets Jaune! They became front and centre on the world stage as they marched and rioted in France. And now, they are an international force. For me this is a bit strange as for the most part, the yellow vests are strong nationalists who are resisting being pulled into the concerns of the rest of the world. Here in Canada, there is a national version – Yellow Vests Canada.
One of the aims of group which has supporters in the tens of thousands is to have all legislation from 1992 be reviewed and voted on by Canadian residents. That is a lot of history that wants to be undone beginning with NAFTA. The yellow vests group is anti-government, anti-tax, and anti-change. They want education, medical care, a social problems to paid for services rather than have “their hard earned money” get spent on others, the “I don’t have / didn’t have kids so why should I have to pay school taxes as part of my property taxes?” complaint is real. The “if they weren’t so lazy, they wouldn’t be on welfare” and “if she been a better wife then she wouldn’t need to go to a women’s shelter” all too easily find a lot of support when they realise that is their tax dollars [and everyone else’s] who pay for these services.
One doesn’t have to stretch the imagination to see that this would include the rights of women to be bare-breasted which was won following an 1991 conviction of Gwen Jacob for cycling with no covering on the top half of her body. The reversal which then provided legal protection came a few years later. So yes, the implications are real for naturism. Taking a further look into the 1992 target date and a few other things come to the surface, legalised gay marriage, right to change gender, legalised medicinal use of marijuana, and more. When a country wants to dial back to a simpler time, a lot of individual protections get lost. Once we begin to take that journey of undoing, we will end up a vassal state of our great neighbour to the south.
The yellow vests target immigration and international involvement at governmental levels. The vested interest is to retreat behind the border, building an ideological wall between Canada and the rest of the world, an echo of Trump’s wall and the U.K.’s Brexit. I personally feel that any wall becomes a prison for those contained with these walls, akin to burying one’s head in the sand hoping that problems will go away. Be careful what you wish for. The past wasn’t as rosy as many like to believe. We are wealthier than at any time in human history. We have more toys for big boys, boats, ATVs, skidoos, seadoos, RVs, motor homes … the list goes on and on. Our present wealth is real in spite of the complaint of having to pay taxes.
I want to hear your take on this. And in telling me your side, please attempt being respectful of the voices you will hear in the comments.