A few things have happened of late that have made me think. Firstly as I write this, yet another major social media player, Tumblr has decided to remove all NSFW (Notsuitable for work) Content from its platform. I am no fan of any kind of censorship, I believe in the freedom of speech, and of expression, especially when it comes to lifestyles and artwork.
Having watched many blogs that I have interacted with on Tumblr face the prospect of being deleted on Dec 17th, it has felt like a bitter blow to creative expression and freedom, and I really do feel their fear and pain as they face the prospect of being banned for life, when all they have done is paint pictures of natural people, or promoted body positivity via a naturist lifestyle.
We have seen this kind of sweeping censorship cross many platforms in recent years, as Facebook, Instagram, Google and the like have cracked down on free lifestyles by classing them as Porn, which it most certainly is not. Watching this has reminded me of a few conversations I have had with readers of HTTK about areas of my writing that address the topics of Sex and Nudity or as I like to phrase it, “Natural Lifestyles.”
One conversation that comes to mind was during the writing of book two, it was the part where after Robbie has been found and is recovering, he takes Runestone to Robbie’s Mere for the first time, and they spend the night making love under the trees. The following morning, Runestone wakes to find Robbie has gone off hunting, and so she slips out from under her blankets and walks naked to the water and goes for a swim.
I was asked,“Should you really be writing that an attractive 16 year old girl swims naked in the Mere alone. What if someone saw her?” I cannot deny it made me smile, and I responded as such.
“Why does it matter? I then went on to explain that yes she was 16, and I actually have never said that she was attractive, I always implied that Robbie found her attractive, and as we all know from life, people are attracted to different things in others such as temperament and personality. Would it be fine is she was unattractive, and does it really matter if someone sees her? After all, she is obviously comfortable with her own body, and so therefore I would suggest that she would be fine with being seen naked.” I think the reader completely missed the point of who Runestone actually is.
The response I got was a resounding gasp of horror, so I informed the questioner. “I think your obvious shock, is probably based more out your own fear than it is Runestone’s.” So I questioned, “Have you ever swam naked in a wild pool, it really is a wonderful feeling?” My questioner blushed, and answered somewhat quickly. “NEVER!!!”
I am not sure what shocked her more, the thought of herself swimming naked, or my absolute belief that being naked could be seen as normal. She obviously has issues with herself, and it is one of the things I spot the most in those who read my work. I have no issues at all presenting different or alternative lifestyles to that of what the society we live in considers natural or unnatural. I really do see the world differently to most of the people who read my books, and yes I do challenge people when they read HTTK for the first time, and yes I have absolutely no problems challenging the world beliefs of any reader.
I believe that a book should be challenging, if every writer chose to write a safe story then how would we learn about different lifestyles and world perspectives? I don’t write graphic sex, I do find it to be a tad coarse, but I do write implied sex and allow the reader to judge the events from, their own perspective. The way I see it, if a younger reader is engaged in the book but has little sexual knowledge and experience, the way I have written the story will not increase their knowledge or experience, and in most cases I have been proven right, as the very few younger readers I have known of, have not really understood those passages, simply because events are implied but not graphically outlined.
I grew up around Hippies and Pagans, and so there was a minority who are so in tune with the natural world that they have no issues with being naked around clothed people, and after some time of this kind of exposure, you simply get used to it and see it for what it actually is, ‘None Sexual.’ Seriously try going to a major rock festival like Glastonbury and not seeing naked people, it simply is impossible.
I see the world as two distinct aspects, there is the world of ‘Stone’ Which is the world of today with all its societal rules and irrational fears, and the ‘TheWoodland Realm’ which is my world, one that embraces the natural aspects of nature and life, free of societies self-absorbed disjointed belief systems. I have worked in counselling and helped people with their sexual problems and relationship issues, and so I am naturally a sex positive person, and feel no shame that I would encourage a person to explore their body or sexual feelings. I have no issues with Naturism and have freely participated in many group skinny dipping sessions in my life, and believe me it truly is something everyone should try, as after those five minutes of fear before disrobing, I think you will find you wonder what all the fuss was about. It comes as naturally as breathing, so add it to your bucket list for life.
Today’s modern culture, especially with social media and all its censorship, has helped advertisers build a profile of body shaming based on fear, and it is this control that does indeed change the way people think. The world of Mason Knox is all about fear and control, and I see it more and more in the world around me today. In the Woodland Realm there is no such thing as unnatural. I have always thought that to be open and free spirited is the truth of nature, and so therefore it is impossible to be unnatural, for within nature, everything can only be natural, and it is from this point of view I write about the Green Realm.
In 2018 the amount of people joining Naturism has risen substantially compared to previous years, and I personally think it is a good thing. In the USA it is noted that lack of vitamin D (Natural occurring in skin exposure to sunlight) is now at an epic proportion, there is now more plastic surgery than ever before, and more and more cases of body dysmorphia are being reported. The modern technological life is disengaging people from real life, and depression and suicides are rising. The average woman is bombarded by body shamming advertising every minute of every day, and as a result sales of beauty enhancing products have become the leading booming industry on the planet. The Bra industry shames women into believing that wearing an underwired bra is the only look a women should have, and yet more and more studies are showing that underwired bras can contribute to breast problems such as cancer. The whole world is driven by body fear, designed to do nothing more than create wealth for mass manufacturing corporations, and suppression of body freedom is yet another way of preventing people from understanding the simple truth, which is none of us should be afraid or ashamed of our own skin. Science has made a case for a long time that nudity promotes good health, clothing restricts the body from breathing, especially at night, and exposure to light helps promotes greater Vitamin D production that helps fight depression and strengthens the cells throughout out the whole body, and yet mass media sensationalises it and promotes greater fear for no other reason than it helps promote major industries, it simply is wrong.
If onereader of my stories discovers something wonderful from a passage, that may allow them to let go of some of this stigma and indoctrination of this world, then I rejoice in the fact that I presented another way for them to approach life, for that simply put, is the purpose of a well written book.
Be yourself, embrace your natural being, and seriously who cares if people are watching, the chances are they are not, because they are too busy looking down at their phone. So if in doubt, look to nature, after all it is where our origins truly lie. Be natural, live true to yourself and simply put, read more and be yourself.