I recently got back from a week on Hornby Island and wow was it healing! I spent almost everyday naked on the beach. Swimming, resting, thinking, watching. It was exactly what my body and spirit needed.
One of the things I noticed was that as soon as I took off my clothes on the beach my self-esteem around my body started to improve. My worries about the 20lbs I gained or my cellulite or my lack of muscle tone all melt away and I’m just grateful to be in a body that can feel the sun and swim in the ocean.
That joyful naked feeling is something that I have experienced as part of the deep healing I've gotten from Burlesque. Being mostly naked, with a bunch of other mostly naked people of different ages, sizes, colours and gender presentations... is powerful stuff!
Having not been on the stage for 18 months now, I had forgotten how important being naked around other people is for me.
I think when we are able to see other bodies (outside of what is presented in the media and on social platforms) it normalizes our own bodies. For me, I am able to look around and think, somewhere within this variety of bodies I fit. My little snowflake of a body, in all its uniqueness also belongs.
I acknowledge that finding this belonging is very privileged. Not everyone sees representations of themselves easily in the world.
One of my friends who is indigenous and over 50 has said to me more than once that she doesn’t see representations of herself in the world. As a white woman who has had the privilege of living in a world that sends me white packaged everything, I’m slowly starting to realize how deeply important that is. We need to see ourselves, our bodies reflected in our community- it is part of feeling like we belong. Like we fit.
I don’t see many 40+ naked bodies anywhere (except for the naked beach). I certainly don’t see any 40+ naked BIPOC or diversely-abled naked bodies. I want to see these beautiful bodies. I want my friend to see her beautiful self when she looks at social media or opens a magazine.
From this feeling, I am creating Naked September. I am challenging myself to post a nude picture daily during the month of September. I am doing this because it’s my responsibility to create what I want to see in the world - So if I want to see more representation of women over 40 being naked and sexy I better hop to it. Hopefully, my little naked body will bring some relief and normalcy to someone else. I encourage you to join me especially if you're not used to seeing representations of your body, ethnicity, age, gender, etc... Your naked body could be the healing that someone else desperately needs to see.
I have set up a Patreon account so our bodies and creative expression will not be policed. You’re welcome to join us if you’d like.
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