Make Love Not War

I’m sure I offended them with my aerosol spray of sunscreen, because the scent was “unnatural”, just like my hair color and my boobs. But whatever. I thought hippies were supposed to be non-judgmental. My bad. But in my own defense, I did not think the contents would end up in a cloud around me rather than spray directly on me. And I did apologize once I realized my faux pas. I’m sure our plastic bottles of artificially sweetened diet Pepsi also raised an eyebrow or two. No, we definitely didn’t fit in here. We’re too “city”, too unnatural, not granola enough. Yet what struck me as ironic was that they had posted a rule that really confused me in this clothing-optional hot springs retreat: No sexuality allowed. Apparently, “some people” complained that sexual activity in the area was disturbing to them. I want to know why the discomfort of one can override the enjoyment of another. Why do they always win? You know who, the complainers, the whiners, the perpetually offended…

Okay, so I saw a guy holding his cock in the silent meditation pool. I didn’t care, it wasn’t my thing, so I looked away.  No big deal. So why couldn’t the people who complained do the same thing? Is it a control issue? If you’re so into your meditation, why are you looking at the other guy’s boner in the first place?

The sign actually read, “keep your sexual energy out of the pool area”. If we are all sexual beings from birth until death, how is that even possible? And if everyone is trying to “get back to nature” here, why should sexuality be excluded from the experience? Isn’t sex found in nature all over the place?

What are the relationships between nudity, sexuality, and danger? Is nudity intrinsically sexual, and is sex intrinsically dangerous?

I’ve skinny dipped in the ocean with a friend and did not feel sexual in the least little bit. I’ve thrown lube-pool parties with my friends where I found it to be sensual, but not sexual. And I’ve had hot, steamy sexual experiences while being clothed.  I’ve been asked to cover my nipples at a goth club in Hollywood because they serve alcohol, which of course leads to sexual violence, right? It appears that Americans are more anxious about nudity than violence itself. Janet Jackson created a scandal because she showed her nipple, yet movies and video games can show all sorts of graphic depictions of murder and assault and that’s okay…

I just don’t get it. Perhaps I never will.

And while the clothing-optional retreat might not have lived up to my idea of utopia, I am happy at least that there are places where people of all shapes, sizes, ethnicities, and ages can go and get naked in public without fear.