Figleaf's Real Adult Sex

Preview only: from Thursday’s set of photos.

Well this is certainly worth reading and repeating! It’s from Osbasso, a firm but not-scolding reassertion and reaffirmation of his original guidelines for the Half-Nekkid Thursday meme. I’ll have more to say but here’s what he said first. In its entirety. Including the original, first-ever intentionally Half-Nekkid Thursday photo.

A couple of things caught my attention over the past week or so. Two instances of a growing HNT problem. I sort of addressed it not too long ago over here. Unfortunately, it’s like preaching to the choir. The people who need to see it never do. So I put it here on the day that everyone’s going to be stopping by…

The problem—“Is HNT a sex meme?” Since I’m the one calling the shots, I can emphatically declare that NO, it is NOT. Never has been.

• Instance 1—a particular sexblogger sees this HNT thing going on, complete with boobies and butts and hoohaws, and decides to jump in. With no idea what it’s all about or that there’s guidelines. And when said blogger finally DOES read the guidelines, they make the comment that it’s totally different than what they were lead to believe. That’s happened a few times… It’s apparent that HNT is being misrepresented “out there”, and that, more than anything, pisses me off.

• Instance 2—actually a lump of instances. Bloggers who recruit others to join in HNT. No mention of guidelines. Just an invitation to show boobies in what’s been a “safe” environment. And that’s all it is to them—the boobies. Or more. One has even said that they wouldn’t follow the guidelines anyway. My response to that then would be to quit calling what you do HNT. Because it’s not.

Before I continue—I have NOTHING against the showing of boobies, etc., for HNT. I welcome it, trust me! I’m not suggesting that people quit doing it. But the constant pressure to “show” just a bit more, or a lot more, or that NOT showing somehow is not the “HNT way”, really needs to stop. HNT should never infringe upon a blogger’s personal comfort zone. Push it, and maybe stretch it more than they thought possible, but even that isn’t really necessary. That seems to come with each person’s experience. There’s no question that literally scores of HNTers have quit participating over the years because of the sexual nature that seems to be emphasized and pushed by too many. This is not to say that sex bloggers (and there’s many of them) aren’t welcome. EVERYONE is welcome! And frankly, they aren’t much of a problem. But there’s still too many that think that HNT is nothing but sex and boobies. It seems to be worse now than it’s been in the past.

So for everyone’s benefit, I again post the guidelines below. These appeared after the first week of HNT in May 2005. After 3+ years, some of the guidelines have lost their effectiveness (no faces/no multiples), but the essence certainly never has. Too many of you have never read these. Many of you have forgotten. Consider this your refresher course.

The Guidelines

I offer these guidelines for “Half-Nekkid Thursday”:

• In that North American, Puritanical way that most of my readers think, “Nekkid”, or its variations, somehow insinuates sex, or its variations. WRONG!! The purpose of “Half-Nekkid Thursday” is not to see sex acts! It is the celebration of exposure. Of your big toe. Of your breastbone. Of your knuckles. Of your uvula. Whatever. Of course, sex acts can qualify, so if you want to post those…..
• “Nekkid” is not the same as nude! Again, nude qualifies, but it is not a requirement!
• Pictures should be taken of you or by you. Don’t be going to some internet site and downloading “Half-Nekkid” pics. And don’t use Uncle Bob’s pictures from Spring Break ’72, either. Let’s try to keep this fairly “real”.
• You don’t necessarily have to be the subject of the picture. By the same token, if you’re not, then the subject(s) should be known to you. No fair going to the beach and snapping pictures left and right. Yes, they might be “Half-Nekkid”, but they don’t follow the spirit of “Half-Nekkid Thursday”.
• While animals can be included in a “Half-Nekkid Thursday” picture, they are not the focus, therefore cannot be the subject. If an animal is all that keeps your picture “Half-Nekkid” rather than “Full-Nekkid”, that’s OK.
• You are allowed a very limited number of cute-kids-in-the-tub type of pictures. We’re interested in YOU!
• Use some originality with your shots. Facial shots should be limited. Artsy body landscapes, conversely, are highly encouraged. If a partner/family member is needed to take the picture, that’s OK.
• Props can help you with creativity, and their use is encouraged, but not necessary.
• As we get into this, you may find that you want to post more than one picture for “Half-Nekkid Thursday”. I would discourage this practice unless absolutely necessary. You should hold some pictures in reserve, in case you find yourself without a new picture down the road.
• While I can hardly control when you post pictures on your own blogs, let’s try to keep “Half-Nekkid Thursday” special, and post “Half-Nekkid” pics only on Thursdays. If you feel the urge to post them more than once a week, I might recommend just emailing them out, rather than posting.
• Tattoos are certainly an acceptable subject, regardless of location. Scars are also acceptable, but please respect the others who visit “Half-Nekkid Thursday” on a regular basis. Spread out the scar pictures over a few weeks’ time, please!
• Speaking of scars—If you use a picture of a scar, it must be accompanied by some sort of humorous anectdote as to how you got it. For a long, but good example, go here.
• Other skin conditions might not be acceptable, due to good taste. These include, but are not limited to warts, zits, lesions, ingrown hairs, boils, open sores, peeling skin, scabies, rashes, or any other assorted gross things. I’m not saying that you can’t post them. Just use your best judgement, for the sake of the rest of us.
• When referring to “Half-Nekkid Thursday”, please spell it correctly! Not Naked, not Neked, not Nakid. It’s “Half-Nekkid Thursday”.
• It’s very important to not be dissing other’s submissions! We’re all going to have half-hearted entries from time to time. None of us is better than the other. One the other hand, it’s completely acceptable to heap praise upon those that deserve it!
• IMPORTANT!—Remember to visit my current “HNT” post and leave a comment indicating that you’ve posted a picture for “Half-Nekkid Thursday”. Consider my blog as the informational kiosk for “Half-Nekkid Thursday”. You’ll be able to see who is joining the tradition. Commenting is much easier for all concerned, rather than updating my blog each time someone posts their picture. I will try to keep the Blogroll in my sidebar updated each week.

So I leave you with the first official HNT picture. No sex. No boobies. Let’s try to remember what the original intentions were!

One more thing to emphasize the seriousness of this, particularly for those who just stop by to say they’re up…I’m keeping comments disabled until Thursday noon-ish (Eastern time). Hopefully they’ll stop long enough to actually read my post!

He said it here.

First of all thanks so much for restating the guidelines, Os! I’ve always said the best thing about it, what’s made it so durably successful, is that he’s always left it up to the individual to decide what does or doesn’t count as “half-nekkid.” I got it, totally got it, very early on when someone — I don’t remember who — posted just a bit of face and sunglasses reflected in her rear-view mirror during her commute. For others it was a wrist or ankle. For others it was… well, considerably more but that was the whole point! It was up to the individual.

And since I’ve tended to post more, um, thoroughly nekkid photos during the week by and large I’ve tended to post more fully half nekkid half-nekkid photos. For other folks it’s been the one chance in the week to stretch out a little… or a lot. All great. Once again there’s no right answer!

Like Osbasso I think it can be very stirring what counts as “half” for some people, but what really matters, a lot, is what counts as “half” for each individual. Heck, some of the most creative, active, adventurous bloggers started out with exactly those ears, ankles, and elbows, so it’s not like there’s an either-or to anything. But his guidelines, and the space they created, made that possible. Still, as you read those guidelines, though, there’s nothing about “pushing,” or “stretching” or “going further.”

As a passionate advocate for self-photograhy, self-revelation, and sexual self-expression at your own pace whatever that pace might be I think that’s wonderful.

What the heck? Like Osbasso I’ll wait till tomorrow on, um, actual Thursday morning to post my entry too.

And if you’re participating? At any level at all? I’ll look forward to seeing your entries tomorrow as well.

Happy Half-Nekkid Thursday.