Additions for 2023 and more for 2025
I’ve started this project and mine are the first images to be posted. I’ve said loads about my own body in my other page Skin Capture Exposure. I’m an enthusiastic naturist, but not one of those that wants to get naked in Tesco or in a cafe, or in a club. I like to dress up and often that is in clothes that is across the traditional gender divide – I am genderqueer, fuck that pink or blue shit.
I’m going to cheat, for now at least, and say this project is my offering as a reflection of a part of my life at this point in time. Its far from the whole of it – that’d include my lovely partner, Titch, my sons, my family and friends – as well as the sea, trees, chips and Brussel Sprouts.
Sometimes I like to wear skirts – that should be an easy thing but often it isn’t. Doing so becomes a statement and whether or not it’s inviting comments, I certainly get lots of them. Getting comments is something that happens constantly when I wear skirts and it pretty much never happens when I wear anything else. Mostly the comments are positive but I’ve been shouted at a few times and called a “fucking pervert.”
Knowing that people who look like men but wear skirts are more likely to be attacked and abused on the street scares me and sometimes so much that I change my behaviour because of that threat. I try not to though, its not me that needs to change.
I had no interest in wearing skirts or in dressing-up when I was younger – I mainly wanted to look like a sort of cross between a hippy and a punk. My clothes of choice we mostly holes. It’s only in recent years that I’ve started to be happier with standing out more.
I’m no longer fussed about being seen naked, it’s just not part of me to be shy of my own nudity for my own sake. But, I recognise that many people just don’t want to see naked people about the place, so I keep it for the beach – oh, and to share across the whole of the internet…
Some for 2023
I’m going to gradually add photos – these were taken in June 2023 by my friend Pauline.
2025 – Photos
A few weeks ago I left my civil service job after more than 35 years.
I’ve always been a naked civil servant at heart – it seemed the right time to be naked in public ways again.
I’m also aware of how everyone in Ages feels a little exposed at first. So I didn’t want to go down the easy route of asking Titch to take the photos – I asked my excellent friend Jan. She takes great photos herself and she’s been in more of my photos than most people.
I’m not sure what else I can say about my body.
I’d still like to have been a bit taller, to not have had a cronky back etc etc but, as will always be, those things can’t happen.
My lesson is, as is for all of us – enjoy what we have. My thought that I might experience some embarrassment and, thereby gain awareness of how others feel, wasn’t to be. Instead, I felt absolutely, completely, unselfconscious being naked with Jan.
Tbh, it felt amazing to be able to show a sexual side of myself in a non sexual way.
It’s long been something I’ve puzzled over…
… whether it can ever completely not an issue to be naked, even in stockings and a short skirt, with someone who isn’t my partner – well, I’ve my answer, at least for me.
Being genderqueer has never been easy but the growing bigotry in the country has made it harder and more dangerous.
Jan’s wonderful garden was a safe and joyful place to get naked and to dress up – I’ve always wanted Ages to be about who we are, naked and dressed.
I wish everywhere was as safe and welcoming.
But, as always, grab your moments when you can – strip and bask in the sun.
Time goes so fast for me now that it’s a deep sadness that calls to me constantly… I don’t want to leave now, I want to turn back the clocks, to tell my 20 yo self to cherish the time, to clutch the freedom.
Bitter sweet – but what’d be the point of not enjoying the time I have just to spend it glum about the lack of time I have.
Get out there, love it.
Join in by contacting me via my contacts page.
Phil Pool - Art and Protest 