Why is the penis important?

Well… what a question, isn’t it? Yet it’s one I find myself asking quite regularly when I browse the posts and photos shared by my fellow naturists on social media.

Well… what a question, isn’t it? Yet it’s one I find myself asking quite regularly when I browse the posts and photos shared by my fellow naturists on social media. For many men who present themselves as naturists, the penis seems to be the ultimate proof of who they are. The center of their universe, and a body part they are more than happy to draw attention to. At least, that’s the impression I get from a large proportion of the photos being shared. Close-ups of that one body part, pictures taken from an angle that inevitably draws your eye to the penis, or photos of a pair of naked legs with, purely by coincidence of course, the penis still clearly visible in one corner of the frame. Coincidence? I have my doubts.

A few numbers

Let’s put things into perspective.

When flaccid, the average penis measures around 8 to 10 centimeters (3 to 4 inches) in length. Average, of course, meaning there are plenty of examples both above and below that range. Compared to the average height of an adult, that represents roughly 4 to 6 percent of the body’s length. The proportions are somewhat higher during an erection, but if you're posting pictures of your erection, then in my opinion you're no longer a naturist—you’re an exhibitionist.

Now, let’s stop looking at length and consider surface area and volume instead. Compared to the entire human body, the penis accounts for roughly 0.1 to 0.4 percent. Even if we generously round that figure up, we can safely conclude that about 99 percent of our body is not a penis.

And yet, it often seems as though that one percent deserves all the attention. That’s a shame.

Naturism, in its simplest form, is about freedom, acceptance, and respect—for nature and for one another. Within naturism, nudity is separate from sexuality. It is a way of putting differences in status, clothing, appearance, and possessions into the background. Naked, we are all equal, equally vulnerable, and above all, so much more than that one percent. Because we are 100 percent human.

So gentlemen, before you once again maneuver yourselves into the perfect pose to present your little friend in the most flattering way imaginable—all in the name of promoting naturism—ask yourselves one simple question:

Would I take exactly the same photo if I were wearing swimming trunks? Or would I happily put it in my holiday photo album and show it to my family and friends?

If the answer is no, then by all means share the photo as often as you like. Just don’t label it naturism. It has very little to do with that, and it certainly doesn’t help promote the acceptance of non-sexual nudity.

A perfectly fine snapshot for the holiday album