Russell Baker On Nudity
Below is from the 25 July 69 issue of LIFE magazine, an article called "Don't ask me, I only live here" by Russell Baker:The nudity crowd tells you, "The human body is beautiful." Don't they know that tigers and horses and weasels have been laughing at it for eons? Except for a few oddities, like Tarzan and Raquel Welch, the human body is one of the ugliest bodies around. This is because it isn't covered with hair, scales, hide, or feathers. Did you ever see a snake with a potbelly? An antelope with varicose veins? A bluebird with freckles? You probably would if they took off their covering and pranced around naked."Yeah, Baker's full of shit, but he's kinda funny -- they included the picture above as a counterpoint to his satire; as a bonus, the photo has far more entertainment value than the nudism quote. As for whether or not the human body should be exhibited for its beauty, check out an article I transcribed for Gracie: Would You Pose Without Clothes?, from a '50s nudism magazine.