Letting It All Hang Out with Kentucky’s Nude Dudes Yoga
Walking nude into a room full of naked men you don’t know— or even worse, people you do know— for most, is unthinkable. We are conditioned to see our bodies as a perpetual work in progress, always looking for flaws instead of embracing what we love about ourselves. But for some of us, we have found liberation in the beauty and flaws of our bodies displayed fully in the nude for our friends and peers to see.
Most people would be shocked to know that there are men’s nudist clubs in Louisville, and what’s more fascinating is that they began in the early 1980s. Andy Perry started Kentuckiana Gay Nudists (KGN) after being inspired by other nudist groups mentioned in RFD Magazine, a magazine for rural gay men, like those in Kentucky, that originated with the Radical Fairy Movement.
Against the background of the phallic Water Tower during the 1990 Pride event, Perry passed out fliers promoting KGN which simply read, “No better way to meet a man than in the nude but sexual activity will be discouraged.” From there he created a mailing list, and the first gay nudist group in the city was born—naked!
Today KGN still exists (and now allows sexual activity), though Andy is no longer in charge of KGN and has since founded another naked endeavor—Gymnos: Louisville’s Men’s Nude Yoga. This yoga class meets weekly at a local church and has created a strong community of men who enjoy exercise with the liberation of being nude. From its conception, the nude yoga group has been its own community, a special group of men that may not see each other any other time during the week except on yoga nights.
On the subject of naked yoga, Perry says, “One major advantage of a men’s nude yoga class or any male nude event is that it helps men realize body acceptance. They see all types of bodies, sizes, ages, types, dick size, and they learn to accept their bodies as they are and realize that they aren’t the only ones with a body that doesn’t fit the perceived standards of gay culture.”
In addition to both KGN and Nude Yoga, there is a third naked group in town called Nude Dudes which meets monthly. Nude Dudes is strictly platonic, and is a place for men to hang out, eat snacks, have a few drinks and chat, nakedly. Some events are held at member’s houses, while some are held during private events at bars around town.
One member says, “Nude Dudes is like belonging to a secret society where everyone is open. We don’t hide behind the masks of clothing and outward expression, rather we show who we really are—every single bit—and we make friends that love us for our true selves. It’s actually kind of funny running into guys outside of Nude Dudes—I sometimes don’t recognize them with their clothes on!”
These naked gay male spaces are so special and rare in a society that tells us to be perfect, cover up, or hide our identities altogether. During naked yoga, we are empowered as we breathe and move in unison together, and we find camaraderie with our friends hanging out at KGN or Nude Dudes. We are so much more than our bodies, yet we are not ashamed of them. And there is room for everyone!
