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NZ Naturist Magazine

The Magazine

   Newspapers, Magazines, Films, Institutions   


This history is largely sourced from the longest-running Naturist publication in this country: the New Zealand Naturist - now known as gonatural.

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In the years between 1950 and 1980 censorship of printed publications, films, then TV, presented some curly curiosities on occasion. However, over several years, Perc. Cousins successfully negotiated with appropriate government departments and relevant ministers of the crown, to have imported nudist magazines and films accepted by the authorities.

Finally (1967), our own magazine was cleared for the reproduction of 'unretouched' photographs. (This wasn't the case in Australia immediately, so for two more years there had to be two editions produced, until their Minister of Customs changed their rules to match ours.)

Newspapers

The newspapers have their own body: the Press Council, for determining the standards manifest in material published weekly, or more frequently. Otherwise, until the replacement of the Indecent Publications Act, the Films Act and the Video Recordings Act; with the the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993, complaints were left to the police and courts to deal with.

Nude rugby in Dunedin, 2004

"I have rejected images considered to be lewd or sexually explicit, however, I felt this news picture did not carry any such overtones." Cate Brett, editor Sunday Star Times

There are, however more subtle options... For example, during 1973-74, several newspapers chose to publish a number of 'full frontal' (now dubbed: 'explicit') pictures, mostly from various music and naturist festivals of the day. Within 12 months of the culmination (in the courts) of that 'advance' every one of the responsible editors had been quietly replaced. That had the anticipated chilling effect - there were no further 'breaches' in the newspapers until 13 June 2004, when the Sunday Star Times' editor, Cate Brett, decided it would be acceptable to show some of the action from the traditional nude rugby, played on St Kilda Beach in Dunedin for several years as a prelude to the England - All Black test match. (It was a number of the pictures from this "light-hearted event capturing the escapades of Dunedin’s student population" which were used in one of the research statistics in that section of this site.)

It's also worthy of note that in the example cited above, the subject of fig 15, singer Corbin Simpson, had, until then; been a popular singer, able to support himself by invitations to sing at schools all around the country. From that time he was never again invited to perform at any school.

Magazines

The question of photos in (and availability of) 'our' magazine (and the distribution of others) comes up in issue #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 and #6! Following those considerations, some confusions needed to be sorted out: #11 (September 58).

In issue #22 (August 61) we're informed of another 'step forward', when our magazine is "Registered at the G.P.O. Wellington as a magazine."

The first issue of The Naturist containing unretouched pictures, September 1969 (#52) was "sent to the Department of Justice for a ruling." The positive reply is reported in March 1970 in (#54).

A letter from a Stephen L. of Palmerston North offers an academic view of censorship in issue #56 while in the next issue we find that Australian Minister for Customs, "sought and obtained concurrence of the State Ministers to the future release of The New Zealand Naturist in the format in which it is distributed in New Zealand." In December of 1997, in #163 Guy Knight from the USA, enquired for more information on the effect of Austrailan Censorship regulations on our magazine - Les Olsen explains.

Films

The question of Nudist Movies first arises in #11 (September 58) following an 'enquiry from a stranger.' Then there's a comment in #13 (February 59) about "films depicting our way of life being shown in normal circuits in various parts of the world." The films specified include: Around the World with Nothing On, Elysia, The Unashamed, Isle du Levant and Nudist Paradise.

In #16 (February 60), the NZSA notes end with comment on Nudist Films, while in #17 (May 60) they're promoted to the middle! The latter mentions the NZ premiere of Nudist Paradise, Travelling Light and Adam and Eve. In #18 (August 60), they're first up in the NZSA items - films mentioned are: Hideout in the Sun; and Nudist Paradise, again.

The NZSA Notes in issue #20 (February 61) reports that The Nudist Story is the latest attempt to 'make our case' for the public. The INF news in #22 (August 61) mentions Forbidden Paradise.

In the International News of issue #25 (May 62) some light is shed on the cause of reluctance by the two main distributors to screen naturist films, surprise, surprise: it's "...criticisms received from narrow-minded types." Also in this issue is a review of the British film Sunswept: the first film to win the Certificate of Approval of the Federation of British Sun Clubs.

First mention is made in #26 (November 62) of the film: World Without Shame; followed by Perc's explanation of film distributors' attitudes to nudist films.

In issue #27 (February 63) there's a note that Normal Bell (purchaser of the Hawkes Bay club's property) backed "the import of the naturist film Travelling Light to the extent of £175" - a requirement of the 'independent' importer/distributor! (About $3,500? in today's money.)

Issue #29 (September 63) contains comprehensive reviews of World Without Shame and Travelling Light, by Perc. Cousins; while in #28 details for purchasing a shortened 8mm version of Travelling Light are offered.

In issue #31 (June 64) there's a letter from the Dept of Justice attempting to clarify the 'confusion still existing' regarding importation and availability of magazines; ahead of a film review for Naked as Nature Intended, then a comment on The Sky Above, the Mud Below.

Issue #33 (December 64) mentions four films "still being screened by Amalgamated Theatres" - screening details available on request.

Heading the NZSA Notes in issue #34 (March 65) is the text of a memorandum of agreement with the Justice and Customs Departments on the importation and sale of overseas nudist magazines.

In issue #38 (March 66) we are apprised of "A Startling Break-Through in America" - a film called Mated received "official approval" (for adults only) from their censors. (There is also passing mention of four nudist films currently screening, in the NZSA notes.)

"Well worth seeing" proclaims The Naturist of My Bare Lady ('now screening') in issue #40 (September 66).

An early hint of what was to come from the Indecent Publications Tribunal is reported in issue #48 (September 68) when the police invited Perc. "to pass comment on 18 titles seized from an Auckland publisher" by the police.

In 1968 Antonioni's film: Blow Up (R18) was the first 'public release' film to show pubic hair (of Joanna Lumley and a forgotten co-star) without it being snipped by the censor.

Issue #50 (March 69) mentions the 1969 screening of the "very short film" (800ft - about 9 minutes): But Charlie Never Played Volleyball, in Amalgamated Theatres.

In issues #51 (June 69) and #52 (September 69), there is reference to negotiations with Kerridge Odeon to get The Garden of Eden screened, around 1957. Also in 1957 the Customs Dept had seized magazines imported by members. After another successful intervention by Perc. Cousins the magazines were returned and a further agreement signed with the government.

Circa 1970, the film Walkabout (with an 'A' certificate) was the first 'general release' film to show pubic hair (Jenny Aguter's), potentially to children, as the 'A' certificate was just a recommendation for adults, with only a prohibition on an unaccompanied child's attendance.

Since then, there have been very few films featuring 'simple' nudity, with odd exceptions like Mermaid, in which Daryl Hannah gives a brief (and excruciating) performance as a nudist - suffering evidently from a substantial crew surrounding her too closely, it would appear... During the 'rise of television' and as our film fare was steadily overtaken by American 'cultural imperialism', nudity in mainstream (ie: non-European) films; declined.

Television

From the early days in New Zealand (ie: 1958, in Auckland) television almost never allowed 'frontal' nudity until about 1975, when a Country Calendar feature on a High Country farm showed a fairly long (1 minute) sequence of a couple of farm hands cooling off in a shallow creek - no coy cutting or other masking. This programme was run three times on TVNZ (including 3pm one Sunday afternoon) with no complaints, despite some beforehand misgivings expressed to the producer, Ross Jennings, by his superiors.

The first time any form of technical masking (ie: post-production electronic blurring or 'symbol' overlay) in an otherwise normal local programme occurred in a 'Holmes' item in 1992, covering the conviction of Nobilangelo Ceremalus for being naked at Fitzpatrick Bay on Auckland's North Shore. (He won his appeal against that conviction in 1995.) In the item, he was shown walking slowly out into the water, but as he returned a bright green fig leaf appeared where a penis would be expected. (Nobilangelo had refused permission for the Holmes crew to film him, so they did it secretly from a hideaway above the beach.)

During the 90s the almost absolute ban on any genital exposure on TV began to be slowly peeled back, mainly by British programmes and the occasional European one. However, this was the era of de-regulation! In this country the practical effect of that was a significant decline in innocent genital exposure on TV because as TVNZ became fully commercial, those commercial pressures meant all the TV companies going for the cheapest 'catch-all' programmes. Until the advent of Maori TV in 2003, New Zealand's television landscape succumbed almost totally to American programmes, where there is a very effective ban on all (unmasked) nudity. There is no question that between the 80s to about 2010, acceptance of innocent nudity in this country was driven backwards by conservative American 'cultural imperialism' as imposed on us by the TV companies.

Following the screening of 'Embarassing Bodies', in the 2010s (which had a medical excuse for genital close-ups), TV2 tried 'Naked Attrraction' later in the decade (in which potential 'dates' were offered choices of a mate, based primarily on genital interest), but following a complaint from the leader of the lobby group Family First, that British series was relegated to 'on demand' availability only, after three free to air episodes.

Institutions

In issue #58 Bert Britton reports an example of a community challenge to Naturism in the early 40s, from "The Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Women and Children". In the same article he indicates how the attitude of the newspapers to adverts for members also presented some challenges, resulting for example, in the use of the euphamism "Outdoor Health" in titles of some clubs.

Over a period of several years, the naturist's nemesis, ex-nun Patricia Bartlett, President of the Society for Protection of Community Standards; kept hassling the press and any authority that might listen, to ensure that nudists weren't allowed to escape their bamboo fences into any form of public domain. In 2014, that society still exists, but we no longer appear to be as aggressively pursued as in the days when their word 'Protection' really meant 'Presumption'. (There's a general comment on 'Censorship by age' in #71.)

There were also some womens' institutes such as the Waipu County Womens' Institute whose attempt to 'ban sun-seekers' from Uretiti Beach (#84), failed.

The attention of the Federation was drawn back to legal matters when, in 1981, submissions on the Summary Offences Bill were asked for (#99). A subsequent comment on the Bill from Inspector Dave Kerr was broadcast by the 'National Programme' (1YA). The FBG take on it appears in February 1982.


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