(Jacob Bruns, Headline USA) While the topic of “grooming” within the LGBT community may be a controversial one for many here in the U.S., nudists in Brazil are now trying to reclaim the word—and it may only be a matter of time before this latest cultural craze reaches a blue city near you faster than churrascarias and Capoeira.
In order to take advantage of the mass market of left-wing consumers, barber shops catering to gay nudists are being opened across major European and Brazilian cities, according to a recent report from far-left Vice Media.
Customers will get their haircuts while in the nude as the owners attempt to “challenge” the “macho atmosphere” of the traditional “male grooming space.”
The founder and owner of one such shop in Fortaleza, Brazil, Rodney Araujo, opened his business, Barbearia Naturisa, in 2021. He claims to be the only officialized nudist business in America.
“A lot of businesses are trying to copy our name to get more clients, but they’re not associated with us,” he said.
For Araujo, however, the endeavor is about more than just making money. He is also trying to help men care for their “souls.”
“I wanted to encourage men to take care of their bodies and souls, by showing a form of internal beauty that few get to see,” Araujo said.
One of Araujo’s clients, nudist activist DJ Renato Erjo, said that being nude in public is very important to him.
“Nudism has been a part of my life as long as music,” he explained, adding that the shop has made him feel more welcomed.
“So, if places like Barbearia Naturisa exist, I’d rather go there than anywhere else.” he added, noting that he brings with him “anyone who’d shown an interest.”
Rafael Hacoma, 37, an “at-home nudist barber,” said that the nude barber shops are a good way for gay men to escape the toxic culture of the traditional salon, which often contains billiard tables, alcohol and sports games playing on TVs.
According to Hacoma, gay men have found solace in their grooming visits to his home.
“They were annoyed by how toxic these places were and often found themselves caught in the middle of conversations full of prejudice and uncomfortable exchanges,” he said.
