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HANG OUT NAKED MIDLANDS

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the FAQs we have been asked beforehand.

We have tried to be honest and upfront with the responses and hope this helps you understand more about how HONM runs and responds to things that may crop up.

If you have any suggestions for what we could include in this section, please let us know at admin@honm.co.uk

These benefits may be simple and straightforward, or more complex and profound.

By providing a safe space for men (primarily gay most likely, but not exclusively) to meet and mingle in a non-sexual, naturist/naked, social-only environment, there is an opportunity to be caring, loving, communal, to encourage each other to embrace our bodies with joy, to challenge societal norms and foster camaraderie and friendship in an environment where vulnerability and authenticity are celebrated.

It's also just really good fun, relaxing, chilled and you can have a giggle, laugh, be lighthearted and just be yourself alongside others doing the same.

Some people are experienced and confident at being naked in different environments, for others there's a dread, a fear, perhaps a shame attached to it. At HONM we want to break those negative aspects down, remove them, change them, so that you become empowered in and with your own body.

Being naked brings both a vulnerability and an openness, it can ask us to challenge ourselves hugely, we are literally laid bare, but so is everyone else. It’s very equitable and once people relax, begin to hopefully feel more comfortable, they can then listen, share, chat, laugh, have deep/frivolous conversations, be socially intimate, be themselves, be valued, be strong!

That's why we ask everyone to to be naked at our events.

By removing the expectation of sex being the reason to interact and be amongst the group, it hopefully ‘frees’ people up to focus on conversation, chatting, building connections and sharing ideas, particularly with people they wouldn’t necessarily do so if it were sex based, or even just a ‘normal’ night out in a bar.

We want to foster an atmosphere of acceptance, respect, care tolerance and dare we say love for one another, irrespective of how one looks, age, ethnicity etc.

There are some profound challenges/issues in the here and now, at a time when mens’ and perhaps specifically, gay mens’ mental, emotional and physical well-being particularly, is under huge challenge from so many different areas; such as internally from within the gay community, the way gay mens’ culture/identity has/is developing, the role some areas of gay commercialism plays in promoting a very narrow stereotype of what it is to be a ‘good/attractive’ gay man etc.

Many of these issues are also relevant for men in general.

If what happens at HONM has just a small impact in countering some of these issues and rejoices in diversity, celebrates acceptance and fosters care, love, helps builds mutual bonds of friendship and allows men to "come for a drink and have a chat, in a bar with their bum out", it will have been a success.

We are initially trialling two options for ticketing for each event, as we work out what is best when running the Meet-Ups. We want to offer some flexibility where we can. This dual option will be kept under review. Pre-Purchase a Ticket:

Use the option Buy Tickets route, which will take you to the new Outsavvy payment portal for all events, where you can pay by Debit/Credit card/Apple Pay and GPay.
The cost for this is £5.00 (plus £0.50, Outsavvy's processing fee)
You will receive an email confirmation and ticket which you need to retain and show, if needed, when you arrive.

There are no refunds available if you cannot attend the event, we may be able to move your booking to a future event, if you wanted that.

Pay On The Door:

We are initially going to offer the option to pay on the door, to see if this is helpful for those that may make a last minute decision to attend, or who do not wish to prepay.
YOU MUST STILL RSVP to the event, using that option on the event booking page. This gives us some indication as to how many may be coming.
If you attend and want to pay on the door, the cost will be £7.00 (plus £0.50 transaction fee). This can be paid in cash or via card/electronic payment etc.
If you decide you are not going to be able to attend at all, having initially RSVPd, it would helpful if you cancelled beforehand. This may be important if there is a waiting list, if an event is over-subscribed.
If an event looks like it is going to be near capacity, or 'sell out' a message will be sent to all those on the RSVP Guest List to avoid you having a wasted journey. It is not envisaged this is likely, but it might happen.

By Train: The Fox is about a 5-10 minute walk from New Street Station, heading past the Birmingham Hippodrome and then heading down Hurst Street, turning right into Kent Street and then left into Lower Essex Street.

By Car: Lower Essex Street, and the surrounding streets have marked parking bays, which are free to park in on a Sunday. Do not park on the single yellow lines, which are operational until 7.30pm. Wardens regularly patrol the area. Similarly do not park in the Taxi rank area immediately outside The Fox, otherwise you risk getting a ticket.

If the area is busy there is a car park in Kent Street, which is a 2-3 minute walk from The Fox.

Where the sun don't..... :) Phones are part of our daily lives and we can become very attached to them. However, it would perhaps be better to limit usage and the need to have it immediately with you whilst chatting and mingling at the Meet-Ups. Instead of using it to pay for drinks, how about popping a bank card in your sock instead and leaving your phone with your belongings for the duration of the event.

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