Honora Bowen first made waves and international headlines at the mere age of twenty, when she braved the cold while wearing the world’s first televised authentic lettuce bikini (in contrast to PETA’s faux-lettuce bikinis) while snowboarding in the world-famous Eenie Weenie Bikini Contest at Copper Mountain, Colorado in 2006. Her interview and snowboard run were featured on multiple television networks in the United States and Canada, including MTV, as well as newspapers nationwide—and shut down the contest for seven years, until it resumed in 2013.
That same year, Honora climbed and modeled for the iconic Stone Nudes calendar series by Dean Fidelman. By the age of twenty-two, Honora had participated in three calendars for Stone Nudes, as well as the book, “Art in Motion,” having climbed for photos in Yosemite National Park, California, Eldorado Canyon State Park, Colorado, and Tonsai, Thailand.
At the age of twenty-seven, after the passing of her father, Honora participated in Season 3 of Naked and Afraid on Discovery Channel and again made waves in the “shocking” season finale while attempting to survive naked in Lençóis Marenhenses National Park, Brazil. She was asked to return for Season 1 of Naked and Afraid XL in Colombia.
Consistently referred to as the most “infamous” contestant on Naked and Afraid, which has now become a cultural phenomenon and has been parodied by celebrities from all corners of Hollywood, Honora has been referenced by celebrities and talk show hosts nationwide, including David Letterman and Alex Jones. She is perhaps best known for outing the show and becoming one of the first people in Hollywood to openly expose the unethical practices of what goes on behind the scenes. Her 2016 account of what happened preceded the Me Too (#MeToo) movement by 18 months, and was undoubtedly a player in that historic movement.
Often labelled by other people and talk show hosts as a “feminist,” Honora does not identify with any particular “label,” but rather, is a promoter of human and animal rights. One’s sex or gender has nothing to do with their ability or right to make a mark on the world.
Honora has spent her life as an artist and purposefully rejected capitalism. She has spent a large portion of her time advocating for social and justice causes including: bringing attention to the dog meat trade and assisting nonprofit organizations raise money and find transportation for rescued dogs; raising money for homeless dogs in the wake of hurricanes Harvey and Irma; bringing attention to the unfair and unethical treatment of prisoners and incarcerated people in the United States; and pushing for young people to get out and vote.
She is an advocate for Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and has dedicated much of her writing to bringing immediate attention to the existential threat of global warming. Inextricably tied into global warming are society’s needs to move away from capitalism and its inherent greed and need for constant production, and to move away from eating animal products in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Honora was raised as a nudist in the only state that allows legal nudity (Vermont), and has spent her life pushing for the desexualization of nudity. One of her role models as a child was her elementary school best friend’s older sister, who became infamous for disrobing during her high school graduation valedictorian speech at Long Trail School, Vermont, in 1997. Honora witnessed her refuse to accept money and refuse to participate in interviews on the David Letterman show or Hard Copy because she was making a powerful statement about desexualization, empowerment, and censorship.
Honora has been a certified herbalist, aromatherapist, and nationally certified massage therapist since 2006, and holds an A.A. and B.A. in the visual and performing arts.
I shine a light on smoke and mirrors, and only write about what is important to me. Thank you for reading!
*PS. My blog reaches 176+ countries, so my biggest hope is that your browser’s translator does a decent job. Thank you again for reading.
Naked and Exploited: Honora Bowen's Blog 
Very educational. Thanks.
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Hi Honora
I just wanted to say that I believe you. I like NAA but anyone that believes what happens is 100% real is an idiot. I can totally see how the show manipulated you after reading your blog. It could happen to anyone on the show and after watching most of them it isn’t just you. It must be such a physically and emotionally exhausting experience that you are completely vulnerable to being manipulated should they see fit. And then for them to lie to your face must be infuriating for you. It sounds like the survival aspect of NAA also means watching your back for the producers. I hope that future contestants, especially women, are aware of this when they go in to it.
Best wishes.
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I love how you write, and how honest you are about your experiences. I was really hoping to read more about you after first seeing you on that show a while back. Nothing is ever what it seems on reality TV, and you deserve way more credit for your character than how those people portrayed you to the world. I sincerely hope you continue to blog, and write about your experiences.
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Oh my! Your story is more interesting than the shows. Thank you. I wish you the best.
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Honora
Partaking in this rare opportunity to try something challenging and hopefully rewarding for one in their life only to be subjected
to such an unfortunate situation of events from the very people you placed your trust goes to show how vial and unprofessional
some reality production industries will go . I believe you and also like that you shared this and put it behind you and moved on. Try
yourself as a Radio Talk host; trust me with your many callers you will be just fine answering your callers. Your # 1
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“metaphorical katana”
Got a love it !
One of my favorite quotes from a novel The Virtues of war: Alexander the Great ( G.U. HIST-007 )
“Always attack. Even in defense, attack. The attacking arm possesses the
initiative and thus commands the action. To attack makes men brave; to defend
makes them timorous.”
Steven Pressfield
Jeff
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That’s what our newest president does and has done for many, many years from all that I’ve read about him…he learned that from a little skank of a man he considered his mentor and who was his lawyer and he never stops. I think it is a lousy way to live personally and hope you won’t take such advice Honora.
I appreciate your letting us know what really goes on with these “reality” shows and just what scumbags they are who run these productions. I don’t have cable TV so only when pet-sitting do I get to watch this stuff and your 1st experience was the one I saw of your two involvements. I will admit even with the editing, I wondered what was wrong with that man you were partnered with and I was glad you were able to get away from him whether you faked it or not! Good for you. I will say that I can’t imagine subjecting myself to such untrustworthy, vile people as was your production team and I will admit that I am amazed you did it twice! I would have definitely worried that they would have been happy to “accidentally” kill you! I will never watch that show again now that I know what liars they are!!
Hope life is pleasant for you now. I like your comments regarding the Women’s March after “Drumpf’s” inauguration.
Regards,
JB
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Often wonder if that was a GPS necklace they have you wear on the show and if the Producers allowed you to keep it.
bons temps.
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Love the new artwork you look glaringly gifted.
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It is a microphone attached to a battery pack, which we keep in our bags. They swap them out with “dummy” necklaces every time we go in the water. Some shows provide insulated / lined bags, while others do not. The bags in Brazil were not lined, those in Colombia were. (But Brazil got much colder at night).
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You know what? that smile , I find myself smiling too. Just an awe-inspiring picture.
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Thanks for your honesty and support for the environment and the human spirit. There’s not enough people like you in the world.
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Don’t need the polygraph results to believe you.
Re: the trafficking, get ahold of Cindy McCain’s office. She’s the new czar and I think she is a Righteous Woman.
Best,
C
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Although you’re a lot older than me. I think you’re HAF. I’d love to go down on you and mount you if you’re ever in San Diego.
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Honora I believe you. Do you sell any of your healing oils?
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Hi Carlos, I have sold them in the past but currently I only make them for people I know. If I ever start selling again, I will let the public know so they can buy some 🙂
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