Seriously, why might you really want to have a naked lifestyle?

Yes, of course, being totally naked just plain feels great – at least under the right conditions of temperature, social and physical environment, etc. But there’s more to life than just feeling great, isn’t there? Other good responses that answer the question “Why be naked?” are many and varied.

The reasons for wearing nothing whenever possible go well beyond just how great it feels. There are various good reasons why being clothesfree is a healthy lifestyle, both physically and psychologically. But there’s a lot more than that. Some of the best reasons for naked living, however, are subtle and more difficult to articulate. Here are some possibilities to consider for choosing to live naked:

  1. Being unencumbered by any clothing – even shoes – allows you to feel much closer to the natural world.
  2. When you’re completely naked, there are fewer inessential barriers – emotionally as well as physically – between yourself and others – especially (but not only) when everyone around you is naked too.
  3. Dispensing with clothes eliminates the possibility – and the burden – of using clothes as a type of armor or disguise to unnecessarily protect or conceal yourself from others.
  4. Living naked challenges you to accept and be at ease with yourself and your body just as they are, without pretense, embarrassment, or shame.
  5. When people interact without the misdirection of clothing, the value of “authenticity” is easier to appreciate.
  6. Without the artifice or distraction of any clothes, it’s easier to think about and discuss with others things that matter more than physical appearance or mundane trivia.
  7. With others who are naked it’s easier and less awkward to have honest, useful conversations about your body and theirs – including topics related to nakedness itself.
  8. When you’re comfortable being naked with others, you’re predisposed to feel more at ease, closer, and more trusting. Being naked is an offer of trust.
  9. Makng strong, satisfying friendships with others who enjoy nudity is easier because of the significant interest existing in common.
  10. Elminating clothes from your life as much as possible leads you to question more seriously what is important and real around you and disregard things that are neither.
  11. When we’re wearing nothing at all, it’s easier (in Shakespeare’s words) to “speak what we feel, not what we ought to say.”

Image credit: Mona Kuhn

“I just don’t wear clothes very much anymore unless I have to…”

That’s something you’ll hear from many naturists, unsurprisingly. Perhaps you’ve actually thought or even said something like that yourself. If so, great! Otherwise, can you imagine yourself doing that? It would mean you’ve realized that something most people regard as obviously essential – namely, wearing clothes – really isn’t essential at all much of the time. Being usually naked when possible is a conscious, intentional decision you could make. Or maybe it’s just something you might gradually find yourself doing – and enjoying. But the fact is, having a naked lifestyle is actually practicable.
Continue reading ““I just don’t wear clothes very much anymore unless I have to…””

Anyone (almost) can learn to enjoy naturism and social nudity

Given that a fairly small (or even negligible) percentage of people in most countries are open and active naturists, this may not seem to be intuitively plausible. But let’s consider how it could be true.

Many current naturists didn’t quickly discover the pleasures of social nudity, because they just accepted the prevalent misconceptions of naturism and how open nudity is a strong taboo in most societies. So they acquired little idea of what naturism is actually about and mistakenly assumed that becoming a naturist would be more difficult than it really is – therefore probably not worth the trouble.

Fortunately, many people have eventually become naturists anyhow – although a lot later in life than necessary. That happened either because they were sufficiently curious to learn more about naturism, or they let themselves be persuaded by a naturist they knew to give it a try.
Continue reading “Anyone (almost) can learn to enjoy naturism and social nudity”

Ideas for enjoying nudity while social distancing, part 2

Many naturists now find themselves having more free time at home because of the pandemic, either because they now work from home, aren’t yet able to go back to work, or simply aren’t able to engage in some of their customary activities.

In the previous article we looked at additional suggestions for activities that can be enjoyed clothesfree at home, based on 6 of the 14 ideas suggested in a Naked Wanderings article. But there are other good ideas to consider that weren’t among the 14 – yet should have been.
Continue reading “Ideas for enjoying nudity while social distancing, part 2”

Ideas for enjoying nudity while social distancing, part 1

Since the pandemic certainly isn’t over yet, many people will continue spending much more time at home than they did just a few months ago. Whether or not that’s by personal preference, the upside for naturists is the opportunity to spend much more of their time naked in their own homes. Sadly, however, many people have suffered a difficult loss of income, so they simply won’t be able to pursue activities that are no longer affordable, such as using gyms, traveling away from home, or even paying for cable channels they like.

Even if people can continue to work from home at their usual job, they may well find they have more “free” time than previously. Not having to commute to work can save a lot of time. Vacations involving air travel will be much less of interest. Many free-time activities – such as shopping or going to sporting events – may also be less available. And many naturist campgrounds and resorts will be unable to have their usual number of visitors. Some will be fortunate if they can even stay in business.

So, like most other people, naturists will probably have more free time than they’ve been accustomed to. That’s good news, and for naturists it means that not only they can be naked more of the time, but also they can try out new activities where nudity is especially appropriate.
Continue reading “Ideas for enjoying nudity while social distancing, part 1”

Recent articles on nudity and naturism, 6/5/20

  1. I want the world to know…

    What is it that a member of British Naturism – who wrote a brief testimonial – wants the world to know? Why, of course, that he’s very happy to be able to live a significant part of his life naked. In his own words:
    Discovering Naturism is often a turning point in people’s lives. New Naturists tell us all the time how great they feel, how they now can’t imagine life without the opportunity to be happily naked and be part of such a strong, welcoming, non-judgemental community.

    This should be a reminder for all naturists that being able to enjoy a naked lifestyle is a gift of fortunate circumstances – one to be thankful for, since it isn’t automatically available to everyone. For many, it may not be easily within reach, due to various factors, such as opposition from family and/or friends, residence in a place that’s hostile to naturism and nudity, or health problems.

    There are probably two main obstacles for most people to overcome in order to realize a naked lifestyle. The first is having the desire and courage to begin at all, in spite of the difficulties that may need to be overcome. The second is a little more subtle. In order to fully enjoy living naked, it’s important to be as open as possible with most of one’s family, friends, and (often) neighbors and workplace associates. Otherwise, there’ll probably be limits to how much nudity can be enjoyed.

    Here’s the basic truth: Living naked is healthy – physically and emotionally. It’s nothing to be embarrassed or secretive about. Try to let as many people as possible know that. You may be able to motivate others to try naked living too – which will make that easier for you as well. Sharing this lifestyle with others you know is a reward in itself.

  2. I had a dream… and it came true


    Kate is a relatively new naturist blogger – her first post was last November. In it she relates a story of rare and rather amazing good fortune. That was to have a fortuitous meeting with the author of a New Zealand guide book – which she’d already found to be an exceptionally good guide to many of the spectacular wild natural places of the country.

    The result was a fast friendship, which consequently launched her on an unexpected quest to, as she explains, “help put a stop to the body-shaming and judgment we force on each other and set people free to have fun with their fabulous bodies in the fabulous natural world.” Kate’s blog is no ordinary naturist blog that merely doles out some mix of personal opinions and helpful advice on how to enjoy a lifestyle in which nudity plays a central role.

    In the post linked here, from April, about five months after the first, Kate explains her dream. In her own words,
    At the beginning of this summer [which, in New Zealand, begins in November] I had a dream of getting multiple people naked in nature together. I had a fantasy (in the most innocent, non-sexual way) of having a group of around a dozen people all get naked and leap in the water together. A fantasy of creating my own tribe of like-minded people. Of building a community of friends who share the same love of nature and freedom as me. I dreamed of being able to help others push their boundaries and experience some liberation.

    That sounds a lot like the ambition of many naturist leaders over the past century. If there were no more to the dream, it would seem a bit hedonistic. But there’s a lot more to it. New Zealand is known for having one of the planet’s most open-minded and intelligent societies. The country is mainly two islands, and much of it is still in a fairly natural state – spectacularly so in many places. There are plenty of excellent beaches.

    According to the New Zealand Naturist Federation, “In New Zealand, it is legal to be naked in appropriate public places, such as beaches. It is not the lack of clothes that is the issue but the behaviour that goes with it. Nonetheless, while laws that specifically prohibit nudity and equate it with “indecent exposure” are rare, that should not be taken as an invitation to get naked “anytime, anyplace.””

    Kate’s ambition has been to put together a quality guidebook to as many as possible of the best natural places in the country where nudity is not only appropriate but clearly the ideal way to experience nature.

    During the past summer, Kate, together with her growing circle of friends, has acquired a wealth of raw material while exploring exactly those places. From that material, she aims to compose a guidebook specifically for adventuresome folks who want to experience nakedly the best that nature has to offer. She concludes:
    We’ve had our summer of fun, frolicking hither and thither, meeting new people and going on great naked adventures. Now we have enough content to fill multiple books! Time to knuckle down and do the office work. This dream is just as scary for me, feels just as fantastical and unattainable. But if I have learnt anything in the last three months, I have learnt that dreams CAN become reality.

    Let’s hope that by the time Kate’s guidebook comes out the worst of the current pandemic is over. Even if some degree of “social distancing” is still necessary, the outdoors is generally the safest place to be – especially anywhere that’s uncrowded enough for nudity to be not at all controversial.

  3. British Naturism Member Makes Headlines by Rowing the Atlantic


    The BN member is Julie Paillin, who was featured in a mainstream news article (link below) as a member of a team that’s “facing the severe endurance challenge of rowing across the Atlantic Ocean. Julie is part of a team of four taking part in the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge. The team will be the first mixed quad to row the ocean and are doing so to raise money for several charities.” Evidently she won’t be the only one rowing nude, since “Like many of these endurance challenges, the team will be doing much of the rowing nude to reduce friction. As a naturist, this is of course second nature to Julie.”

    While the challenge seems daunting enough – even without the nudity aspect – all team members are amateurs, not professional competitors. But at least they will be in a type of boat that’s made such a trip a number of times. According to the news article, Julie “will be joined by a man and two women, who together hope to row a 28ft boat from the Canary Islands to Antigua… The amateur rowers are believed to be the first mixed team to ever complete the massive race.”

    News article: Naturist mum rows naked to prepare for 3,000-mile trek across the Atlantic

  4. Normalizing Nudity


    This is a guest post on the Write Nude blog by Fred (whose own blog is here). The main point is very simple, but can’t be repeated often enough:
    The biggest problem in attempting to normalize nudity is the very secrecy nudists must engage in about their nudist activities. It is a self-reinforcing cycle. You’re hiding because you fear getting in “trouble” if you are “outed.” At the very same time, hiding reinforces the notion that what you are doing is nefarious. Others will say, “If you really felt the way you say, you wouldn’t be so secretive about it.”

    Fred’s point is absolutely correct. It echoes the ideas in the testimonial discussed above (Item 1). That is: naturists need to share with others what’s so great about naturism. This is also an aspect of Kate’s vision for her guidebook.

    Secrecy is the bane of naturism. Many naturists are very secretive about enjoying nudity socially – or even enjoying it occasionally by themselves. It’s the same problem as LGBTQ people faced in the past – and still do in most backward societies (and even with many people in societies that consider themselves less backward).

    There are two somewhat distinct adverse effects of the secrecy. First, as Fred points out, being secretive about having a positive attitude towards nudity and naturism causes other people to think there must be something wrong with it. The reasoning is that if the holder of the attitude didn’t agree with the wrongness on some level, the secretiveness would be unnecessary.

    Naturists can deal with that reasoning by pointing out that the assumed reason for secretiveness is mistaken. The actual reason is a legitimate fear of adverse effects on naturists due to the unjustified negative attitudes that society has towards nudity. Obviously, but unfortunately, naturists are reluctant to make that argument if they don’t think they can persuade others that the negative attitudes are unjustified. (For naturists who’re willing to try persuading anyone why the attitudes are unjustified I went into some detail in this post.)

    A second adverse effect of the secrecy is that society is simply unaware that positive attitudes towards nonsexual nudity and naturism are as prevalent as they actually are. Most people (at least in the U. S.) probably think that nudity and naturism are embraced by fewer than 1% of the population. Why? Simply, because of the secrecy, most people probably aren’t aware of any naturists among their acquaintances.

    Estimating fairly accurately the percentage of a given population having positive attitudes towards nudity and naturism is difficult. Some surveys suggest percentages much higher than 1%. In some European countries, like France and Germany, perhaps 20% or more of the population may occasionally, if not more often, strip off at clothing-optional beaches, get naked at public spas, visit naturist campgrounds or resorts, or simply enjoy nudity at home. The percentages in the U. S. and similar countries could be closer to 10%. But – because of the secrecy – who really knows?


  5. World Naked Gardening Day 2020

    WNGD 2020 (in the northern hemisphere) is already past – but that doesn’t mean being naked to do your gardening (if it’s something you enjoy) is no longer an option. If the location of your garden gives you enough privacy, you might as well always be naked while working there (weather permitting). Were you gardening naked on May 2 without objection from your neighbors? If so you can probably continue that way – without really needing the excuse that May 2 was the “official” day for it. (Unless you’re the sort of person who can dress in an unconventional way – just because you feel like it – only on Halloween.)

    Surprisingly, the idea for World Naked Gardening Day was actually conceived by a U. S. naturist – Mark Storey – and the first occurred in 2005. (Reference.) I actually wrote about it back then.

    The idea did spread worldwide – and it’s even observed in the southern hemisphere – although on a different day down there. (See this post.)

    For another take on WNGD, see this article by naturist Linda Weber – who also wrote a good article on her positive experiences at Haulover Beach, discussed here.


  6. Nude Online Meetups: The Next Step in Social Naturism?
    Here’s another take on how to enjoy social nudity during a pandemic – or anytime naked socializing is impractical – by interacting with other naturists using video conferencing with tools like Zoom. After some downbeat observations on earlier forms of online naturism, Nick & Lins get around to their account of their online meeting with Dan Carlson et al – which has already been covered here from Dan’s side. More on the general subject is here.

    Although Nick & Lins were skeptical at first, their interaction with the Carlsons seems to have changed their mind:
    What we half expected to be an awkward fifteen minutes or so video chat with a guy who we hadn’t even met in person, turned out to be a fun evening filled with wine and great conversations. We got to meet Dan’s wife, their dog and Addie, a regular at the Carlsons and an occasional guest blogger on The Meandering Naturist blog.

    What is it that makes video interaction much better than text-only conversations on naturist forums or social networking sites? Many things, such as:

    • Physical appearance of the participants. Not so much their physical attributes, but the way they present themselves through facial expressions, mannerisms, gestures, and other body language.
    • The tone of voice and speaking style of the participants.
    • The degree that participants respond appropriately with laughter, concern, or empathy to each others’ remarks.
    • How readily, thoughtfully, and coherently they contribute to the conversation.
    • How politely and respectfully participants interact with each other and avoid dominating the conversation.
    • Various other factors that reveal the unique personalities of each participant.

Re: What Happened to the Nudist Bloggers?

This is in response to a great issue raised by new naturist blogger Alexis: What Happened to the Nudist Bloggers?

She begins: While I’m sitting here watching everyone and listening to the cows moo and the [crickets] chirp, I open up my WordPress app to explore the bloggers realm to see who else I can find to follow that intrigued me. I have found some RV bloggers, travel bloggers, and others just expressing their thoughts about life and philosophy. What I don’t see is a major representation of the nudist community.

Excellent observation.
Continue reading “Re: What Happened to the Nudist Bloggers?”

Recent articles on nudity and naturism, 5/10/20

  1. It’s ‘Work Naked Wednesday’!
    Yeah. Don’t we wish? Are there any enthusiastic naturists who haven’t at some time or other imagined being able to work naked at their regular job? Sadly, unless you work at a naturist resort or as a dancer at a strip club, or… well, there obviously are a few other jobs where clothes aren’t required. Back in the real world, however, working naked at your job requires being able to work from home – assuming others there are OK with that. Now, suddenly, many (if they’re fortunate to still be employed) are actually able to live that dream. Maybe you’re one of them!

    Apparently it was the British Naturism organization that decided – with tongue firmly in cheek – to officially designate every Wednesday as the appointed day for working naked. We may suppose that was, at minimum, a good idea for attracting attention to naturist ways of thinking. However, if you’re now working at home, at least for the present, why shouldn’t every day be good for working naked? One doesn’t need to be Albert Einstein or Winston Churchill (who, according to reports, actually did that) to figure this out.

    If you have friends you think might like the idea, feel free to invite them to join in. Even if few in fact take up the suggestion, it could lead to some “interesting” conversations. If nothing else, it gives you a way to let selected friends know how you feel about wearing clothes (or not). As a subsequent post at the British Naturism site observes, “At our events, we’re seeing a huge increase in friends booking together and people bringing members of their family. So, if you are in the workplace and want to embrace #WorkNakedWednesday, then go ahead and see who will join you.”

    More about this from the Irish Naturist Association

  2. Why I teach naked yoga


    Well, guess what? Here’s an actual, legal, real-world job that’s done wearing nothing – and gets paid for – with others watching! (Nude modeling for amateur and professional artists – and, of course, working at a naturist resort – are similar jobs.)

    Caroline, the yoga teacher who wrote the article explains,
    I get asked a lot why I teach naked yoga and why I enjoy being naked. Very often it’s asked with a slight tone of disdain or incredulity. My answer – because it feels fun and exciting to be naked, because I feel better about my body when I’m naked, because I feel more connected to and more compassion for others when I am naked. The deeper reasons for why this is the case, I’m not acutely aware of. The fact that it feels good is reason enough for me.

    It’s a perfectly adequate explanation for anyone who enjoys nudity – naturists especially. No further justification at all is needed. Nobody should feel embarrassed to admit this. But it’s also OK to mention other reasons, such as reduction of stress, improved body acceptance, and the pleasure of socializing naked with others.

  3. Strip Off For The Best Nude Beaches In The World

    Articles attempting to recommend the “best” examples of almost any category you might think of aren’t in short supply. This is especially true with regard to travel and vacation destinations. That makes sense, because people are always interested in experiencing something new (to them) and different. And few have the time and wherewithal to go out and make the comparisons themselves. Indeed, many of the articles of this sort you might come across are based mainly on the subjective experiences of the writers who may have sampled only a few of the alternatives – selected for who-knows-what reasons.

    These limitations certainly apply to recommendations for the “best” clothing-optional beaches around the world. It’s a difficult problem, especially, for nudity-friendly beaches. Many of them aren’t well-known outside of their local area – because regular users want to keep it that way. Too much popularity of any potential travel destination – let alone one where nudity is the norm – may well not be a great thing for the ambiance.

    And besides, who has been fortunate enough to sample most of the possibilities? But luckily, there’s a travel advisory organization named Globehunters that’s approached the task systematically. Their effort has already been noted here.

    This approach uses mostly objective factors such as average summer temperature, hours of sunshine, cost of accommodations, and a “safety” index. That’s instead of more subjective factors, such as friendliness of other beach users, scenic views, ease of access, and lack of gawkers. There are clearly both pros and cons of this approach, but at least it’s potentially able to cover a larger sample of beaches.

    Obviously, this year is not a good one for long-distance travel. But if you want to make travel plans for the future, the Globehunters’ list gives you a wide range of alternatives (45) to consider. Naturists will also want to investigate other clothing-optional opportunities in the general area of each alternative.


  4. Haulover Beach for the First Time: A Naturist Woman’s Perspective

    Linda W., a seasoned California naturist, writes about Haulover Beach in Miami, Florida, which she visited because it “came highly recommended by friends who ironically, were on an extended stay in Florida from the United Kingdom. They raved about what a nice beach it was.” The clothing-optional part of Haulover, of course, is one of the best and most well-known nude beaches in the U. S. It has many fine points, such as great climate, friendly naturist users, and an active support organization, on whose blog this article appeared. That blog and Linda’s article provide just about all the information anyone might want to learn about the beach.

    Although Linda writes from a “woman’s perspective” the message is basically that Haulover is a great, safe place for a woman (or anyone, really) to give naturism a good and carefree try. “It is a haven for people who want to enjoy a clothes-free relaxing day,” she writes, since “if there are unwarranted activities such as sex, drinking or drug use noted, people will say something.” In summary, “As a female naturist, I felt safe enough to walk the beach by myself without anyone hitting on me or making me feel uncomfortable.”

  5. The Nude Selfie Is Now High Art
    People who write for the New York Times tend not to be especially tuned in to naturist ways of thinking. And often not even to current social trends among people of the “Millennial” generation – let alone the “Gen Z” cohort. Thus the writer here begins:

    [N]ude selfies have become one symbol of resilience, a refusal to let social distancing render us sexless. Nude selfies are no longer foreplay, a whetting of a lover’s appetite, but the whole meal. Though the debate about art versus pornography has never been settled, a case can be made that quarantine nude selfies are art. Some of us finally have time to make art, and this is the art we are making: carefully posed, cast in shadows, expertly filtered. These aren’t garish below-the-belt shots under fluorescent lighting, a half-used roll of toilet paper in the background. They are solicited or spontaneous. They are gifts to partners in separate quarantines, friends who aren’t exactly friends, unmet Hinge matches and exes.

    We can’t know what’s actually on the mind of people nowadays who exchange naked pictures of themselves. Do they honestly think what they’re doing is art? (Although sometimes it is.) Or now, in this period of social distancing, are they just especially sex-starved and horny, regarding the exchange of naked selfies as simply an enhanced form of phone sex? (Not even considering the use of things like Zoom.)

    But why does this kind of activity need to be considered either “art” or sexual at all? In fact, ever since the advent of smartphones with cameras, it’s become much more common – among people of college-age or later (and many who are younger as well) – to exchange naked selfies as a way of saying “I like you and want to share some of myself with you in this way.” This is definitely not about dick pics and crotch shots – stuff like that is just plain rude and crude in most cases. For many people – how many is not knowable – it’s really much more like a naturist attitude: “There’s nothing wrong or embarrassing about nudity. It’s just fine to share nudity among friends.”

    To be perfectly clear, there certainly does need to be lots of caution associated with this activity – especially for young women or anyone who expects to go into a career such as politics or pre-college teaching. It shouldn’t be done without careful consideration of the circumstances. Especially in countries (and many U. S. states) that are backward and not really part of the modern world. People who exchange naked selfies need to ask themselves: “Would the consequences be devastating if my pictures went farther than I intended?”

    Already, after a couple of months of enforced isolation, younger people – at least those not in long-term, monogamous relationships – are becoming more relaxed about and accepting of the idea that sharing nudity with friends is a wholesome, salutary thing. Naturists should hope that this idea will persist long beyond the duration of the present unpleasantness.

  6. Naturist Lock Down Idea #2 – Read and Share Naturist Magazines


    Marc at the Nude & Happy blog is a maker of lists of ideas related to naturism, and the lastest offers ideas for how naturists can continue to enjoy their lifestyle even when (mostly) confined to home because of the pandemic. (Idea #4 briefly covers video chatting with other naturists.) Idea #2 reminds us that information about naturism isn’t available only online, but is also still available in the venerable printed magazine format. Indeed, there are a surprising number of such publications still, which is remarkable in itself, as many printed publications are either going to digital-only form or actually into extinction.

    Marc names ten periodicals. The majority are in English. (Every major English-speaking nation seems to have at least one of its own.) Two, however, are in French, and one is German. (Among those mentioned – there must be others.) There are pros and cons to both print and digital format. Digital is fine if all you want is to scan the articles, and perhaps read a few, on your computer or smartphone. But the printed form has definite advantages. Printed copies are better for taking with you to read at your favorite camp or beach, sharing with others, or leaving out on your coffee table to stimulate discussions about naturism with guests.

    You might be surprised how effective naturist magazines can be with open-minded people. I first became aware of, and interested in, naturism from just seeing a naturist magazine at a newsstand while in college, eons ago. Sadly, there are many fewer such newsstands today, and almost none (at least in the U. S.) dare to carry naturist publications.

    Why bother reading about naturism at all? Isn’t the whole point just being able to enjoy life without clothes when that’s possible and comfortable? Mark responds with 3 good points:

    1. “Nudity is an integral part of naturism but naturism cannot be limited to nudity. This means there are tons on topic that naturism can relate too: psychology, family, nature, well-being, health, food, etc.”
    2. “[T]he naturist movement has federations, clubs, and resorts. A magazine is a great opportunity to talk about them, promote them and explain the positive economic impact of naturism on local economies.”
    3. “[M]agazines are a great way to reach out to curious people, to new naturists who have questions about the lifestyle. They provide a wonderful way to make people aware about naturism, [and] its various benefits and locations.”

  7. Preserving Nudist History: An Interview with NaturistVintage – Part Two


    This is the second half of an interview with a collector of vintage naturist magazines – typically from the early days of naturism in the middle of the previous century. (The first part is here.) The collector’s great great grandfather was a prominent naturist back then, and his interest clearly percolated to later generations. The collector now has a popular account on Twitter: Naturist Vintage, where many scans of images and pages from vintage magazines are offered.

    Naturism (or nudism, as it used to be called) has changed considerably in recent decades, although much is still the same – the way being non-sexually naked can enhance a person’s life. These glimpses of naturist history give us some idea of both what has changed and what hasn’t. Interestingly, naturists back then seem, if anything, less inhibited, circumspect, or embarrassed about their nudity than naturists today. But maybe that’s because nudity then was confined to private homes and campgrounds, where prudish, judgmental people never ventured. None of these vintage magazines is still published (AFAIK).

    Two remarks from this part of the interview seemed particularly interesting to me. First, “I think it’s all the more important for people to be exposed to non-sexual nudity (pun intended). Being nude around other people and seeing other people nude, with all their beautiful imperfections, can demystify the body, which so often gets objectified in our culture.”

    That observation, I believe, can’t be emphasized nearly as much as it needs to be. It’s extremely important for people to see and become accustomed to seeing (non-sexual) nudity. By continuing to treat images of explicit – and I include full-frontal – nudity to be considered so taboo and controversial, a vicious circle is established. Because such nudity is so seldom seen, the idea is perpetuated that it shouldn’t be seen. Everyday nudity can never be considered normal if it’s (almost) never seen in a positive light. Seeing only the backsides of naked people isn’t enough. The implied message that people are (or should be) ashamed to be seen naked from the front is toxic for naturism.

    Just ask yourself this: If non-naturists cannot become accustomed to seeing full nudity, then why is it that many people still are able to enjoy – without apparent distress – sketching and painting nudes in art classes, mingling with naked people at clothing-optional beaches, or watching naked cyclists at World Naked Bike Rides? And yet explicit pictures of naked people like that are a problem? WTF?

    The second prescient remark from the interview is this: “[O]ne thing that amazes me about reading magazines from the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s is how much of the debate around nudism has not changed in the years since. Some of the issues they dealt with, such as maintaining a gender balance, or managing the understanding of non-nudists, are still in many ways the same.”

    Yes, quite a lot is still the same. But change for the better is possible and does happen sometimes. We do have World Naked Bike Rides now, naked bodypainting in New York’s Times Square, well-attended performances by naked magicians and comedians, naked theatrical productions, and a (small but increasing) number of naked yoga classes here and there.

Using video technology to socialize with other naturists is a huge new opportunity

Now that many of us are pretty much confined at home most of the time, that’s going to be pretty bad for naturism, isn’t it? No, it isn’t! When life tosses you lemons you make lemonade, right? It’s a huge new opportunity. Although there are prospects that “social distancing” requirements may be gradually lifting in the near future (or maybe not), society and individual social interactions are going to be different for quite some time – perhaps indefinitely.

For example, many knowledgable observers are now speculating that even after the pandemic subsides, working from home using Zoom and similar tools will become much more prevalent, whenever feasible. There are various good reasons – besides avoiding contagious diseases – why daily commutes between home and the office may become a thing of the past for many. The advantages are obvious for lots of employees whose work can be done at home. Commuting can waste one or two hours a day (or more), it’s expensive, it’s stressful, and it contributes to traffic accidents, air pollution, and global warming. Without needing to go into an office every day, it’s possible to move away from urban areas where housing costs are high. There’s little need to wear uncomfortable and expensive clothes – or any clothes at all. Here’s one article listing 10 of the advantages.
Continue reading “Using video technology to socialize with other naturists is a huge new opportunity”

How naturists should cope with the pandemic’s disruption

Earlier this month, The Meandering Naturist posted an interesting and very timely article: Social Nudity in the Age of Isolation: Naked on ZOOM!. I won’t try to summarize it here. You should just go ahead and read it. What follows are my thought on the subject. (You’ll need to have read it to understand what’s said here.)

This blog is hardly the best place for news about COVID-19. But it’s not easy to escape thinking that the problems aren’t going to be over soon – most likely not this year. So naturists need to prepare for that possibility and start thinking longer term. For instance, don’t count on many or most naturist camps, clubs, and resorts to resume normal activities this year. Some may be open, but attendance levels will probably be down. Many traditional clothing-optional beaches may be open, but in the U. S. and many other countries, the beaches aren’t conveniently located for most people. Many organized naturist events will probably either be canceled or lightly attended. And besides, you’ll probably want to keep “social distancing” in mind just for your own health and that of others. It’s a different world we’re living in now, like it or not.
Continue reading “How naturists should cope with the pandemic’s disruption”