Let's normalize nudity
This issue takes a deep dive into some of the many reasons that naturism seems to have lost popularity in the U.S. in the past 2 or 3 decades. Understanding these reasons is the first step towards taking action to counteract them.
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The issue is about what may be the main challenge facing naturism today. That is: why and how to stop being secretive about having an interest in naturism or social nudity. That will help correct the misunderstandings people you know have about naturism. Not only the people you discuss naturism with will know of your interest. But (with your permission) they will be able to tell their own acquaintances what you’ve told them. That can help you develop a network of naturist friends. Both you and naturism in general benefit the more people give it a try.
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It’s about the magazine, not the ocean of the same name. In case you missed it, this is the article: Is the Internet Killing the Nude Beach? The opening blurb is a pretty good summary:
“Clothing-optional public spaces seem to be declining in popularity, especially among young people, whose relationship with nudity has been shaped by a lifetime online.”
The article suggests that this is a worldwide trend (among most countries that have even had clothing-optional beaches). But the main focus is on the U.S., where the trend may be more pronounced. However that may be, the outlook isn’t especially positive for the future of naturism. Of course, the article’s emphasis is on beaches, so it’s possible that naturist nudity has simply moved away from popular public places in the direction of private clubs or even individual homes.
The article’s author, Stephanie H. Murray, considers several ideas that might account for it. She seems to favor the idea that the Internet has been a major factor. The argument is that cell phones with cameras and online posting of unauthorized nude photos strongly deter women from visiting clothing-optional beaches. Personally, I think a lot of other factors are also involved, and economics is probably a big one. In particular, young people these days seem to find it considerably more difficult than it was a few decades ago to earn enough money to pay off college debts, start a family, purchase a home, etc. This article – Facts that deter young people from participating in naturism – explores that possibility (and others) in detail.
Continue reading “About that article on nude beaches in The Atlantic”
There have been quite a few interesting comments on a post of mine from about 3 months ago: Gender balance in naturism. I’ll discuss my responses to a couple of the comments on it. But first, it’s necessary to call attention to a post from Alexis, a female naturist blogger: Giving Up Nudism?.
This is a long post, so if you’re short on time you can find a summary of the main points at the end, but you’ll miss the reasoning behind those points. If you do have time, it would be a good idea to read (or re-read) Alexis’ post and the comments on it.
For simplicity, I’ll summarize some of her main points. Only the parts in quotation marks are Alexis’ own remarks.
Continue reading “Here’s something naturists need to think hard about”
Naturism in the U. S. is not doing well, especially in comparison to how it is in western European countries, such as France, Spain, Germany, England, and even Croatia. Much of the problem is due to outdated cultural attitudes towards nudity. These bad attitudes, however, are not being adequately countered by U. S. naturists and their organizations. Consequently, many if not most naturists feel they have to be secretive about their enjoyment of nudity. And that secrecy, in turn, prevents naturism from thriving as it should.
What follows is an examination of the problem – and what could be done to deal effectively with it.
Continue reading “Naturists seriously need local naturist organizations”
Naturists – who tend to be mostly middle-aged or older – often wonder and ask (see the link, below) “Why aren’t there more young naturists?” Although there are a number of reasons, to be noted here, there’s one fundamental reason: economics.
It’s pretty simple. Many people in their 50s or older can afford things that facilitate naturist activities, such as travel, naturist resort fees, recreational vehicles, etc. They’re also more likely to live in private homes instead of apartment complexes, and so have more privacy for enjoying nudity.
Continue reading “Facts that deter young people from participating in naturism”
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”
Here’s a new blog post from UK bloggers Hannah and Nick: Encouraging women into naturism. Almost immediately they say “Our experience is that there are actually very few who are actively against people removing their clothes in appropriate public circumstances. However, there does seem to be a gender divide when it comes to people trying naturism for themselves. Men are often keen, women less so.”
Continue reading “The gender imbalance problem in naturism”
How is it that many of the most perceptive articles on nudity and naturism are written by women? That, in any case, seems to be true of this group.
Excellent information from Naked Wanderings:
“More and more we’re starting to think that nude events might be the key to a bright future for nudism. Especially the younger generation nudists want to get from behind the fences of the naturist clubs and resorts and do something fun, something spectacular. Luckily the options for amazing nude events seem to be larger than ever before. There are naked bike rides, nudist games, nude contests, nude cruises, nude festivals, nude tournaments, you named it. Everything is there for some amazing nude experiences in 2019. If you don’t have any inspiration about where to spend your naked time this year, here are 12 + 1 tips!”
Full article: https://www.nakedwanderings.com/blog/2019/03/07/nude-events-2019/