- Nudist fun: Bodypaint with friends
Bodypainting is a great way for people of all ages – from toddlers on up – to get naked and have lots of good, clean fun. Better yet, it can be practiced anywhere from private backyards to swank naturist resorts. Artistic talent may give more aesthetically pleasing results, but isn’t important for enjoying the application of (washable) paint to bare skin. It’s a way to “paint nudes” – without needing any artificial canvas. Even better, those who paint others need not be naturists themselves, although they mustn’t be afraid of nudity. However, they might discover a temptation to get naked themselves. Naturism Girl shows in a very brief video that “Just being naked on the beach is amazing by itself. But if you are looking for more fun activities, bodypainting can be a great choice.” - Why being a nudist is way better than not being one
Many of these points are well-known to naturists, but the list itself is extensive. It probably contains at least a few points you may not have thought of, so one or more could come in handy when explaining to others why you like being naked. There are about 50 separate points in the list. Here are some of my favorites:- It promotes family togetherness.
- Water and being naked go hand in hand.
- We humans feel more of a part of nature like we should.
- It’s so much fun, and more fun than being clothed.
- It’s hard to be naked and sad.
- It’s carefree, like in childhood and the summer.
- It means all of us get to be ourselves.
- 9 Common Myths about Naturism that are WRONG
I covered the general topic of most of the common misconceptions about naturism and social nudity here in some detail. Most of the issues could be of concern to anyone who enjoys nudity either at clothing-optional beaches or naturist clubs and resorts. And also nudity at home unless entirely in secret.The account referenced in the title above deals mainly with issues of concern to people thinking about visiting naturist clubs and resorts, as well as clothing-optional beaches to a slight extent. It hardly touches on issues of possible concern to home naturists.
Below are capsule summaries of why most of the concerns mentioned are based on “myths” about naturism – albeit a few that have some basis in the real world. As far as fears about visiting naturist clubs and resorts are concerned, there’s a very simple solution in many cases. Just read carefully the website of a specific club or resort to learn about their policies and find out what is or isn’t considered acceptable behavior. If the information is sparse or ambiguous, simply call the place before going there to clear things up. In addition, there’s often information available at sites like Tripadvisor and Yelp.
It’s more difficult to get information about clothing-optional beaches, which seldom have websites, although there may be online reviews for some of the popular ones. In this case, a personal visit or two may be the best or only way to learn about the place. The main concerns would be about legal issues and the general nature of regular visitors.
So here are brief summaries about concerns discussed in the article:
- You might end up at a sex club. Response: Real naturist clubs and resorts have nothing in common with “sex clubs”, except for the presence of nudity. It’s almost always possible to identify real naturist clubs by reading the rules stated on the website. If any doubt remains, just call the place and ask what’s allowed and what isn’t.
- Naturist places are full of voyeurs. Response: Real naturist clubs do not tolerate people making others uncomfortable by staring. Reporting any occurrences to the management should result in the problem being handled quickly. Naturists at popular clothing-optional beaches generally make voyeurs feel quite unwelcome.
- Naturists only camp. Response: Not true. If you don’t care for camping, before going read on the club’s website about what accommodations are available, and call ahead to make a reservation for the type of accommodation you would consider suitable.
- Naturists are hippies. Response: Not true. Many different types of people visit most naturist places. A few may have been “hippies” in their youth – 40 or more years ago. You might even enjoy meeting some of them.
- Naturism is expensive. Response: There are many different types of naturist clubs and resorts, and each has its own range of facilities. Call ahead to check whether the prices fit your budget. There are also many “non-landed” clubs that meet at private homes, sometimes go as a group to naturist places, and have very reasonable membership fees.
- You need a perfect body to become a naturist. Response: Not true. No legitimate naturist club discriminates on the basis of physical appearance. You’re likely to see a wide variety of body types. At first, you may need a little time to feel comfortable being naked, but most people adjust quickly. Being naked at home more often before visiting a beach or club should help.
- Naturism is for old people. Response: Usually false. There are various reasons younger people often aren’t represented in proportion to their percentage of the population – lack of free time, for example. Myths like some discussed here are another reason. Everyone, regardless of age, is made to feel welcome if real naturism is what they’re looking for.
- You have to be naked 24/7. Response: Not true. At all but a few naturist places these days, nudity is not required, except around swimming pools and spas. First-timers can delay undressing until they become comfortable. To be clear about the rules, call ahead before going.
- Children don’t belong at naturist places. Response: Usually false. Seeing adult nudity is not harmful to children. There are a few naturist resorts that are “for adults only”. This may be because adult visitors want to enjoy a brief time free of childcare responsibilities – rather than open sexual activity. Call ahead to verify that visitors under 21 are welcome, and if so they’ll be very safe as long as they have age-appropriate supervision.
- History of Naturism in Ireland
There was a story revealing that Ireland is a great place for naturists – back here: Naturism in Ireland is Alive and Well. Now there’s a sequel discussed in the article linked above. It’s an interview with the current president of the Irish Naturist Association, Pat Gallagher (how much more Irish could someone with that name possibly be?).Regarding the INA’s founding, he says, “these original members met while on holiday in Corsica and decided to form an association in Ireland when they returned home from this no doubt naturist vacation. Later INA committee meetings took place in a pub which was owned by one of the original committee’s members, and most original member meetups were in each other’s homes.” So the earliest members were home naturists to begin with, and the founders got inspiration, no doubt, from French naturists in Corsica.
There are many other interesting details in the article, which are instructive for how to successfully promote naturism in a country the size of Ireland, which has a population of around 6.6 million. That’s about the population of a mid-size U. S. state like Indiana or Tennessee. In this regard, Gallagher has an interesting comment:
“Lessons learned from other naturist federations as to how they made naturism more acceptable in their countries, gave us and continue to give us ideas as to how we can promote naturism in Ireland. However, I still think the International Naturist Federation (INF-FNI) has a lot more to do to make naturism more acceptable everywhere. I believe that this organisation should not leave it to individual countries to fight government policies in relation to naturism. ”In the U. S., the two national naturist organizations (AANR and TNS) correspond roughly to the INF. These two have done very little (if anything) to promote statewide naturist organization in individual states. There really are no statewide organizations of much consequence in any of the 50 states. Having such organizations is important for the purpose of lobbying individual state legislatures to make much-needed improvements to the legal climate for naturism in each state.
That task is left mainly (if at all) to smaller local groups, which lack the clout, skills, personnel, and resources to have much influence in even the smallest states. In addition, there’s almost no capability of providing advice and resources to support establishment and operation of local naturist clubs and beaches. So it’s hardly surprising that most naturists in the U. S. are able to enjoy naturism only in their own homes or with small groups of friends. The organizational structure lying between local groups and the national organizations is mostly not there. (AANR does have 6 “regions” of roughly similar size, each of which corresponds to a population (if evenly divided) of about 55 million people – more than the population of California.)
- Bathing Suits Optional at This Public Pool in Spain
Here’s a brief article about the successful establishment of swimsuit-optional hours at another public pool in Spain. It begins:
“Bathing suits are optional at this public pool in Spain’s Madrid on Sunday as the municipal sports centre of Aluche wants to celebrate ‘No swimsuit day.’ The swimsuit will only be optional in the morning shift and not in the afternoon shift (the two schedules created due to the Covid-19 pandemic) to celebrate this initiative launched in collaboration with the Spanish Naturism Federation.”In Spanish, the organization’s name is Federación Española de Naturismo. Thanks to the efforts of that group, clothing-optional hours have also been established at other public and privately-operated pools in Madrid. Unfortunately, based on this article, it seems that the clothing-optional hours were for only one specific day. Nevertheless, as in Ireland, this illustrates what can be accomplished for naturism by a national naturist organization.
- Swimsuit optional: the spontaneous, liberating joy of skinny-dipping
Most of this will seem quite familiar to naturists who’ve ventured outside of a naturist park or resort to enjoy nudity in nature. But it’s still refreshing to hear it said from a person who doesn’t especially identify as a naturist.According to the article’s sub-heading, “Like her granny before her, Rosie Green has plunged into sun-warmed seas, freezing lakes, moonlit rivers – all completely naked. She reveals here the spontaneous, liberating joy of skinny-dipping.”
The article, written by Rosie, begins:
“ My grandmother loved getting naked. Not when grocery shopping or gardening; she wasn’t some kind of eccentric or deviant. In fact, the only kinks she had were in her garden hose. But she did love skinny-dipping. When confronted with a pond, lake, river or pool she couldn’t wait to disrobe.… I’ve inherited her love of skinny-dipping. On my first Teletext-booked holiday with friends we ran stark naked into the Mediterranean. When we emerged, we had gained a welcoming committee and lost our clothes, but that didn’t put me off. I’ve plunged into freezing lakes, climbed over fences to swim in hotel pools and splashed in rivers at moonlight. All naked.”
Apart from the influence of her grandmother, how does Rosie explain her delight in skinny-dipping? She cites a number of factors, including teenage rebelliousness. “It unearths a little of the 18-year-old me. Which, I suspect, is what makes my teenagers so completely mortified about me doing it. There’s plenty of eye-rolling and indignation as well as threats of disowning me. But I don’t care what my kids say because skinny-dipping feels spontaneous, joyous, freeing, brave, exhilarating… and sensual.”
Naturists often explain their love of being naked as, simply, “because it feels so good”. This is generally not easy for non-naturists to understand. But as Rosie explains, it’s a complex feeling. There are several different aspects to it, each of which is reasonable and understandable.
Rosie goes on at some length with ideas of a psychologist, Fiona Murden. Like Murden, Rosie finds the appeal of being naked – skinny-dipping – is related to being immersed in water. “The silken water’s caress and the bonding laughter with my friends is balm for the body and mind,” she writes. But only water of a reasonable temperature. “For me, skinny-dipping is a high-summer activity. I know some brave souls throw themselves into icy pools in January, but not me. In my world it is forever linked with languid, lazy hot days.”
Most naturists probably think there’s more to nudity than that. Many, of course, are quite happy being clothesfree in the warmth and privacy of their home, with or without the company of others who also enjoy being naked. Naturism has different yet legitimate meanings for different people.
- All The U.S. Cities & States Where You Can (Legally) Celebrate National Nude Day
Here’s one more article about the quasi-holiday “National Nude Day”, which was written about previously here and here. The article lists 6 U. S. cities and states where, supposedly, it’s legal to be naked in public: Seattle (WA), Oregon, Austin (TX), New York (NY), Philadelphia (PA), and Florida.Don’t rely too heavily on this advice, however. In all cases, nudity must not be “lewd” or “offensive” to others. Those are fairly subjective standards. And where States are concerned, there may be local ordinances that could be much more restrictive about nudity. Unlike countries, such as England and Ireland, where there’s a uniform standard for the whole country, at least in theory, the places listed here may not be tolerant of nudity just anywhere, even if it isn’t “lewd”. The situation in Florida is actually a little murky. For instance, nudity may be OK on private property, even if it’s visible from other property. But local law enforcement might cite some other violation, such as “disorderly conduct” if they feel like it.
Also, there are a couple of notable omissions. One is California, where, as in Oregon, non-lewd nudity is technically legal anywhere (by a court decision), provided there aren’t stricter local ordinances. Also, on Federal land, such as National Forests, nudity may be allowed (or not) depending on local regulations.
- Fullers Mill Gardens to host naked visit for naturists
Here’s yet another example of how naturism is regarded in sensible countries like England (at least in this respect) as a perfectly acceptable (albeit rare) personal interest – quite “normal”, in other words. So setting aside a specific time for people to nakedly enjoy a lovely botanic garden isn’t controversial. It took place in August and was only for a few hours on one day. But it still attracted favorable attention to the place, and over half the ticket price was donated to a charity. Some might dismiss something like this as a typical British “eccentricity”. But so what? It’s better than the clotheist conformity prevalent in most other countries.Another news article about this event: Back to nature – naked event at botanic gardens
Category: Recommended posts on other blogs
Recent articles on nudity and naturism, June 2020
Yeah, this is very late again. It’s only about June stories. Been a very hectic few months. Yet it still seems worthwhile to make note of some of the most interesting stories from June. Of course, it can’t be considered “news”, but I try to select articles that won’t soon cease being interesting. This is what’s called “history”, right?
- Meet Nudists: How to Make Friends In a Niche Community
Is it difficult to find naturist friends? No, not necessarily. Most naturists are open, friendly folks. If you’re an outgoing, extroverted person, making naturist friends should be quite easy. If you’re more introverted, it’s naturally not quite as easy. But when you’re naked with others, there’s a shared sense of both vulnerability and openness that can significantly enhance the possibility of forming friendships.Even if you’re a newcomer at most naturist clubs and resorts, you’ll probably notice that many or most others will smile and wave as you walk around or sit by your tent or camper. That’s a good sign you might start a conversation on the spot. Perhaps you’ll see that someone is carrying sporting equipment, walking a dog, has interesting tattoos, or in some other way provides an opening to start a conversation.
Don’t be shy about it, if there’s any indication the other person shares an interest of yours – in addition to naturism. Enjoying nudity is a very significant characteristic common to just about everyone around – plenty of incentive to discover other shared interests that can be a basis for friendship.
Besides a naturist club or resort, a clothing-optional beach is the other main place you might be in the company of many folks enjoying nudity. But there are significant differences you should keep in mind. In particular, many people visit a beach just for enjoying the sunshine and the water, and not for socializing.
Many people at a clothing-optional beach may have little or no experience being naked around others, so they’ll probably be nervous and wary of being approached by naked strangers. In this situation, if you’re already fairly comfortable being naked it may be best to let others approach you, or to watch for positive signs that others are comfortable with having a conversation.
One idea you could try is to bring extra snacks and cold beverages to the beach. If you see others who appear to be friendly and approachable, offer to share some! Sharing food is a very ancient human bonding experience. The same idea would work at naturist campgrounds and parks too, of course. Get creative.
The article cited here offers a lot of good thoughts about finding naturist friends, and it deals not only with the “real-life” environment (which is certainly the most satisfying one), but also the online environment as well. The latter case can be tricky, since you can’t be quite as confident about the dedication of others to the principles of “real” naturism. On the other hand, online is certainly a good way to make initial contacts with people who’re happy to discuss naturism. And if they happen not to live at a great distance from you, meeting in “real life” will be that much easier.
Here are some other good articles on making naturist friends:
- A scientific experimental study finds that nudity helps improve body acceptance
“It’s official – nakedness leads to improvements in body image!”, a British Naturism post in June proclaimed. The post contains a summary of the research, in which “51 participants arrived for the experiment, half of whom spent 45 minutes socialising with clothes on (the control group), the other half doing the same naked.”
After a description of the experiment, it’s reported that “The participants were all happy to engage in the experiment once they were given their instructions, whether naked or clothed. And there were no differences in the responses between men and women or between different age ranges.”
The post announced a study conducted Dr. Keon West (Twitter), a Reader in Social Psychology in the Psychology departement of Goldsmiths University in London. It’s entitled I Feel Better Naked: Communal Naked Activity Increases Body Appreciation by Reducing Social Physique Anxiety
From the abstract:
“Positive body image predicts several measures of happiness, well-being, and sexual functioning. Prior research has suggested a link between communal naked activity and positive body image, but has thus far not clarified either the direction or mechanisms of this relationship. This was the first randomized controlled trial of the effects of nakedness on body image. … This research provides initial evidence that naked activity can lead to improvements in body image”Although the research article is behind a paywall, there’s a little more about it here. A related paper, entitled “A nudity-based intervention to improve body image, self-esteem, and life satisfaction” is still in press, but is described here.
An earlier study from Dr. West, entitled Naked and Unashamed: Investigations and Applications of the Effects of Naturist Activities on Body Image, Self-Esteem, and Life Satisfaction, was published in the Journal of Happiness Studies in January 2017.
Quoting from the abstract of that paper,
“It was found that more participation in naturist activities predicted greater life satisfaction—a relationship that was mediated by more positive body image, and higher self-esteem (Study 1). Applying these findings, it was found that participation in actual naturist activities led to an increase in life satisfaction, an effect that was also mediated by improvements in body image and self-esteem (Studies 2 and 3).”A January 2017 British Naturism post quickly announced that research, summarizing it as “Science proves Naturism is good for you”. That post contains a brief video (containing clips from a London World Naked Bike Ride). A Goldsmiths press release says Research finds nudism makes us happier. Felicity’s Blog provides many details: New Research Shows That Naturism Improves Body Image & Happiness.
That research got a considerable amount of media coverage, such as:
- Scientists have discovered the secret to happiness – and it’s stripping off and getting naked
- Being naked makes us happier and more satisfied with our bodies
- Being Naked Is Great For Your Body Image And Satisfaction With Life
- Want to Be Happier? Take Your Clothes Off
- Naturism Study Shows Swimming Naked Makes You Happier
- International Nude Day
Well, it’s not exactly a well-known holiday, perhaps not even to most naturists. But there really is an “International Nude Day”, which is always July 14, and it is recognized by several online sites that record “special” days. For example: here, here, here, here, and here. However, it’s not always taken very seriously at such places. A few other sites looking for “interesting” material, such as this, also take note of the day.Naturally, because summer in the northern hemisphere is vacation time for most people and the best time to be naked outdoors, the whole month of July deserves to be considered a National/International Nude Month.
The idea apparently originated in New Zealand, even though July 14 is smack in the middle of winter down there. (This Rock Haven Lodge page gives the year as 2003.) Nevertheless, a NZ site should be a reliable source:
“New Zealand’s (and now the world’s) National Nude day is not a public holiday but a day to celebrate the human form.Brain child of former All Black and TV presenter Marc Ellis, National Nude Day (also now known as International Nude Day) is a celebration of the skin with much fun attached. ….
Nude Day is a one day a year that all in NZ can celebrate nudeness, nakedness, being in the nuddy, running free in all your original raw beauty, putting on your best birthday suit. It’s day everyone can participate in, fat, skinny, big, small, firm, soft and the flabby can all get involved.”
There are a couple of other things in early July with the same idea: International Skinny Dip Day, promoted by the American Association for Nude Recreation (second Saturday in July), and Nude Recreation Week (the week after July 4), which was promoted by The Naturist Society.
It doesn’t seem like many naturist organizations promote the day very much, if at all. Few naturist blogs mention it either, although the Sesual Nudist has a good post. Alexis remarks: “Having a holiday, even if unofficial, to encourage and support nudity is along the path to normalizing naturism, and I certainly think we should do what we can to push this along. Who knows, maybe we can get it more widely recognized as a holiday…wouldn’t that be nice?!?”
Yes, it certainly would be nice. That’s a very good point. If the date were much more widely promoted by naturist organizations and businesses catering to naturists, there would be a natural opportunity to bring naturist ideas to a wide audience, provided it’s taken seriously enough.
But you don’t have to wait for some organization to take the initiative. You can do it yourself! If you have open-minded friends with whom you haven’t yet have discussed your interest in social nudity, this special day would be the perfect occasion to let them know. If there are other friends who already know, also invite them along for a visit in the afternoon or evening, especially if you have a swimming pool or spa. Provide plenty of snacks or have a cookout. And make it clear that you plan to be clothesfree (but nobody else need do likewise, of course). If you already have friends nearby who enjoy nudity, be sure to invite them too.
When we get around to dealing with naturist articles for July, it will be interesting to see just how much attention centers on July 14 (and related days).
- Florida has another official clothing-optional beach
We noted back in January that the East coast of Florida was on track to get another clothing-optional beach, about halfway between portions of the Canaveral National Seashore to the north and Haulover Beach in Miami to the south. Almost 6 months later that became a reality.A section of Blind Creek Beach, near Fort Pierce, has been unofficially clothing-optional for more than 20 years – possibly as long as 50 years. But a 4-1 vote by the County Council on June 2 made 36 acres of the beach officially clothing-optional. That status has been generally accepted by locals for much of the preceding two decades, so the main difference will be that signs will be posted to alert visitors who might be unaware that there could be naked people on the beach, restrooms would be provided, and (perhaps) lifeguards might even be hired.
What’s taken so long for this development? In recent times it hasn’t been local opposition to nudity so much as the need for the county to spend a little bit of money on the restrooms. The Florida economy is very dependent on tourism. If local naturists could just put in enough effort to inform the public of the value of naturist visitors, there’s still plenty of beach space in Florida that’s not yet clothing-optional. The American Association for Nude Recreation has a report on this very topic: The Economic Impact of Nude Tourism & Recreation in Florida. Other states that already have significant naturist destinations should also take note.
News articles:
- Naked but unafraid: Blind Creek Beach gets St. Lucie County designation as ‘clothing-optional’
- Nude beach formally recognized in St. Lucie County
- Naturism during a pandemic
In June the pandemic seemed to be winding down. (Ha!) So some naturist resorts in Europe, North America, and elsewhere started opening up, but usually making a good effort to observe sensible safety guidelines. Many naturists chose other ways to enjoy nudity safely.Here are a few reports:
- Naturism in Ireland is Alive and Well
A small number of European countries are known for having a fair number of places for naturists, such as clothing-optional beaches, campgrounds, resorts, swimming centers, spas, and guest houses. France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Croatia, and even England, are names that quickly come to mind. But … Ireland? Apparently it should be in that list too.The Irish Naturist Association has recently been actively pursuing this idea – for much the same reason that applies to Florida: naturist facilities attract naturist tourists to spend money locally. It’s also helped a lot that, as the article notes, “In the past twenty to thirty years Ireland has become a much more open minded and culturally diverse society. As part of the ongoing liberal attitudes new laws were passed by parliament in 2017 which now make being naked in public no longer illegal or a prosecutable offence.” The U. S. should be so fortunate, but sadly (in most states), it’s still in the dark ages, at least as far as public nudity is concerned.
Ireland’s enlightened attitude shouldn’t be so surprising, since a similar liberalization has occurred during the same period in England – Ireland’s close neighbor. Not only do the two countries share a similar climate, but there are cultural similarities as well. Ireland (except for Northern Ireland) achieved complete independence from Britain in 1921. But for centuries Ireland had long been dominated by its neighbor. So people could move between the two islands without much trouble. And English is very widely spoken in Ireland, as well as the native Irish.
The Irish Naturist Association has actually existed since 1963. So organized naturism in Ireland does have close to a 60-year history. The article points out that “many more [people] are accepting of and taking part in naturism in Ireland. Indoor facilities, swimming pools, saunas, Yoga/meditation retreats and other such facilities” book naked events. And outdoors, “naturists also make use of traditional known naturist used beaches and outdoor swimming areas. Currently there are some thirty-three documented beaches in the Republic of Ireland.”
- Naturist Bed & Breakfast with Winery
Speaking of places where it might be surprising to find good places to be naked – as well as a thriving winery – how about Oklahoma? Not everyone’s idea of an idyllic place for naturism, shall we say?But, as naturist author/blogger Will Forest writes in a review of the Wakefield Country Inn and Winery, it’s “really three favorite things” that “combines (1) a bed & breakfast and (2) a winery with (3) a naturist philosophy.” The establishment describes itself on its (non-naturist) website:
“We are an adults-only (must be 21) bed and breakfast (it is our home, not a hotel) and winery, located in southeastern Oklahoma, between Ada and McAlester off Highway 75. If you’re looking for solitude, peace and quiet, we are located on 50 acres and our closest neighbor is 1/2 mile away. … The sole purpose of our bed and breakfast is for couples to re-connect/re-kindle the romance in their relationship.”Here’s the reviewer’s conclusion:
“A summary for this fantastic three-in-one destination: (1) The bed & breakfast is terrific, and the facilities are beautiful. (2) The winery is wonderful and the wines are outstanding. (3) It’s the people -the owners, the guests – who really bring this lovely establishment to life and who espouse the naturist philosophy. The owners know that their home business has become a gateway for many who are curious about social nudism, and who try it for the first time right there.”It seems to me that establishments like this – small and run by real naturists who love social nudity – may be the future of naturism. Provided they are numerous enough for nearby naturists to visit easily. In the U. S. (outside of Florida, at least) larger naturist facilities are probably going to be few and far between for some time to come. They’re expensive to start and operate. And in many parts of the country, they may be viable only if located in areas that are already close to popular tourist destinations.
Recent articles on nudity and naturism, 8/23/20
Well, it seems I’ve gotten somewhat behind in reporting on “recent” noteworthy articles on nudity and naturism. Personal reasons for that, but no excuses. I’ll try to cover the best articles from May here – but with less detail than usual. You’ll see there are some fairly interesting things. Hopefully, June, July, and August summaries won’t be too far behind.
- Utah, California, South Carolina Best Places for 2020 ‘Naked Gardening Day’ Saturday
The World Naked Gardening Day for this year (in the northern hemisphere) was on May 2, and has already been discusssed here. But this article appeared a little later and has additional details. The LawnStarter website has covered WNGD before (last year), when it rated Bakersfield, California, as having “the most conducive climate for getting out and gardening in the buff”. This year it bestowed the honor on Ogden, Utah, based on weather forecasts. But the event is celebrated by naturists in many other countries besides the U. S. For instance, Donna Price (pictured above), from the UK, is quoted recommending everyone to “make it naked and enjoy the liberation”. - The Great British Take Off
WNGD wasn’t the only special naturist event in May. British Naturism designated Saturday, May 16 as the day for The Great British Take Off (GBTO). Here’s their announcement: The Great British Take Off – 16th May. The name chosen for the day may refer not only to taking off clothes but may also suggest the idea that naturism in the UK could be taking off to a new level. Here’s what BN said on the day of GBTO: The Great British Take Off – Today’s the Day! And here’s their summary of what happened: Didn’t we have a lovely time…!The announcement got widespread notice in the British press. Most of it was favorable to naturism and not condescending (as it would certainly be in most U. S. media). It’s no accident there were numerous media reports. BN obviously made a serious effort to get favorable coverage – even supplying images to accompany the stories. U. S. naturist organizations don’t seem to make such efforts, or if they do, they’re not nearly so successful.
Some of the stories:
- Brits strip off to bake, sunbathe and even work from home during lockdown
- Scots naturist cooks burgers in the buff as Brits strip off across country for Great British Take Off
- Great British Take Off invites us to get naked this weekend – fingers crossed for some sun!
- People across the UK won’t be wearing clothes on Saturday
- Calls for public to take part in Zoom naked yoga and Pimms-drinking for naturist event this weekend
- The Great British Take Off
- The woman behind “Women-in-Naturism”
Here’s Donna Price again, in her role with British Naturism as a promoter of naturism for women. She’s officially the Coordinator of the Women in Naturism Campaign. We all know about naturism’s gender imbalance problem. It’s to BN’s credit that they don’t just talk about the problem but also have someone who’s responsible for getting things done to address the problem. Simply having a point of contact from whom other women can learn more about naturism is important. Since Donna (and her husband) have only been naturists since 2016, they can explain from their own experience how to overcome the concerns that women have about participating in naturism. Donna has an active Twitter feed, which makes communication especially straightforward. - Naturism goes on in spite of the pandemic
There’s no question about the pandemic having an impact. But it seems to be less severe than in some other areas. Naturally, since most people are spending lots more time at home – especially if they can continue at their normal jobs remotely – they can be naked much more of the time. Since most traditional naturist activities are outdoors (beaches, campgrounds, resorts, etc.) transmission of the virus is somewhat less likely. Many other activities can go on using video – naked yoga and figure drawing/painting classes, for example. And many more people can participate – even from another continent, since travel isn’t necessary. The use of video also means that naturists can spend more time in conversation with each other, and find new friends.It should be noted that British Naturism hosts an extensive calendar of online events. Some are free for BN members (but it’s not necessary to live in the UK to join BN). These include things like chats, a book club, and life drawing. Other more intensive offerings – such as yoga, aerobics, and fitness workouts – can be booked for about 5$US per session (for BN members). The schedule is here. Neither of the U. S. national naturist organizations has anything like this, as far as I can tell from their websites.
Here are some media reports:
- ‘I’m running a naked pub in lockdown’ – The quote is from Pam Fraser (pictured immediately above), who’s an event organizer and spokesperson for British Naturism. Her “pub” is virtual, but in other respects it’s much like the real thing in terms of conviviality. (Fraser’s Instagram)
- ‘We’re not just a bunch of weird naked people’: the rise of naturism in lockdown – Good summary of naturist activities during lockdown, based on interviews with naturists and naturist bloggers.
- Scots naturist couple bare all about taking their kit off in lockdown and why more people should join them – Juliette and Ivan, who’ve been naturists for 15 years, report getting “on with the normal activities of life. They just do most of it without clothes.” Juliette feels “there’s not much [she] will not do naked.” Fortunately, “The neighbours know and don’t care. If they happen to spot us in our gardens, they couldn’t care less.”
- More people trying naturism during lockdown – Reports that “British Naturism has reported a 100 percent increase in members since the pandemic began and Instagrammers with a passion for stripping off have been sharing images of themselves baking, sunbathing and doing yoga while in the comfort of their own homes.”
- How Coronavirus Is Impacting France’s Largest Nudist Camp – Naturists in France, as well as in the UK, are adapting to life with social distancing. CHM Montalivet “is the size of a small town, with over 1000 private bungalows on site, as well as a huge campsite, cinema, gym, spa, swimming pools, a library” and various shops. It’s known as “the world’s first naturist holiday resort”. Montalivet was not open when the article appeared, as several regular visitors lamented, but it’s now operating more or less normally.
- More people opting to go nude during quarantine – Survey of diverse naturist activities during quarantine. (But since it’s from a disreputable U. S. tabloid, it has the customary deprecatory attitude that “nudism is still largely viewed as a taboo pursuit.”)
- Meet the self-isolating naturists making the most during lockdown – Just a brief (but positive) article.
- ‘Why we decided to do our podcast in the buff,’ say the women behind the Naked Podcast
“When Kat Harbourne told her friends and fellow BBC Sheffield journalist Jenny Eells she wanted to make a podcast that explored issues around body image she jumped at the chance. Even when Kat said they, and their guests, would be naked, she didn’t change her mind.” Jenny explained, “For me being naked isn’t really an issue but I know that’s not the case for everyone and we wanted to try and find out why.” The podcast website is here. - Petition to protest censorship of naturism on Google’s YouTube
The petition, entitled Normalize the human body in its natural form, is at Change.org. I expect most naturists would agree with the notion. The text begins: “Depictions of non-minor persons of any sex either in public or in private in a non-sexual, nude state shall not be prohibited by social media sites or their providers if and when the depictions are intended by their disseminator to be of an artistic, educational, or documentary nature and/or facilitate the formation of an educated opinion…” There have been over 13,000 signers so far. Please take a moment to sign yourself, if you haven’t already. (It’s free, although you can make a donation to help publicize it.)The petition was initiated by Hector Martinez of the Mexican Nudist Federation. He had posted hundreds of videos on his channel, which had 1.3 million subscribers and a total of 200 million views. And then “someone” at YouTube deleted the entire channel, without warning or explanation. According to Hector, the videos had been posted since 2016 and observed YouTube’s guidelines for acceptable content. The whole text is worth reading. My own comment, after signing, was:
“There’s nothing whatsoever wrong with nudity. In particular, nonsexual nudity as practiced by naturists is entirely healthy and wholesome. Not everyone agrees with this, of course, but that does not in any way justify censoring the expressing and documenting of a completely valid point of view.”Some other naturist blogs also reported on this:
- Stop censoring our naturist/nudist community – this features a video from Hector explaining the situation.
- On the Representation of Naturism: Act Now
- British Naturism: Sunfolk – an update
This British Naturism project has already been mentioned here. The progress that’s already been made is noteworthy, in spite of the pandemic. The plans BN has for Sunfolk are impressive. This may be the first example, at least in the English-speaking world, of a major naturist organization taking over management of an existing naturist facility. It will be run much like a traditional naturist club, but primarily for the benefit of BN members. During the last few decades a dozen or so landed clubs in the U. S. have folded and converted to conventional textile-only use. Neither of the national U. S. organizations seems to have considered doing what BN has done with Sunfolk. That’s a lot of very unfortunate missed opportunities.
- I Think I Found the Missing Nudist Bloggers
In this post I replied to an article on the Sensual Nudist blog: What Happened to the Nudist Bloggers? That led to some interesting dialog (in email and article comments) with Alexis (the article’s author) and other bloggers. Alexis posted an interesting response on her blog, giving a good explanation of her thinking. It’s a long post, so I won’t summarize here – just read it.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- 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?
- 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.
- 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
- 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.”
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.”
- 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.
- 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:
- “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.”
- “[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.”
- “[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.”
- 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.
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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.
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