Tag: Australian naturism

Newsworthy Nudity, 2022-3

  1. Soak Au Naturel at 6 Clothing Optional Hot Springs in Colorado (5/14/22)

    There were a number of stories about hot springs in a previous post. But hot springs aren’t as often noticed as good places for naturism as they should be. This article provides information on six examples in Colorado. Some have amenities like traditional naturist parks, while others are rustic, with little more than pleasantly hot water. There are additional hot springs, not listed in the article, that require some hiking to reach.

    Of the places listed in this article, only one is fully clothing-optional and welcomes all naturists: Valley View Hot Springs, which is owned and operated by the Orient Land Trust. However, because of its deserved popularity with naturists and limited facilities, reservations are required for a visit. There’s more information here.

    Three other places welcome all naturists, but clothing-optional use is disallowed in some pools or during certain times or days. (As a concession to non-naturists, especially those with children.) Those places are Orvis Hot Springs (more here), Strawberry Park Hot Springs (more here), and Dakota Hot Springs (more here). Note that rules are subject to change.

    Two other places may be problematic for naturists. Indian Hot Springs requires suits in its main indoor pool. Other pools are either hourly rentals or inside caves and separate for men and women. Naturists may want to avoid one other place, Desert Reef Hot Springs, because of its numerous finicky policies for clothing-optional use, where non-member single, unaccompanied males are disallowed.

  2. Colorado Hot Springs Where You Can Be Legally Naked (7/29/22)

    This is a single long page, and most of the hot springs listed are described in the preceding article. However, there are good maps for all of the listings. One place included, Conundrum Hot Spring (more here), requires an 18-mile out-and-back trail to reach, and there are no facilities. Clothing-optional use is also said to be “iffy”. Also, at the bottom of the page, there are a lot of rude and irrelevant Google “reviews” of Colorado’s “Garden of the Gods”.

    One other place listed is a full-fledged naturist resort, Mountain Air Ranch, which is the state’s only actual naturist resort. It was established in 1935, making it one of the oldest naturist parks in the country that’s still in operation. But it doesn’t have any natural hot springs. Here’s another article about it: Mountain Air Ranch Lays Bare the Benefits, Challenges of a Nudism Club.

  3. Hike to 6 of Colorado’s Free Hot Springs (9/12/22)

    In case you are up for challenging hikes, here’s information about six possibilities in Colorado. Two of them actually require only a short stroll. Clothing is said to be optional at four of the places, but required at two others. However, much depends on who else may be present at a particular time, so ask if you find only clothed users. (They might even be tempted to strip off.) The distances listed below are all round-trip. A web search will give lots more information about each place if you want to visist.

    Hot springs that may be clothing-optional, in order of accessibility

    1. South Canyon Hot Springs – .2 mile; map
    2. Piedra River Hot Springs – 3.4 miles; map
    3. Rainbow Hot Springs – 10 miles; map
    4. Conundrum Hot Springs – 18 miles; map

    Hot springs probably not clothing-optional, in order of accessibility

    1. Penny Hot Springs – 0 miles; map
    2. Radium Hot Springs – 1.4 miles; map

  4. Are There Any Nudist Colonies in Colorado? (9/26/22)

    Whoever chose that headline probably isn’t a good source of information on naturism. “Colony” is and always has been a condescending, derogatory term for naturist parks and resorts. But that’s not an atypical attitude on the websites of FM radio stations.

    Mountain Air Ranch, which was mentioned above, is the only naturist resort in Colorado, but it’s a very good one, having been in operation since 1935. About it this article says: “the clubhouse and pool are where most of the recreational activities take place, but there’s also an exercise room, miles of trails, an ice cream parlor, as well as the Bikini Bar and Grill.”

    The only problem with it, perhaps, is that it’s located on the southern outskirts of Denver. However, most of the developed and primitive hot springs discussed above are in the western part of the state, so a trek over the mountains will be required to visit them. The most accessible developed springs is Dakota Hot Springs in Penrose, “only” 100 miles south, but on mostly good roads on the east side of the mountains.

  5. Getting Naked with Strangers in Germany’s Baden-Baden (1/28/22)

    Well-known travel writer Rick Steves visited the Baden-Baden spa resort in southern Germany. (“Baden” is “to bathe” in German.) There he saw “more naked people in two hours than many Americans see in their entire lives.” Baden-Baden has been a popular place to soak in hot water at least since ancient Roman times. Steves avers that “Americans who can’t handle nudity don’t know what they’re missing.”

    Steves describes his spa experience in some detail. It includes an initial “industrial-strength” shower, a very hot sauna. a very vigorous massage, a series of mixed-gender soaking pools, and concludes in a “quiet room” for deep relaxation. All while entirely naked. Even up-tight Americans present can realize that any kind of bathing attire would be entirely superfluous. After all, everyone is preoccupied with their own sensations rather than anyone else’s naked body. Wearing anything when bathing alone would make no sense. And that’s just the same in this context, despite the presence of others.

  6. Nudist RV resorts more popular among RVers than you’d think (10/28/22)

    Unless someone’s entirely new to RVing, they’ve probably stayed at a few or many RV resorts. There are other possibilities, such as “boondocking” by visiting some remote place in the middle of nowhere, without hook-ups or anyone else around. In the latter case, wearing clothes could be purely optional. However, for most non-naturists, their experience usually has been with traditional RV resorts.

    Anyone who hasn’t tried naturism, but isn’t “offended” by others’ nudity – such as at clothing-optional beaches – should consider visiting an actual naturist resort that welcomes RVs. That’s a great way to learn about naturism in a very safe environment. If you’re already a naturist, invite other RVers you know to go with you to a naturist RV resort. They might discover being pleasantly surprised to enjoy “the opportunity to exit [their] RV without any clothes on.” And why not? After all, people there usually aren’t wearing anything.

    Most clothing-optional RV resorts aren’t strictly for RVers. Instead, they also welcome anyone who enjoys nonsexual social nudity – day visitors, tent campers, van campers, or vacationers staying at indoor accommodations. Many consider themselves naturists or nudists. But some just like being naked, and that’s fine, as long as traditional naturist norms are respected (i.e. no open sexuality).

    The article here gives many more details about what naturist RV resorts are like, although there’s plenty of diversity. But if you’ve visited some or many RV resorts, the only thing different about the naturist ones is that you don’t need to wear anything unless you want to. A naturist couple now living at Laguna del Sol, near Sacramento, California, describes their own personal experiences with it. From my own experience, it’s a great place.

  7. 17 Nudist RV Parks in the U.S. For Your Next Trip (6/28/22)

    Although the article’s title is reasonable, the term “colonies” is used several times – which is offensive to both nudists and (especially) naturists. If you’re an experienced nudist/naturist, you know that there are far more than 17 developed places to spend time clothesfree. AANR has 180 affiliated clubs, although some are non-landed, meaning they host naturist activities in suitable places but don’t actually own land.

    Note that many places that do own land don’t necessarily have facilities for RVs. They may lack hook-ups or parking spaces for large RVs. If you do need such facilities, the list here is useful. But you can check out places that may be closer to you in the AANR directory to determine whether they’d be suitable for your needs.

    Strangely, most places listed in the article are in the western half of the country (including Texas). Not surprisingly, Florida has a large number of nudist/naturist resorts, though only 3 are listed here. But there are also many places in the mid-Atlantic states, from North Carolina up to Pennsylvania. If you happen to be relatively new to naturism, you should be aware that some places have special requirements for first-time visitors. Before visiting any place for the first time, calling in advance is a very good idea. Even if they welcome first-timers, they may have special events or few unreserved spots for large RVs, so making a reservation is also a good idea.

  8. A liberating high comes with group nudity at Dark Mofo – it can turn anyone into a giggling fool (6/22/22)


    Hobart is the capital city of Australia’s Tasmania island state. It’s about as far south of the equator as Portland, Oregon is north. So winters there are usually sort of chilly. South of the equator the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, is in June, so the time doesn’t seem especially ideal for walking naked into the ocean at sunrise. That, however, is exactly what about 2000 naked people, in Hobart for the annual Dark Mofo music festival, did. (2000 people is just a bit less than half the entire membership of the Naturist Society.) This fully naked ocean dip is actually a yearly tradition at the festival’s end.

    Sian, one of the 2000, says “there is a uniquely liberating high in group nudity”. Why would anybody who’s not stoned on some illegal substance do such a thing? She later explains “we’re free and doing something silly in the name of art and something primal none of us could name.” Naturists actually understand pretty well from personal experience. Most, however, would prefer having the experience under more temperate conditions.

  9. How to Feel Better Naked (6/17/22)

    Most people generally eschew completely exposing their bodies for various reasons. Naturists have dealt with such concerns and overcome them. But they’re also in a good position to assure others who might be interested in naturism that nudity is quite pleasurable – so fretting about their body’s appearance shouldn’t deter anyone from naturism. Wearing clothes is often required or sensible, but otherwise going naked should be just fine. Not really different from wearing shoes or going barefoot. Nudity is just going barefoot all over.

    People use various faulty excuses for balking at being fully naked unless they must be. One very common concern is the appearance of their naked body. Cultural “beauty” standards are at the root of this. Is one’s body too fat or too thin? Are some parts out of the “right” proportion with other parts? Are there too many wrinkles, scars, stretch marks, or other imperfections? Does one’s body simply not look as “good” as it seemed at an earlier age? These issues affect how people feel about their own bodies and how they think others will judge them.

    The article here suggests how to alleviate such concerns by taking four specific steps.

    1. Spend more time naked
    2. Focus on how your body feels
    3. Ask yourself: Am I avoiding being naked?
    4. Surround yourself with images of different body types

  10. One Woman’s Wholesome Mission to Get Naked Outside (6/13/22)

    Like most people, the anonymous writer of this article never seriously considered going naked outdoors, even in remote places seldom visited by most people. Never, that is, until “years ago” (the article was written when she was only in her late 30’s) on a backpacking trip to Conundrum Hot Springs she was aware that the springs were clothing-optional, so she “rallied everyone to get in naked.” She proceeded to strip off before entering the water and expected her friends to do likewise. But none did. Understandably, she “wouldn’t disrobe again in public for years.”

    However, at least a decade later, her boyfriend was talking about how he modeled naked for a college newspaper article. He and other friends had also bragged about adventures like skiing and mountain biking naked, and the writer admired them for being “less inhibited, so comfortable in their own skin.” So allowing irrational fears of nudity to be in control seemed wrong, and she resolved to become “one of those naked people”.

    It needn’t happen overnight. For most people, becoming comfortable going naked openly may best be done gradually. “A lifetime of prudishness would not be undone overnight.” So, with her boyfriend, it was agreed that “I should design a training plan of sorts, progressing from a beginner-level warm-up (bathe in a nude hot spring?) to some intermediate challenge (wander around unclad at a clothing-optional resort?) and eventually to a graduation exercise (a naked ski or bike ride?). I would become one of those people I had always admired. I would become someone who does naked stuff outside.”

Bonus from earlier:

How To Feel Comfortable Naked Every Day (6/26/16)

A couple of the articles above address getting used to allowing other people, who may be complete strangers, to see you naked. There are many ways to enjoy naturism – camping, hiking, exploring hot springs, visiting naturist resorts, or simply being naked at home. But you won’t be able to enjoy any of that unless you overcome fears of being seen with nothing on.

If you’re naked around friends or relatives there’s not much to be concerned about – provided they’re willing to accept your nudity. Getting used to you wearing nothing may take time, but they’ll come around soon enough if they respect you and you explain your reasons for being naked. Being naked around strangers needn’t be any different, assuming they expect to see nudity, such as in an art class with nude model(s), in a naked yoga class, or at a nude beach. (Obviously, going naked is risky anywhere nudity isn’t expected, although nudity may be legal and possibly OK in little-used hiking and camping places.)

[Tip 1: If someone you know is uncomfortable with your nudity, try wearing just the minimum they can accept. Before long they may relent and decide you needn’t bother wearing anything.]

[Tip 2: Invite the uncomfortable person to accompany you somewhere nudity is acceptable, such as an art class or nude beach. If your nudity’s OK there, why not somewhere more private?]

Two points from this article are worth noting if you’re the one who wants to be comfortable naked. First, you should fully accept your body just as it is. While “improving” it sometimes is possible, or even worthwhile for health reasons, that’s usually difficult and takes time. But if you want to enjoy nudity, don’t put off accepting your body as it is right now.

Second, the best way to do that is to be naked as much of the time as is physically comfortable while you’re alone or with people who won’t mind. Be naked for an hour or more every day that’s possible. And don’t be afraid to look at your naked body in a mirror. Once you’ve been naked for an hour a few times, why stop without a good reason? As the article says, “You may feel uncomfortable at first (or you may love it!), either way step outside your comfort zone and challenge yourself to bare your body to the world.”

[If you’re already comfortable being naked, offer the advice above to others you know who might be interested. The world desperately needs more naked people.]

Recent articles on nudity and naturism, 4/11/20

  1. Body painter turns naked models into classic works of art
    Body painting is an art form uniquely suited for appreciation by naturists, for obvious reasons. It’s something that’s been discussed here several times. Although anyone can paint in interesting ways on any cooperative naked model, considerable artistic talent is required for genuinely impressive results. That’s even more true for the subgenre where the art is intended to blend seamlessly into an existing painting or photo. The artist here, Trina Merry, is clearly a master at this. In fact, according to the article, Merry’s work is so highly regarded that she’s done some commissions for a price of more than $100,000.

    “Working with the human body is really beautiful, it has a personal connection that other artforms have a hard time accomplishing,” Merry says. Many more examples of her work can be found on her website and on Instagram. And here’s another article with additional examples.

  2. 10 Plus 1 Nudist Beaches in Greece
     

    In view of the legendary prevalence of nudity in ancient Greek athletics and art, it may come as a surprise to many that modern Greece isn’t especially known for its tolerance of naturism – unlike, say, nearby neighbor Croatia. Unfavorable attitudes in Greece towards naturism are especially surprising in view of the country’s benign climate and location with abundant coastline on the Mediterranean. The situation, however, is a little different on Greece’s numerous Mediterranean islands. Although the islands have no naturist resorts, there are a variety of beaches where clothing-optional use is possible. Some of those- such as on Mykonos and Crete – are well-known, but many more are little known except to local naturists.

    Greek naturists are, necessarily, somewhat secretive about their enjoyment of nudity, since (according to the article) “the unaccustomed villagers often looked down on the foreign to them habit.” Nevertheless, there are “over 80 official and unofficial nudist beaches” scattered among the islands. Yet “until recently, most of these beaches were secluded and hard to find. Usually locating a bare-all beach was (and still is to some respect) done by word of mouth. That way only those who really needed and wanted to know knew where to go.” The article here provides directions to 10 island beaches considered the best for skinny-dipping. And the 11th is actually close to Athens, on the mainland.

    Check here for one young woman’s rewarding and eye-opening experience at one Greek beach.

  3. GNA Magazine Signup!
     

    Most professional and scientific organizations have a long history of publishing respected periodicals in their field. In the past couple of decades almost all of these periodicals have also been provided in electronic as well as printed form – in some cases only in electronic form. Some national naturist organizations have more recently done likewise – British Naturism, the Federation of Canadian Naturists, and the American Association for Nude Recreation, for example. (Conspicuously, however, The Naturist Society has yet to follow suit.) In nearly all cases, it’s necessary to be a dues-paying organization member to access either printed or electronic versions of the publications. That makes sense, because it’s expensive to produce a reasonably high-quality publication in either form.

    There have also been a few attempts in the past several years to produce online naturist publications that are more like magazines than ordinary websites, sometimes for free and sometimes for a subscription fee. If successful, such publications would be like the nudist magazines of years ago that are discussed in the following article. But none seems to have caught on.

    Now, though, the people associated with Get Naked Australia (GNA) are making another attempt. Their magazine is delivered by email instead of on a website. And the first issue has already been distributed. Anyone can simply use the Signup page linked above to request a copy. It comes in the form of a PDF file, so nothing more than a standard PDF reader is required to view it. As a PDF file, it’s also easy to jump around from page to page, and even search for specific words and phrases (location names for instance). It can also be read on a smartphone or tablet. And at a total of 60 pages, it’s full of plenty of text and pictures. Best of all: it’s free.

    This magazine looks like a very professional job, so quite a lot of work must have gone into producing it – all done by volunteers, presumably. It will be somewhat amazing if this continues to be available in the present form – without any fees or even advertising. But we can hope. If it is successful, it could make naturism considerably more popular in Australia. An even better outcome would be if both the “Get Naked Australia” idea itself, as well as the magazine, could be duplicated in other countries, but that might be too much to hope for. It would be surprising – but most welcome – if existing naturists organizations could adopt this model for themselves. (Don’t hold your breath though.)

  4. Preserving Nudist History: An Interview with NaturistVintage – Part One
     

    The writer of this article explains: “NaturistVintage is a twitter account that concentrates on posting scans of nudist magazines and photographs. I wanted to learn why they did this.” So the article consists of an interesting Q&A with the account owner, who is an avid collector of vintage (roughly, before 1980) naturist publications.

    Anyone who’s discovered the wonders of naturism only recently is probably unaware of the long, but important, history of nudist/naturist magazines. That’s because few remain, mostly those of a small number of national naturist organizations. But at one time there may have been such magazines were a lot more numerous. They probably were the main way that people discovered naturism – in spite of the rather condescending or derogatory way it was usually portrayed in mass media (if it was discussed at all).

    Occasionally, before leaving home to go to college, I enjoyed the feeling of getting out of my clothes when nobody was around. But I had no idea that such a thing as nudism even existed until I chanced on a small pile of nudist magazines at a newsstand near my university. That was several decades ago, and I’ve often since regretted being too embarrassed to purchase any of those magazines.

    Somewhat later, when I was living where there were many more naturist opportunities, I was able to enjoy naturism for real. But-by that time most nudist/naturist publications had disappeared. If naturism hadn’t remained a long-delayed interest of mine, I quite possibly wouldn’t have discovered it at all. The current lack of anything like the early nudist/naturist magazines available to the general public is undoubtedly one reason that so few people these days – especially in the U. S. – have any idea of what naturism is really about.

    Even most newsstands that once carried nudist publications are now gone. Good naturist information certainly is now available on the Internet. But for people who may be curious about the subject, searching for accurate information about it is rather difficult, because porn sites have largely co-opted the terms “nudist” and “naturist” for themselves.

    There are now a small number of “libraries” in the U. S. that have collections of the old nudist/naturist publications. But essentially none of the material is online. The libraries are not really open to the general public anyhow, even if people were willing to travel hundreds of miles to visit them. At least, though, there are occasional articles, such as the one linked here, that offer a few tidbits of information on the history.

    In theory, it would be possible to digitally copy much of the material and make it available – except that the funds needed to do that are rather unlikely to appear. And it’s not clear whether the information about nudism/naturism as it existed decades ago would really be all that useful and relevant to naturism as it exists today around the world.

  5. Naturism in Thailand Shows Resilience Against COVID19
     

    There’s already been a discussion of naturism in Thailand here. It’s essentially the only Asian country with attractive destinations for naturists. In fact, there are at least 8 different options there – described in the article – for your clothing-optional pleasure. And in contrast to the situation in Greece, most of them are comfortable resort locations, not just out-of-the-way beaches.

    Yes, of course, because of COVID-19 the present time is pretty awful for a vacation just about anywhere. Thailand is, at present, only slightly affected by the pandemic – in sharp contrast with China and South Korea. But nobody can predict what conditions might be like by the time you can take a serious vacation, let alone are able to travel to the destination. So, at least, it’s good to know that the Naturist Association of Thailand has offered a “COVID-19 SAFETY PACKAGE”, which guarantees a full refund without penalties of any kind. The conditions include making the booking with the resort (not through an agency) no later than August 1, 2020, for a visit before the end of the year. Presumably, the refund covers any reason you can’t make the trip, including health problems in your family or cancellation of airline flights.


  6. British Naturism acquisition of Sunfolk: A bright future for Naturism
     

    From the article:
    “In a major new undertaking, British Naturism has taken over the land and property of The Sun-Folk Society. Not only does this secure the future of the Sunfolk site and its character as a popular naturist club, it will also present opportunities that we expect will form a central tool in the advancement of naturism in the years ahead. The property will in future be known as “British Naturism: Sunfolk”.”

    Sun-Folk’s website says the club “occupies a beautiful five-acre site between St Albans and Watford.” So it’s a pretty small operation. But according to BN, it’s “one of the oldest clubs in the UK, founded in 1931. Arguably it is the perfect representation of the origins of UK naturism.”

    The article’s not very clear about exactly what the relationship of British Naturism will be to this club. Evidently BN was able to purchase the land and facilities on the land. Did they purchase it outright, or take out a mortgage? Perhaps that doesn’t matter, but either way it’s an indication that BN is in good shape financially. BN apparently won’t actually operate the club, since the article says: “A question that might be asked is whether this means that British Naturism is now a campsite operator or a property developer, rather than a campaigning and community organisation. The answer is no.” Apparently the operation will be contracted to a third party. That’s smart, since BN probably has little expertise actually operating physical facilities.

    It’s an interesting business model. Any national organization that’s financially sound ought to be able to buy existing naturist properties whose owners want to sell and then contract out the actual operation, perhaps to a single company for more than one site. Indeed, it should be possible to purchase guest houses, campgrounds, and small resorts that aren’t currently clothing-optional to transition them for naturist use. That’s assuming, of course, the properties are in locations that aren’t too expensive yet have many naturists in the general area – or a lot of tourist traffic. As the population density in the UK is much higher than in the U. S., this might be more difficult in the latter country. But it could work in states like Arizona or Florida with robust travel and hospitality industries.

  7. You CAN Ask That: A nudist lays it all bare
     

    This is from a website of the Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC). It’s a telephone Q&A interview with an Australian naturist. But not just any naturist. The interviewee is “Jessa”, who’s “a nudist, a naked yoga instructor, and she runs a blog called The Nude Blogger.”

    Although Jessa was interviewed remotely via phone, the link did allow her to appear on TV – uncensored, in fact. She was quite pleased about that, remarking “I’ve seen myself naked on TV before so it wasn’t too much of a shock for me. I love the fact that it was uncensored. I think that’s super refreshing, so that was pretty fun.” She wasn’t embarrassed at all: “I personally am nude in front of people so often – I’m a naked yoga instructor – so I don’t personally feel embarrassed or anything.” And after all, there are plenty of naked pictures of herself on her blog. Undoubtedly, few naturists are as comfortable with their nudity as Jessa – but they should be, at least among friends and family, even if not on TV.

    Many of the questions Jessa was asked are just what most naturists would expect – rather banal. But one of Jessa’s responses was exactly on point, something all naturists should emphasize: “what I’m trying to do is normalise nudity so it’s not seen as such a sexual thing because I’m around a lot of men and women and we’re all socialising nude and it’s definitely not a sexual thing.” The only way for nudity to become considered “normal” is to make very clear that it is, in suitable circumstances, just another reasonable choice of attire: NBD – no big deal. We simply need to explain that wearing nothing is merely what feels most comfortable to us at certain times, and anyone who respects us should respect our preference for this, just as we respect the clothing preferences of others.

Recent articles on nudity and naturism, 3/23/20

  1. Cyclists get nude for safety’s sake
    On Sunday, March 8 there was a World Naked Bike Ride in Byron Bay, Australia – just one of many in the southern hemisphere on or near that date. (More are noted below.) Byron Bay is a smallish beachside town (pop. ~9200) on the eastern coast of Australia, 772 km north of Sydney and 165 km south of Brisbane (480 and 103 miles, respectively). With several fine beaches and a very moderate climate – average summer highs about 28°C (82°F) and average winter highs about 19°C (66°F) – Byron Bay is the quintessential beach/surf town.

    Not surprisingly, it’s also an ideal place for naturism – especially since part of one of the local beaches (Tyagarah Beach) is clothing-optional. There’s even a local naturist association: Byron Naturists. Because of the town’s tolerant attitude towards naturism, it’s also not surprising that the local WNBR usually gets quite a good turnout. According to the article, “Fine weather on Sunday saw 180 odd people don their Birthday Suits for a spin around Byron on Sunday.” (Was “odd” meant as a double-entendre?)

    There’s something especially interesting about photos in this article. Did you notice it? Right: there’s full-frontal nudity that hasn’t been blurred or pixelated at all. A number of other similarly “explicit” pictures accompany the online article. The article is on the website of The Byron Shire Echo – the local free weekly independent tabloid newspaper. It’s exceedingly rare for print/web media aimed at the general public to exert no censorship of such nudity. Naturists can at least hope this is part of a trend to making nudity more “normal”.

    New Zealand: Nudists bare all for environment and body positivity
    This ride had about 80 participants in Golden Bay, New Zealand, which is near the northern tip of the South Island.

    South Africa: Bottoms up — Cape Town celebrates Naked Bike Ride
    There are no figures on the number of participants in the ride, which was held on Saturday, March 7.

  2. Staying safe… and naked
     

    I think Marc has said it just about right:
    “If by the time you read this post you are not convinced the COVID-19, a.k.a. coronavirus, is a dangerous thing, well stop reading this article and go read the papers and view the videos on the WHO site. This virus is changing the world as we know it and it may be doing so even when humanity has contained and reversed the virus threat. Like any other human beings, nudists and naturists can play a role in stopping the spread of the virus, while remaining naked and continuing promoting our lifestyle.”

    Is it possible there’s anyone alive and conscious (and not still in diapers) now who isn’t quite aware of the COVID-19 pandemic? Probably very few. But this is a naturist blog, so we’ll keep discussing naturism, for the most part. You surely know much better places to keep informed about the pandemic. And if you’re confined to your home, you can’t spend all your time worrying about the bad stuff. So set aside at least a little time to enjoy being naked – and thinking about your plans for when this eventually is over. Just do all you can to be still in good health by then.

    We know the possibilities for naturist activities will be limited severely during the next several months. But that doesn’t mean naturism must be forgotten about entirely. “This too shall pass.” In the meantime, you can think about spending even more time naked in your own home – especially if you’re temporarily unemployed. Sure, that really sucks. But you’ll probably find that just being naked will cheer you up – especially as warmer days are not far off (in the northern hemisphere). And if you’re still employed and working from home – you can finally work naked.

    Keep in mind that there are still some very good opportunities for enjoying naturism with negligible exposure to the virus – if you’re careful. For example: naked hiking and naked camping.


  3. Comedians Bare It All At ImprovBoston’s Naked Comedy Showcase
    Given that The Naked Comedy Showcase “has been running for nearly 15 years”, and (at least recently) on the first Thursday of every month, it seems to have received very little media attention, and is hardly ever mentioned even in naturist publications. This is still more surprising, since the show takes place at a theater in Cambridge’s Central Square – a short walk from MIT and a slightly longer walk from Harvard.

    It’s not a show put on by rank amateurs either. The venue is for comedians experienced in stand-up comedy – who also see value in the nudity. According to the article, “Naked Comedy shows regular people’s bodies, moving in nonsexual ways. That’s what Kendra Dawsey, a comic who’s done the showcase a handful of times, likes about it. “I should be allowed to have my body in its natural state in a nonsexual context,” she says. Performing in the showcase provides her with that opportunity.” Unlike the Naked Magicians, doing a striptease throughout the show, performers are naked the whole time. Certainly a very naturist attitude.

    Amateurs – audience members in fact – are invited to perform too. “There’s even an opportunity for audience participation: [Andy] Ofiesh [who originated the event] invites audience members to walk up to the stage, undress behind the curtain, and tell a naked joke onstage.”

  4. More “best” nude beaches
     

    It seems as though every country that has a nude beach ranked among the top 45 in the world wants to brag about it. That’s fine with me.

    Portugal: Algarve home to two of world’s best “holiday destination for nudists”
    Portugal is well-located on the coast just west of Spain, so it has almost as much coast on the Atlantic as Spain, despite having only about 18% of the land area. So historically Portugal has been intimately connected with the sea. During the 15th and 16th centuries it actually had the first global empire. Today tourism is one of the largest segments of its economy, with about 20 million foreign tourists per year. Two of its clothing-optional beaches (Ilha Deserta and Praia das Adegas) were ranked in the top 10, being 3rd and 6th, respectively. Check here for information about those two beaches – and many others where nudity is possible.

    Croatia: Croatia has some of the best nudist beaches in the world – find out where
    Croatia actually outshines Portugal in terms of exceptional nude beaches, having two in the top five: Punta Križ beach (#2) and Sovinje beach (#4). The first is near the northern end of the country, while the second is in the center. Both are considerably north of Dubrovnik, in the southern end of the country. Of course, Croatia has a long history with naturism – although that’s little known outside of Europe. In addition to the beaches, Croatia has some large naturist campgrounds. You can check here for much more about Croatian naturism.

  5. You can now eat Sunday roast in the nude
     

    Naked dining events may no longer be possible as long as COVID-19 is a huge problem. But this one was scheduled for March 1, so (as far as I know) it actually occurred. British Naturism once again puts U. S. naturist organizations to shame by arranging events like this. Some local or regional naturists organizations in the U. S. may occasionally arrange naked dining events, but I haven’t seen any publicity for such things arranged by either of the national organizations (except, perhaps, in connection with larger gatherings they have).

    The event in question here was held at a pub in the Bloomsbury district of London. According to the article, the meal featured “all the usual delights, including meat, vegetables and gravy.” So the food was evidently the standard British stuff – and only the nudity made it special. Attendees, however, were “also invited to join in on a naked swim before dinner.” Apparently, staff personnel working at such events have no problems doing so, since according to the event organizer, “the staff at places where we hold our events are happy to have us back.”

Recent articles on nudity and naturism, 11/29/19


  • How to Find Other Nudists
    All of the suggestions in this article can work. But there’s one that stands out from all the others: visit nudist parks and resorts that are relatively convenient to you. If you’re already reasonably comfortable being naked around others, and you’re at least a somewhat sociable sort of person, you’ll be able to meet others who have many more naturist friends already. The first one or two folks you meet may not be ideal friend material, if only because they don’t live near you. However, if you hit it off well with those you meet, make it a point to ask whether they could recommend naturists friends of theirs who you might get along well with. It’s hard to exaggerate the value of personal recommendations. If you are recommended to other naturists as a person they might like, you’ll probably stand a very good chance of acquiring new naturist friends. Even if the club or resort you visit isn’t especially close to where you live, the people you meet there may be able to recommend friends of theirs who do live closer to you.

    It’s true that visiting a landed club or resort requires a little expense, and may be inconvenient or not a good option in colder times of the year. But the other suggestions also have drawbacks. You can, of course, have naturist conversations with people you “meet” online in discussion forums or networking sites. But the problem is that without actually meeting any of these in person, it will be more difficult for these online acquaintances to decide who among their friends are most likely to welcome you as a friend as well. Visting naturist beaches is also not a good option during colder times. Besides that, the beaches aren’t always good places to do this kind of friend-finding anyhow. That’s because many people at beaches are there only for the beach experience, and aren’t necessarily interested in socializing with strangers. Also, they may have little experience with social nudity outside of the beach environment and have few actual naturist friends. Although there may be others at the beach who are open to making new acquaintances, it’s hard to identify them among the larger crowd.

    One suggestion that the article failed to include is Meetup.com. This option allows for meeting other naturists in person, perhaps much closer to where one lives, and without the expense of landed club fees. The sole purpose of Meetup.com is for people within a particular geographic area who share almost any kind of interest (including naturism) to get together at certain times to become acquainted and talk about their shared interests, or even engage in activities related to the interest – hiking or beach-going, for example. There are Meetup groups almost everywhere in the world. Group meetings could be almost anyplace – restaurants or other public gathering places, private homes, or outdoor areas. For naturists, nudity may or may not be possible, depending on the location, yet the opportunity for finding new friends is definitely there as one of the main purposes. Established non-landed naturist clubs may also use Meetup to arrange meetings.

  • The ‘generational clash’ between young and old nudists
    It’s springtime in Australia, so naturism is, unsurprisingly, getting much more attention in Australian media, just as media in the northern hemisphere have gone mostly silent on the subject. This account focuses on the tension between different generations on their approach to naturism. “New” generations tend to be recognized starting roughly every 20 years. As young folks become adults they naturally identify more with each other than with their elders – but only until they become the “elders” themselves.

    This understandably leads to tensions between generations in naturism, as in many other aspects of society. It’s manifest in the sorts of sports and activities people enjoy, the music they prefer, and even the kinds of food they like. These intergenerational differences make it somewhat difficult for younger people to engage with naturism, where the older generations have mostly set the tone. What needs to happen is for people on both sides of the divide to understand this situation, and be willing to make reasonable allowances so that naturism can be enjoyed together by people regardless of age.

    An interesting – and possibly very positive development – has been noted by the general manager of the Asia Pacific region of the Eventbrite event management and ticketing company. He observes that “the number of nude events on the platform had grown 265 per cent across Australia over four years.” Much of this growth may be due to young naturists, who would be looking for ways to enjoy naturism with their peers in ways that are different from what older naturists are used to.

  • ‘I hate clothes’: What life is like as a practising nudist
    If you’ve been a “practising nudist” for more than a month or three, you’ll find little surprising in this article – your experience has probably been much like that of those quoted. However, the quotes have been selected to show naturism in a positive light – as something innocent that certain people (like yourself) find life-enhancing. So you might want to show this article to friends and relatives who have a hard time understanding what you like about nudity – just to show you’re not the only one who feels this way. Since it’s from an Australian source, everyone quoted is an Aussie, but their observations are typical of naturists everywhere. The editor/publisher of an Australian naturist magazine speculates about how much of the population in his country might be partial to naturism, though it’s impossible to know exactly. “We take some guesses,” he says. “We reckon there’s probably about four, four and half per cent, that treat naturism as part of a lifestyle. They do their nine-to-fives, they come home and the first thing they do is get their gear off and relax.”


  • Labour Weekend Hotting up for Stripping Off
    If you’re a New Zealand naturist and just reading about this, I’m afraid you’ve missed the event – the local “National Nude Gardening Day”. It was October 26. Sorry about that. But since gardening is usually done at home, it’s not too late. It may or may not be the best time for new planting, but in the southern hemisphere the days will be getting warmer for a while. So being naked in your garden probably won’t be any less easy now than on the “official” day – depending on how much your neighbors might see, or care about what they see.
    More: Naturist explains why she gets her kit off to garden,
    Get Some Sun on Your Bum this Nude Gardening Day


  • The 10 Best Nude Beaches in the U.S. AND Internationally
    Articles like this appear regularly. A few beaches often show up repeatedly, but there’s no real consensus as to what beaches are “the best”. Different beach characteristics appeal to different people. This selection, however, seems pretty good. But unfortunately, if you don’t live fairly close to the sea, you’re options will be fairly limited.

Recent articles on nudity and naturism, 10/31/19

While, sadly, it’s now autumn – and getting steadily colder in the northern hemisphere – spring has arrived in the south – together with good weather for outdoor nudity. So we now have naturist stories from Australia, and should see many more until spring comes again in the north.
Continue reading “Recent articles on nudity and naturism, 10/31/19”