Tag: COVID-19

Newsworthy Nudity, 2021-4

  1. These 6 People Posed Nude To Celebrate Their Bodies After A Strange And Terrible Year (1/15/21)

    Body acceptance is an important factor in becoming involved with naturism to begin with, but also a primary benefit of continued participation in naturist activities. Unsurprisingly, both men and women who might otherwise enjoy social nudity are reluctant to take the first step in that direction – because they’re afraid their body isn’t “good enough”. If one is actually brave enough to visit a naturist club or resort, that people with a wide range of body types are active and enthusiastic naturists is quite obvious.

    The present article makes little connection between body acceptance and naturism. However, the 6 individuals featured in the article did allow their fully nude photos to be published and clearly expressed their varied perspectives. The most common body insecurity problem probably has to do with weight. But there are a number of other issues. One of those, especially relevant for women, has to do with body hair. There’s a social convention that body hair on a woman (other than on her head) is a problem. But Emma felt differently, observing that “the more authentic I am, the better it is for me”. And further, “I wanted to just be able to be me and focus on my personality.” That’s a healthy attitude, which is certainly relevant for most naturists.

  2. ‘Reclaiming women’s bodies from shame’: a photographic illumination of ageing (3/7/21)

    The second article deals with the same body acceptance issues, but from an additional angle – that of attitudes towards aging naked bodies. Although the focus of the article is on older women, the problem is also relevant to older men. For most people who’re fortunate to reach the age of 50 or 60 in good health, their bodies simply don’t closely resemble the bodies of 20-year-olds. And the resemblance continues to decrease in letter decades. Although most societies value the wisdom of older people (at least relative to younger ones), with respect to appearance the value is clearly on youthfulness.

    According to the article, during one year, Australian photographer Ponch Hawkes (a 75-year-old woman) “has shot more than 400 nude women over 50 to fix a pervasive problem.” The problem: “We don’t know what the bodies of older women actually look like.” It’s especially a problem in the eyes of many younger people who might be interested in naturism, since (at least in the U.S.) so many active naturists who visit naturist parks – men as well as women – have passed the 50-year mark. So the issue of physical appearance extends to age as well as weight and other factors. Perhaps surprisingly, enough older Australian women of all body types volunteered to be photographed fully nude – considerably more than one per day. Although “Some women came prepared to be naked… Others hadn’t taken their clothes off in front of anyone for years.”

  3. Lizzo shares unedited naked photo on Instagram to ‘change the conversation about beauty standards’ (4/22/21)

    According to her website, “Melissa Viviane Jefferson, known professionally as Lizzo, is an American singer, rapper, and flutist.” The article here reports that “Lizzo has been on a quest to normalise different body shapes and sizes and smash beauty standards.” As part of that, she “shared an unedited naked photo of herself, curves and all, with the goal of ‘changing the conversation about beauty standards’.” The photo, on Instagram, has received more than 2 million likes. (Of course, it’s posed so as not to violate Instagram’s absurdly prudish “standards” related to nudity.)

  4. How Being A Nudist Affected My Mental Health (3/31/21)

    Naturism benefits a person’s health in various ways – especially physical, mental, and social health. The physical benefits have been emphasized since the earliest days of naturism – fresh air, sunshine, exercise, etc. The social benefits accrue from pleasant interactions with other naturists. As described above, mental health benefits from improved body acceptance. There are scientific findings that support this.

    In the present article, Alexis makes a different yet simple case for naturism’s mental health benefits. If (and only if) you really enjoy being naked, as most naturists do, then your mental state will improve while you’re naked simply because you’re doing something pleasurable. And there’s no reason to feel any guilt about that. In the rest of the article, Alexis offers ideas for increasing the amount of time you can spend naked. (Disclaimer: Alexis included a couple of positive links to posts on this blog. Thanks, Alexis.)

  5. The new rise of naturism: Why we’re better off in the buff (4/30/21)

    Marie Claire Dorking summarizes a variety of reasons for how life can be better without clothes, especially given the lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic. Although there were problems with having to work from home, the upside was the freedom to dress more comfortably – or not at all. Many people probably as a result came to recognize and appreciate the pleasures of everyday life sans clothing. She explicitly notes the physical and mental health benefits of nudity. Quite simply, being naked to do routine things like cooking, cleaning, and even office work is enjoyable.

    Briitish naturist Beatrice Berry is quoted explaining how the freedom to be naked compensated for loss of other freedoms during the lockdowns. Another British naturist, Stephanie McManus, founded Body Freedom International during the pandemic to focus “on the discovery of nudity as an internal transformation tool for body acceptance, freedom, and confidence.” The article concludes with advice on getting started with naturism. It’s a good article to share with others who wonder why you like being naked.

  6. Naturist couple say stripping off outside is ‘best antidote’ to pandemic anxiety (1/14/21)

    Covid-19 is still around. Currently, in December 2022, an average of 50,000+ new cases are diagnosed per day in the U.S. – and rising. So even though the lockdowns are over and pandemic-related stress is down compared to earlier, there are new sources of anxiety and stress instead, such as high inflation, growing levels of common flu, and the onset of winter. The article here reports how pandemic stress could be relieved by getting naked outside. Although that antidote to stress is difficult at this time of year (in the Northern hemisphere), indoor nudity is still helpful – if the heating costs are affordable.

    The article reports how a long-time British naturist, Chris, overcame stress and anxiety late in 2020 by stripping off in the local woods, despite the chilly ambiance. Chris was accompanied by his partner, Ginny, but though she’d become a naturist more recently, she kept her clothes on. However, she explained, “It was so nice to see him enjoying himself again, after he’d had a couple of panic attacks.” Ginny, a photographer, was carrying her camera and documented Chris’ experience.

  7. ‘Naturism isn’t just for older, kooky people’: Lockdown has seen younger people relax their attitude to nudity (4/30/21)

    Here’s one more article on British naturism in the midst of the pandemic. The British Naturism organization made a concerted effort during the lockdown to provide remote activities for naturists in the UK (and elsewhere). Activities included a cooking show, naked yoga, a naked book club, and more. The effort was well-received, as shown by a sharp increase in BN membership. (U.S. naturist organizations generally did little extra in this period.) Many others probably took advantage of being confined at home by simply not bothering to wear anything. So they discovered and got used to the comfort of nonsexual nudity – and became interested in naturist activities.

    Since many people confined at home were quite far from retirement age, lots of young adults became adherents of naturism. And since they could be naked at home as much as they wanted, there was no impact on their careers. One of them is quoted, saying “There are many more of us younger generation naturists out there than is outwardly obvious.” The WFH (work-from-home) trend should be a boon for naturism.

  8. How Canada’s oldest nudist club helped this filmmaker understand his family history (4/28/21)

    Daniel Berish is a Vancouver, BC filmmaker. Going through old photographs with his grandmother Zella one day, they found a photo of Zella clearly wearing nothing but a towel and bathing cap. She explained unabashedly, “Oh, that’s the nudist club where I met your grandfather.” Years later, after Zella died, Daniel finally decided to learn more about his grandparents’ naturism and why it appealed to them. So, as a filmmaker, he went with a colleague to make a documentary.

    They visited the VanTan Club, which was founded in 1939 and is Canada’s oldest naturist club. He got more than just a better understanding of naturism and its appeal. According to the article, “As Berish and his colleague interviewed the folks at Van Tan, they realized that to truly understand the naturalist [sic] perspective, they would have to take it to the next level.” In Berish’s own words, “We’re excited to be able to share their story, and we knew that in order to do that, we were going to have to, you know, get naked as well… I reluctantly decided to jump in. And once I did, it was great.”

  9. 10 Tips for World Naked Gardening Day (4/1/21)

    World Naked Gardening Day was cofounded in 2005 by Mark Storey and Jacob Gabriel. (Storey is presently a consulting editor and principal writer for the Nude & Naturial magazine of TNSF.) Since then it has spread around the world to counties where naturism has enough followers. It’s not an organized activity, for the most part, but is promoted by many local naturist organizations. In the Northern hemisphere it’s usually scheduled for the first Saturday in May. (Usually in October in the Southen hemisphere.)

    In this article, Linda Weber (an activist in several naturist organizations) provides 10 pieces of practical advice, which are mainly intended for naturists who have little personal experience with gardening – but who’d like to add a new hobby they can enjoy naked.

  10. World Naked Gardening Day: Women explain why they like to garden in the buff (4/30/21)

    This is the sort of mediocre article to be expected of a British tabloid. However, it’s noteworthy that two women – Claire and Kendall – were willing to discuss the subject naked on a TV broadcast. Claire, a survivor of breast cancer with a mastectomy, said the experience strengthened her determination “to embrace her body”, and that gardening nude “gave her confidence”. She added that “I’ve always enjoyed getting my kit off and when the sun shines I love to be outside naked doing my garden.”

    Kendal admitted that “she also loves to be in the buff among her plants, but can’t always embrace her hobby fully” due to inadequate privacy from neighbors. She insisted, however, that naked gardening helped “connecting with myself and integrated my body and myself with nature.” During the episode, “the two women looked perfectly comfortable in their own skin.”

Bonus from earlier:

Is Naturism the solution to low body confidence? (1/27/20)

Just before the first waves of Covid-19 crashed on British shores, final-year journalist student Stephanie Silom went to a 60s-themed event at a hotel in Bournemouth, UK, hosted by British Naturism. According to her article, she “discovered that Naturism may be the answer to the age old problem of how we can improve our body confidence.” (Why don’t U.S. naturist organizations do this sort of event at regular hotels with quality accommodations? Never mind. What was I thinking?) Much of the article quotes BN spokespersons.

However, Stephanie concludes:

“Naturism gives people the opportunity to see a huge variety of healthy body types in a safe, respectful, asexual environment. Millions of people have been converted to the Naturist lifestyle after discovering the joys of feeling fresh air on their bare skin, feeling more relaxed and less self-conscious as a result.

Naturism opens people’s eyes to the reality and beauty of the human body; our body confidence and the extent to which we base our self-worth on our bodies improves massively once we learn that almost no-one has a ‘perfect’ body.”

Recent articles on nudity and naturism, October 1-15, 2020

  1. The World’s Best Nude Beaches
     
    Reports of the “best” beaches where nudity is acceptable and common (generally termed “nude beaches”) are a favorite of some mainstream media that want to attract readers interested in topics commonly considered “risqué”. A distinguishing characteristic of real naturists is that they don’t consider most beaches where clothing actually is optional to be risqué. But obviously, the writers of the article cited here aren’t naturists. Right in the article’s second sentence they use the term “naturalist” instead of “naturist”.

    That mistake doesn’t necessarily invalidate their choice of beaches to write about. Any beach that most people would consider to be a pretty good beach would be fine with a naturist as long as it’s possible to feel safe and comfortable being naked there. The choice of beaches in this particular article is probably somewhat subjective. In fact, there’s only one beach that this list has in common with the beaches more objectively selected in this list – Valalta, in Croatia. But so what? Naturists should find any beach in either list quite agreeable, as long as nudity is actually common and accepted there.

    Interestingly, some of the beaches in this article’s list are in Italy, Turkey, Latvia, or South Africa – which are not likely to be on the travel itinerary of most naturists. The beaches may, nonetheless, very well be considered fine by most naturists. Several U. S. beaches that most U. S. naturists know about are on the list – Haulover (Florida), Hippie Hollow (Texas), Little Beach (Hawaii), Black’s (California), and Gunnison (New Jersey). Even those beaches might be rather distant from most U. S. naturists – but at least a passport wouldn’t be necessary to visit any of them.

  2. Nude beaches and resorts near Toronto and the rising popularity of naturism
     

    Many people, including naturists, would be surprised that Canada is another country with good and popular clothing-optional beaches. One that’s perhaps more widely known is Wreck Beach in Vancouver. But Toronto also has a popular nude beach: Hanlan’s Point. It’s at least sufficiently well-known to have its own Wikipedia page.

    The article is more about naturism generally in the Toronto area than just the beach. It’s from the perspective of a woman who first went topfree on a French beach during a vacation. She found that experience “exhilarating, but also kind of scary”. But more experience with naturism gave the realization that being naked in a naturist place is no sweat, because “literally no one cares.”

    She poses the question “What is it about being nude that can feel so overwhelmingly daunting for some, yet for others, it’s no big deal?” The experience of being naked with others varies widely, because everyone has different social conditioning – so “In fact, for many people, it’s empowering.”


  3. You should start sleeping naked: Here are 5 super convincing reasons
     

    The general mainstream attitude towards nudity – as we all know – is mostly negative. But surprisingly, there’s one case where the attitude is not only positive, but sometimes downright enthusiastic. At least, that seems to be what one could conclude from reading a typical article in mainstream media about sleeping naked.

    The articles usually cite a number of reasons, especially health benefits, from sleeping naked. The article linked here is just one of a huge number. Don’t believe it? Just try Googling “sleeping naked”. The resulting list just goes on, and on, and on. There are at least 200 articles, just since 2014. And there are additional reasons besides the health benefits – such as comfort due to the absence of restrictive clothing, and (of course) greater intimacy when sleeping with someone else.

    That doesn’t mean that many minds will be changed as a result. It’s rather unlikely most people will come across any article on the topic just by chance. But naturists should bring up the topic as a way of introducing naturist ideas in a conversation with friends. If any skepticism is encountered about the health benefits, simply challenge the skeptics to go check with Google themselves.

    When statistics are presented about how many people actually sleep naked most of the time, the numbers range from under 10% to 70% or more (at least for Millennials). You may find many among your friends actually do sleep naked, at least sometimes. But for those who don’t, just suggest they give it a try. Who knows? If people try it and make it a habit, they may be interested in exploring nudity more generally.

    For experienced naturists, sleeping naked probably is almost universal. So here’s the naturist perspective on sleeping naked: Should I Sleep Naked? Yes, Start Tonight!


  4. Getting naked around strangers improves your body image, study finds
     

    This was covered back in June, here. The present article provides more details of the experiment. Keon West, the researcher, himself observes “More replication is always a good idea, and it would also be good to test these hypotheses on some different populations. So far, the research has really focused on White, European participants.”

    Not only that, but with only 51 participants – half in the experimental group and the other half in the control group – this is a pretty small sample. In addition, participants were volunteers who knew that nudity might be involved – not individuals randomly selected from the population. Still, it’s quite consistent with the experience of naturists who find improved body image after becoming involved in naturism. And that’s a good thing, even though it may be confirmation bias after having been told that social nudity improves one’s body image – and expecting that outcome.


  5. Nudist couple says lockdown has tripled membership of British Naturism
     

    It’s already been covered that membership in some naturist organizations has surged in spite of a need for social distancing and even lockdowns because of the pandemic.

    Just how big is the “surge”? Well, there are some misleading statements about it that need explanation. A statistic mentioned in one of the earlier articles is that since the start of the British lockdown in March 2020 the number of new members of British Naturism rose from 184 to 930 – presumably in the same period of time before and after. That’s a 5-fold increase (or 400%) – but only in numbers of new members. That’s absolutely not the increase in total BN membership. (In November 2020 BN advocated to Parliament for greater tolerance of naturist, non-sexual nudity and claimed a total membership of “over 9000”.) While the increase in new members is impressive, implying the total membership has “tripled” is rather misleading.

    Nevertheless, something positive for naturism in Britain is certainly going on. The article here is based on an interview with BN activists Donna and John Price. They offer some observations that help explain what’s going on.

    The couple has spent “most days dressed only in their birthday suits and doing everything from gardening to baking and household chores in the all together”. They’ve taken full advantage of their organization’s extensive online video opportunities for interacting with other naturists in spite of being mostly confined to their own property. As Donna explained, since “the events are virtual, they are open to people from all over the world, so we’ve met naturists we probably wouldn’t otherwise have crossed paths with. We’ve been doing all sorts during lockdown – yoga sessions, coffee mornings, cooking classes, life-drawing, discussion panels and evening drinks – all virtual and all naked.”

    It’s also claimed that another reason for the sharp increase in BN membership could be that attitudes towards nudity – at least in Britain – are becoming more relaxed and less unfavorable. A BN spokesperson suggested that “the whole taboo around nudity is eroding. As the decades have gone by, we’ve become less prudish and repressed.” And furthermore, “nudity isn’t that scary subject anymore. Attitudes are changing. People may not call themselves naturists but are increasingly doing nude things and not thinking too much about it.”

    Let’s hope that’s all correct. But progress also tends to experience pushback from people who can’t overcome their social conditioning and are intolerant of positive changes. Worryingly, the opposition to family naturist swims in England seems to be increasing – see here and another example next. Naturists need to fight back.

  6. UK naturists lose more naturist family swims because of hysterical right-wing Brits and Covid-19
    • Blackpool’s Sandcastle Waterpark bans Naturists from hosting nude swim events with children
      This example demonstrates perfectly what naturism is up against. It has nothing to do with the pandemic – except perhaps indirectly due to the increasing popularity of naturism during the pandemic. This event and an earlier one were sponsored by BN, and open to all members. It seems that similar swim events organized by local naturist clubs continue to be held without restrictions on children.

    • Naked family swim at Alton Towers waterpark cancelled due to Covid-19
      Alton Towers is a hotel with a water park and a theme park in Staffordshire. For 14 years before this year BN has rented the hotel and water park for a whole weekend in November, usually having a sell-out crowd of about 400 members of naturist families. But this year the event has been canceled, because it would breach pandemic protocols. So this is one negative for naturism caused by the pandemic. A previous report on the event is here.

  7. It’s the nude renaissance: Why lockdown is a great time to get your kit off

    The phrase “get your kit off” is a dead giveaway that the writer is British – and probably a naturist. Both suppositions are correct, as confirmed by the writer when she admits “Getting naked on a public beach is easily the most thrilling thing I’ve done since the start of lockdown. Thanks to my enforced hiatus from travelling this year, I’ve missed the heady rush of endorphins that exploring a new country brings.”

    So here’s another reason that the pandemic has stimulated many more people to experience naturism – at least in Britain. The writer, Tracey Davies, lives near Brighton Beach, part of which is one of the most popular UK clothing-optional beaches. “It seems that lockdown has sparked a nude renaissance – which is why I headed down to our nudist beach to see what all the fuss is about,” Tracey confesses. Thus one impetus for a “nude renaissance” is that the monotony of being severely limited in options for new experiences has led to discovering a previously overlooked option that remains available – the pleasure of enjoying nudity in the sunshine on a clothing-optional beach.

    Will naturism continue to increase in popularity when (and if) the pandemic subsides? Long-term naturists and new enthusiasts will need to continue exerting effort to keep the popularity of naturism increasing.

  8. The History of Nudity in the Western Region
     

    The Western Region of AANR (the American Association for Nude Recreation), also known as AANR-West, comprises the states Hawaii, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming (and the western half of Mexico, too).

    California, because of its mild climate and open-minded attitudes of many of its inhabitants, was a leader in the growth of U. S. naturism during the 1930s. Lupin, in the Northern California hills above San Jose, was established in 1935 and is still going strong. Fraternity Elysia was established a year earlier in the Southern California mountains above Lake Elsinore. It underwent a series of name changes, first to Olympic Fields, then McConville, then finally to Mystic Oaks – but closed finally in 2008.

    The article here very briefly touches on various events in the history of AANR-West. There are also links to 7 other articles that provide more details on specific naturist topics and locations (mostly in California). This is quite far from a reasonably complete history, even of the early years. But it’s a nice high-level overview.

  9. If you go down to the woods today: adventures in nudist Paris
     
    Many articles on naturism in mainstream media – such as this one – are written by women. That’s noteworthy mainly because (unfortunately) many more men than women are active naturists. Yet it’s good to have the perspective of a female writer. Although the writer is less likely to be or become a naturist (as in this case), she’s somewhat more likely to show naturists how reasonable others perceive them.

    The reporter for this assignment, Pamela Druckerman, is actually having her first experience with naturisme (the preferred French term). Her first surprise was that almost everyone was male in the Paris park she visited, which was set aside for naturism. That severe imbalance isn’t typical of most naturist places, especially in France. But, unfortunately, it’s not too uncommon either.

    Pamela notes that Paris does have “an active naturist subculture that includes this city-approved zone in the forest, weekly naked nights at a municipal pool and occasional clothes-free bike rides, museum visits and garage sales.” She doesn’t undress at the park, and doesn’t really have much to say about it. But she does meet one naturist woman there, “Marie”. Later she accepts Marie’s invitation to attend a naked swimming night at an open-air swimming pool for aqua-exercises – and actually gets naked there.

    She doesn’t, however, particularly enjoy the experience. That’s in part for a surprising reason: “The naturist movement’s resolute non-sexuality bothers me too. Other people’s bodies suddenly seem demystified and banal. … Why take the pleasant erotic charge out of a leisure experience like sunbathing or swimming?” She also has body-image issues.

    Although Pamela doesn’t find the nudity of others particularly objectionable, it’s clear that naturism really isn’t her cup of tea. And that’s fine. To be a naturist requires a certain taste for the pleasures of naturist nudity. Non-naturists, it seems, simply can’t grasp the separation of sexual and non-sexual nudity. Both are good. But they’re fundamentally different things.

    That being so, Pamela clearly wasn’t a good choice for giving readers a reasonable feel for what naturism is actually about. This counts as a failure for mainstream media (The Economist magazine, in this case.) But it’s useful to help naturists understand why more people don’t share their enthusiasm.

  10. The naturist couple that travels the world naked
     
    Mainstream media seem to consider it newsworthy that naturists would seek out – and find – the opportunity to enjoy nudity in delightful places around the world. Naturists having sufficient resources and/or determination for world travel, at least. Some of these places are widely known – to naturists, anyhow – while others are genuine hidden gems. This article features the well-known naturist bloggers Nick and Lins, of the Naked Wanderings blog.

Recent articles on nudity and naturism, September 16-30, 2020

  1. Skinny-dipping in Cornwall’s historic miners’ pools

    Cornwall is the southernmost county in England and a popular tourist destination for its scenic spots, historical associations, and beaches. More than a dozen of the beaches are clothing-optional (at least unofficially). There are lists here, here, and here. But the clothing-optional beaches aren’t the only places on the coast where skinny-dipping is possible. There are also a number of tidal pools, both natural and man-made. Some naturists may prefer them, as the water is clearer and they’re likely to allow for more privacy.

    The writer of the story one day met Laura, who prefers the pools for nude swims. As she explains, “Tidal pools, for me, offer peace and privacy. I’m drawn to off the beaten track swim spots that feel a world away from the crowds and, more often than not, you have the pool totally to yourself. On a choppy day they often offer a tranquil swimming spot alongside the sea so you don’t have to forgo a swim.”


  2. Children and nudity
     

    The issues of how much, if at all, it’s “healthy” for children to encounter adult nudity or even be naked themselves engender much controversy – especially in countries like the U. S.

    The issues arise especially in connection with family nudity in the home. In the state of Utah, one of the most backward states in the U. S., a judge actually ruled in January 2020 that a woman violated a state “lewdness” law simply for being topfree in her own home when children were around. See here for the details.

    On the other hand, in England some art teachers are making a good case why it’s beneficial for children to have art classes that include nude models. That’s reported on here.

    Now there are additional articles dealing with this issue.

     
    Recently, I offered some comments here on this article: Searching for the Threads of a Family Naturist Network about the fact that rather few U. S. families bring their children to naturist parks and resorts – especially compared to the situation in Europe. In order for this to change for the better, it will probably be necessary for nudity to become normal and routine in more homes. The article Eight Things to Know About Nudity and Your Family, (from Psychology Today) was recommended to support this view.

    Here are some earlier articles discussing similar issues:

     
    As you’ll see further down, the opinions regarding children and nudity of deeply ignorant people who know nothing about naturism, even in England, can be a major problem.


  3. Spencer Tunick – Alexandra Palace
     

    London’s Alexandra Palace, in spite of the name, was never a residence of royalty or a member of the nobility. It was opened in 1873 as a place serving the public for recreation, education, and entertainment. Many naturists will need no introduction to Spencer Tunick. But for anyone who’s unaware of his work, he has been directing and photographing about 100 “installations” involving nude volunteers in public places around the world. Installation are announced beforehand – and there are almost always more volunteers who apply to participate than can be chosen. His latest work involved 220 selected volunteers. Check out some of the numerous articles published online for details, pictures, and videos.


  4. Naturist attacked by angry mob


    For a number of years, British Naturism has hosted an event for members and their families at an elaborate waterpark, Waterworld, in Stoke-on-Trent, England. (See here.) In the last few years, anti-naturist extremists have protested the event, on the grounds that “their” children might be endangered by “pedophiles”. That’s nonsense to begin with, since only families of British Naturism members actually attend the event. But logic is a foreign concept to such extremists. BN, of course, does not allow any known pedophiles among its members, and would not tolerate any improper behavior by anyone at the event. Further details can be found in the news stories listed below.

    Similar events for British Naturism members and their families have been held elsewhere in England without this degree of harassment and threats. (Although family naturist swims in other countries such as the U. S. and Canada have encountered such problems.) So what happened in this case shows that even in England there are people as ignorant about and hostile to naturism as are more typical in North America.

    The following stories appeared before the event and provide general information about it.

     
    On September 26 the event went on as scheduled. Unfortunately, threats of harm to their business were made to the owners of Waterworld by the protesters before the event and during an unruly mob protest outside the event itself. So the owners decided that in the future children under 18 will not be allowed to attend future naturist events, as described in the following articles.

  5. Lockdown Doesn’t Mean Locked In
     

    With the arrival of vaccines for COVID-19 and the cautious, gradual relaxation of restrictions on social activities, there’s hope that more of a normal life will be possible in 2021. However, many people – especially naturists – have enjoyed the freedom of spending considerable time naked while confined to their own homes. So dispensing with clothes can become increasionly routine – even the norm – at least at home and elsewhere it’s possible.

    As this article points out, nudity is quite possible outdoors – even after social distancing is necessary – if one has a sufficiently private yard or access to natural places nearby where nudity is acceptable. In fact, it would be worthwhile to invest time in searching for outdoor places that can be enjoyed naked. If only to be prepared for the next pandemic to come along.


     

  6. Top 5 Fears of a Clothing Optional Resort

    This article has advice for anyone who’s new to naturism. It allays fears that anyone who’s had even a little experience with social nudity has easily overcome. What’s noteworthy is that this is on a site (gogirlfriend.com) that’s especially intended for women traveling alone or with a partner. Most naturists, even men, probably have had the same concerns before their first visit to a naturist place. (Note: The resort named “Desire Resorts” and recommended in the article is definitely not a naturist place. GoGirlfriend includes conventional naturist places, but also some places with a more sexual aspect.)

    The fears, specifically, are: (1) Clothing-optional resorts are for swingers; (2) Being naked around strangers will make you feel self-conscious; (3) Full nudity is always expected; (4) You will be hit on; (5) Anything goes. To be honest, there are some clothing-optional or (supposedly) naturist places where such fears could be justified to some extent. For a first-timer, it would certainly be prudent to read reviews at sites like Yelp or TripAdvisor of any destination being considered – especially for a woman traveling alone. GoGirlfriend itself should be checked, though it covers only a few places.

    Here are a few earlier GoGirlfriend articles about clothing-optional places:

  7. Belgium’s second nude beach will open in summer 2021

    Belgium is located just south of the Netherlands and north of France. It has 2/3 of the population of its neighbor to the north, and beaches on the English Channel just like those two neighbors. But unlike the Netherlands – where most beaches have a clothing-optional section – Belgium has had only one “official” naturist beach (Bredene, which was not open in 2020 because of COVID-19). In addition, there are only about a half dozen naturist campgrounds and parks. (Lists here and here.)

    However, things are looking up when warmer temperatures arrive in 2021. According to the article, “nudism enthusiasts will be able to plop down in Middelkerke, after the municipality decided to reserve parts of its coastal strip to the country’s nudist community.” Having just a single official nude beach wasn’t a tremendous hardship, as the new one is only about 8 km (5 miles) from the older one, a 15-minute trip by car. In the U. S., coastal beaches that allow nudity are hundreds of miles apart, in most cases. But 2 is twice as good as 1. So, why the change? As is often the case, tourists and the local economy are key considerations – as the Mayor of Middelkerke candidly stated.

    Chambers of Commerce and tourist bureaus in U. S. beach locations really need to get a clue. The heavy lifting here in the States seems mostly left to ad hoc local grassroots groups of naturists, such as Tampa Bay Free Beaches. And that sometimes works, as the example of Blind Creek Beach demonstrates.

Recent articles on nudity and naturism, September 1-15, 2020



  1. Naked dance performance – Doris Uhlich
     
    Doris Uhlich is a dancer and choreographer based in Austria. According to her website, she
    “has developed her own projects since 2006. The choreographer’s work frequently focuses on examining everyday gestures but also artificial ones, such as the strict code of movement of classical ballet in SPITZE (2008) and Come Back (2012). All her performances are investigations into beauty ideals and standards of body image, as in her piece mehr als genug (2009). Since her performance more than naked (2013), Doris Uhlich has also been working on the depiction of nudity free from ideology and provocation.”

    There’s a long tradition of nudity in theatrical performances. Consider Isadora Duncan (1877-1927), for instance, who’s credited with being “the creator of modern dance”. Another article (Nude Vibrations: Isadora Duncan’s Creatural Aesthetic) states that Duncan “insists upon the human harnessing of earthly vibrations, the value of nudity and barefootedness”. Doris Uhlich has certainly carried on that philosophy.

    Since 1969, full nudity in theatrical productions has less often received attention in choreography than in dramatic productions and musicals, such as Oh! Calcutta! (which did incorporate segments of ballet and interpretive dance). Uhlich’s work occupies an extensive space between theater and pure dance – but plays a much more essential role in the latter, where spoken dialog is absent.

  2. Naturists visit a Paris film library
     

    In the past 20 years there have been a few occasions when museums have had special events – by reservation only – for an evening or two when visitors are able to be naked. In fact, nudity is usually required. (Shoes may be mandatory or not, depending on local regulations.) Mostly such events have been in Paris – as in the present instance – but a few have taken place in Austria, Italy, Australia, and elsewhere. It would be a well-kept secret if there have been any in the nudity-phobic U. S. Perhaps naturists in the States just aren’t too interested in “high-brow” events of this sort.

    According to the first article cited below, “Parisian nudists descended upon the city’s film library on September 13 for an exhibition celebrating a famous French comedian. With COVID-19 protection measures in place, the only mandatory accessory was a mask. The Association des Naturistes de Paris (Paris naturist association) organised the event at La Cinémathèque. … The Paris naturist association has organized regular visits to museums.”

  3. How looking at myself naked in the mirror empowered me
     

    Most people cringe, at least to some extent, when looking closely at themselves fully naked in a mirror. Partly this is because what they notice is the various ways their bodies fail to be “perfect”. Even though they realize that hardly any bodies actually qualify as “perfect”. But most people probably feel the same way about only their faces. Why else would they be so concerned with having their makeup “just right” (if female) or their facial hair exactly projecting a desired image (if male)?

    Another aspect of this is the social conditioning people from a young age feel that there’s something inherently wrong with full nudity itself, that paying too much attention to “private parts” – even one’s own – just isn’t acceptable.

    Is it any wonder, then, that most people dread the thought of their naked body being fully exposed to the scrutiny of others – especially strangers?

    The article here explains why overcoming these attitudes is so important, and why seeing yourself naked in the mirror is a big help. Although it’s written from a woman’s perspective, much of it is relevant to men as well. Here are some key points, in the writer’s own words:

    • Watching myself naked in the mirror was the start of my empowering journey with my body.
    • I felt like a strong and independent woman who was ready to take over the world.
    • I had learned to stand up for myself, to not believe in what others were trying to make me believe.
    • I had found renewed self-confidence in the mirror glaring right back at me, making full eye contact.
    • Once you accept and own your own vulnerabilities, there is really nothing that someone else can point out to you which will make you see yourself differently.
    • Looking at myself naked every day makes me feel more comfortable in my skin every day.
    • Looking at myself naked in the mirror has given me the power to know myself deeply. It has given me the power to ignore what others say about me and to make a move forward.

     
    A key step to fully enjoying naturism is getting very comfortable with the appearance of your naked body just as it is. That doesn’t mean you can’t choose to work on “improving” your appearance – in your own opinion – if you so desire.


  4. Naturism during lockdown
     
    Probably the most common story about naturism in 2020 is how well naturists have coped with the Covid pandemic. This wasn’t, intuitively, to be expected, since naturism is inherently a social thing – and in-person socializing is severely constrained by the pandemic. Nevertheless, naturist organizations in various countries have reported surges in membership.

    There are several articles cited here about this counter-intuitive phenomenon. Here’s another one: ‘There’s nothing weird about being naked’: Inside the lockdown naturism boom. It says that, for example, a spokesperson for British Naturism claimed “The organisation has seen a 400 per cent increase in members since the start of lockdown, rising from 184 to 930 new members since the day restrictions were announced.” The article goes on to offer several anecdotal accounts of how people who are deprived of other sources of enjoyment – and have unexpected free time on their hands – have discovered the significant pleasure of simply being naked.

    Another article (One Way People Are Dealing With the Constraints of Lockdown: Being Naked) delves somewhat more deeply into reasons that more people have discovered the pleasures of nakedness and naturism while mostly confined at home. What it boils down to is that confinement at home allows for dispensing with clothes – thus avoiding the trouble of deciding what to wear, getting dressed, and washing clothes that have been worn. Choosing to be naked directly confers additional benefits.

    • Going naked allows people to become more aware of their own body, to get used to seeing parts of their body that clothes generally cover, and to become familiar with the overall appearance of their naked body.
    • Limitations on where it’s possible to go causes frustration. Frequent nudity has mental health benefits to offset that, since familiarity with one’s naked appearance leads to increased body acceptance, self-confidence, and feeling empowered. (See the article above about looking at oneself naked in a mirror.)
    • There are also physical health benefits from eliminating the restrictions of clothes, such as lack of discomfort and skin irritation caused by clothing, freedom for the skin to breathe and evaporate sweat, and improved blood circulation.
    • The very pleasurable feeling of total nudity contributes directly to overall happiness and enjoyment of life.
    • Wearing nothing while living with others who may also be clothesfree makes being seen naked and seeing others naked become considered normal and unobjectionable.
    • Types of healthful fitness activities – such as yoga and using exercise equipment – are easier and more natural without restrictive clothes.


  5. Europe’s best nude beaches
     

    People interested in finding the “best” experience of almost anything to be had for a limited amount of time, money, and effort naturally seek out advice from reliable sources. Understandably, when you want to visit a clothing-optional beach, you’d like to know which of the possibilities have the nicest sand, friendly people, easy access, good swimming, and so on.

    Many lists of “best beaches” consist mainly of subjective opinions of writers who may or may not have criteria similar to yours. OnBuy – a UK online shopping site that claims to be “UK’s most trusted marketplace” – took a somewhat more systematic approach. In early September they consulted Google reviews for 50 European clothing-optional beaches that garnered at least 200 comments. The data was then summarized by averaging the number of “stars” in each review to single out the 10 beaches having the highest average rating. The results are here.

    Spain’s Playa de Ses Illetes beach on the island of Formentera came out on top, with an average of 4.8 stars out of a possible 5. Spain had 2 beaches in the top 10. The remaining 8 countries, with 1 beach apiece, were England, Croatia, Portugal, Italy, France, Greece,, Germany, and Belgium. The following list includes some news reports that describe the findings.

  6. Last weekend’s most interesting race: a naked 5K
     

    There was a report on naked running in the previous collection of articles. The subject also came up before here. The present report is about a 5K run at the Sunny Rest Resort in Palmerton, Pennsylvania. According to this report, there were “hundreds of competitors”. Check out the earlier reports for other such events. The only thing to add is that naked runs like this are a good example of how nudity goes well with activities centered on exercise and fitness.


  7. Nudity in protests
     
    Nudity is not infrequently found to some extent or other in social or political protests and demonstrations. World Naked Bike Rides are perhaps the best known examples. Louis Abolafia – who (sort of) waged a naked campaign for U. S. president in 1968, using the slogan “What Have I Got to Hide?” – is an instance from more than 50 years ago. There have been many other examples since then.

    Last year we had an extensive report on the subject here, and another example in a Black Lives Matter protest here. Well-known celebrities also went naked in a video to encourage voting in last year’s presidential election. (More about that here.) There was also this, about protest in Australia.

    Two new examples turned up in September. One is another Black Lives Matter protest, which occurred in Rochester, New York, and was reported here and here.

    The other example, which isn’t from either the U. S. or Australia, is probably more unexpected. Would you guess there’s a long history of women in some African countries using nudity as a means of protest? Evidently, according to a professional historian, there is: Undressing for redress: the significance of Nigerian women’s naked protests.

    I’ll let the professor explain:
    “Hundreds of women – mostly naked – staged a protest in the northwestern state of Kaduna, Nigeria. Wailing and rolling on the ground, they protested at the killing of people in ongoing attacks on their community. … The protesters, mostly mothers, demanded justice and called on the government, security agencies and international community to intervene. Such naked protests are not new in Nigeria.”

    Although the focus of the article is on naked protests by women, it should be clear that using nudity in protests is powerful because it attracts attention to whatever the grievance happens to be. It also demonstrates that protesters will dare to violate social norms in order to communicate their resolve to bring about change.

    “The female body is a site of immense power both inside and outside. Through naked protests, women engage in re-scripting and reconfiguring their bodies. These women who have stripped naked to wage a righteous war must be duly acknowledged.”

  8. Edmonton group clashes with naturists over nude bike ride
     
    As noted, World Naked Bike Rides aren’t protests with just a single focus. WNBR participants are concerned with making various different points, such as the need to eliminate use of fossil fuels, concern for the safety of bike riders on public roads, and (of course) the pleasure and wholesomeness of nudity. But obviously, the fact that large portions of the population dispute or ignore these ideas is what makes demonstrating in favor of them necessary. And so there may well be counter-demonstrations to denigrate some or all of the original demonstators’ views. Although that rather seldom happens with WNBR events, it does occur.

    The Canadian province of Alberta is just north of the U. S. state of Montana. People in both places tend to be politically and socially very “conservative”. That means they’re very strongly in favor of “freedom” for themselves – and just as strongly opposed to freedom for people they don’t like or agree with. As a result, the “conservative” freedom lovers are interested only in their own selfishly imagined “freedom” not to see naked people in a World Naked Bike Ride. Of course, they’re almost as fervently opposed to the WNBR message of curtailing the extraction and burning of fossil fuels. Especially since the nudity in WNBR events is very effective in calling attention to the event’s environmental message.

Recent articles on nudity and naturism, August 16-31, 2020


  1. Irish naturism
     
    There seems to be quite a bit of naturist activity in Ireland recently. Here are some examples. All this publicity probably isn’t coincidental. More likely it can be attributed to (successful) efforts by the Irish Naturist Association (INA) to call attention to naturism in their country.

    • Naturists in Ireland want to be connected to each other now more than ever
      A reporter from the Irish Post and Independent joined a group of local naturists on White Rock Beach in Dalkey, south of Dublin. She wanted to learn why interest in naturism in Ireland appears to be increasing significantly in spite of the pandemic. The INA claims a 31% increase in new members between May and July. It’s speculated that the pandemic is behind the increase, since people interested in naturism have time on their hands and want activities that can be enjoyed safely (and nakedly) in the outdoors.

    • Coastal Bodies Tour 2020
       

      According to artist Ciara Patricia Langan, “The Coastal Bodies Tour started in 2019 as a response to an awareness of a problem within Irish society on how we feel about our naked body. The tour aims to document all coastal counties of the Island of Ireland. These photographs will be populated by adults of all shapes and sizes, representing inclusions and showcasing the diversity of human form.” Langan goes on to add that “Shedding the unwanted shame attached to nudity by shedding one’s clothing as participatory art in a controlled environment can liberate and amplify one’s own sense of freedom.”

    • Naturists invited to participate in nude photoshoot on Co Kerry beach this weekend
      This is a report on an outing planned by Ciara Langan for her project “to document a modern Ireland that embraces pro-social nudity and champions body positivity.” Langan described the project as “the perfect way to celebrate our beautiful bodies, every shape and colour and size, in outdoor gatherings.”

      For previous recent reports on naturism in Ireland, see here, here, and here.


  2. Searching for the Threads of a Family Naturist Network
     

    The U. S. has some not-so-bad naturist resorts. But even many of the best hardly compare with what can be found in European countries, such as France, Spain, and Croatia. Especially when rated on their appeal to naturist families. Why is that? Read blogger Dan Carlson’s article for an extended discussion.

    There are observable facts that provide some answers. But underlying that, a significant part of the problem is in the attitudes and value system of most people in the U. S. – which is decidedly slanted to assume that children and naturism should not mix, and needs to move toward
    “A value system with less paranoia about breast-feeding and nudity on TV. A value system that allows the average worker more than five vacation days a year. A value system where people don’t freak out when talking to their children about nudity and sex, and use real words like penis, breast, and vagina instead of amassing so much anatomy into the mysterious region of “private parts.””

    The first way that values in the U. S. need to change is for nudity to become normal and routine in more homes. It’s not necessary for family members to be naked much of the time, but nudity shouldn’t be discouraged either. Let everyone enjoy being naked as much as is practical and comfortable for them. Children shouldn’t get the idea that certain body parts must be covered at all times. Until home nudity is normalized, naturism will continue to be crippled.

    Beyond that, the value system in general should renounce the mistaken idea that nudity must not be allowed where children might see it – especially in the most popular and widely-used social media. Never mind that almost any 10-year old can easily find raunchy porn. That, of course, is how they’re likely to satisfy their sexual curiosity, given that many U. S. states don’t allow sex ed in public schools unless it’s of the mostly useless and abstinence-only sort. How could tolerance of nudity at home and visits to naturist places not be a healthy way for parents to answer their kids’ questions about the “facts of life”?

  3. Nude Hiking in the Alps
     

    The Naked European Walking Tour (NEWT) is an annual event that’s been held since 2005. It “usually involves a week of naked hiking somewhere in the alpine mountains.” In most years, participants can choose either to bring their own tents or (for the less hardy) to stay in pre-arranged mountain resorts and huts. But in this case each day’s hike started and ended at a large Austrian guest chalet.

    The tours were the idea of Richard Foley, editor/author of the excellent book Naked Hiking and creator of the Naktiv website. Extensive text and photographic records of previous NEWT events can be found on the NEWT page.

    The report of the 2020 event (in the link above) relates that 30 men and 10 women participated. Their nationalities were mostly European: Irish, English, French, German, Dutch, Swiss, and Slovakian. The weather was mixed, with the first two days being too wet for hiking. Although the third day was dry, it was cold, so only an hour and a half was suitable for naked hiking. The last two days, however, were good for clothesfree hiking. The hikes involved as much as 10 miles of walking and elevation gains of up to 2300 feet, so being naked helped avoid overheating. Many members of the general public were encountered during the hikes, yet they “in general paid no attention to the fact that the forty of us were naked.” U. S. naturist should be very envious.


  4. In a Naked Pandemic Race, You Can Leave Your Hat On
     

    Jen A. Miller, who writes a weekly letter on running for the New York Times, isn’t a naturist. But here she writes about her first run in a 5K race, where she, the runners, and the spectators were naked. The fact that most other races (of the clothed sort) had been canceled because of the pandemic was certainly a factor in doing this. And she hesitated, not because of the nudity per se, but simply because the idea of running naked “seemed so — uncomfortable.”

    Nevertheless, she enjoyed the race, and in fact she finished “good enough for fifth place in my category. My award: a medal that I wore at [sic] around my neck with nothing but my sandals, bandanna and a fresh coating of sun block.” As far as the nudity of others was concerned, “With a full view of their entire, naked forms in motion, I felt appreciation, in the same way I’d look at a nice painting.”


  5. Nudity is not a perversion. The mind makes it so
     

    Yoga teacher Luna Phoenix has been teaching co-ed nude yoga for over 8 years. She wants to assure everyone interested in yoga that learning and practicing it naked is not a sexual thing. Naturists, of course, won’t be surprised at that. Yoga is just one of many things that are significantly enhanced when done naked – without any sexual connection.

    In Sanskrit, yoga practiced devoid of clothing is termed Nagna Yoga. “Nagna” is a cognate (i. e, born from the same source) of the English “naked”. This ancient concept is referred to by very similar words in other (northern) Indo-European languages like Swedish (naken), German (nackt), and Polish (nagi).

    Luna writes:
    “In our practice, we start with an “unmasking ceremony”. In the “Unmasking Ceremony”, we remove our clothing in two parts as in layers to unveil the third mask of ours, (the TRUE SELF). We use the clothing as a symbol of the masks we place on ourselves to function with our responsibilities in the different circles we participate in. This ceremony allows you to go through a transition to alleviate any anxieties one may have to practicing Nagna Yoga. Stripping ourselves from the clothing allows us to uncover the masks so we may discover who we truly are.”

    This is an excellent statement of the philosophical grounding of naturism. It’s not entirely about the world of “nature” – of which humans are a part – but also about the essential “nature” of every person, which isn’t obscured, disguised, or concealed beneath extraneous, “unnatural” clothing. For naturists, you are most yourself when you dispense entirely with clothes.

  6. Women and nudity
     
    Mainstream publications, unsurprisingly, seem to assume that most women avoid being seen naked by nearly everyone, due simply to socially-instilled “modesty” or else genuine worries about the appearance of their naked body or inviting unwanted sexual attention. Any or all of these factors deter most women from an interest in naturism. But there are rewards for those who can overcome these concerns.

    However, in fact, most benefits of nakedness that are cited often apply just as much to men as to women. Many men have body acceptance issues. And they’re also fully able to appreciate the many psychological benefits of wearing nothing that are mentioned by the women here.

    • Meet the women who say baring all is a natural stress-buster that lets them shed their worries… along with their inhibitions
      This article points out so many positives about nudity it could be an excellent advertisement for naturism. Seven women attest to the value of nudity – for a variety of different, but quite legitimate, reasons. Certain themes are often mentioned: freedom, comfort, relaxation, empowerment, stress relief, emotional healing, and body acceptance.

      • TV presenter Ulrika Jonsson says that nudity has “the ultimate feelgood factor”. For her, nudity is relaxing, de-stressing, and it can be “be a healing experience”.
      • Model Cara Delevingne “turns to nakedness whenever she is feeling upset or overwhelmed”.
      • Relationship and sexuality coach Emma Spiegler says that removing clothes “is incredibly empowering”, since being “totally naked takes a lot of courage”.
      • Administrative assistant Clare Clark “was brought up to be comfortable in my skin” and “was very at ease with my body growing into adulthood”. She realized that “perfect bodies” were unreal and not worth comparing oneself with. From visiting nude beaches, she found they were “a safer environment for women” and people there were uncritical of others’ bodies because “naturists are very accepting”. She now believes “removing your clothes is the ultimate stress reliever and the best form of mindfulness”.
      • Musician Jess Maison grew up with parents “who are very liberated about nakedness”. From them she learned “to be proud of my body and not be prudish when it comes to my naked form”. She’s now “happiest in her skin when she is nude”. She now likes “to be naked at outdoor settings as much as possible”. Especially at “festivals where you can be naked. There is no sexual element. It’s purely about enjoying the freedom.”
      • Sports facility manager Rosi Lee believes that “being naked in the company of other people is a great leveller and allows people to be open and themselves as they have nothing to hide.” She especially enjoys social nudity because “being naked with other people on the same wavelength is reassuring and comforting.” Besides that, there’s “nothing more relaxing than feeling the warm sun on your naked skin.”
      • Executive assistant Maria Morris especially enjoys naked yoga, because it “makes me feel alive”. Furthermore, “I am at my calmest in the woods sitting cross-legged, breathing deeply, eyes shut — and naked.” Nudity goes very well with yoga, since “certain poses are easier when naked”. She cites many benefits from naked yoga, including “it releases so much stress”, “it makes me feel empowered and in control”, it “lets me recharge”. Most of all “it’s so liberating to be able to do yoga without anything on. I love it as it’s a brief moment in life where I feel truly free.”

    • Naturist Victoria Vantage says her nude videos lead to proposals from fans of her bottom
      Here’s an article about one naturist woman that’s a lot more what’s to be expected from a British tabloid like The Sun. Nevertheless, all but an obvious few points are much the same as in the previous article.

      Victoria Vantage is a naturist and registered nurse. She says she discovered naturism when she volunteered to model nude for a life drawing class while at her university. In addition to continuing to model for art classes, she has made nudity a significant part of her life – doing “most household tasks naked” and also hiking and bicycling “in the buff”.

      And why not? Being naked when doing chores makes them feel less tedious – and enhances the enjoyment of more pleasurable activities.

  7. Three cyclonudists in France in September?
     

    Although most WNBR events were called off this year on account of the pandemic, this report from Brazil’s Os Naturistas indicates that 3 are still on the calendar for Septimber in the French cities of Rennes, Lyon and Paris. (“Cyclonudista” is apparently another term for WNBR used in some places.)

Recent articles on nudity and naturism, August 1-15, 2020

  1. I Never Thought Nudity Was a Big Deal
     
    On a recent trip to Florida, Evelyn and her mother had checked into a hotel. She writes that “After a shower, I toweled off, slipping on a robe to grab the delivery I’d ordered. Then, I’d tossed the scratchy monster on the bed, and naked is how I stayed — and how I will forever prefer to stay.” Clearly, Evelyn is comfortable with her nudity.

    But unexpectedly, “I heard a keycard beep and the door-handle said, click”, and, fully exposed, she saw that “a housekeeper stood in my doorway with her arms full of towels.”

    The next day, after plenty of time to process the event, she realized “I’d never questioned my love of private nudity. Since puberty, when my parents fought me to wear a bra, I’ve loved the sensation of my skin against the open air. I also assumed, like me, most people didn’t care about disrobing in secret. We’re all born naked and get nude at least once a day. Is it so strange to enjoy our natural state? The answer is, of course not.”

    Evelyn’s eventual conclusion: “Somewhere along the line, society decided nudity is weird, and it became the norm to cover up, even off the record. … I couldn’t find one reason why this rule needed to apply to anyone who doesn’t want to follow it.”

    Here’s the thing: There are lots and lots of people like Evelyn. Nudity – at least in private – feels normal to them, and they enjoy it. But they know that “society” thinks it’s an aberration – even though that’s just plain wrong. Almost everyone like Evelyn is only a short step away from deciding that naturism is for them. All they need is for someone to come along and welcome them into the fold.

    If you’re a lot like Evelyn, but don’t yet consider yourself a naturist, why not? This is your invitation. (Perhaps this blog post will address some of your concerns.)


     

  2. The Clothing Optional Retirement Plan
     
    I can’t resist including this article, for a reason noted at the end, even though it’s undated and may have appeared before August. The article’s about choosing a naturist park or resort as a place to retire in. If you’re young, you’ve probably thought little or nothing about retirement. But once you’re near retirement age, you’ll probably think about it a lot. If you’re still healthy when you retire, you may be satisfied to continue living right where you are. But as the years go by, you may want to consider moving – probably to a smaller home. A large home, perhaps with a large yard, is more than you really need, and requires considerable work to keep up – work you don’t feel like doing much longer.

    If you’re a naturist, there’s much to like about the idea of retiring to a naturist community, besides having a smaller, more easily maintained home to live in. Here are some other obvious advantages:

    1. You can be naked most of the time.
    2. You’ll spend much less time doing laundry.
    3. You’ll have the company every day of many others – both visitors and full-time residents – who enjoy nudity as much as you do.
    4. Almost all naturist communities have one or more swimming pools and spas, perhaps a well-equipped gym and a decent restaurant within walking distance, and probably other amenities and recreational facilities as well.
    5. You’ll be in a gated community with excellent security.
    6. You can relocate to a part of the country with a milder climate than where you came from.

     
    Are there downsides? Well, if you’re lucky, there may be a good naturist community even closer to where you have family and friends. But more likely you won’t be living as close to family and friends as you were before. And quite possibly, even if family and friends aren’t too far away, many may be uncomfortable visiting a place full of naked people. On the other hand, they might actually be intrigued by that possibility – and even think seriously about becoming naturists themselves.

    Now, what was it I found especially interesting about this article? It’s the fact that the article seems to have appeared last year, but at the end it links to a page that lists many naturist places in the U. S. Unfortunately, that page is quite out of date. How do I know? Because that page is on this blog’s website, but hasn’t been updated in about 14 years. So (I’m sorry to say) it can’t be relied on. I won’t link to it, but if you really want to see it, search on this phrase: “Where to be Naked in the U. S.” There are a number of other places you could look for the informaation, such as this Wikipedia page, or this one from the AANR.

  3. More People Getting Naked During Coronavirus: When Clothing Is Optional, What About Masks?
     

    There have, surprisingly, been a number of articles published that find it strange for naturists to wear masks because of the pandemic. Already noted here was another article about this from the same source. And here are additional examples mentioned in the present article: (1) You Can Leave Your Mask On: Nudists Wear Just One Item in Covid Times, (2) The Ongoing Battle to Convince Nudists to Wear Face Masks, (3) Clothes off, masks on: America’s nudist resorts reopen, (4) ‘You can leave your mask on’: Nudists adapt to Covid times, (5) Getting naked in quarantine: Interest peaks in nudist lifestyle during COVID-19 pandemic.

    It’s really rather silly, however, to suppose sensible naturists would seriously object to wearing a mask for protection of themselves and others. Most naturists are health-conscious, practical people who wear shoes or sandals to protect their feet when necessary or some sort of actual clothing when cold. Masks are just another example of being prudent. To imply that naturists don’t exercise good judgment is sort of a put-down.

    But this article is a good one, and presents a rather positive view of naturism. For one thing, it cites accounts that some naturists organizations have noticed a surge in membership, attributed in part to offerings of online naturist activities using video technology. Just consider the following reports, from Ireland, as examples.


     

  4. Irish Naturist Association sees surge in numbers joining nudist group during lockdown
     
    Here’s the gist of the story:
    “A growing number of people are stripping off across Ireland to help themselves cope with the woes of life in lockdown. According to Newstalk, there has been a surge in the number of people showing an interest in joining the Irish Naturist Association. This has been partially attributed to the Covid-19 restrictions in place across the country, with many exploring new ways of letting off steam and enjoying their natural surroundings. The Irish Naturist Association is reporting a 31% increase in new memberships between May and July. Speaking to The Hard Shoulder, member Ciara Boud cited the fact many have more free time on their hands during lockdown to explore such options.”
     
    If you’re surprised that naturism is now popular in Ireland, there are other posts on the topic: here and here. And there’s another article on how the lockdown has stimulated interest in naturism in Ireland: ‘You get accustomed to it’ – Irish Naturist Association sees surge in memberships. That mentions one possible reason for the new interest in naturism: “Maybe people had more time to be online, they’re looking up stuff.”

    In other countries besides Ireland the national naturist organization reported a notable increase in membership. Here are some reports from England.

  5. Nutritionist Non-Confidential: what to eat to look good naked
     

    The nutritional advice in this article isn’t especially unusual, and if you’re concerned about healthy eating – as you should be, whether or not you enjoy being naked – there’s probably not much here you don’t already know. So why take note of this article at all? It certainly starts off in a nudity-positive way:

    “Whether you’re an avid subscriber to the Skinny Dip Club or like to dance around your condo in the nude every once in a while, there’s no denying that there are few things that feel quite as exhilarating as flaunting your birthday suit.”

    Other than that, there’s really nothing of special interest to naturists. No doubt the main intention was for the headline and first paragraph to grab readers’ attention. Nevertheless, it’s a good sign that an enthusiastic viewpoint on nudity would have the desired effect.

  6. Naturism as a Way of Living
     
    When measured by time spent naked, naturists occupy a broad spectrum – from “only if I’m in the mood to visit a clothing-optional beach or naturist resort” to “absolutely as much as possible”. It’s all good as far as naturism is concerned. But the ideas and practice of naturism, in general, will prosper the most if the largest number of people gravitate to the “as much as possible” end. It makes sense to say that people toward the often-naked end “have a naked lifestyle” or “embrace living naked”.

    Exactly why is this good for naturism? There are many reasons why it’s good for all naturists if there are more people who have a naked lifestyle. Friends and relatives of such people will become more used to seeing nudity, and they’ll understand better why it’s enjoyed. Being naked will be considered more “normal” and less crazy or eccentric by the general population. There will be more visitors to naturist parks and resorts, hence more can afford to open and offer a wider variety of facilities. People will feel freer to dispense with some or all clothing in everyday social situations. There will be more pressure for allowing nudity at least in parts of public beaches and parks. Repressive laws against nonsexual nudity in suitable places will be weakened or eliminated. And so on.

    The article cited above makes the case that naturists aren’t merely “naked people”, indistinguishable from other naturists. Rather, they are people who value being free of clothes as an important part of their life. An analogy is offered between naturists and people who value practicing yoga or vegetarian eating. But that doesn’t mean being clothesfree, practicing yoga, or abstaining from meat is something that defines them. Each of these interests will occupy different portions of someone’s life. However, the simple fact that someone openly enjoys any of these things tends to “normalize” that interest to everyone who knows the person. Consequently, the interest can become more understandable and acceptable to everyone else.


  7. Naked fundraiser at botanic gardens hailed a success
     

    England has many impressive privately-owned gardens, thanks to centuries of wealthy owners of private country estates who devoted part of their leisure time to overseeing the cultivation of stately gardens. Some of these gardens have been open for visits from the public (for a modest fee), and also for private events, such as weddings, parties, and business meetings. A few of these gardens have hosted occasional clothing-optional events for naturists. The Abbey House Gardens is perhaps the best-known of this number.

    As noted here, the Fullers Mill Garden hosted an clothing-optional event on the evening of August 9. It was arranged by British Naturism, and a large part of the proceeds from ticket sales was contributed to charity. According to the news article, the event was “hailed as a success”. Sadly, the U. S. has fewer private venues of this sort, since experiencing this kind of splendid garden seems perfect for being enjoyed naked.

Recent articles on nudity and naturism, July 1-15, 2020

July was a considerably busier month for naturist material than June this year. Although there was a great deal of pandemic yet to unfold, at least naturists weren’t losing interest. Of course, July is probably the peak month for naturism in the northern hemisphere. So there’s a lot to cover here.

  1. Artistic naturist photography
     
    Artistic nude photography and photographic images of naturism are often considered completely separate categories. The first reference below provides good examples of how the two can be combined. As some of the images there show, images of unclothed people in natural settings make an obvious choice – but not the only one. The second reference is more strictly “artistic” in nature, but it uses naked bodies in abstract ways to communicate a message.


    Note that the language in both of these items is Portugese, but a translation into English, Spanish, or French can be had by selecting the appropriate flag in the top right of the page.


     

  2. Naked Bike Ride 2020: ‘As Bare As You Dare’ But Don’t Forget The Mask
     

    This item and the next one are further examples of how naturists are adapting to the pandemic. Some of the customary World Naked Bike Rides that take place in the warmer months were simply cancelled this year. But many others took place as usual. The ride pictured above was in Spain.

  3. From naked gardening to Yoga sessions at Zoom, see how nudists connect during blockades


    Most naturist clubs and resorts everywhere did not open at the usual time, but many gradually opened one or more months late, and use of masks, social distancing, hand-washing, etc. were at least strongly recommended. Normal use of outdoor facilities, such as swimming pools and tennis courts was generally allowed, with mild restrictions.

    To make up for the more limited options available, naturists also turned to activities like gardening and home improvement. And innovate, forward-thinking naturist organizations – British Naturism in particular – used video conferencing tools to provide entirely new services like panel discussions, virtual “pub nights”, and classes in yoga, drawing, and painting. (More about that here.) Such activities will certainly continue to be popular even when the pandemic eventually subsides. Notably, they can be accessed from almost anywhere in the world.


  4. Nudity in protests
     

    Certain things that occur in “normal” times did not stop even during a pandemic – political protests in particular. In the U. S., in fact, there were numerous dramatic protests across the country in response to various incidents of brutal and totally unnecessary murders of Black men by undisciplined police officers and civilian vigilantes. The protests in Portland, Oregon were especially tumultuous – and led to threatening overreaction against protesters.

    To call attention to the irrational police violence that included use of tear gas and rubber bullets, one very brave – and naked – woman staged a protest of her own. The protester, who goes by the name “Naked Athena”, explained that “being nude in public is nothing new” to her. Although police shot pepper balls close to her, she was unharmed and departed casually after about ten minutes.

    Using nudity in social and political demonstrations and protests is, or course, not especially uncommon. World Naked Bike Rides are a particularly tame example. This case was quite a bit more daring – but it pointed out dramatically the vulnerability of all the protesters in the face of heavily armed police.

  5. Women in naturism
     

    One of the most common questions that naturists and non-naturists alike wonder about social nudity is why more women don’t participate. (Look here for previous posts about this.) As the first of the two articles below remarks, “The answer is multi-faceted.” The problem extends far beyond the issue of having “gender balance” at naturist clubs and resorts. It exists just as much at clothing-optional beaches, World Naked Bike Rides, and other naturist events and festivals.

    It might be tempting to reach for simple answers, such as that women are simply shyer about exposing their naked bodies, at least in the presence of men. But there are complications even in that. It’s tangled up, of course, with the issue of body acceptance – but that’s a problem for men too. And “normal” women’s clothing often exposes more epidermis than men’s clothing does. The first article below, despite its title, doesn’t attempt to go deeply into reasons for the problem. Instead, it offers various suggestions for what can be done to deal with the problem. It turns out that the techniques are basically alike for men and women.

    The second article is a personal account by one woman who actually was quite daunted by the idea of being naked in view of men. This was more a result of being a survivor of sexual assault than of body acceptance. The woman may well never be a naturist, but she has managed to overcome her fear of nudity, in order to be able to enjoy it in situations that are comfortable for her.

  6. Immersion in Europe’s first naturist garage sale
     

    Now here is a genuinely creative idea for promoting naturism – a carefully planned and executed “garage sale” in France, where nudity is required for visitors. (Events like this, except for the nudity, are also known as “flea markets”, “yard sales”, “tag sales”, etc.) This wasn’t some event with a few rows of folding tables in a dusty parking lot. As can be seen from the picture, it was in a clean indoor space with uniform, purpose-made white booths for the display of the merchandise. Rows were even neatly arranged in alphabetical order.

    In countries like the U. S. that lack as many dedicated naturists as France, the event need not be as formal. It should be clothing-optional, but without requiring full nudity. Visitors who do opt for getting naked should be able to have their clothes stored neatly in a secure space. Obviously, nudity-phobic people would stay away. But anyone who might want to glean some insight into why naturists like being naked could drop in – and maybe doff some or all of their clothes as well – for a safe first experience in social nudity. Naturally, this could be arranged by a local naturist group, or even a few naturist friends who want to spread the concept of naturism.

    Perhaps it sounds unlikely a small group could make this work. But suppose an existing naturist campground or resort did this, perhaps even on a regular basis. The general public would be invited. There could be a nominal entrance fee (maybe $5) or maybe none. (After all, many naturist places charge nothing for a first visit.) Food sales might help cover costs. Full nudity wouldn’t be required except, as usual, in swimming pools and spas.

    Wouldn’t this be a great way to attract new members or regular visitors – especially people who are already somewhat comfortable with nudity, at least in private? This is only one of a number of possibilities for naturist places to attract new people. Vintage car shows are held at many naturist places now, but that’s kind of a special interest. How about bake sales, craft fairs, art/photography shows, yoga demonstrations, gardening classes?

    Naturists really need to become more creative in how they promote social nudity.

  7. The History of Nudism: Europe


    People have lived much of their lives happily naked for as long as there have been humans. But many naturists are aware that nudism and naturism as currently understood originated in Europe – mainly in Germany – around 1900. It took almost three decades to spread to North America. But those earliest decades established the basic features of nudism and naturism as practiced today. The couple that hosts Our Natural Blog narrates a 9-minute video that gives an overview of the beginning of contemporary nudism in its early years in Europe.


  8. International Nude Day, July 14
     

    As noted in the report for June, 2020, July 14 was designated as “International Nude Day” by some New Zealanders in 2003 (or thereabouts). (In some countries it may be called “National Nude Day”). One had to wonder how widely celebrated this day would be. The answer, sadly, is: not a whole lot. There was little publicity about it at the time, and apparently only one national naturist organization did much of anything to promote it. That was the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR). They even produced a 1-minute video to make note of the day – although it shows almost no actual nudity.

    That was a little odd, since AANR is mainly a trade association that promotes naturist resorts and travel businesses. Unlike naturist organizations in some other countries, AANR does little organizing and promotion of naturist activities (such as festivals and beach events). British Naturism, for example, often does things like that (at least in the absence of a pandemic).

    Exactly what would people who actually heard about it be expected to do on this day? Presumably, naturists who already enjoyed nudity would do so about as much as they would on any other summer day. But why would a significant number of others who’ve had no experience with social nudity suddenly decide to go naked on July 14? For that to happen, there’d surely need to be wide publicity of the great variety of possible naturist activities that could be enjoyed. Not just a trip to the closest naturist resort, but naked hiking, naked camping, visiting clothing-optional beaches, body painting, or just hanging out naked at home with family and friends.

    The first article below is from NatCon, a regional naturist organization in Cornwall, UK. It does little but note the day, very briefly mention some benefits of naturism, and show the AANR video. Somewhat of a half-hearted effort, but more than most other organizations offered. The second article is from a New York tabloid that begins with a slightly dismissive tone, but says a little about two young body-positive women, one of whom, named Grace, posted some (non-nude) selfies on her Instagram account and posted on Twitter that “Our bodies are a beautiful thing that should be embraced and cherished. … Nudity doesn’t have to be sexual — it can be empowering and a symbol of confidence.”

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?

  1. 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:


     

  2. 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:


  3. 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).


  4. 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:

     

  5. 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:


     

  6. 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.”

  7. 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.

  1. 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”.

  2. 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:

     

  3. 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.


  4. 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:


  5. ‘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.

  6. 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:


  7. 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.

  8. 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 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”