Naturism – What’s it all about?

This post is aimed at experienced and newbie naturists alike.

(Since posting this, couple of people have disagreed my personal take on the word nudists, I would just like to acknowledge that I am aware that in other parts of the world Nudist is used interchangeably with Naturism, I made this clear in my Post below. I did not intend to express that ALL Nudists are swingers/sex perverts or similar, only that those I see doing these things, I don’t call them naturists, I call them nudists because they are naked and they don’t fit into my understanding of Naturism.. that is all )

(For another girl’s explanation on being a Nudist you could check out this blog http://samanthagilmour.wordpress.com/category/nudist/)

I apologise for any grammatical errors, I just don’t have the time to proof read, otherwise I would not be able to post it for another few days!

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about ‘Naturism – What it means’ and invited you to comment on what Naturism means to you and you were very generous in your response. Some of you asked your comments to be kept private, which I have done and about 50 of you were happy for me to publish your comments.  If you have not seen this post and comments, it is here;

https://ladygod1va.wordpress.com/2012/11/11/naturism-what-it-means/

I know most of us are very busy so I would very much like you to know that I appreciate the time and effort you made to draft your comments.  Thank You.

I have read the responses and using my experience and what you have said on the above post, I shall try to express what I think Naturism is all about at present.

I am very aware that most people do not read long posts so I am going to try and keep it short & to the point.  If you wish to discuss anything further, please comment on this post and I shall respond.

Acknowledgement

I will acknowledge that I am not a scholar of naturism, nor do I hold a Doctorate in human behaviour.  However, over the years, I have been fortunate enough to have interactions with some very senior and knowledgeable naturists and some of their knowledge and understanding has rubbed off on me, as you would expect and I thank them for educating me.

I am not going to try and provide any definitive answers on naturism, because as you will see, it obviously means a lot of different things to a lot of different people.  However I will try to express what I think people see or use Naturism as and touch on what needs to be improved.

A lot of what I’m going to write here is about you, the Naturist, some of you may be offended by what I say, I do not apologise for that, if you find yourself being upset then feel free to express it in your comments because it is only through discussion that we can learn about the rights and the wrongs in order to progress Naturism in a way that we would like to see it.

What is Naturism

Naturism to me is a life style which involves some of the philosophies/Understanding noted below, you may or may not agree;

1. Naked human body is the natural state and needs to be enjoyed in much the same way as we see and admire Animals’ bodies, furs, skins and shapes.
2. Clothing/covering was invented by our predecessors in the early years of evolution primarily to survive in climates that our bodies are not naturally designed to survive in.  The Polar Bear would not survive in the Sahara desert, but the nomads could kill the Polar Bear & Survive on the Arctic Ocean.
3. Clothing was also developed for another reason – To prevent unwanted sexual attention.  For example, most living things, Humans, Animals, Plants tend to use parts of their bodies to attract partners or method of re-production.  So as the Humans evolved, some bright spark must have hit on the idea that if they cover up the sexual organs, perhaps they can avoid unwanted sexual attraction.  This was probably the worst invention ever because instead of covering up the sexual organs to avoid unwanted attraction, our ancestors became more & more inventive and started to ‘decorate’ the covering to make it look nice, which in turn made the sexual organs even more obvious and attractive to the eye and so began the fashion industry!
4. So what is more attractive, naked human body or one that is covered up to make it look sexy? Well I guess both because some naked bodies are attractive (the original problem remember!) They are the right shape or size for the attracted (regional variations accepted!) and you can take any  body & dress it up to look sexy.  However the important thing to note is that no matter how sexy the body is, after you’ve seen it a few times, it becomes ‘Normal’ and the sexiness is reduced to mild attraction or no attraction at all. HOWEVER, if the sexy (or made up sexy) bodies are re-decorated with different colours, shapes, materials, places, the attractiveness is reinvigorated and the sexiness is back.  Therefore you will agree that as there are probably no more than 10% of the population with naturally attractive bodies, rest of the world uses clothing to look more attractive/sexy.
5.  Based on the above, you may begin to understand that when naturists see each other in the nude, it is not long before the nakedness becomes natural & sexiness can only be achieved by dressing up!  This is very apparent when you visit some well-known naturist resorts.  Don’t misunderstand me, I am not saying that naturists somehow become sexless angels.  There is a degree of enjoyment derived from being nude as a group, this enjoyment will no doubt be pleasurable but it doesn’t have to be overtly expressive.  I suppose you could say that some naturists may get a kick out of being nude amongst others and NOT being sexual.  It’s a bit like looking at a bed of flowers and relaxing rather than plucking them & spoiling it all just for short term pleasure.  The same is true for those who participate in nude protests like the WNBR, people enjoy being nude as a group but don’t go about assuming that just because someone is nude that they are somehow less than normal or open for sexual advances.
6. Based on what’s been noted above, you perhaps can understand that because there is less focus on the shape/size/colour of the body, naturists tend to accept people as they are much more so than the same people would be on textile sites, where fashion and beauty are more sought after than amongst naturists.  Naturism is one of the few activities where money and good looks have less of an advantage than in normal life.  In my view, sometimes this is used by naturists to become lazy and not look after their body/health. Whilst I am fully behind the body acceptance culture, I am however against that being used to avoid looking after your health.
7. What about the environment? Some have asked me before.  Do the naturists follow the same principles as naturalists or environmentalists?  The short answer is NO.  Very few naturists share the same thoughts as environmentalists, they enjoy the nature yes, but they don’t necessarily go out of their way to protect it.  This, in my own opinion, is not good, Naturism principles include respecting nature, so if you respect it, you should look after it.  I believe majority of the naturists pay little attention to global warming, re-cycling and good countryside practices.  I have not seen many articles in Naturist publications where they discussed environmental issues. This is not to say ALL naturists behave this way, but in my view majority of them fall into this category.  We should not be surprised about this, because after all, Naturists are part of the society in general and this is the state of the society in general.  I make this statement even though most of the Naturists I know are much more conscious of the environment needs than I am, this is because I know them through my involvement with the WNBR.
8. Why is there is need to go naked?  This is a common question asked by those who have not experienced it.  In my view and in my life, nudity is normal. It is part of my life and wearing clothes is only necessary to protect against the weather and to get along in society as one cannot fight the world every day in the same way as Stephen Gough does and has dedicated his life to it.  So I guess the question is not whether there is a need to go naked but what is the need to get dressed.
9. Am I a Naturist?  Do you have to be naked to be a naturist? This obviously differs for different people, some have to be dressed 24/7 other than when in the Bathroom, others live their whole life in the nude and only dress when absolutely necessary. You, I guess are somewhere in the middle.  How often you dress or not is not an indicator as to whether you’re a naturist or not. To me Naturism is a life style as well as a state of mind.  So you may only go nude on holidays but you have your naturist mind set all year around.
10. Is Naturism Important? YES! Why? Because naturists are in general very liberal people, they accept others and look out for each other, this is a GOOD human characteristic that should be promoted in any way possible.  Life is not about wars and killing and fighting.. maybe not all Naturists are from the 60s with their ‘Spread the Love’ attitude but most love life in general.  It is better to have people around you who love life than those who just wish to destroy whatever is in their way.

I have expressed some of my thoughts on what Naturism means to me, so let me now express how that relates to people I know or communicate with;

True Naturist? There are far too many people using the label ‘Naturist’ to describe a state of nudity.  For example a ‘Naturist Sauna’ is a Sauna where you don’t need to wear swimming costumes.. well you SHOULDN’T wear swimming costumes in Sauna anyway.. so should this not be a ‘Traditional Sauna’?  A very large number of these Sauna’s are more than just Saunas, they attract swingers or people who find it difficult to see nude bodies in person, so they go there instead.  This leads to the ‘Naturists’ being associated with ‘Swingers’.  Same as most of the true naturists, I am not happy to be associated with these establishments or linked title.  This is one of the reasons why the public perhaps thinks there is a link between the two.  So if I had it my way.. I’d try to ban use of the word Naturist to describe these places.

Naturist or Nudist? Some people have asked me often.. what’s the difference between Naturist/Nudist; Although you can find many knowledgeable people on the internet who will give you the answer that there is no difference because they are used Interchangeably.  In my view there is a difference, and the difference is that, to me a Nudist is someone who likes to go nude wherever/whenever he/she can and could be for many reasons (nude swingers, nude holidays, swims, walks) but the underlying need is sexual most of the time.  Whereas a Naturist is someone who has a Naturist/Nude life style and has developed non-sexual naturist links. Maybe the Nudist and Naturist go to a club/Naturist activities regularly, however the Naturist uses it as part of his whole approach to life, whilst Nudist feels and forgets till next time.  You may disagree, however this is how I separate the 2.

Sex Seeker? A self proclaimed Naturist/Nudist who is able to go only as far as looking at naked bodies/naturist photos/magazines and gets turned on with own nudity. Maybe ends up masturbating each time so beings to link Nudity with Sex and may never grow out of it.

Likes the idea of being nude but doesn’t have the opportunity to practice it.  I get a lot of communication from other parts of the world where people say this.  They like the idea but just don’t even have the privacy of being able to go nude alone.  I can understand the attraction of what might appear to be life of freedom, especially for those repressed through religion but it is difficult to judge whether this desire is just sexual or otherwise.

Enjoy being nude when alone at home.  There are many who can only practice their Naturism whilst home alone.  I don’t see any problem with this. At the end of the day, you have to be happy with yourself first before you can share your happiness with others. It’s a life style that doesn’t have to involve others and it does not make you a less of a Naturist than those who are able to walk on he beach naked.

Enjoys being nude in open or public areas.  If you’re able to do this, the feeling is very exhilarating because the air/weather touches you and you feel at one with nature. At least I do. However there are others who do it because it gives them a kick of being nude in public, this may be a sexual kick or just adrenalin, to me this is not a good reason and is likely to lead to something undesirable.  If you do this, I would encourage you to try this where there is no risk of being seen and learn to enjoy the nature as I and most others do.

Would like to join a naturist organisation but for some reason cannot.  You don’t have to belong to any Naturist organisation to be a Naturist.  It helps obviously because it puts you in touch with like minded people, but it is not essential. If you’re single, I would encourage you to join a non-landed club/organisation and visit open events. Once you walk through the door, you will not be alone, as long as you have clean mind and no hidden agendas.

Naturist Club member but no one else knows.  This is the majority of the UK naturists, where not even their family knows about their membership of the Naturist Club. In my view, this is one the biggest problems holding back naturism.  If you are of clean mind and health and enjoy nude swimming or walking or whatever and have a paid up club membership then it is a significant part of your life.  It must be so difficult and stressful for some people to keep it as a secret from the family/work and society.  I know the situation is different for each person, but as I have had to go through some very painful experiences and have come out alive at the other end, I can only encourage people to do the same.  Once people realise that it is something you have honest and innocent beliefs in, they do understand and leave you alone.  It is the unknown that people get suspicious about.. if you won’t tell someone about something.. you must have something to hide.. so the theory goes.  I am not suggesting that Naturists should stand on their rooftops and shout ‘I am a Naturist’ Nor am I suggesting that you should slip it onto the Christmas Cards but if the subject comes up, just let it out.  No need to shove it down people’s throats, just tell them if they ask or there is a need to tell them instead of telling them that you’re off to visit your sick Granny for the 50^th time in the year.

Goes nude/topless swimming on holidays.  There are MANY more people in the UK who do this than those who even admit to themselves that they want to be or are Naturists.  This is because when on holidays people get carried away with the crowd, they see someone doing something and join in.  There is nothing wrong with that.  They may even talk about it when they get home and boast of their activities, particularly the young.  This is great as this attitude helps the naturists, there is a potential of future naturists and support.  However, it is quite possible that most of these people will not indulge in any local naturist activities or whilst at home.  This is because they only let go when there is no risk, this is fear imposed by the society, they accept it and learn to live with it.  Some rebel against the society and start Naturist activities or Support, which is great.

Philosophically driven naturist & enjoys naturist lifestyle.  These are normally people who have lived their life and don’t care what others think, this is one of the major reasons why people think most naturists are old.  It is not till you gain the confidence of your own beliefs and stand up for what you are that you truly feel the freedom of Naturism.

Naturist campaigner.  Then you have people like me, who someone find the time to promote what they believe in.  There are 1000s of people doing the same thing as I do. However many of them are men which puts some others off.  There are some females who promote naturism through sexual activities, in clubs or elsewhere or even on social media, they sell the Naturist life style through sexual expressions, whether sexual photographs or parties, it does not help.  My policy is to keep sex away from my interest in Naturism.  Just because I’m nude doesn’t mean I want sex.  This is the image of many men and it puts other females off so they don’t show themselves in the social media.  We desperately need more females to stand up and say Naturism is fun and there is no shame in it.  I believe this is the key to any future society attitudes improvement. Men have the label of being dirty or dangerous, if we can reduce the number of ‘sexy’ females (if you believe what they say) and increase the number of normal people just discussing their Naturist interests, it will make a major difference in how the society changes for the better.

Social Media Naturist. There are plenty of people whose Naturist life seems to be a virtual one just. I have nothing against that but I do not agree with them doing it for sexual needs.   If they want sex, there is plenty of it on the Internet, why call yourself Naturist? I don’t get it.   I don’t think men with Naked Torso shots or shot of their Penis as their Avatar help either. It just looks wrong and dirty.  OK My Avatar is not a FACE but it is a very artistic photo which links to my profile where the user is able to get links to my blog and other social media sites with plenty of face shots.  So I do wish that Naturists would show their face somewhere and identify themselves with courage and clean mind, allowing them to stand up and say there is nothing wrong with what I believe in.

Naturist and Active swinger. If you are one of these, please stop using Naturism as a vehicle for gaining swinging opportunities.  Swingers are welcome to their activities, but their relationship with Naturism doesn’t help us.  We all know that people undress to have sex, but just because you strip before sex doesn’t make you a Naturist.   Of course there are Naturists (devoted ones for that matter) who may also be swingers, that’s fine if that is what you’re into, but the two are separate activities and should not be linked as one.  Whilst I was at Cap d’Agde last summer, unwittingly we ended up in ‘Adults only’ accommodation and seeing the type of cars parked outside and talking to the staff indicated that their guests were mostly very rich if nothing else, these were high grade business people with wealth and some of them were there for the swingers club events, I didn’t notice too many of them with sunburnt look, more like out of the offices with milky white skins, I can’t call them Naturists but they were in Naturist Camp so as far as anyone else is concerned, they’re Naturists!

The Perfect Naturist.  I don’t think there is one.  A lot of the good naturists I know have had failure in their lives, some have suffered rejection from family members which has affected them, others have suffered marriage breakdowns.  But the amazing thing is that these people are not bitter or sad because they feel that what happened to them is not necessarily as a result of their interest in Naturism, it’s more about how life treats us.  I have also met Naturist families who have sailed through life and children have grown up to Naturists or not, but I have never come across anyone who has told me that Naturism has ruined their lives.   My view of the perfect Naturist is someone who is happy and content with who they are.  They don’t have to campaign, don’t have to be a card carrying naturist, don’t even need to go on Naturist holidays, but just be happy with their body and nudity in general. Accept that as human beings we are born with skin only, it is the most natural state of physical being and there is nothing like being kissed all over by Nature itself!