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Written in 2004
Dear Friends & Neighbors,
I'm glad to have had the chance to meet you recently and to become part of your community. I'd like to fill you in on something in my life that I feel you should know about; something that I wanted you to hear from me, rather than second-hand.
I'm a naturist. That means I enjoy being nude, and I advocate nudity as a means to some very worthy goals, such as acceptance of our bodies, improving relations between people, and fighting unhealthy attitudes such as shame and self-loathing. It also means I just enjoy recreation without clothes, such as swimming, hiking, and other fun activities.
It's normal for people to have questions about naturism. Most of us grow up not knowing what naturism is, much less being naturists ourselves. Many people first hear about it indirectly, through rumor and second-hand sources. Some confuse naturism with exhibitionism, voyeurism or swinging. As a result, there's a lot of misunderstanding of what naturism is all about.
I could talk all day about naturism, but I'll try to give you a quick summary, answer some questions and encourage you to discuss it further with me.
Naturism has a history as long as that of humanity itself. Our ancestors also appreciated the joy of skinny-dipping. The natives who preceded us on this continent wore little if any clothing; what they did wear was for protection against the elements. We lost touch with this way of life due to the increasing industrialization of the Western world and the detachment from nature that came with it.
German and French naturist clubs started to appear in the time between the world wars, and eventually the naturist idea made it to America. Naturist clubs were formed where people would go to strip off the pressures and cares of the outside world along with their clothes, and return to nature, hoping to reconnect with something that had been lost to the Industrial Revolution.
Not everyone understood or supported these early naturists. Moralists and zealots threatened many naturist groups in the first half of the 20th century. But despite their efforts, naturism (or, as it is sometimes called in the U.S., nudism) continued to grow.
As America became a more socially conscious nation in the 1960s, naturism began to be seen as a social phenomenon that could be used to promote new ways of respecting each other, our environment, and ourselves. "Free" (that is, nude) beaches began to appear, and eventually naturism as a social movement began to take shape.
Today, there are more naturists than ever. Some simply enjoy the recreational aspect of naturism; others are active in its social, political or cultural sides. Like many great communities, naturism has become a sort of "big tent" under which a wealth of ideas and activities are flourishing.
So, now that you've got some background, let's talk about me. Why am I a naturist? Well, I want to be part of that big tent I just described. I've found that I enjoy the freedom of being nude, the friendship and camaraderie of my fellow naturists, and the opportunity to be part of something that I think has great potential to change the world.
"Change the world?" you say. "How so?"
Consider the state of the world today:
Many of us have become insular and isolated from others, and do not seek to be part of something greater than ourselves.
Many of us do not like, or even hate, our bodies. We think we are ugly, fat, or unattractive to others. Images in popular media of unattainable standards of beauty reinforce these negative feelings.
We use clothing not for practical purposes, but for classifying others and ourselves. Uniforms not only denote status, but also serve as a way of separating ourselves from people of different status.
Naturism responds to all of these things in healthy and productive ways.
Naturism encourages us to associate with others. Many of us are quite happy to be nude by ourselves; naturism challenges us to share that happiness with others of all ages, backgrounds, skin tones, and everything else that makes us diverse.
Naturism encourages us to respect and accept our bodies. When we are nude with others, we can see that we are not abnormal, and that there is beauty in every body.
Naturism encourages us to relate to people as people, not as uniforms. It removes artificial distinctions between classes of people and allows them to really get to know each other for who they are, not what they wear.
While these sociological effects are wonderful, to me, the best reason to be a naturist is that it's just plain fun! For instance, most of us have complained at some point or another about bathing suits. They don't fit right, they don't look good, and they're uncomfortable when they get wet. In naturism, you never need wear one again, and if you've ever been skinny-dipping, you know just how great that feels. The same goes for hiking, or sports, or even just basking on a beautiful day. All these things are infinitely more comfortable, invigorating, and fun without unnecessary clothing in the way.
I do want to discuss one topic that is the source of much misunderstanding about naturism, and that topic is sex. Most of us grow up and live our lives being nude only for hygienic or sexual purposes. We may therefore be uncomfortable with nakedness outside our own bathrooms or bedrooms. It is common for those who are uncomfortable with naturism to assume that naturists are most interested in seeing other people naked. To be quite clear: Naturism is not about public sex, exhibitionism, voyeurism, pedophilia, exploitation, or any other type of sexual behavior. Nudity and sex are not one and the same. Consider the sexual connotations of modern swimwear: many swimsuits now expose so much skin that they encourage lust for that little bit you don't get to see. In naturist settings, we simply go nude, and do not create a sexual atmosphere around it.
Think of it this way: we recognize that naturism is something children really enjoy. Anyone who's tried to keep clothes on a toddler knows that. As such, we want our naturist activities to be suitable for families, and any type of sexual atmosphere precludes that.
If naturism isn't about sex, and it isn't about being or getting dirty, then what do we do when we get together? We enjoy many of the same activities that you do. Naturists enjoy sports and outdoor activities, such as swimming, volleyball, and hiking, biking, camping and canoeing. More than anything, we enjoy getting together with other naturists. There are many naturist social clubs across the country and the world. Some own private property where naturists can pursue their freedom; others visit beaches, trails and other public places where nudity is accepted. Naturist organizations such as The Naturist Society sponsor yearly gatherings, with some thing for everyone, including discussion of naturist issues, political strategy sessions, and plenty of fun and social activities. I personally have enjoyed the chance to meet some great people from across the world at naturist gatherings, many of whom are people I probably never would have met in my everyday life.
I don't intend for this letter to recruit new naturists, although I'll be happy if it does. But I hope it has given you an idea of who naturists are, what we stand for, and why we feel the need to speak up. If you have questions about naturism, please don't hesitate to ask me. It's not just something I enjoy, but also something I support, and I hope you know I wouldn't be part of naturism if I couldn't give it my unqualified support.
Naturists want the same things most communities do: to be appreciated and respected for what we do, and to be thought of favorably and with understanding. If there is anything I can do to help you understand, please let me know. I look forward to it.
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Copyright 2004 Mark Cornick. This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.