Many people think that nudism is a risky business.
Trying anything for the first time always has an element of risk. That’s a fact. To many, nudism seems to carry a huge amount of risk with it, often because of society’s many negative messages about nudity, perpetuated through our media for decades. For first-time nudists, it often feels like you’re defying every moral and convention in our society when you think about taking your clothes off with others.
But in large part, the risk is in our heads, and far smaller than we think. Here are some of the biggest risks that nudists perceive, and the reality of the risk that is (or isn’t) there.
Some people work in fields where they handle sensitive information, or people at risk (including children). Others have public positions where any deviation from societal norms is considered problematic. These positions could include jobs where they work with children or other vulnerable people, or where they are in a position of public trust.
The risk is predicated on the association of nudity with sexuality, of course. If you are willingly nude with other people, you are probably a sexual deviant, or at least opening yourself up for blackmail or extortion. You are not, the reasoning seems to be, a trustworthy person if you are a nudist.
In addition, if you do not work in a positive work environment, the revelation that you are a nudist could prompt other workers to make unwelcome comments or insinuations. Because society is often unsympathetic to nudism, you might also feel that you cannot complain about those comments, even if they are egregious. That can seriously degrade the quality of your working life.
This risk is one of the few perceived risks that is at least partially grounded in reality. People do have negative stereotypes about nudists, and they could make the association between nudism and sexuality. If you work with vulnerable persons, or indeed in any position where you have a “morality clause” or something similar in your employment contract, it would be worth considering whether social nudity is something you can partake in.
You might have to be careful about who you tell about your recreation activities, too. (That can be true for any unconventional hobbies too - video games, sports, and crafts can all seem strange to others sometimes.) Some co-workers can’t be entrusted with this level of personal revelation. And if you have to worry about the reactions of some co-workers, you really have to worry about all of them: sometimes word gets around in any organization, and it always seems to get to the wrong people.
However, the reality is that you’re far less likely to have to worry about this than you may think. While there are occupations that might be sensitive to nude recreation, most are not. Unless they explicitly state the limits on what you can do while you’re employed there, being a nudist outside of working hours should not be a problem.
And that leads to the best way to handle this risk: if you’re worried about professional ramifications of nude recreation, just don’t tell anyone. Your co-workers don’t have to know about what you do with your free time. If they ask what your weekend was like, you can just omit the part about being nude at the time. “I went swimming and read a fantastic book” is enough - you don’t need to include “with a bunch of other nude people” at all.
“What if I run into someone I know?”
Here’s the nightmare scenario: someone you know in your clothed life - a friend, acquaintance, co-worker, even a family member - ends up at the same place as you. Now you’re without clothes in front of someone who’s never seen you nude before!
Imagining the embarrassment and awkwardness is almost too much. Now this person, who has only known you in the controlled environment where you’ve been able to cover up to your own comfort level, is suddenly able to see you - all of you. It’s a level of intimacy and exposure that you might never have wanted with this person. What’s more, they now have some knowledge about you that they can use against you - they know you’re a nudist!
This is one of those problems that might seem huge, but in fact is a minor problem at worst - and a huge opportunity at best.
Running into a friend or family member while you’re both nude can in fact be a very positive experience. Now you have something in common you didn’t know about before! This could lead to having someone new to hang out nude with, or someone to go to nudist venues with in the future. There are so many new possibilities when you know other nudists!
You might have been nude in front of only a very small number of people in the past, and they were probably close to you. It’s natural to think that, if you expose your body to a large number of people, especially people you don’t know, you’ll be judged for all the flaws you perceive about yourself - every part of you that you’ve looked at in the mirror and felt was wrong, inadequate, or unattractive.
In a nudist context, whether at a beach, a resort, a gathering, or any other kind of social nudity venue… no one cares.
That’s right. You are alone in judging your body; no other nudist is going to notice all of these flaws and deficiencies. Because in a nudist space, everyone is exposed. We’ve all got ourselves fully on display, and that’s because we agree, collectively, that none of that matters.
In fact, being around other normal nude people can be quite uplifting. It’s one of the few antidotes to society’s ideas about what we should look like, or even what is acceptable to other people. Spend an hour or two among other nude people, and you’ll quickly see through the myth of how anyone is supposed to look, and what a body is supposed to be. It might be the most affirming and positive experience you’ll ever encounter.
You could agree with all this, and get past all the other fears and hangups that society puts on nudity, and still worry that when you get there… you won’t like being nude. Nudists are definitely a minority in our society, so there are many who don’t enjoy social nudity - maybe it just won’t be for you.
It’s natural to feel some trepidation about something like social nudity, because you’ve been bombarded with negative messages about nude bodies all your life. But let me tell you from experience, all of those messages - without exception - are false.
But sure, there’s a possibility that you won’t actually enjoy it when you try it. Maybe the vibe isn’t right, or maybe you’re unable to really let go and get comfortable. Not everyone tries nudism and becomes a convert.
So you put on your clothes and go home.
Really, it’s that simple. If you don’t like it, you can back out at any time. No one is going to demand to know where you’re going. And if you decide later that you want to try it again, no one is going to hold it against you. This is about as un-risky as it can possibly be. And if it turns out that you just don’t like nudist environments, there’s nothing wrong with being nude at home, in private!
The real calculation that you must make is whether the risk is worth the potential reward. The risks, I hope I’ve been able to demonstrate, are actually minor - all are much easier to handle than they might seem before you try nudism for yourself.
But the rewards can be huge. It’s not simply naturist propaganda to say that many, many people have found their lives irrevocably changed for the better when they started going nude. That’s why there are nudist clubs, and resorts, and beaches - because thousands and thousands of others have tried nudism for themselves, and decided to adopt it as a recreation option - or even as a way of life.
It won’t solve all your problems, it’s not a cure-all, it might not even change the world. But it definitely isn’t the big, scary, risky thing you have probably led yourself to believe it was. And the rewards could stay with you for the rest of your new, nude life.
If you’re a naturist already, what did you think the biggest risks were before you tried nudism for the first time, and how did they work out? If you haven’t tried it yet, what are the big risks that are preventing you from going nude for your first time? Let me know in the comments!
Winter is, as they say, coming.
For many nudists, that means earlier nightfall and a break from the stultifying heat of summer sunshine. Residents of the many nudist resorts and communities in Florida, California, Texas, Spain, and other warm areas might be looking forward to a bit of temperate weather.
As a Canadian nudist, though, the rapidly advancing autumn chill brings with it dread for the coming ice and snow. (It's also a time for lamenting the missed opportunities to be nude in the past summer.)
So what are we snowbound Canucks, iced-in Minnesotans, and frozen New York nudists to do? Is the only strategy to light a fire, turn up the heat, and hibernate until the last frost melts?
Luckily, no. Here are some tips to being a winter nudist.
The thing nudists tend to miss most when they're clothed is the feeling of freedom that being nude can bring us. But clothes aren't the only covering you can take advantage of.
You'll tend to be coldest when you're sitting still - working on your laptop or lounging in front of the TV, for example. If your house is cold or drafty, this is when you'll feel it the most. And when this happens, a blanket is your first line of defence. Being nude under a blanket is nude and comfy, and you don't have the restrictions that clothing usually makes you feel.
If you're moving around so much that a blanket is impractical, invest in a quality terrycloth or chenille robe. You can wrap it close around you when you feel chilly and wear it loose and open when you're warming up.
Robe or not, keeping yourself moving is the best way to keep yourself warm. While you're cooking [link to cooking blog post], doing laundry, and other household chores are active enough that even if you're wearing a robe, you'll probably want to shuck it off before too long. (Moving around is good for you, too - check out Amanda Sterczyk's books [link] for more about why you should stay in motion anyway.)
While you're sitting still, you can also keep the cold at bay with a nice warm drink. A herbal tea is a perfect sipper any time of day, but a delicious hot toddy can also be a lovely treat for a chilly night.
One school of thought for some naturists is that being bottomless is the best approach for nudists in cold weather. The thinking behind this is that the need to cover one's genitals is the primary difference between larger society and we nudists. If we are going to cover up, staying bare below the waist asserts that we are still nudists.
I understand the philosophy behind this but I'm not sure it matters. I also find that wearing only, say, a sweatshirt is more effective for keeping me warm than wearing only sweat pants. And it definitely feels more nude, which is when I feel best, too.
In the end, the question is what is best for you. No one should be uncomfortable for the sake of being a nudist, so if you need to dress for the weather, then do so. (As many naturists point out, We're nudists, not idiots.
It would be nice if we lived somewhere the temperature never dipped below the freezing mark. For many of us, there's no other option: winter is a fact of life. It's expensive (and environmentally irresponsible) to crank the heat in the house. Being a nudist in winter just isn't an easy prospect.
But if nudism is an important part of your life, you're going to want to practice it even when the mercury falls out of sight. I hope some of the tips here give you some new strategies for staying nude whatever the weather.
What have you done in the past to stay nude and warm in the winter? Tell me in the comments!
My first trip to a nude beach was relaxing, inspiring, exciting — everything. But I couldn’t just sit on the sand all day and read, I soon realized. I wanted to see the whole beach.
And really, it was more than that: I wanted to be out there. It wasn’t enough to just be nude, to sit passively and let the day pass me by. I needed to assert myself, my newly nude body.
There was also another factor: sandflies. Some relief from the tickling bugs on my legs and back for a little while would be welcome, too.
So I packed up my stuff — I had no idea if anyone would steal anything, but I figured it was less risky to carry my stuff with me. I probably shouldn’t have worried, because the park is a pretty safe place. But the thought of having my clothes stolen was too terrifying, so I draped my towel over one shoulder, slung my bag over the other, and went for a walk.
I could see in the distance, about two kilometres away, where the beach ended, tall cliffs blocked the way, jutting out into the edge of the lake. I would walk to the end, I decided, and then back.
The water was cool on my feet as I walked at its very edge. Even in July, Lake Erie never gets truly warm, and the slight shock of the cold on my skin was another reminder that I was nude, that this was real, that I was doing this.
And as I reached the water and began to walk, I saw someone else: a woman, walking straight down to the water from where she and her male companion were sitting.
If I wasn’t mistaken, we would reach the same part of the shore at the exact same time.
I slowed down, trying to stave off the collision, but like a slow-motion car crash, it soon seemed inevitable.
As she reached the water, only a few feet in front of me, she stopped.
Turned.
Smiled.
And waited for me.
I had been around nude women before, but only my girlfriends and my wife; the context was almost exclusively sexual. Nude women I didn’t know were purely the inhabitants of pornography. This was it: I was going to talk to a nude woman. Her, nude. Me, nude. Us, nude.
You may not know that any interaction with a Canadian must, without exception, include a short discussion of the weather. Nudists are, apparently, not immune to this phenomenon.
“Lovely day, isn’t it?” she said as I approached.
“Glorious,” I said. “I can’t believe it.”
She said something else, I can’t remember what, I don’t know if I listened at the time. All the blood in my body was rushing to my head and making me dizzy.
Wait — not quite all the blood.
I was scared and excited and unnerved and in a very strange situation. I was not looking at the woman’s body but I was very, very conscious of her nudity, and mine.
I was starting to get an erection.
“It’s my first time here,” I told her.
“You couldn’t have picked a better day for a first visit!” she said, all friendly enthusiasm.
It wasn’t getting out of hand — I wasn’t about to poke her with it or anything — but I was more and more conscious of my growing penis, and the more I thought about it the more excited it, or I, got, and the more excited it got the more I thought about it —
“Do you guys come here a lot?” I asked. I wanted to acknowledge that she was with someone else; I wasn’t going to hit on her or say anything creepy.
“A few times a year,” she said. “It’s not too crowded today.”
My towel.
Easy.
I shifted my weight to my other foot, and took the opportunity to shift the strap of my bag a little. And with that movement, I was able to shift the towel as well. It didn’t really cover me up, but it was enough to keep things from being too obvious.
“Water’s going to be cold,” she said, “but I can’t resist swimming when I’m here…”
“I’m going to walk along the beach,” I said. “Since I’ve never been here before.”
“Have a great day,” she said, with a final friendly smile.
I was off. The erection — or partial erection — was now gone, and I was able to saunter off along the beach without any further worries.
I survived my first nudist social interaction, despite some discomfort and nearly-avoided rudeness. I had my first nude conversation. My first time being friendly and nude.
I was really a nudist, now, I decided.
And I loved it.
Do you remember the first time you interacted with a stranger in a nudist venue? What was it like? Add your experiences in the comments!
Becoming a nudist is easy. If you take your clothes off until you’re nude, and like it, and do that somewhere others often don’t, you’re probably a nudist.
That doesn’t mean taking your clothes off around those who don’t take theirs off, and don’t want to see you nude — that’s being an exhibitionist. It doesn’t mean being nude every day, all day — that’s just impractical.
Nudism is a simple preference for one’s own nudity — no more and no less. There is no qualifying amount you must be nude, no particular community you need to be a part of. Nudism isn’t a club. It’s a way of being.
Many people who are new to nudism say things like “I want to be a nudist but I don’t know where to start.” For these people, there seems to be some bar in front of them, some hurdle they need to clear, before they can call themselves nudists.
But the bar is much lower than they think. Want to be a nudist? Take your clothes off. Do you like it? Congratulations! You’re a nudist now.
Part of the problem is when other nudists try to act as gatekeepers. Some seasoned nudists—not all of them, but some of them (and any is too many)— seem to think that if you haven’t been nude in some particular context, like in a public clothing-optional place, or at a nudist venue or organized activity, you’re not a “real” nudist.
While many nudists find social nudism enjoyable, there is no bar you have to get over, no qualification you need to achieve, to identify as a nudist. And gatekeeping about what makes someone a “real” nudist is exclusionary and unnecessary.
So don’t worry about whether you’re a “real” nudist or not. Be nude your own way.
What kind of nudist are you? Or do you consider yourself any “kind” of nudist? Tell me in the comments!
Whether or not you’re a fully committed nudist, joining a nudist group is a good idea. The benefits usually far outweigh the small membership fee.
The first objection that many people have to joining a nudist group is that they can get the same thing for free online. This might be true for some organizations, but it definitely isn’t true for nudist organizations. There are some legitimate online nudist organizations, but they are far outnumbered by illegitimate ones.
Why are so many groups illegitimate? It’s the voyeuristic quality of the internet, unfortunately. When people discover that nudists are posting photos of themselves, the membership quickly explodes with people seeking nude photos. (With the number of nude photos available on the internet already, it’s hard to understand why they do this, but it seems inevitable.)
There are some online organizations that do not require or even allow photos. These sometimes start up really well, but they present another problem: authenticity. There’s no way to know whether a profile represents an actual nudist. Too often, profiles on these sites are just people looking for female nudists to pester for photos, or someone satisfying other, more prurient interests.
It’s far less common for people to join legitimate, established organizations if they aren’t already a nudist. So if you want to be sure you’re part of a group with actual nudists as members, and supporting real nudist values, join an organization that isn’t just online.
Supporting these groups is a small step towards bigger changes we need to make nudism more acceptable in our society.. As the groups gain members, their political clout and public reach increase. Societal change is slow and incremental, but you can help to speed things up by joining an organization. (You can help even more if you’re able to contribute as a volunteer, too.)
One of the most important benefits to joining an organization is information. You’ll hear about issues involving nudism, issues that you might be able to help with (such as by signing a petition). You’ll learn of new nudist groups and venues, or even established venues that you didn’t even know about. But the biggest benefit is getting to know the people who are making nudism a reality. It might feel like a small thing, but so often we say “If only I had known...” This is one way to make sure you’ll know what’s happening, when it happens.
Finally, becoming a member of an established organization helps to legitimize and normalize naturism, not only in general, but for you. By becoming a member you are making a commitment to nudism, and that will have an effect on your own engagement and involvement with the nudist lifestyle.
What organizations are in your region or country, and have you considered joining them? What would you want to get out of a membership in a nudist organization? Tell me in the comments - and post some actions you’d like to see nudist groups take, if you have any ideas!
