Musings on Social Nudity

7 Common Misconceptions about Nudists

As we’ve become more public about our naturist (nudist) travel and clothes-free tendencies, it’s been interesting to see people’s responses as they hear that we like to go on “nakation.” Whether you’re considering it yourself, or simply know somebody with a proclivity for getting naked, I thought this little guide might help you sort things out. (We actually consider ourselves naturists, but that’s another article for another time.)

We live in colonies

This was true! Until 1776 when the colonies became states!

To be fair, when nudist camps first took root in the United States back in the 1930s, some of them were known as colonies as they were essentially self-contained communities with neighborhoods and basic amenities where people could stay for weeks at a time. Though a few of those original communities still exist, the term colony is considered antiquated; even stigmatized.

On the other hand, many places today that call themselves “resorts” seem a bit self-aggrandizing to me. I think of a resort as a place with a themed pool complex, a four-star hotel, and summer camp programs for the kids. Such places are common in Europe, but there are only a couple that caters to naturists that even come close in the US.

But if you talk to your naturist friend about going to the nudist colony this weekend, they’ll likely give you the stink-eye.

We’re all sex-crazed swingers

Well… not all of us! In fact, most naturists are quite at odds with the swinger community, but not because we are judgy about their lifestyle. Speaking for ourselves, we (my wife and I) consider ourselves sex-positive, though we simply prefer not to have sex with other people. I think this is the prevailing attitude amongst most naturists, but we know the general public-at-large is very easily confused about the nudity vs. sex thing, which mucks up the whole thing for all of us!

There are a couple of resorts in Florida that have simply capitulated and marketed themselves to people who want to engage in that kind of (sexy) activity, which is good, as you can see that on their websites, and easily avoid that if that’s not what you’re looking for. What’s most upsetting are those places that advertise themselves as holistic family naturist places, but come Saturday night, things get out of hand. That’s a problem in America. Worried about that? Don’t go on Saturday night!

A funny side note. In our experience, most swingers aren’t terribly keen on getting naked. They like to accessorize with seductive clothing that simply wouldn’t be allowed at a textile resort. That’s the fastest way to recognize that if you’re seeking a place for non-sexual nudity, and you encounter that, you’re in the wrong place.

We’re mostly old guys with moobs and big bellies

Well, that’s not totally a misconception, though the calculus on this one is tricky. If women sense a nude beach or resort is heavily dominated by males, especially middle-aged guys who’ve let their bodies go and seem a bit looky-loo, they aren’t going to feel comfortable getting naked there. Ironically, it’s a safety in numbers thing, as if the gender balance were better, then more women would feel at ease giving it a try. It’s an endless loop.

Many naturist places work to maintain gender balance, which is controversial in the naturist world as that turns out to be discriminatory against single men. But should you ever have a chance to visit a nude beach or naturist place in Europe, you’re likely to find a completely different story, not only with greater gender balance but lots of families as well, which tends to shut down the looky-loo vibe straight away.

Can’t get to Europe? Do your homework and find the right place closer to home. (We can help you with that.)

Nudists are just exhibitionists under another name

Philip Carr-Gomm wrote a book about nakedness where he suggests that to some extent, we’re all exhibitionists, whether we have clothes on or not. I think that’s well supported by the fashion and cosmetic industry that capitalizes on tendencies that cause people — mainly women — to spend an extra 30 minutes every morning making themselves “presentable” before going out in public. We all know we’re going to be seen by other people even when we go to the grocery store, and even if we decide that people are going to see us in sweatpants and a poorly fitted tee, I suspect most have made at least some subconscious decision about that. (Even women who wear a frumpy-looking t-shirt to the quickie mart still put on a bra. That was a decision.)

Do naturists simply want to be seen naked? I suppose some do. Do some people in the grocery store want to be perceived as attractive or eye-catching? I’m quite sure they do. In fact, if you can explain the phenomenon of female sweatpants that have words stenciled or embroidered on the butt, I’d love to hear that. How can I read your butt without looking at it!

But to the point, naturists are a cross-section of the general population and will reflect the demographics thereof. Period.

Children should be protected from seeing naked people

I have yet to read a single study by a psychologist or pediatrician that indicates that encountering non-sexual nudity will damage your children for life, UNLESS… you don’t feel comfortable being naked around your children. They will immediately sense that and pick up the feelings of guilt and shame associated with that.

It seems the ideals of family naturism have pretty much evaporated in the United States. At the beginning of the movement, (back in the 1930s) it was most definitely a family endeavor, but for the most part now, naturism has become an adult activity in the US. Too bad.

Go to France, Germany, or Croatia, however, and you’ll see that family naturism is on the upswing. The places we like to frequent are primarily family destinations where we often see several generations of the same family gathering for their annual reunion. That’s what lured us into European travel when our children were young. They’re all grown now, have seen hundreds if not thousands of naked humans (including their parents hundreds of times), and all appear to be well-adjusted humans who also seem comfortable in their own skin. That worked out.

We just want to see you… naked

Um… well… maybe. But probably not.

I had a friend who followed our lead into naturism over the course of several years. One of her big takeaways was that given the unspoken code of ethics that gawking is considered to be rude in a naturist environment*, people tend to be more intentional about looking you in the eye when they speak to you. And, in fact, reading another human’s eyes tells you a lot about the person you’re speaking to.

*For the record, gawking is rude anywhere, but we tend to let people get away with it in clothed environments.

Centuries of artwork suggest that humans have always been enamored with gazing upon the human form, but naturists tend to be incredibly attuned to the people around them while exercising discretion that is greater than that in most other environments. If you really want to be gawked at, why don’t you wear clothing that accentuates your body and go to a nightclub in Philly or San Francisco? You’re likely to get a lot more attention there.

We want you to accept us… as we are

This is not a misconception. The recurring themes in naturism are freedom, tolerance, and body acceptance. If you keep reading on the topic (Check out my reading list) you’ll find those topics turn up time and again. For us personally, especially in these times when people are so incredibly opinionated and polarized, we try to use naturism as a mode of practicing empathy and tolerance. I may not understand where you’re coming from, but there’s space on the planet for you to be you. We simply want you to extend the same courtesy to us.

I really don’t like Brussels sprouts. I have no desire to go skydiving. I’d like to try a hot air balloon, but I’m a little afraid of that, too. But I really have little to say about people who are totally into those things, especially those I haven’t tried. That’s all most naturists would hope for with their textile counterparts.

Give it a try. Or not. But don’t knock it if it’s not your thing. Life is too short for that.

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