This is brilliant! I've been thinking for a while now that most nudist accounts are just "preaching to the choir". Nudism is only a part of my life, and I want my online identity to show my whole life, not just a part. I'm aware that my followers are of all ages, and many would not appreciate me posting in-your-face nudity on my TL. So, I post *about* nudism/naturism, along with my other interests. Occasionally I will repost something from a nudist account that includes some nudity, but I keep it to a minimum, and only pics that are not too explicit, and usually ones that emphasize the social aspects of nudism. I feel like I am able to spread the word to non-nudists more effectively this way, than I could by posting naked selfies. To be clear, I have nothing against posting naked selfies, I have done so on other platforms. I just try to keep my main SM accounts free of that.
Lucille and Earl Hansen ran the nude resort Circle H Ranch in NJ. They also were both trained in advanced first aid and kept the local ambulance parked at the club. They kept jumpsuits by the ambulance so they could cover up and get to an emergency. The entire community knew that when they arrived, while they were wearing professional uniforms, they were completely nude below one layer of cloth. Their neighbors appreciated their service and consideration. In another activity, for a time nudists and naturists offered skin cancer screening at county and State fairs. They wanted to share the attitude of body acceptance with the general public and offered a full-body review along with educational materials. There were some legal concerns that arose, but a voluntary inspection with educational materials was seen as a body positive public service.
There are some examples out there already, such as nudist groups doing highway clean-ups or beach clean-ups. But your greater point is that there needs to be a lot more of that kind of overlapping causes, and I completely agree.
Really good points made here. This is partly why when I filmed a video recently about normalising naturism, I wore a shirt. I didn't want that initial barrier there, particularly when I was not advocating taking up naturism per se, but accepting it as a valid choice by others. We will always be seen as weird to some extent, because our world is sexualised and clothing obsessed. But if we can make it a "normal" facet of everyday life, that may help others to find it less confrontational, and maybe one day even consider it for themselves. I'd love it if my friends all became naturists, but the first battle is them accepting that I'm not doing anything shameful, sexual, sinful, whatever their stumbling block is. At the end of the day, being a good friend, a listening ear, a good teacher, and a respected member of my church leadership are all more important to me than just being "the naturist"
In the UK we have people trying to do this and all we get is abuse and vandalism of property, we also get called pedophiles, so it's not easy to do this, one such person does naked bike rides and spends a lot of his life going into shops naked to raise funds for charities, he has had hi from Wall painted with the words pedo, so you can see the problem we have here.
I believe BN in engaging in this form of advocacy better than most other orgs, and have made great headway in PR and general acceptance in recent years. Of course, there's still a long way to go, but they're providing a model for this approach.
Yes what happened to Stu was horrible. But the UK at least manages to get some generally favourable press, so I think the scale is tipping slightly. Just oh so slowly. Certainly seems more open than when we were last involved in UK naturism 20 years ago (we appeared on C5's Stark Naked but that was quite an uneven show, and of course Naked Jungle was a bit of a debacle!)
Great article but we don't have to reinvent the wheel on this, just follow the leadership of the pioneers of nudism. Hobart Glassey knew in 1933 the importance of creating (an initial) positive impression in the local community so he invited the local press to visit and joined several charitable organizations such as the Elks and Lions clubs, and even coached the local high school wresting team. Years later. Ray Connett and Glen Eden did similar things by joining the local Chamber of Commerce, hosting a Chamber mixer at Glen Eden, sponsoring a booth at the local city's Business Festival, and participating in the local Adopt-a-Highway program. Recently, leadership at many nudist resorts have fallen away from such proactive efforts, to their detriment.
Normalization and acceptance of nudity, as well as charity events should be a natural manifestation of the inner freedom and beliefs of naturists. I think we should think about creating a Naturist Code that declares the beliefs, principles of behavior and lifestyle that unite naturists. It is the inner freedom of a person, the ideas of humanism and tolerance, and not nudity, that should become the basis of the image of a naturist. It is necessary to convey to society the idea that nudity is only an external manifestation of inner freedom and harmony of a person.
Participating (as naturists) in altruistic and social service activities is all well and good. It's something naturists should definitely do. But it's NOT enough.
There simply is no substitute for person-to-person communication between naturists and non-naturists. Posts on social media are of limited usefulness, because non-naturists almost never see them - unless they're brought to their attention by a naturist friend or acquaintance. Even altruistic activities such as British Naturism organizes (Garden tours, fund-raising for the British Heart Foundation) have limited effect.
What individual naturists should do, but usually don't, is explaining naturism to as many friends and acquaintances as possible. Individual naturists are just too secretive about naturism. I know all the usual excuses, of course. But making excuses isn't going to help one bit.
There are just a few ways that naturists can communicate individually with non-naturists. One way, obviously, is conversation in person. It's also possible to do this through social media without "outing" oneself to the whole world. On Facebook, for example, it's easy to limit posts to selected "friends". Just communicate about naturism with that group. Let people know about interesting and fun naturist things you've done - nude beaches, naturist club events, naked hiking or camping, etc.
Other social media may or may not offer that capability. The advantage of using social media is that one can communicate with certain acquaintances who may be receptive to naturist messages but aren't among one's close friends. Especially people one knows but doesn't interact with often, such relatives and people one might know from high school, college, previous workplaces, or friends from places where one previously lived.
The second possibility is to work with a few local naturists to set up informational meetings for the general public to explain naturism. I've written about that in a previous newsletter, and plan to write more. Such meetings could be organized with other members of local landed or non-landed naturist clubs.
Another possibility is to buy an introductory book on naturism for potentially-interested acquaintances. There are several reasonable books on Amazon for around $20 (or less for Kindle versions). For people who seem interested, one might even buy a year's membership in TNS (currently $70) to get 4 issues of their pretty good magazine. (BN membership is cheaper, and available to people anywhere.) Or, if you have such things, lend them to others.
The whole point here is that to have a decent chance of interesting others in naturism the most effective way is personal interaction between individuals. Non-naturists really need to learn from personal experience that naturists are mostly just ordinary people who happen to enjoy being unclothed, in a nonsexual context.
Of course, there's nothing as persuasive as personal experience. Invite others along with you in clothing-optional activities. As Confucius (supposedly) said: "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand."
I was just playing around with a new AI tool, and asked a question relevant to this post. I asked "how to interest non-naturists in naturism". The response seems pretty good. Here it is:
If you want to spark interest in naturism among non-naturists, consider the following suggestions:
Communication and education: Engage in open and respectful conversations about naturism to dispel misconceptions and address any concerns or questions. Provide information about the philosophy and benefits of naturism, emphasizing body acceptance, connection with nature, and increased self-confidence.
Invite participation in nude-friendly activities: Organize or participate in nude-friendly activities that can help newcomers experience the naturist lifestyle in a comfortable and accepting environment. This could include nude yoga or meditation classes, naked hiking or swimming groups, or clothing-optional beach days.
Share personal experiences: Share your own positive experiences and how naturism has impacted your life. Personal stories can be compelling and help others understand the transformative aspects of embracing nudity in a naturist context.
Respect boundaries and privacy: Emphasize that naturism is a personal choice and that everyone's comfort levels should be respected. Make it clear that nudity is not mandatory in all aspects of naturism and that consent and individual boundaries are paramount.
Provide resources and community connections: Offer information about naturist organizations, clubs, or resorts where newcomers can learn more and connect with like-minded individuals. Having access to a supportive community can help individuals explore naturism at their own pace.
Remember, introducing someone to naturism should be a gentle and gradual process. Respect their boundaries, be patient, and allow them to discover if naturism is something that resonates with them.
It is necessary to try to convey the following aspects of naturism to non - naturists through their lifestyle and activities:
1. Naturism is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle,
taking care of your own health, physical and mental.
2. Naturism is a model of humanism and tolerance in relation to any features of the human body structure.
3. Naturism is impossible in an unfavorable ecological environment. Therefore, naturism is taking care of nature, supporting and participating in all kinds of environmental programs.
All these aspects of naturism are organically connected with human nudity, and therefore are most vividly and uncompromisingly realized in the nude. Therefore, naturism is not about sex, naturism is about health, humanism and ecology.
This is brilliant! I've been thinking for a while now that most nudist accounts are just "preaching to the choir". Nudism is only a part of my life, and I want my online identity to show my whole life, not just a part. I'm aware that my followers are of all ages, and many would not appreciate me posting in-your-face nudity on my TL. So, I post *about* nudism/naturism, along with my other interests. Occasionally I will repost something from a nudist account that includes some nudity, but I keep it to a minimum, and only pics that are not too explicit, and usually ones that emphasize the social aspects of nudism. I feel like I am able to spread the word to non-nudists more effectively this way, than I could by posting naked selfies. To be clear, I have nothing against posting naked selfies, I have done so on other platforms. I just try to keep my main SM accounts free of that.
Lucille and Earl Hansen ran the nude resort Circle H Ranch in NJ. They also were both trained in advanced first aid and kept the local ambulance parked at the club. They kept jumpsuits by the ambulance so they could cover up and get to an emergency. The entire community knew that when they arrived, while they were wearing professional uniforms, they were completely nude below one layer of cloth. Their neighbors appreciated their service and consideration. In another activity, for a time nudists and naturists offered skin cancer screening at county and State fairs. They wanted to share the attitude of body acceptance with the general public and offered a full-body review along with educational materials. There were some legal concerns that arose, but a voluntary inspection with educational materials was seen as a body positive public service.
💯
There are some examples out there already, such as nudist groups doing highway clean-ups or beach clean-ups. But your greater point is that there needs to be a lot more of that kind of overlapping causes, and I completely agree.
Thoughtful and inspiring. Now I'm thinking to myself, "what can I actually DO?" to put a face on nudism and make friends across the great divide?
Really good points made here. This is partly why when I filmed a video recently about normalising naturism, I wore a shirt. I didn't want that initial barrier there, particularly when I was not advocating taking up naturism per se, but accepting it as a valid choice by others. We will always be seen as weird to some extent, because our world is sexualised and clothing obsessed. But if we can make it a "normal" facet of everyday life, that may help others to find it less confrontational, and maybe one day even consider it for themselves. I'd love it if my friends all became naturists, but the first battle is them accepting that I'm not doing anything shameful, sexual, sinful, whatever their stumbling block is. At the end of the day, being a good friend, a listening ear, a good teacher, and a respected member of my church leadership are all more important to me than just being "the naturist"
In the UK we have people trying to do this and all we get is abuse and vandalism of property, we also get called pedophiles, so it's not easy to do this, one such person does naked bike rides and spends a lot of his life going into shops naked to raise funds for charities, he has had hi from Wall painted with the words pedo, so you can see the problem we have here.
I believe BN in engaging in this form of advocacy better than most other orgs, and have made great headway in PR and general acceptance in recent years. Of course, there's still a long way to go, but they're providing a model for this approach.
Yes what happened to Stu was horrible. But the UK at least manages to get some generally favourable press, so I think the scale is tipping slightly. Just oh so slowly. Certainly seems more open than when we were last involved in UK naturism 20 years ago (we appeared on C5's Stark Naked but that was quite an uneven show, and of course Naked Jungle was a bit of a debacle!)
Great article but we don't have to reinvent the wheel on this, just follow the leadership of the pioneers of nudism. Hobart Glassey knew in 1933 the importance of creating (an initial) positive impression in the local community so he invited the local press to visit and joined several charitable organizations such as the Elks and Lions clubs, and even coached the local high school wresting team. Years later. Ray Connett and Glen Eden did similar things by joining the local Chamber of Commerce, hosting a Chamber mixer at Glen Eden, sponsoring a booth at the local city's Business Festival, and participating in the local Adopt-a-Highway program. Recently, leadership at many nudist resorts have fallen away from such proactive efforts, to their detriment.
Normalization and acceptance of nudity, as well as charity events should be a natural manifestation of the inner freedom and beliefs of naturists. I think we should think about creating a Naturist Code that declares the beliefs, principles of behavior and lifestyle that unite naturists. It is the inner freedom of a person, the ideas of humanism and tolerance, and not nudity, that should become the basis of the image of a naturist. It is necessary to convey to society the idea that nudity is only an external manifestation of inner freedom and harmony of a person.
Participating (as naturists) in altruistic and social service activities is all well and good. It's something naturists should definitely do. But it's NOT enough.
There simply is no substitute for person-to-person communication between naturists and non-naturists. Posts on social media are of limited usefulness, because non-naturists almost never see them - unless they're brought to their attention by a naturist friend or acquaintance. Even altruistic activities such as British Naturism organizes (Garden tours, fund-raising for the British Heart Foundation) have limited effect.
What individual naturists should do, but usually don't, is explaining naturism to as many friends and acquaintances as possible. Individual naturists are just too secretive about naturism. I know all the usual excuses, of course. But making excuses isn't going to help one bit.
There are just a few ways that naturists can communicate individually with non-naturists. One way, obviously, is conversation in person. It's also possible to do this through social media without "outing" oneself to the whole world. On Facebook, for example, it's easy to limit posts to selected "friends". Just communicate about naturism with that group. Let people know about interesting and fun naturist things you've done - nude beaches, naturist club events, naked hiking or camping, etc.
Other social media may or may not offer that capability. The advantage of using social media is that one can communicate with certain acquaintances who may be receptive to naturist messages but aren't among one's close friends. Especially people one knows but doesn't interact with often, such relatives and people one might know from high school, college, previous workplaces, or friends from places where one previously lived.
The second possibility is to work with a few local naturists to set up informational meetings for the general public to explain naturism. I've written about that in a previous newsletter, and plan to write more. Such meetings could be organized with other members of local landed or non-landed naturist clubs.
Another possibility is to buy an introductory book on naturism for potentially-interested acquaintances. There are several reasonable books on Amazon for around $20 (or less for Kindle versions). For people who seem interested, one might even buy a year's membership in TNS (currently $70) to get 4 issues of their pretty good magazine. (BN membership is cheaper, and available to people anywhere.) Or, if you have such things, lend them to others.
The whole point here is that to have a decent chance of interesting others in naturism the most effective way is personal interaction between individuals. Non-naturists really need to learn from personal experience that naturists are mostly just ordinary people who happen to enjoy being unclothed, in a nonsexual context.
Of course, there's nothing as persuasive as personal experience. Invite others along with you in clothing-optional activities. As Confucius (supposedly) said: "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand."
I was just playing around with a new AI tool, and asked a question relevant to this post. I asked "how to interest non-naturists in naturism". The response seems pretty good. Here it is:
If you want to spark interest in naturism among non-naturists, consider the following suggestions:
Communication and education: Engage in open and respectful conversations about naturism to dispel misconceptions and address any concerns or questions. Provide information about the philosophy and benefits of naturism, emphasizing body acceptance, connection with nature, and increased self-confidence.
Invite participation in nude-friendly activities: Organize or participate in nude-friendly activities that can help newcomers experience the naturist lifestyle in a comfortable and accepting environment. This could include nude yoga or meditation classes, naked hiking or swimming groups, or clothing-optional beach days.
Share personal experiences: Share your own positive experiences and how naturism has impacted your life. Personal stories can be compelling and help others understand the transformative aspects of embracing nudity in a naturist context.
Respect boundaries and privacy: Emphasize that naturism is a personal choice and that everyone's comfort levels should be respected. Make it clear that nudity is not mandatory in all aspects of naturism and that consent and individual boundaries are paramount.
Provide resources and community connections: Offer information about naturist organizations, clubs, or resorts where newcomers can learn more and connect with like-minded individuals. Having access to a supportive community can help individuals explore naturism at their own pace.
Remember, introducing someone to naturism should be a gentle and gradual process. Respect their boundaries, be patient, and allow them to discover if naturism is something that resonates with them.
It is necessary to try to convey the following aspects of naturism to non - naturists through their lifestyle and activities:
1. Naturism is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle,
taking care of your own health, physical and mental.
2. Naturism is a model of humanism and tolerance in relation to any features of the human body structure.
3. Naturism is impossible in an unfavorable ecological environment. Therefore, naturism is taking care of nature, supporting and participating in all kinds of environmental programs.
All these aspects of naturism are organically connected with human nudity, and therefore are most vividly and uncompromisingly realized in the nude. Therefore, naturism is not about sex, naturism is about health, humanism and ecology.