Your article illuminates a current major issue in nudism, "how to attract a younger audience". I'm hoping your study can shine a path on a way to grow the nudist/naturist base. You may have unlocked a mechanism on how to structure an outreach program that nudist organizations can follow and build upon. Model a marketing plan highlighting and defining how being body positive would benefit the physical and mental health of young people. I often invite young men to a men's naturist group. There they see men of all ages, sizes, and ethnic groups. Several now attend more often than I do. Hopefully others may see a way to reach out using your idea. Thanks for sharing your findings.
Indeed, young people today struggle with poor self-image due to unrealistic media standards, and nudism can certainly help counter that. However, there’s another factor we often overlook—not only are we comparing ourselves to unattainable ideals, but we are, in fact, less healthy than past generations. A quick glance at photos of high school students from the 1940s or 1950s compared to today makes the difference clear. Thanks to a more sedentary lifestyle and a sugar- and carb-laden diet, we are generally heavier and less fit. Nudism can improve self-esteem by fostering body acceptance, but so can prioritizing overall health and well-being.
It’s also worth remembering that nudism was originally founded as part of a health and fitness movement, emphasizing physical well-being alongside body acceptance. Perhaps there are elements of that deep history we could bring forward into today's messaging to promote both self-esteem and healthier living.
Spot on article. I went to a Nude Winter Pool Party run by the naturist club to which I belong. It was held at a rented health spa, and was attended by some 40-50 people. The ages of both men and women, from my best guess, ranged from 40s to 90s. (I'm 68). I don't know what the answer is. If more families were in the lifestyle, it would grow naturally, but it seems we need to be proactive, size up our friends, and ease them into a discussion. And an invite!
Alex, Have you talked with your instructor about presenting or publishing your findings? I have recently been reviewing the published literature on nudism and repeatedly what I am seeing are authors saying that nudism is under researched and that nudists make great controls for comparisons on studies regarding eating disorders, body acceptance, and how individuals are treated equitably. Studies are finding that even a short exposure to "real" bodies in non-sexual settings have a lasting impact on how one feels about themself as well as how they view others. I hope your sociology studies continue. Please avail yourself of the grants that are available through AANR Education Foundation and the Naturist Education Foundation to support student research? There is also a call for papers on nudist activities for a conference in Seattle this summer.
Alex, would you say it’s more acceptable in Gen Z to be photographed naked or nearly naked and seen that way? It’s being naked with other people — the casual nudity of gym, showers, or swimming — that is considered odd, even “wrong”?
Being Gen X, as a general trend, I think I’ve noticed this switch or swap of perspectives across the generations.
Great study by the way. I also encourage you to publish it!!
As a millennial, born in 86, I feel that I fall right in the middle of that. And I kind of remember the change, and in away it did occur around the time or the rise of social media, and the (flip) camera phone. I remember my childhood getting naked in the locker room for swimming and seeing adults in the locker room in the 90s, even playing at a friends house nude and using his outdoor swimming pool (Note: his family was from Germany). And although in school we never took showers, at the overnight Y camp I went to from 99-01 it was communal showers, and everyone but one or two kids was find with it. After the 2nd or 3rd night the shy boys came around.
But then, like to say 2005, 2006, was like a switch. I think because people could take photos on their phones people got a bit more cautious. One could notice a stranger taking a photo with a camera, but not a phone. I even remember some phones advertising the "camera phone" as spyware.
That combined with the new social media site MySpace, where people could post "sexy" pics, it made people sacred of casual nudity and give them the ability to sexualize their own bodies for the world to see, by easily posting photos online.
Excellent insight! A well-deserved 96! As a millennial, I think social media has turned from an active activity to a more passive consumption activity, which is not good, considering all of the baggage of the media industry. In the "old days" people would post their personal lives on Facebook for a circle of friends, and now it's more of a TikTok feed "here's what's globally viral that you should see." The personal activity has been relegated to the group chat.
I like your grassroots advocacy prescription and think yes! As nudists, we should be out and proud!
Final point: The perennial problem with nudism is going from "sitting in your house nude" to "going out and doing ________ activity nude." How do we bridge that gap? Does more public action create more converts? Or if we convince enough people that "sitting in your house nude is fun" will that then create demand for public spaces?
I look forward to your smart, fresh perspective. This is what this community needs!
And thank you Planet Nude for providing the platform!
In my observations and remembrance of my own youth, young people hunger for something *real*, some experience they can "sink their teeth into". We naturists have that! We can offer them a life beyond pixels; "that physical thing" as author William Gibson put it. But I agree that to do this, we need to get out there talking!
I used to be a young-20s nudist but alas I’ve aged. It beats the alternative. I was up against boy bands and we had even less knowledge of how unrealistic their bodies were. We also didn’t hear as much about airbrushing and altering of photos. I actually feel a self awareness on textile beaches that I never feel at a nudist venue to this day. I wonder if that is somehow translatable to a message.
If young people were self-conscious about their bodies, they wouldn't go to gyms either, being self-conscious about their physique. However, young people go to fitness classes striving to become perfect. Unfortunately, naturism does not offer such an option to young people. On the contrary, he convinces them to come to terms with their bodies and become like those fat uncles and aunts on nudist beaches. Young people don't want to go with the flow, young people want to overcome challenges. Remember, the peak of naturism was at the time when all naturist resorts hosted competitions and contests to choose Miss and Mr. nudist. We still admire the ancient culture of Ancient Greece with its cult of the beauty of the human body. Modern naturism has abandoned the promotion of the beauty of the human body, and has returned to a hobby for people with unusual figures. Mlodezh is not shy about nudity, but does not want to belong to such an association of such people. Young people want to be strong and slim. When naturism starts promoting this, it will become fashionable and attract the attention of young people.
In fact, body positivity played a cruel joke with naturism, but it did not attract young people, but pushed them away. The main idea of naturism should be a healthy lifestyle and the pursuit of perfection, and body positivity should be used only as an additional option in the form of tolerance to any appearance.
A healthy lifestyle should be aimed at perfecting the body, and body positivity should heal the soul.
It seems to be hard to get young people involved with anything. I was a member of a running club for around 20 years but very few young people joined although you would think that running was a young person's sport. It wasn't just our club. If you went to a 10 mile race there were far fewer people who could run under 1 hour than when I started because the average age was so much higher.
It's sad to see that so naturism is unpopular because half of those surveyed reckoned that they didn't have a good enough body. Naturism should have the opposite effect. On clothing optional beaches I have seen women who have had either full or partial mastectomies, a man with one leg and individuals much larger or much slimmer than average. No one has to be ashamed.
Well stated and a very interesting perspective from a younger generation. As a Gen Xer , totally makes sense to me too! I can relate to much of what was stated as home nudist or bedroom nudist !
Your article illuminates a current major issue in nudism, "how to attract a younger audience". I'm hoping your study can shine a path on a way to grow the nudist/naturist base. You may have unlocked a mechanism on how to structure an outreach program that nudist organizations can follow and build upon. Model a marketing plan highlighting and defining how being body positive would benefit the physical and mental health of young people. I often invite young men to a men's naturist group. There they see men of all ages, sizes, and ethnic groups. Several now attend more often than I do. Hopefully others may see a way to reach out using your idea. Thanks for sharing your findings.
Indeed, young people today struggle with poor self-image due to unrealistic media standards, and nudism can certainly help counter that. However, there’s another factor we often overlook—not only are we comparing ourselves to unattainable ideals, but we are, in fact, less healthy than past generations. A quick glance at photos of high school students from the 1940s or 1950s compared to today makes the difference clear. Thanks to a more sedentary lifestyle and a sugar- and carb-laden diet, we are generally heavier and less fit. Nudism can improve self-esteem by fostering body acceptance, but so can prioritizing overall health and well-being.
It’s also worth remembering that nudism was originally founded as part of a health and fitness movement, emphasizing physical well-being alongside body acceptance. Perhaps there are elements of that deep history we could bring forward into today's messaging to promote both self-esteem and healthier living.
Spot on article. I went to a Nude Winter Pool Party run by the naturist club to which I belong. It was held at a rented health spa, and was attended by some 40-50 people. The ages of both men and women, from my best guess, ranged from 40s to 90s. (I'm 68). I don't know what the answer is. If more families were in the lifestyle, it would grow naturally, but it seems we need to be proactive, size up our friends, and ease them into a discussion. And an invite!
Alex, Have you talked with your instructor about presenting or publishing your findings? I have recently been reviewing the published literature on nudism and repeatedly what I am seeing are authors saying that nudism is under researched and that nudists make great controls for comparisons on studies regarding eating disorders, body acceptance, and how individuals are treated equitably. Studies are finding that even a short exposure to "real" bodies in non-sexual settings have a lasting impact on how one feels about themself as well as how they view others. I hope your sociology studies continue. Please avail yourself of the grants that are available through AANR Education Foundation and the Naturist Education Foundation to support student research? There is also a call for papers on nudist activities for a conference in Seattle this summer.
Thank you, Dr. Hild, for encouraging the researcher!
Alex, would you say it’s more acceptable in Gen Z to be photographed naked or nearly naked and seen that way? It’s being naked with other people — the casual nudity of gym, showers, or swimming — that is considered odd, even “wrong”?
Being Gen X, as a general trend, I think I’ve noticed this switch or swap of perspectives across the generations.
Great study by the way. I also encourage you to publish it!!
As a millennial, born in 86, I feel that I fall right in the middle of that. And I kind of remember the change, and in away it did occur around the time or the rise of social media, and the (flip) camera phone. I remember my childhood getting naked in the locker room for swimming and seeing adults in the locker room in the 90s, even playing at a friends house nude and using his outdoor swimming pool (Note: his family was from Germany). And although in school we never took showers, at the overnight Y camp I went to from 99-01 it was communal showers, and everyone but one or two kids was find with it. After the 2nd or 3rd night the shy boys came around.
But then, like to say 2005, 2006, was like a switch. I think because people could take photos on their phones people got a bit more cautious. One could notice a stranger taking a photo with a camera, but not a phone. I even remember some phones advertising the "camera phone" as spyware.
That combined with the new social media site MySpace, where people could post "sexy" pics, it made people sacred of casual nudity and give them the ability to sexualize their own bodies for the world to see, by easily posting photos online.
Excellent insight! A well-deserved 96! As a millennial, I think social media has turned from an active activity to a more passive consumption activity, which is not good, considering all of the baggage of the media industry. In the "old days" people would post their personal lives on Facebook for a circle of friends, and now it's more of a TikTok feed "here's what's globally viral that you should see." The personal activity has been relegated to the group chat.
I like your grassroots advocacy prescription and think yes! As nudists, we should be out and proud!
Final point: The perennial problem with nudism is going from "sitting in your house nude" to "going out and doing ________ activity nude." How do we bridge that gap? Does more public action create more converts? Or if we convince enough people that "sitting in your house nude is fun" will that then create demand for public spaces?
I look forward to your smart, fresh perspective. This is what this community needs!
And thank you Planet Nude for providing the platform!
1 Potential answer to creating more Gen Z Naturists? Nudietoons The Movie?
In my observations and remembrance of my own youth, young people hunger for something *real*, some experience they can "sink their teeth into". We naturists have that! We can offer them a life beyond pixels; "that physical thing" as author William Gibson put it. But I agree that to do this, we need to get out there talking!
I used to be a young-20s nudist but alas I’ve aged. It beats the alternative. I was up against boy bands and we had even less knowledge of how unrealistic their bodies were. We also didn’t hear as much about airbrushing and altering of photos. I actually feel a self awareness on textile beaches that I never feel at a nudist venue to this day. I wonder if that is somehow translatable to a message.
Would love to see the AANR take some ideas from this study. I wonder if it’s possible to “normalize” nudism on social media
Excellent writing and excellent social science practice! Well Done! :)
If young people were self-conscious about their bodies, they wouldn't go to gyms either, being self-conscious about their physique. However, young people go to fitness classes striving to become perfect. Unfortunately, naturism does not offer such an option to young people. On the contrary, he convinces them to come to terms with their bodies and become like those fat uncles and aunts on nudist beaches. Young people don't want to go with the flow, young people want to overcome challenges. Remember, the peak of naturism was at the time when all naturist resorts hosted competitions and contests to choose Miss and Mr. nudist. We still admire the ancient culture of Ancient Greece with its cult of the beauty of the human body. Modern naturism has abandoned the promotion of the beauty of the human body, and has returned to a hobby for people with unusual figures. Mlodezh is not shy about nudity, but does not want to belong to such an association of such people. Young people want to be strong and slim. When naturism starts promoting this, it will become fashionable and attract the attention of young people.
In fact, body positivity played a cruel joke with naturism, but it did not attract young people, but pushed them away. The main idea of naturism should be a healthy lifestyle and the pursuit of perfection, and body positivity should be used only as an additional option in the form of tolerance to any appearance.
A healthy lifestyle should be aimed at perfecting the body, and body positivity should heal the soul.
It seems to be hard to get young people involved with anything. I was a member of a running club for around 20 years but very few young people joined although you would think that running was a young person's sport. It wasn't just our club. If you went to a 10 mile race there were far fewer people who could run under 1 hour than when I started because the average age was so much higher.
It's sad to see that so naturism is unpopular because half of those surveyed reckoned that they didn't have a good enough body. Naturism should have the opposite effect. On clothing optional beaches I have seen women who have had either full or partial mastectomies, a man with one leg and individuals much larger or much slimmer than average. No one has to be ashamed.
Well stated and a very interesting perspective from a younger generation. As a Gen Xer , totally makes sense to me too! I can relate to much of what was stated as home nudist or bedroom nudist !