Going Natural: A chronicle of Canadian naturism
As the official journal of the Federation of Canadian Naturists since its founding in 1986, Going Natural has been the flagship of Canada’s nudist movement.
This year, Going Natural magazine kicked off its 40th year in print. As the official journal of the Federation of Canadian Naturists since the organization was founded in 1986, it has been the flagship of Canada’s naturist movement.
For 155 issues, the magazine has consistently provided Canadians with insights into naturist lifestyles, news, and advocacy from not just their own country but all around the world. Its enduring presence reflects the evolution and resilience of naturism within Canada’s cultural landscape.
Introducing Going Natural to readers in the summer of 1986, the editors wrote:
“It is the practice of complete and communal nudity that gives naturism its unique quality, and while this may be the most visible characteristic, it is but a part of a much wider context.
“The purpose of naturism is to foster belief in the wholesomeness of the human body and the stability of mind and spirit which grows in those accustomed to seeing and respecting the human body as created….
“Nude living effectively removes a barrier that has been created between the human species and the natural environment that will always be essential for its survival. Naturism is a process devised to secure a simpler, healthier, and more human life; one with an ample sense of joy and freedom.”
That viewpoint has guided the editors, writers, and photographers whose work has appeared in the magazine ever since. The small group of naturists who established Going Natural probably wouldn’t have guessed that the black-and-white newsprint quarterly “bulletin” that they typed out and (literally) copy-and-pasted together would still be going strong almost a half-century later.
Origins
In the summer of 1985, at Glen Echo Naturist Park near Toronto, Doug Beckett put out a call for volunteers. He had a vision for a newsletter, an organ around which a pan-Canadian naturist alliance might be formed. Recognizing the need for a dedicated platform to disseminate information and foster community, the new FCN launched Going Natural the following year.
The magazine aimed to educate, connect, and advocate for naturist values, promoting body acceptance and holistic living among not just existing naturists but also, eventually, the general public across Canada.
The core “staff” in those early days included Beckett, his wife Helen Beckett, and Petra Scheller. Au Naturel, the magazine of the Fédération québécoise de naturisme (Quebec Federation of Naturism, the FQN), provided an example for these naturist journalists to follow.
They printed 1,000 copies of the new magazine’s first edition, even though the FCN at the time was still in its infancy, with only 119 members. But Going Natural became the advance agent, the ambassador, of the new federation. Clubs and individual naturists often encountered the magazine before ever meeting another member of the FCN in person.
Evolution
Throughout the late 1980s and into the ’90s, the magazine’s reach expanded along with the FCN’s growing ranks. It featured a diverse array of content, including articles on naturist events, naturist travel destinations, legal developments, media campaigns, health and wellness, families and children in naturism, club and resort reviews, and personal narratives.
A contribution from a Canadian prime minister even appeared in its pages. None other than Brian Mulroney dispatched a letter to the FCN in response to a campaign by Going Natural and a coalition of organizations opposed to a censorship bill he was pushing in parliament but which ultimately failed (check out this article for the full story).
The magazine has also highlighted international naturist news, reflecting Canada’s active participation in the global naturist community—especially in the International Naturist Federation.
Advocacy and encouragement of women’s participation in naturism has been a central aspect of the magazine’s reporting across its 40 years. Personal memoirs have especially been important for promoting the mental and physical benefits of naturism when it comes to women’s self-acceptance in a society where they are so often judged and objectified.
Sara Hardy, author of a 2020 article titled “Women: Stop hating your body—go naked,” shared her initial experience at a naturist park and “seeing other women’s naked bodies for the first time.” The “unbelievable life lesson” she learned—to reconsider what “normal” meant—changed everything for her.
As she wrote, “Becoming a nudist helped with my depression.” It’s a story that repeats over the decades in the pages of Going Natural.
Activism for naturist spaces and rights have been another mainstay in its pages, including campaigns around Hanlan’s Point Beach in Toronto, Wreck Beach in Vancouver, and many more.
In 1997, Going Natural went upscale, integrating higher quality paper and crisp color photography into its production. The editorial board was enlarged, and a new national naturist photo library was initiated. The average issue of the magazine also expanded from 20 to 28 pages.
As Doug Beckett wrote in the winter edition that year:
“The more we work with the FCN organization, the more we realize that this magazine is our most effective product. It is the means by which we keep our membership informed about how and where naturism is being enjoyed in this country and other places, and how to help to make naturism more accepted and to grow in popularity. For with growth, there will be more naturist groups, clubs, and resorts, and naturism will then be accessible to more people.”
The Summer 2004 issue featured the magazine’s first feature article about “Gay Nudism in Canada,” discussing the events and activism of TNT!MEN (Totally Naked Toronto Men Enjoying Nudity) and the annual gatherings of Gay Naturists International, which attracted dozens of Canadians. Author Garth Barriere wrote that nudism “is a way for gay men to stay connected in a positive way to their bodies,” which “have been the site of so much shame.”
During this same era, Going Natural was redesigned for its big debut on Canadian newsstands and in mainstream bookstores around the country. It featured a glossy cover and a new tagline: “Canada’s Magazine for Nude Living.” Under the editorship of Paul Rapoport, Going Natural worked to broaden its reach to draw more of the “clothed but curious” into the naturist movement.
A note from the publisher in the summer issue declared: “We need to take an already impressive magazine and redesign it to fit in with the most professional magazines on the newsstands.”
Unfortunately, results didn’t end up meeting expectations. Too many store owners were placing Going Natural with the “adult” magazines rather than alongside recreational and special interest titles. Some retailers also objected to representations of family-oriented naturism.
“Our problem did not lie in quality,” FCN leaders Ron Schout and Karen Grant wrote years later, “but rather in acceptance.” The FCN refused to back down in the face of retailer ignorance and maintained its principled stance on what naturism means and how it should be portrayed.
Changing media consumption habits and rising printing and postage costs compelled the magazine to make another change in this era. It switched to a hybrid digital/print publishing schedule in the mid-2010s, issuing two print and two online-only editions per year. A stabilization of the volunteer base and rationalization of the magazine’s production processes allowed it to resume the four print issue schedule in the spring of 2019.
Today, digital editions of every new issue—along with all of Going Natural’s back issues—are available for members on the FCN website, which offers interactive features and broader reach while ensuring the magazine’s continued relevance.
Looking ahead
Throughout its history, the magazine has played a pivotal role in uniting the Canadian naturist community. Through its collaboration with the FQN and the now bilingual Going Natural / Au Naturel, the magazine is a platform that reflects Canada’s linguistic diversity.
The magazine’s enduring presence attests to its role in advocating for naturist principles and providing a voice for naturist individuals and clubs across the country. With its comprehensive coverage and adaptability, it continues to be an essential resource for Canadian naturists.
Going Natural / Au Naturel stands as a testament to the vibrancy and resilience of Canada’s naturist movement. From its origins as a print publication to its evolution into a hybrid platform, the magazine has consistently championed the values of body positivity, freedom, and community. 🪐
An earlier version of this article first appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of Going Natural.
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