02/06/24 We have a permanent camper at a Gay clothing optional campground. We are fine with that option. I am often/usually naked while my husband is not naked. As a long time nudist I have no issues being naked around those wearing clothes or swimsuits at the pool.
I think the oddest experience is to go to a clothing optional area; get naked; walk out to the hot springs or other recreation area; and, everyone is clothed. It is an uneasy feeling -- is this really a clothing optional spot, or did I mess up. Can impact your confidence. I should add, that for me (and the experience has happen once or twice) beyond the impact to my confidence is the sudden panic attack. Did I really screw-up? Am I about to get arrested for indecent exposure? Have to register as a sex offender, because I got naked on the wrong day (there is a hot springs here that has a suit required/clothing optional schedule)?
Hmm. I don't agree that everyone should be required to go nude in a truly public spot to boost my confidence or yours. How is that different from being required to wear a swimsuit when you'd prefer not?
I don't think the issue is that clothing optional should have to equal everyone gets naked. Would defeat the optional aspect. The survey question was about different aspects and one was to communicate expectations in order to achieve a balance. That was my point. A balance allows no one to feel out of place.
Absolutely… and I agree with you that a mix is ideal. However, since we can’t mandate a balance, there are times when someone has got to be the first to disrobe. Sometimes it’s been me, sometimes it might be you.
I have been a nudist for 30 years. But I might never have discovered such a big part of my life if I hadn’t had the option to wear a bathing suit the first time ( my husband tells the story of how I lay face down on a lounge chair for 15 minutes with my top off, and was totally naked for the rest of the day and years after). So I’m fine with that option because it’s how people discover the nudist life. I also play in nude volleyball tournaments and quite frankly when it’s cold being able to throw on a T shirt is just common sense.
Other than bad weather, clothes are not really necessary. For me, the whole point of naturism is shedding clothes to return to our natural state. We should promote that ideal.
Clothing optional must be exactly what it says: clothing optional, so either clothed, or fully or partially unclothed, as you feel comfortable!
Not everyone feels comfortable on a purely nudist beach, e.g. in couples where only one person is a nudist and then a clothing optional environment is a good compromise.
But in my opinion it is very important to ACCEPT the respective clothing preferences!
My answer to this would be dependant upon specifics of the situation and setting. In a truly public place (for example, a beach or a swimming hole in the wild) people should feel free to be as dressed or as undressed as they prefer. At a nudist resort, I'm fine with people covering up after too much sun exposure or for warmth. An exception would be in pool areas, which I believe should require total nudity. But, even there, there should be allowances, such as for menstruating women or people trying to protect a recent surgical scar from the sun, etc. It's not good to be too rigid.
Well... let's use common sense here, of course, one should wear warm clothing when it is warranted, however, if there is no set precedent for following true nudism ideology (i.e. Clothing is Not Permitted in this Area) then what is the purpose? We should all be true to our beliefs, and if you are not willing to truly accept the fundamentals of living a nude life then maybe you are in the wrong place. Now this is not to shun newbies, but, there must be an understanding and an ultimate desire to be part of what we as nudists have come to appreciate and enjoy with like-minded people. On a final note... the more that participate in a totally nude environment the more relaxed the atmosphere becomes.
Unfortunately the "rule" - I don't want to or can't, so you're not allowed - has become the norm, so the freedom to wear what I want is always appreciated.
Personally, I believe that if you go to a nudist resort and remain clothed on a warm day, you might as well just go to a textile resort. I begin to wonder if the clothed person is there for the wrong reasons? I do understand that there are medical conditions that require different levels of clothing. Glen Eden's approach to medical conditions is appropriate allowing clothing with prior approval. Otherwise, naked all the way!
I agree that balance is important and that many people will get intimidated when the majority is clothed. But we also believe that clothing-optional should mean exactly what the word says, because otherwise it just becomes confusing. Imagine that a place advertises as nude-optional and then encourages you to remain clothed...
The naturist community introduced the idea of “clothing optional” to allow beginners to feel their way in gently to full nudity, and for non-naturist partners to accompany nude visitors. Accepting “clothing optional” as “wear what you like” is against the spirit of that and should be resisted. If the pendulum has swung too far, we need a new term to preserve naturist spaces while accepting cautious or sceptical beginners.
Our first experience at a clothing optional beach was that some would and some wouldn't. The ones that remained clothed were however looked at very differently because they chose to come to a beach that was clothing optional and remain clothed.
I get that it can take time to be comfortable nude in public but spending an entire day clothed in the nudist section of the beach is somewhat creepy. I am ok with some grace period, we all had to rip the bandaid off at some point in time.
Expect that some wearing clothes are there to just see those without clothing. Some wearing clothing may be there as first timers who feel the need to ease out of their clothing. All I know is that if the signage is "optional", expect to find all kinds there. Ownership makes the rules.
We may be nudists, but we are not stupid. When it gets cooler, adjust. If you are cold, it doesn’t make sense to not get warm.
02/06/24 We have a permanent camper at a Gay clothing optional campground. We are fine with that option. I am often/usually naked while my husband is not naked. As a long time nudist I have no issues being naked around those wearing clothes or swimsuits at the pool.
I think the oddest experience is to go to a clothing optional area; get naked; walk out to the hot springs or other recreation area; and, everyone is clothed. It is an uneasy feeling -- is this really a clothing optional spot, or did I mess up. Can impact your confidence. I should add, that for me (and the experience has happen once or twice) beyond the impact to my confidence is the sudden panic attack. Did I really screw-up? Am I about to get arrested for indecent exposure? Have to register as a sex offender, because I got naked on the wrong day (there is a hot springs here that has a suit required/clothing optional schedule)?
Hmm. I don't agree that everyone should be required to go nude in a truly public spot to boost my confidence or yours. How is that different from being required to wear a swimsuit when you'd prefer not?
I don't think the issue is that clothing optional should have to equal everyone gets naked. Would defeat the optional aspect. The survey question was about different aspects and one was to communicate expectations in order to achieve a balance. That was my point. A balance allows no one to feel out of place.
Absolutely… and I agree with you that a mix is ideal. However, since we can’t mandate a balance, there are times when someone has got to be the first to disrobe. Sometimes it’s been me, sometimes it might be you.
In those few (2) occasions i asked and the others around said no problem. I enjoyed, there was no problem.
I have been a nudist for 30 years. But I might never have discovered such a big part of my life if I hadn’t had the option to wear a bathing suit the first time ( my husband tells the story of how I lay face down on a lounge chair for 15 minutes with my top off, and was totally naked for the rest of the day and years after). So I’m fine with that option because it’s how people discover the nudist life. I also play in nude volleyball tournaments and quite frankly when it’s cold being able to throw on a T shirt is just common sense.
Other than bad weather, clothes are not really necessary. For me, the whole point of naturism is shedding clothes to return to our natural state. We should promote that ideal.
Clothing optional must be exactly what it says: clothing optional, so either clothed, or fully or partially unclothed, as you feel comfortable!
Not everyone feels comfortable on a purely nudist beach, e.g. in couples where only one person is a nudist and then a clothing optional environment is a good compromise.
But in my opinion it is very important to ACCEPT the respective clothing preferences!
My answer to this would be dependant upon specifics of the situation and setting. In a truly public place (for example, a beach or a swimming hole in the wild) people should feel free to be as dressed or as undressed as they prefer. At a nudist resort, I'm fine with people covering up after too much sun exposure or for warmth. An exception would be in pool areas, which I believe should require total nudity. But, even there, there should be allowances, such as for menstruating women or people trying to protect a recent surgical scar from the sun, etc. It's not good to be too rigid.
Well... let's use common sense here, of course, one should wear warm clothing when it is warranted, however, if there is no set precedent for following true nudism ideology (i.e. Clothing is Not Permitted in this Area) then what is the purpose? We should all be true to our beliefs, and if you are not willing to truly accept the fundamentals of living a nude life then maybe you are in the wrong place. Now this is not to shun newbies, but, there must be an understanding and an ultimate desire to be part of what we as nudists have come to appreciate and enjoy with like-minded people. On a final note... the more that participate in a totally nude environment the more relaxed the atmosphere becomes.
Unfortunately the "rule" - I don't want to or can't, so you're not allowed - has become the norm, so the freedom to wear what I want is always appreciated.
We stopped going to a "clothing optional " resort because we were uncomfortable being the only nude people there
Where?
Personally, I believe that if you go to a nudist resort and remain clothed on a warm day, you might as well just go to a textile resort. I begin to wonder if the clothed person is there for the wrong reasons? I do understand that there are medical conditions that require different levels of clothing. Glen Eden's approach to medical conditions is appropriate allowing clothing with prior approval. Otherwise, naked all the way!
I agree that balance is important and that many people will get intimidated when the majority is clothed. But we also believe that clothing-optional should mean exactly what the word says, because otherwise it just becomes confusing. Imagine that a place advertises as nude-optional and then encourages you to remain clothed...
The naturist community introduced the idea of “clothing optional” to allow beginners to feel their way in gently to full nudity, and for non-naturist partners to accompany nude visitors. Accepting “clothing optional” as “wear what you like” is against the spirit of that and should be resisted. If the pendulum has swung too far, we need a new term to preserve naturist spaces while accepting cautious or sceptical beginners.
"Clothing-optional" works best when there's a strong core of folks committed to being clothesfree. Otherwise it becomes uncomfortable for seekers.
Our first experience at a clothing optional beach was that some would and some wouldn't. The ones that remained clothed were however looked at very differently because they chose to come to a beach that was clothing optional and remain clothed.
I get that it can take time to be comfortable nude in public but spending an entire day clothed in the nudist section of the beach is somewhat creepy. I am ok with some grace period, we all had to rip the bandaid off at some point in time.
But it does give people a chance to hang with nude folks and realize that it's a normal thing.
Expect that some wearing clothes are there to just see those without clothing. Some wearing clothing may be there as first timers who feel the need to ease out of their clothing. All I know is that if the signage is "optional", expect to find all kinds there. Ownership makes the rules.