News of the Nude, Jun. 2025
Volume 30: A selective stockpile of sweeping story summaries skewering stigma and systemic sensationalization
Hey friends. Welcome to another News of the Nude.
This month in our monthly media review series we look at stories from all around the world, with a real focus on the ways in which they are framed by the press. There are examples of stories that are told open-mindedly and objectively, and many more that are sensationalized and extracted and distorted in service of the almighty eyeball. The ways the media frames the stories that people hear about nudity—and nudists and naturists as well—tint the lenses of the cultural zeitgeist. By studying the media, maybe we can influence it.
You’ll also find several pieces about summer events and gatherings—bike rides, marches, festivals—all of which tend to attract cameras and headlines. How these moments are covered matters too, especially as more people experience social nudity for the first time.
So let’s dive in. Thanks, as always, for reading. 🚀
News of the Nude, Vol. 30 🪐
Nudists March In Mexico City To Celebrate Body Positivity
We’re delighted to report that The Onion, our favorite long-running satirical newspaper, has trained its deadpan lens on Día al Desnudo, Mexico’s growing national day of body freedom. In true Onion fashion, the article doesn’t go far beyond a one-liner headline and some characteristically absurd reader reactions (“The only ones I wanna see nude in a parade are Garfield and Snoopy”), but the fact that this now-annual event has entered the parody zeitgeist is something to celebrate. A naturist event making headlines and punchlines? That’s cultural relevance.
As Planet Nude reported earlier this month, the 2025 Día al Desnudo marches in Guadalajara and Mexico City drew over 1,500 participants, more than doubling previous years. With yoga, art, and community-building at its heart, and with clear codes of consent and conduct, this march continues to reshape public perception of nudity in Mexican society. 🚀
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Nude bike parade in Brussels exposes benefits and dangers of cycling
A group of over 100 cyclists took to the streets of Brussels this month wearing nothing but sunscreen for the 20th edition of Cyclonudista, a nude protest ride that calls for improved cycling infrastructure, celebrates environmentalism, and promotes body freedom. Organizer Jérôme Jolibois emphasized that while some improvements have been made, the city’s bike lanes still avoid the most dangerous areas—and he’s calling on officials to do more. Jérôme, who I spoke with in 2022 for Naked Age podcast, is an original founder of the ride and has organized it for two decades.
As with World Naked Bike Rides around the globe, the nudity here is both symbolic and strategic: a statement about the vulnerability of cyclists, and a broader invitation to shed shame around the human body. “Being naked doesn’t hurt anyone,” Jolibois is quoted, “unlike car pollution.” 🚀
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The new nudity: A 21st-century guide to taking off your clothes
In a refreshing article from a mainstream media publication, journalist Maureen O’Hare explores the growing appeal of social nudity through a visit to British Naturism: Sunfolk, a rejuvenated naturist haven outside London that was privately owned for nearly 90 years and was given to British Naturism after years of falling into disrepair. BN has since invested in the renovation and revival of the property, officially reopening it this month. The piece above serves as both cultural commentary and first-person reportage, offering a respectful and human look at a tradition often misrepresented in mainstream media.
O’Hare spoke with several naturist friends in this article—a couple of whom are occasional Planet Nude contributors—and I’m proud to disclose she also reached out to me directly for some historical and cultural background by phone. While her final piece exclusively quotes Sunfolk attendees, many of whom are leaders in the British naturist movement, I was glad to support what became a truly stellar piece of journalism. Notably, O’Hare didn’t just observe from the sidelines—she immersed herself in the experience, taking part in social nudism firsthand, apparently for her first time. That willingness to engage is part of what gives this piece its integrity.
This isn’t her first standout article on the subject of nudism. In 2024, she authored a widely praised guide to nude beach etiquette for CNN, interviewing another Planet Nude contributor,
. Her work stands in stark contrast to the tired sensationalism so often seen in publications like the Daily Mail, which routinely reduce naturist events to cheeky headlines and innuendo. This is what real journalism looks like. 🚀Court Dismisses Charges Against Nude Anti-Corruption Demonstrators
This is the latest of a developing story we’ve followed closely in News of the Nude and on Planet Nude. On June 12, the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court in Kampala officially dismissed nuisance charges against three women arrested last September for staging a semi-nude anti-corruption protest near Uganda’s Parliament. The protest—led by Norah Kobusingye, Kemitoma Kyenzibo, and Aloikin Praise Opoloje—sparked both outrage and admiration, with police accusing them of causing “annoyance” by marching with slogans painted on their bodies. The court tossed the case after prosecutors failed to present any evidence.
As readers may recall, Opoloje was recently profiled on Planet Nude after receiving the European Union’s Human Rights Defender of the Year award for her bold role in that very demonstration. The court’s dismissal is a small but significant vindication—not just of the women’s right to protest, but of nudity as a legitimate tool of resistance. 🚀
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Trans woman swims topless in protest at being forced to swim with men
Anne Isabella Coombes, a 67-year-old trans woman, protested Swim England’s trans-exclusionary policies by swimming topless in an 'open' category race, highlighting the contradictions and stigma embedded in the sport’s gender regulations. Despite previously competing in female events, new rules introduced by the governing body barred her from the women’s category and required her to compete against men—while still mandating she wear a women’s swimsuit.
Coombes chose to swim in men’s trunks without a top to call attention to the policy’s absurdity, saying it effectively outs trans athletes while offering no fair or respectful alternative. Her act joins a broader wave of topless trans protests in the UK, including a recent demonstration outside Scottish Parliament aimed at challenging legal definitions that exclude trans women from recognition as women—an event we reported on in last month’s News of the Nude.
For naturists and body-freedom advocates, Coombes’ protest ought to resonate. Her gesture exposes the arbitrary, often dehumanizing rules imposed on bodies—especially womens’ bodies and trans bodies—and makes a compelling case for bodily autonomy in both sport and society. 🚀
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Elderly couple at Redlands nudist resort were killed over a hot dog, detective testifies
The Blaze, Metro, The Sun, 97.3 The Dawg, Daily Star, MSN • June 21, 2025
Last week, the Olive Dell Ranch murder case returned to national headlines after a San Bernardino detective testified that the accused killer allegedly told another inmate he was provoked by being offered a hot dog. That single, bizarre detail was enough to relaunch a tabloid feeding frenzy, with outlets like The Sun, The Blaze, and Metro reducing the tragedy to punchlines about nudity, wieners, and “nudist colonies.” The headlines were quick, viral, and deeply disrespectful—not only to the murdered couple, Stephanie and Daniel Menard, but to the entire community at Olive Dell.
We’ve already written extensively about this story on Planet Nude, including a full editorial on June 25: What the hot dog headlines don’t tell you. That piece reflects on how the press has distorted this tragedy since day one, leaning on voyeurism and stereotypes instead of compassion or truth. The latest round of coverage only continues that trend—repackaging grief for cheap laughs, and turning a devastating act of violence into another excuse to mock naturists. If you’re interested in the real story behind the headlines, we encourage you to read the full editorial. 🚀
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Politician Proposes FKK-Swinger Trip with Preparatory Course
In what might generously be described as an unconventional tourism initiative, Mannheim city council member Julien Ferrat has sparked international headlines with his plan for an eight-day “FKK swinger vacation” in Cap d’Agde, France. Billed as a political education trip exploring niche tourism, the proposal includes preparatory workshops in Mannheim and a program mixing naturist leisure with discussion and, controversially, elements of Tantra-inspired activity.
While Ferrat insists the initiative is meant to explore the intersection of tourism, sexuality, and economic development, media coverage has—unsurprisingly—latched onto the sensational. The Daily Mail, for instance, ran a predictably lurid headline: “German politician invites the entire country to ‘educational’ nudist swinger holiday and ‘training camp with outdoor sex’”. That piece reads like satire, complete with double entendres and eyebrow-raising quotes that blur the line between nudism and group sex. It’s another example of the tabloid press capitalizing on public misunderstanding of naturism for easy clicks.
Thankfully, not everyone took the bait. Naturist writer Bernd, in a thoughtful response titled Nudism Misrepresented by Media: A Response, points out the critical failure in how journalists conflated naturism with pornography and swinging. Bernd notes that several German naturist groups—including the DFK—formally requested corrections from newspapers that initially misrepresented the story. To their credit, some publications have since clarified their reporting and agreed to visit local naturist clubs to better understand the values of the movement.
That’s a hopeful sign, but unfortunately the damage is done. The international media’s coverage of this story only deepens the public’s confusion about what naturism is and isn’t. As Bernd rightly notes, it’s essential that we draw clear distinctions between clothing-free recreation rooted in respect and body freedom—and activities that belong more squarely in the realm of adult entertainment. 🚀
They'll be saddle sore in the morning! Naked cyclists take to London's streets to protest against car culture (but police asked them to stay clothed if they got near King Charles)
Thousands of cyclists stripped off for London’s 21st annual World Naked Bike Ride on June 14, merging at Westminster Bridge after launching from eight starting points across the city. The event—part of a global protest movement—highlights the dangers of car-centric planning, dependence on fossil fuels, and the need for safer streets, all while championing body positivity with its “bare as you dare” ethos. Sunny skies, painted bodies, and high spirits made this year’s ride especially festive, culminating in an after-party in Clapham Junction.
But while the event was peaceful and purpose-driven, the Daily Mail once again covered it with a headline that reads like a Benny Hill punchline: “They’ll be saddle sore in the morning!”
Is it clear yet from the other stories in this edition of News of the Nude that I’m not a fan of the Daily Mail? As usual, the paper’s tone veers more toward gawking tabloid than responsible journalism, mixing titillation and trivialization while barely acknowledging the event’s actual message. 🚀
STRIPPED AWAY: We’re fighting to reclaim our seaside town from nudists openly having sex on beach… we’re fed-up of it being no-go zone
Residents in Corton, a village on the Suffolk coast, are calling for action against public sexual behavior they claim is taking place on a local beach. While nudity itself is legal in the UK, community leaders and property owners say a rise in exhibitionism and lewd acts—rather than simple naturism—is making the area feel unsafe for families and holidaymakers. A local MP joined a symbolic walk to “reclaim” the beach, while council officials clarified that nudists are not to blame for the reported misconduct.
Still, the Sun’s predictable conflation of nudity with indecency only fuels confusion. And the inclusion of voyeuristic, long-lens beach photos alongside the article does little to elevate the conversation—if anything, it reinforces the very objectification and discomfort the piece claims to criticize. 🚀
There's a hidden nudist 'festival within a festival' at Glastonbury
Tucked into the far southern end of Glastonbury Festival near the Tipi Field lies the Lost Horizon Nomadic Spa—a clothing-optional sanctuary that many festival-goers are only just discovering. Billed as a “festival within a festival,” Lost Horizon offers nude yoga, body painting, trampolining, hula hooping, live music, wood-fired saunas, and a sun-dappled space to unwind. Organizers emphasize body autonomy and consent, inviting guests to “dress up or dress down” as they feel comfortable. The space functions as both a wellness retreat and grassroots performance venue, offering a calm counterbalance to the high-energy chaos elsewhere on the grounds. 🚀
Dear James: I Love Going Naked on the Beach
In this unusually affirming entry of The Atlantic’s “Dear James” advice column, a reader shares their quiet joy at discovering naturist beaches—alongside an unexpected resurgence of Catholic guilt. James Parker responds with lyrical empathy, offering a spiritual reframing of nudity as a return to Eden rather than a fall from grace. Drawing from Pentecost, poetry, and even Jim Morrison, Parker suggests that shedding clothes in the right context can be a way of honoring the body as divine gift.
It’s rare to see a mainstream publication approach the emotional and spiritual layers of social nudity with such generosity. Parker doesn’t just reassure the letter-writer—he gently challenges the cultural forces that taught them to feel shame in the first place. The result is one of the most unorthodox yet sincerely Catholic defenses of naturism to appear in national media. Kudos! 🚀
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Consider it a signal to those in the know.
June is over.
That’s it for this edition. Thanks for reading.
If there’s one thing these stories remind us, it’s that nudity still makes headlines—but not always for the reasons it should. Let’s keep it honest, curious, and maybe just a little funky. 🪐
Disclosure: This post used generative AI to support the writing and editing process.