16 Comments
May 11, 2023Liked by Evan Nicks

This is a fascinating and well presented article. So much to process; I've read it twice already and expect to read it several more times. In today's media hyped world, Francis Bacon's famous quote is more important than ever: KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

Expand full comment

Terrific and compelling article, excellent research! Thanks for bringing Planet Nude into the world precisely to help share this kind of informational perspective.

Expand full comment

This is a well-considered article that highlights serious issues in society and threats to naturism. I would be interested in how people think we should combat the unfounded hysteria. Reason and evidence-based arguments seem to have little effect. Do we fight fire with fire and use similar tactics to highlight the critical dangers that the clothing industry is having on the environment? Or is that stooping to their level in a race to the bottom with regard to reasoned debate?

Expand full comment
May 12, 2023Liked by Evan Nicks

The mob the undeserved influencer inflicted on our community is unforgivable.

Expand full comment
May 13, 2023Liked by Evan Nicks

Evan, once again, you’ve generated an incredible and valuable article that knocks it out of the park. I’d like to speak with you about a legal symposium with CLE credits for attorneys called “Non-Sexual Nudity: Threat or Benign”. It was held in at Florida International University in North Miami Beach in the late 1990s. Presented there was an impressive study on nudity and children conducted by a professor from the University of Northern Arizona who attended the symposium. It was done while I was on the Board of NAC/NEF. Since I was the event organizer, I’ll look for the professor’s name and contact information. It’s time the naturist community conduct another legal symposium as well as a unity political/PR summit to plan an offensive campaign strategy to prevent the demise of safe legal family Naturism in this country.

Expand full comment
May 16, 2023·edited May 16, 2023

Wow Evan. What a well done, informative and insightful piece. This is a prime example of the quality work you provide to our community and the world beyond. This also demonstrates the need for thoughtful information about naturism - thank you. I do hope your comment toward the end of the piece that the truth always prevails (I paraphrase) comes to fruition. In our current world there are too many examples of the opposite.

Expand full comment

I’m embarrassed to say I only now took the time to read this well researched and written article, somehow missing it when it was originally released.

I have enjoyed many aspects of social media over the years. Without it and the internet in general, I’m not sure how smart I’d be on naturism, if I would be as informed, or whether or not I’d feel part of the community. But it’s downside, it’s SIGNIFICANT downside has been 1) It’s weaponization, if I may use that grossly overused term, to advance particular narratives, 2) The voice it has given “influencers” who seek power, attention, and income, 3) It’s role in demonizing expertise.

Of course, all of that existed before the internet and social media. But it seems much more prevalent now. As such, naturism could find itself, and in many cases already has, as an easy target, a simple vehicle to get what critics really want -- power and influence.

It’s a sad state of affairs. I have several former acquaintances who champion freedom and liberty (as do I), but at the same time force their particular political, religious, and moral views as singularly correct. Those counter to them aren’t just wrong, they are evil. In the process of advocating their views, they site half baked articles, political hit jobs, and I’ll-informed opinion pieces as facts.

This is where naturism as at risk. It’s an easy target. Has been for years. But generally, with some notable exceptions, the critics focused on punchlines and were content to view nudists as fringe, oddballs, and such. So long as we were isolated and largely out of site, things were fine. But now, increasingly, that isn’t enough. That’s a bit scary.

Expand full comment
Jun 27, 2023Liked by Evan Nicks

Very good article, Evan.

Expand full comment

Thanks, Evan, for this carefully argued article. As you note, where there has been proper research the findings have always been that social nudism does not harm children and is probably beneficial. Thanks to the bigots, children are taught to despise their own bodies and the result now is an epidemic of bullying and self-harming. Surely that suggests morality vigilantes are, in fact, the vilest abusers?

Expand full comment

My parents had the (or one of the} first editions of Dr. Spock's book. I'm pretty sure that somewhere in there he discusses naturist kindergartens/pre-K programs where everyone is nude all day and he supported the practice. There was another one equally supportive of family nudity from a bit later, maybe late 60's/early 70's that did the same. All I remember is a dark red cover. No name or author, sorry.

Expand full comment