Should naturism have a symbol?
In this #UndressedThread, we’re debating the symbols used to subtly signal our naturism to those in the know
Between towels, pins, flags, and avatars, a yellow sun rising over blue waves has become a familiar sight in naturist circles. Look closely and the waves form a subtle silhouette: a reclining sunbather, represented by a pair of cheeks catching rays where the sun doesn’t usually shine. Known as the “Naturist Symbol,” it was introduced in 2020 by a group of volunteers seeking to create a free, universal emblem anyone could use—no branding, no permission required.
But it’s not the first symbol naturists have used. In 1973, Dutch jeweler Cor Uytenhaak designed a pendant to serve as a unifying emblem for nudists. In 2018, Alaska’s naturist group “nAKed Friends” introduced the Skinny Dipper Ensign—a yellow-over-blue flag—designed to subtly signal areas where social nudity might be welcome, particularly across open bodies of water.
Throughout history, naturists have also used other symbols both to promote their philosophy and to identify one another discreetly. This also extends to organization logos and other familiar iconography.
This October, the International Naturist Federation (INF-FNI) will debate whether to recognize the Naturist Symbol formally, not to replace their current logo, but to acknowledge its widespread use.
The debate goes deeper than mere aesthetics. Is this symbol for visibility or privacy? Supporters say it offers a discreet way to build community across borders. Critics often argue that it doesn’t visibly represent naturism, and that its abstract design fails to promote naturism as a wholesome, family-friendly lifestyle—the core mission of the INF-FNI.
Some see the Naturist Symbol as a unifier. Others, a missed opportunity. And some ask whether naturism needs a symbol at all. So, in this week’s #UndressedThread, we’re asking:
Do you use the Naturist Symbol? Why or why not?
Should official bodies recognize it?
What should a naturist symbol communicate? Connection, promotion, both, or something else?
And does naturism benefit from a shared visual identity?
The full debate is live on the INF blog:
https://blog.inf-fni.org/should-inf-fni-recognise-the-naturist-symbol
Share your thoughts below, and consider leaving a comment on the INF blog as well. This is a rare opportunity to shape a global conversation about what naturism looks like and why. 🪐
More #UndressedThreads
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(This #UndressedThread is brought to you by our Etsy store)
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks the idea is fine, but the execution on this particular design is lacking. There's just too many lines, spaced too far apart, going in too many different directions in this design. It lacks a central focal point, and even though I know what it is it still takes a few seconds for my brain to assemble the component parts into a coherent whole. And I've looked at that design probably thousands of times. I'd like to see the same concept reworked into something a little more iconographic.
I don't mind having a symbol that unites us under naturism, but dear god can we get one without eye-bleeding colors and something more than just a sun and waves? That doesn't represent naturism at all to me.