As a Canadian, I have been a member of the FCN (Federation of Canadian Naturists) for the past ten years. Naturism is bigger in Ontario and British Columbia with their larger populations than Nova Scotia where I am from. I have joined local nudist groups for summer swims at the beach or secluded trails and lakes. Up until this past winter, we used to rent a swimming pool for skinny dipping. Sadly, the pool no longer had lifeguards comfortable enough to supervise.
A very good history lesson. I am afraid though that, at least here in the United States, there seems to be a push to outlaw public nudity. Unfortunately, what your article says about the 'gay' community being more accepted than nudists is very true. I have never been aware of any nudists or nudists resorts anywhere that I have lived. The area that I live in is very against any public nudity while accepting a lot of weird behaviors that are becoming so common nowadays. I am very saddened with such an anti-nude attitude since I am very pro-nude. I wouldn't at all hide my feelings about this if asked or if the subject was brought up, but I don't expect there will be much occasion for that. Even in the gay community most folks AREN'T as pro-nudity as I am!!!
I don’t like to come across as pernickety, but the implication that the English Civil War was a Puritan rebellion decayed they weren’t allowed to stone single mothers is wide of the mark - the war was a power struggle between king and Parliament in which Puritanism played very little part, and only gets any air time because most puritans were against the king because of his perceived Roman Catholic sympathies. Just saying.
Your point is not wrong....but Puritans did not agree with Queen Elizabeth's moderate policies and a Civil War did come about and Puritans were outlawed because of their resistance...however big or small a role they played in the Civil War. I didn't have time to get into the nuance of all that as that is not the point of the article. The fact that Puritans were such religious extremists they were outlawed and "harried" out of England is the point. Members of that outlawed group are the people that came on the Mayflower and their influence is still felt today in our culture.
One big reason... And I know it's not a popular one, but it doesn't make it any less true, is because American men aren't raised to be body respectful. Men in North American nudism tend to lean to the disrespectful side of things. They are obnoxious, selfish, individualist, entitled and are more concerned with abusive sexual endeavours than many European counterparts. Not always, and not all men, but my 10 year excursion in North American nudist culture opened my eyes a sight wider and what I saw was disheartening to say the best.
Unless we find a way to wean males in North American society (and, growing frighteningly fast, the rest of the world), off their constant diet of sex media and social engineering towards needing to be the 'alpha male' it's only going to get worse.
This was an interesting history. While I agree that the media could go a long way toward a more realistic portrayal of naturism, I take issue with the comments regarding Naked and Afraid. Specifically, the one claim is that the show treats nudity as a ridiculous impediment to finding a path to survival. In fact, the show demonstrates some of the few actual needs for clothing. When the survivalists are in temperatures that threaten hypothermia or burning lobster red from exposure to the sun, their nudity does become a concern. When they are walking over sharp rocks or thorny grounds, the lack of protective foot ware also threatens their ability to survive the 21- or 14-day trial. With protective clothing, the challenge would be a lot easier. But then, it would be a totally different challenge. The second claim that the show treats nudity as a clown show may be true in many portrayals of naturism in the media, but I've never seen it so demonstrated on Naked and Afraid. Some examples would help.
By today’s standards and definitions, the Puritans would be considered religious extremists, really no different from the Taliban. That’s the legacy and culture we Americans have to square with. There was one cultural anthropologists and historian, I forgot his name, who basically said all culture is performance. We may be prisoners of our culture, we can choose not to be by giving up the performance. Culture does not exist naturally in nature, it’s an entirely fictional human construct based on imagined fictions we tell ourselves in stories.
A very interesting article. Here in Nova Scotia there are a few nude beaches and yes space should be available at a public beach so people like me can tan and swim nude. My thoughts for the day
Good article Bill. Now, how to get the message to the textile world. BTW, it's interesting how the healthy practice of naturism only gained validity when it was "discovered" and named by a white European. If I'm not mistaken, brown, red, yellow and black cultures who thrived in warm climates and lived pretty much clothes-free, experiencing the benefits of "naturism" from the beginning. It was not until those cultures were shamed by the clothing-compulsive tribes who misinterpreted their religious teachings, polluting to many of the world's societies. Makes you wanna go, "hmm?"
The purpose of this article is to help Americans understand why we are in such a minority. We shouldn't be and don't need to be....if we can only recognize the guard rails that our forefathers put around the human body and the guilt/shame complex that accompanied.....
A thorough and convincing case - thanks! I’d like to be more optimistic about younger generations.
I wish more people could experience the healthy if not, spiritual benefits of living a clothes free life!
As a Canadian, I have been a member of the FCN (Federation of Canadian Naturists) for the past ten years. Naturism is bigger in Ontario and British Columbia with their larger populations than Nova Scotia where I am from. I have joined local nudist groups for summer swims at the beach or secluded trails and lakes. Up until this past winter, we used to rent a swimming pool for skinny dipping. Sadly, the pool no longer had lifeguards comfortable enough to supervise.
A very good history lesson. I am afraid though that, at least here in the United States, there seems to be a push to outlaw public nudity. Unfortunately, what your article says about the 'gay' community being more accepted than nudists is very true. I have never been aware of any nudists or nudists resorts anywhere that I have lived. The area that I live in is very against any public nudity while accepting a lot of weird behaviors that are becoming so common nowadays. I am very saddened with such an anti-nude attitude since I am very pro-nude. I wouldn't at all hide my feelings about this if asked or if the subject was brought up, but I don't expect there will be much occasion for that. Even in the gay community most folks AREN'T as pro-nudity as I am!!!
I don’t like to come across as pernickety, but the implication that the English Civil War was a Puritan rebellion decayed they weren’t allowed to stone single mothers is wide of the mark - the war was a power struggle between king and Parliament in which Puritanism played very little part, and only gets any air time because most puritans were against the king because of his perceived Roman Catholic sympathies. Just saying.
Your point is not wrong....but Puritans did not agree with Queen Elizabeth's moderate policies and a Civil War did come about and Puritans were outlawed because of their resistance...however big or small a role they played in the Civil War. I didn't have time to get into the nuance of all that as that is not the point of the article. The fact that Puritans were such religious extremists they were outlawed and "harried" out of England is the point. Members of that outlawed group are the people that came on the Mayflower and their influence is still felt today in our culture.
Absolutely.
Thanks for your comment....
Thanks. for your kind words. ...I'd like to be more optimistic as well. Not sure I'm seeing it though.....
One big reason... And I know it's not a popular one, but it doesn't make it any less true, is because American men aren't raised to be body respectful. Men in North American nudism tend to lean to the disrespectful side of things. They are obnoxious, selfish, individualist, entitled and are more concerned with abusive sexual endeavours than many European counterparts. Not always, and not all men, but my 10 year excursion in North American nudist culture opened my eyes a sight wider and what I saw was disheartening to say the best.
Unless we find a way to wean males in North American society (and, growing frighteningly fast, the rest of the world), off their constant diet of sex media and social engineering towards needing to be the 'alpha male' it's only going to get worse.
This was an interesting history. While I agree that the media could go a long way toward a more realistic portrayal of naturism, I take issue with the comments regarding Naked and Afraid. Specifically, the one claim is that the show treats nudity as a ridiculous impediment to finding a path to survival. In fact, the show demonstrates some of the few actual needs for clothing. When the survivalists are in temperatures that threaten hypothermia or burning lobster red from exposure to the sun, their nudity does become a concern. When they are walking over sharp rocks or thorny grounds, the lack of protective foot ware also threatens their ability to survive the 21- or 14-day trial. With protective clothing, the challenge would be a lot easier. But then, it would be a totally different challenge. The second claim that the show treats nudity as a clown show may be true in many portrayals of naturism in the media, but I've never seen it so demonstrated on Naked and Afraid. Some examples would help.
By today’s standards and definitions, the Puritans would be considered religious extremists, really no different from the Taliban. That’s the legacy and culture we Americans have to square with. There was one cultural anthropologists and historian, I forgot his name, who basically said all culture is performance. We may be prisoners of our culture, we can choose not to be by giving up the performance. Culture does not exist naturally in nature, it’s an entirely fictional human construct based on imagined fictions we tell ourselves in stories.
A very interesting article. Here in Nova Scotia there are a few nude beaches and yes space should be available at a public beach so people like me can tan and swim nude. My thoughts for the day
Great article, thank you.
I must admit I am still mainly in the closet. This article gives me food for thought as to why and to reevaluate why.
An interesting article, where can I find information on the B&B that was mentioned as I'm in Michigan as well?
Good article Bill. Now, how to get the message to the textile world. BTW, it's interesting how the healthy practice of naturism only gained validity when it was "discovered" and named by a white European. If I'm not mistaken, brown, red, yellow and black cultures who thrived in warm climates and lived pretty much clothes-free, experiencing the benefits of "naturism" from the beginning. It was not until those cultures were shamed by the clothing-compulsive tribes who misinterpreted their religious teachings, polluting to many of the world's societies. Makes you wanna go, "hmm?"
The purpose of this article is to help Americans understand why we are in such a minority. We shouldn't be and don't need to be....if we can only recognize the guard rails that our forefathers put around the human body and the guilt/shame complex that accompanied.....