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Showing posts with label Youth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Youth. Show all posts
**Blast From The Past** Sunny Streak 5K. Nude Run.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Sunny Sands Resort, Pierson, FL
www.AquaSunEvents.com
www.VitaNuda.com
Why Do We Give Children Such Confusing Messages About Their Bodies?
Last week, during one of the hottest Easter holidays on record in the UK, my three children and I went to the local park.
It was sweltering, and after an hour or so of running about with a football, my daughter, Phoebe, who has just turned 11, had turned into a sweaty, par-boiled lobster and desperately wanted to take her T-shirt off to cool down. But she didn’t.
When I asked her why on earth not, she said in an exasperated voice, as if I didn’t understand anything, ‘Mum, I can’t take my top off in a park. People will stare and point!’
Once I’d picked my jaw up off the grass and tried to make sense of what she’d just said, I realised to my utter dismay that her fears were probably completely justified.
Where boys often take their tops off in the hot summer months, many girls, even as young and totally undeveloped as my younger daughter, already feel that they ‘shouldn’t’ expose their top halves in public. Because their nakedness is somehow . . . wrong...
CONTINUE READING
SOURCE: Mail Online
Diving In!
Matt of YBN writes about his first experience of naturism.
It was a year ago that my parents first told me they were going to a naturist club on a Friday night. Until then I had been under the impression that they were just going swimming: watching the waistline like most parents. After a few experiences of naturism on holiday in Europe, they decided to take a deep breath and take off all their clothes in slightly less exotic Chepstow. It was here, on this Friday, that I had my first naturist experience. I went in with all of the fears, worries and doubts that probably swirl through most people’s heads at the thought of getting naked in public. What if people stare at me? What if I can't stop staring at other people? What if anyone I know finds out?
Other than people finding out, none of these things happened. As soon as the evening was over I knew that it didn't matter who knew or what they thought. From 16-year-old girls to 60-year-old men and everything in between, people were sharing stories, experiences and just having fun. There was no sense of being judged and no means by which to judge others. Looking at a person in the street, you have all sorts of ideas about them before you get anywhere near a conversation. You look at their clothes, their hair, their shoes. We are all guilty of looking at people and slotting them into little boxes without a thought about the person underneath the shell. Walking into the pool on Friday night there was no way to make these judgments. Everyone was a blank canvas of skin and wet, flattened hair, and it meant that I spoke to people that I never would have done outside the club and would have been much the poorer for it.
In the first paragraph I used the word ‘club’. This is one of the most illuminating words that I can think of to describe naturism. As well as it literally being a club, there is a real sense of community. There were people there from other groups as well as regulars to the Chepstow Fridays. One of the topics of conversation that kept coming up was all the events that people had been to or had planned. I find it truly inspirational that there are people out there who have interests outside the mainstream, but are willing to get together and do it anyway. It is also by no means a closed society. I knew nobody there before that night, and by the end I felt perfectly comfortable to sit and talk with anyone.
As the night drew to a close, I happened to be quicker than most getting dressed to join the real world. Standing there in my jeans and jacket, looking at the room of people still towelling off, I felt more self-conscious than I had all night. Stepping back into the Welsh drizzle and back to the car, I was smiling. Not because I felt embarrassed or cheap, like I was expecting to, but because I felt free. Free to do what I wanted and just be myself, without having to answer to anybody else’s ideas of what was and wasn't 'acceptable'.
It was a year ago that my parents first told me they were going to a naturist club on a Friday night. Until then I had been under the impression that they were just going swimming: watching the waistline like most parents. After a few experiences of naturism on holiday in Europe, they decided to take a deep breath and take off all their clothes in slightly less exotic Chepstow. It was here, on this Friday, that I had my first naturist experience. I went in with all of the fears, worries and doubts that probably swirl through most people’s heads at the thought of getting naked in public. What if people stare at me? What if I can't stop staring at other people? What if anyone I know finds out?
Other than people finding out, none of these things happened. As soon as the evening was over I knew that it didn't matter who knew or what they thought. From 16-year-old girls to 60-year-old men and everything in between, people were sharing stories, experiences and just having fun. There was no sense of being judged and no means by which to judge others. Looking at a person in the street, you have all sorts of ideas about them before you get anywhere near a conversation. You look at their clothes, their hair, their shoes. We are all guilty of looking at people and slotting them into little boxes without a thought about the person underneath the shell. Walking into the pool on Friday night there was no way to make these judgments. Everyone was a blank canvas of skin and wet, flattened hair, and it meant that I spoke to people that I never would have done outside the club and would have been much the poorer for it.
In the first paragraph I used the word ‘club’. This is one of the most illuminating words that I can think of to describe naturism. As well as it literally being a club, there is a real sense of community. There were people there from other groups as well as regulars to the Chepstow Fridays. One of the topics of conversation that kept coming up was all the events that people had been to or had planned. I find it truly inspirational that there are people out there who have interests outside the mainstream, but are willing to get together and do it anyway. It is also by no means a closed society. I knew nobody there before that night, and by the end I felt perfectly comfortable to sit and talk with anyone.
As the night drew to a close, I happened to be quicker than most getting dressed to join the real world. Standing there in my jeans and jacket, looking at the room of people still towelling off, I felt more self-conscious than I had all night. Stepping back into the Welsh drizzle and back to the car, I was smiling. Not because I felt embarrassed or cheap, like I was expecting to, but because I felt free. Free to do what I wanted and just be myself, without having to answer to anybody else’s ideas of what was and wasn't 'acceptable'.
A Newbie's First Day
By Rob H. of YBN
Unlike many of you who will be reading this I don't come from a naturist family, I don't have any naturist friends, and in fact I'd never really looked into naturism. So it came as quite a shock to my friends and family when I announced that I was going along to the YBN gathering in Telford.
Nakedness has always been fairly natural to me, whenever I'm alone (and in private!) I'm naked - it just feels a lot more natural than being covered in hot sweaty clothes, but I've led quite a sheltered life and the number of times I've seen another person naked can be counted on one hand.
I went down to Telford on the friday with no real expectations of what it would be like and feeling fairly calm about the whole thing. When I arrived I was quite shocked (surprise surprise!) to see lots (20-30?) of *naked* people around! (mainly 20 somethings), one in fact came over to me and said hi. It was a bit alarming to begin with... this guy (Joel I lated discovered) helped me to set up my tent and then I got inside and wondered what I was going to do next. I decided that if I was going to be there I ought to do it properly so I stripped off and covered myself in SPF 50 (I burn very easily)... I waited in my tent for as long as I dared to, so long in fact that someone came and asked if I was ok.
Eventually I came out of my tent in all my naked glory (so to speak). It was really quite odd at first being naked around all these people but after only a few minutes it didn't seem like a big deal, I mean I did keep noticing that there were naked people everywhere but I was less and less bothered by it. I think the thing is that it's not being naked that is shocking or surprising or even stimulating so much as what people are doing at the time. You can look at a high art nude photo and not find it erotic at all - in the same way being naked doesn't automatically result in a 'oh my god everyone is naked!' kind of reaction.
In fact I found that once I got over the initial surprise of the whole thing it started to feel pretty natural and normal to be naked around other people. Looking back in fact it seems a lot more strange for us all to be going around in our clothes. Added to that it makes you think more realistically about your self image; I know that I should lose weight (and I want to) but my view of myself is compared against some kind of unrealistic expectation of what I 'should' look like. Seeing what everyone else actually really looks like naked helps you (or at least helped me) to have a much more positive view of my own body. Before I went on the camp I wouldn't go swimming for fear of people 'seeing me' whereas now I have no problem with that at all.
On the saturday some of us went off to Water World to swim naked with 400 other naturists! It was pretty amazing both in terms of the experience of swimming naked (which was very nice and liberating) and also the experience of being there with all the other people. Perhaps I'm going overboard here but I felt a certain closeness with these people that I don't in general in society. Perhaps it is just because in some sense I belong to the same group as them (tiddlywinks players I suspect feel at home with other tiddlywinks players) but I couldn't help but feel that it was more than that - that by removing their clothing these people were removing other less visible barriers between one another. Perhaps that's crazy talk, I don't know - it was pretty fun either way.
What was really good about the weekend was not so much the nakedness but rather the company. The people there were really welcoming and friendly - I find it really hard to get to know new people but it wasn't so hard with these guys. Sure I didn't manage to make friends with everyone but I made a few new friends which was really great.
So my first dip into the world of naturism was I think something of a success. A great time spent with great people. I'm hoping to come along to as many YBN events as I can manage, and I'd encourage any other twenty-somethings to come along too.
Unlike many of you who will be reading this I don't come from a naturist family, I don't have any naturist friends, and in fact I'd never really looked into naturism. So it came as quite a shock to my friends and family when I announced that I was going along to the YBN gathering in Telford.
Nakedness has always been fairly natural to me, whenever I'm alone (and in private!) I'm naked - it just feels a lot more natural than being covered in hot sweaty clothes, but I've led quite a sheltered life and the number of times I've seen another person naked can be counted on one hand.
I went down to Telford on the friday with no real expectations of what it would be like and feeling fairly calm about the whole thing. When I arrived I was quite shocked (surprise surprise!) to see lots (20-30?) of *naked* people around! (mainly 20 somethings), one in fact came over to me and said hi. It was a bit alarming to begin with... this guy (Joel I lated discovered) helped me to set up my tent and then I got inside and wondered what I was going to do next. I decided that if I was going to be there I ought to do it properly so I stripped off and covered myself in SPF 50 (I burn very easily)... I waited in my tent for as long as I dared to, so long in fact that someone came and asked if I was ok.
Eventually I came out of my tent in all my naked glory (so to speak). It was really quite odd at first being naked around all these people but after only a few minutes it didn't seem like a big deal, I mean I did keep noticing that there were naked people everywhere but I was less and less bothered by it. I think the thing is that it's not being naked that is shocking or surprising or even stimulating so much as what people are doing at the time. You can look at a high art nude photo and not find it erotic at all - in the same way being naked doesn't automatically result in a 'oh my god everyone is naked!' kind of reaction.
In fact I found that once I got over the initial surprise of the whole thing it started to feel pretty natural and normal to be naked around other people. Looking back in fact it seems a lot more strange for us all to be going around in our clothes. Added to that it makes you think more realistically about your self image; I know that I should lose weight (and I want to) but my view of myself is compared against some kind of unrealistic expectation of what I 'should' look like. Seeing what everyone else actually really looks like naked helps you (or at least helped me) to have a much more positive view of my own body. Before I went on the camp I wouldn't go swimming for fear of people 'seeing me' whereas now I have no problem with that at all.
On the saturday some of us went off to Water World to swim naked with 400 other naturists! It was pretty amazing both in terms of the experience of swimming naked (which was very nice and liberating) and also the experience of being there with all the other people. Perhaps I'm going overboard here but I felt a certain closeness with these people that I don't in general in society. Perhaps it is just because in some sense I belong to the same group as them (tiddlywinks players I suspect feel at home with other tiddlywinks players) but I couldn't help but feel that it was more than that - that by removing their clothing these people were removing other less visible barriers between one another. Perhaps that's crazy talk, I don't know - it was pretty fun either way.
What was really good about the weekend was not so much the nakedness but rather the company. The people there were really welcoming and friendly - I find it really hard to get to know new people but it wasn't so hard with these guys. Sure I didn't manage to make friends with everyone but I made a few new friends which was really great.
So my first dip into the world of naturism was I think something of a success. A great time spent with great people. I'm hoping to come along to as many YBN events as I can manage, and I'd encourage any other twenty-somethings to come along too.
Telling Parents
By Ben of YBN
Some of us grow up within a naturist family and so all family members and maybe even close friends will know of our naturist lifestyle. Other people, myself included, do not and we are therefore faced with a dilemma - do we tell our parents and if so how?
A lot of space has been taken up at numerous websites discussing the topic of telling our parents that we are a naturist and I have read a lot of this discussion.
I think the best advice would be to say that often we build the entire thing up far too much and forget that they are our parents and will still love us - naturist or not ! Naturism isn't a 'mainstream' activity and so there will probably be a few giggles and maybe some 'mickey taking' but this is normal and in no way is it meant to demean you or belittle your lifestyle decisions. They will have a lot of questions, most of them stating with "why" or "where" and as long as you answer them honestly and truthfully they will see that you have given a lot of thought to your decision and will support you because of this.
Sit them down and explain to them that you have seen websites / visited a beach / read articles and that a lot of what you saw or read fits with you and your beliefs. You aren't asking them to get involved but to understand this side of you and accept it as much as they accept your music taste! In some instances they will make allowances for you and it is up to you to stick to the agreed rules...just walking out nude in front of them and shouting "I have something to say..." isn't the most tactful way to go about things!
There are instances where parents reaction isn't that good but as long as they accept that it is your decision and is part of who you are then something will have been achieved.
At YBN we have a lot of experience with emails and members who have had to face the prospect of telling parents and so if you have any questions then please email us and ask.
Naturism is a brilliant lifestyle and if you have people to share it with - especially friends and family - then it can make it even better. If you aren't in this fortunate position then just being able to tell them that you are off to a beach or club and are no longer lying makes everything seem a lot more relaxed and normal to you as well as them.
Some of us grow up within a naturist family and so all family members and maybe even close friends will know of our naturist lifestyle. Other people, myself included, do not and we are therefore faced with a dilemma - do we tell our parents and if so how?
A lot of space has been taken up at numerous websites discussing the topic of telling our parents that we are a naturist and I have read a lot of this discussion.
I think the best advice would be to say that often we build the entire thing up far too much and forget that they are our parents and will still love us - naturist or not ! Naturism isn't a 'mainstream' activity and so there will probably be a few giggles and maybe some 'mickey taking' but this is normal and in no way is it meant to demean you or belittle your lifestyle decisions. They will have a lot of questions, most of them stating with "why" or "where" and as long as you answer them honestly and truthfully they will see that you have given a lot of thought to your decision and will support you because of this.
Sit them down and explain to them that you have seen websites / visited a beach / read articles and that a lot of what you saw or read fits with you and your beliefs. You aren't asking them to get involved but to understand this side of you and accept it as much as they accept your music taste! In some instances they will make allowances for you and it is up to you to stick to the agreed rules...just walking out nude in front of them and shouting "I have something to say..." isn't the most tactful way to go about things!
There are instances where parents reaction isn't that good but as long as they accept that it is your decision and is part of who you are then something will have been achieved.
At YBN we have a lot of experience with emails and members who have had to face the prospect of telling parents and so if you have any questions then please email us and ask.
Naturism is a brilliant lifestyle and if you have people to share it with - especially friends and family - then it can make it even better. If you aren't in this fortunate position then just being able to tell them that you are off to a beach or club and are no longer lying makes everything seem a lot more relaxed and normal to you as well as them.
Naturist Colouring Book
Several years ago (2001 to be precise) [Stephen Crowley] drew a series of illustrations for a colouring book [for a client] - but [it seems the] book never saw the light of day... READ MORE.
TEXT SOURCE URL: http://stripamatic.com/~crowley/barepit/illustrations/
Embarrassing Bodies: Teen Special - titillation, education and constipation
TV review: 'Embarrassing Bodies: Teen Special contains graphic scenes of surgery and full frontal nudity from the start and throughout’ we were told before Embarrassing Bodies - less of a warning than a challenge...
READ MORE
SOURCE: http://www.metro.co.uk/tv/reviews/868318-embarrassing-bodies-teen-special-saw-titillation-education-and-constipation
The Nude Generation: A Modest (?) Proposal - It's The Marketing, Stupid
The generation of current 18-30 year olds (please, no more "Generation X", that's so 1993) is often seen as not interested in naturism. How to get them interested has been a topic of some contention in recent memory. What I'm going to talk about might get these people interested. It's quite a bit more general than just applying to 18-30 year olds, but that's where my focus is.
Few things other than being born at some particular time define a "generation", but something that we young'uns seem to have in common is our lack of free time. We're busy. We're career-minded, we work long hours, we spend too much time cursing traffic, and so on. While this is true of 18-30 year olds in large numbers, it's also true of "middle age" folks, and probably of American society in general. (I don't know about society in other countries, but I suspect similar parallels could be drawn in just about any modern "industrialized" nation.)
As one of said generation, and a naturist, and a busy person, it is my opinion that if naturists/nudists/whateverists want naturism/nudism/whateverism to succeed among busy people, it shouldn't really be "marketed" as a movement, or a society, or a philosophy, but rather as an option.
For instance: you have the option to go to resorts/beaches/etc. nude, or sunbathe nude, or do extreme Mountain Dew-style sports nude, etc. For all of our "clothing optional" propaganda, I think nudism (I usually say "naturism", but in this case "nudism" fits better, since many people still think of Audubon and the like when they hear "naturism") is still seen by people my age (at least) as something that people old enough to be their parents or grandparents do on a full-time basis (the "nudist colony" idea, if you will), and not something they can fit into their busy lives.
This is not entirely an irrational view. People work at least 40 hours a week (probably more); free time is non-existent for a lot of people. I have enough trouble fitting my hobbies (playing drums, collecting records, reading, etc.) into that kind of schedule, much less a full-time "nudist lifestyle". (As a naturist I know it's not that big a commitment, but I'm thinking in terms of the "uninitiated" here.)
But here's an idea. Let's suppose that a lot of people my age find time to go to the gym two or three times a week (an entirely reasonable supposition.) Now suppose that gyms offered the option - for those that choose it - to exercise in the nude. In other words, people have the option of doing something nude that they would otherwise still do clothed, something that might actually be more comfortable or desireable to do nude. I think some people, if they had the option of working out nude and knew so, would seriously consider it.
Now, I don't know of any gyms off the top of my head that offer nude hours. (Then again, I rarely go to gyms at all, so maybe I'm lacking in knowledge here.) But I know people who swim daily for the exercise. And I know that any nudist club that doesn't want to be the laughing stock of its peers has swimming facilities. I can't say I know of any CO clubs that open their pools to guests for their morning ritual, but it might be a good idea.
(By the way, I have no particular difficulty resolving naturist "body acceptance" and the desire to exercise and be fit and "attractive to the opposite sex." I think if one can better accept one's body through daily exercise, that's great. But I think people should exercise because they want to achieve some result, not simply because they feel pressured to do so by popular society.)
Some people seem to have picked up on this. For instance, I look at ads for several Palm Springs resorts, where the message is "this is a fabulous resort that just happens to be clothing optional." I think this is a great move. While dedicated naturists plan their vacations around being nude, I doubt most of the non-naturist public does. However, lots of people (naturist or not) do look for vacation destinations that offer lots of fun and/or relaxing activities to do. The fact that you can do things at these resorts without your clothes is probably seen as a "bonus." Think: you probably like to try new things when you're on vacation, right? (If you don't, give it some thought. Vacations are supposed to be a break from the ordinary, silly.)
This type of thought does seem to lend itself best to physical activities. I, for one, might consider taking advantage of a library that offered nude reading rooms, but I may be one of a very few in that area. So this is, of course, not a golden arrow that will solve all our problems. But it's something that might work to get busy people who have no free time - such as career-minded 18-30 year olds, and even people older - to think more about nudity outside the shower and the bedroom, and to consider nude recreation, nude living, etc. beyond the outmoded (but still) popular idea of the "nudist colony."
To summarize, we need to remember that people are people first, and everything else second or third or fourth or wherever. Perhaps it's time to stop marketing in terms of a "nudist lifestyle" and more in terms of how nudity could fit into our current lifestyles. Certainly this isn't a revolutionary idea. I'm seeing it start to happen. It needs to happen more. I'll leave the details to people who, unlike me, specialize in marketing. In the meantime, speaking of things people do nude that they could otherwise do clothed: rather than enraging my fellow drivers, I like to take out my road rage with a daily round of Quake. Think I'll go do that now. Nude, of course. I always play skins, not shirts (although I'll make an exception for armor...).
Youth Naturism in the UK from Nakedhub co uk on Vimeo.
TEXT: http://www.naturistplace.com/wnl-0106.htm#article
Why Don't More Young Adults Try Social Nudity?
Young people in their late teens and early twenties ARE interested in social nudity - just not the kind offered to them at existing resorts. This article explores the reasons the current nudist movement is failing the next generation of potential members.
By Charles Daney (2004)
If you're reading this, the chances are you are in one of two categories. Either you are someone who has already discovered the benefits and pleasures of a more clothes-free way of living, but you have noticed that not many young adults seem to have made the same discovery. Or else you are a young adult who has little or no experience with clothes-freedom, and you wonder why some people make such a big deal out of something that may not seem all that appealing.
First, there isn't anything inherent about being in the 18- 30 age range that makes a person averse to nudity. With younger teenagers (13 to 17) there may well be. These are difficult times of adjusting to both major changes in one's body as well as taking major steps towards independence from one's parents. Young adults, however, should be well on their way to putting such issues behind them. They are considered "adults" because they have in fact achieved enough maturity to deal more rationally than emotionally with the problems of adolescence. And this includes being able to deal with nudity.
It hasn't always been this way. The generation of people who came of age in the 60s and 70s were more at ease with nudity (even though, statistically, interest in nudity was still rather outside of the mainstream). Perhaps this has more than a little to do with why this generation, now middle-aged, is more strongly represented in social nudity than younger people. People in this age range can recall (if they happen to be male) when it was normal to swim naked at the Y. They remember, fondly, the clothing optional parties and skinny-dipping that weren't uncommon on campuses in the late 60s and 70s. They flocked in large numbers to the "free" beaches - many of which still are "clothing optional", but rather less heavily used.
Today, there are plenty of examples that show that young people are quite able to deal with nudity and enjoy it under appropriate circumstances. Just look at the popularity of mass nude runs (sometimes known as "streaking") at colleges and universities - for example the University of Michigan "Naked Mile", the Hamilton College Varsity Streaking Team, and last year’s International Nude Bike Ride held in cities throughout the world. And an even bigger example of youth participation can be found at the annual Burning Man Festival, where the average age is around 30.
Admittedly, social nudity is still decidedly a minority interest although I suspect there are many more “closet nudists” who participate in the privacy of their own homes or backyards than pollsters have yet discovered. There are probably many different reasons that most young adults don't seem interested in trying social nudity – almost as many different reasons as there are people. But they do tend to fall into certain typical categories. So we're going to try a “Top Ten List” that examines the most important reasons. Actually in composing this article, I found an additional reason so forgive me if our “Top Ten” is actually a “Top Eleven.” And for each, we'll try to suggest why the reason need not by an insurmountable deterrent - and simple steps that anyone can take to overcome the obstacle if he/she wishes to.
1. Young people prefer to associate with others near their own age, yet they find few people of their age involved in clothes-free activities
It is true that most participants in organised nudist/naturist activities are over 30 - for all of the reasons listed here. Unfortunately, this is a self-reinforcing, self-perpetuating phenomenon, if young people stay away from social nudity simply because they don't immediately find others about their age. It may be necessary to find others one person at a time, and form new social groups. Fortunately, there are many new tools now available on the Internet to find other people in one's own area with similar interests, things like message forums, mailing lists, chat systems, and Web site "guest books". There are now a few Web sites specifically set up to assist young people with an interest in social nudity to make contact.
2. Young people just aren't interested in the sedate, "family-oriented" lifestyle promoted at many nudist clubs and resorts
Young people who visit traditional nudist clubs and resorts often find them boring. This is really just a corollary of the fact most of the membership at such places is considerably older. Older people will naturally shape the available activities into what is most appealing to themselves rather than what younger people would like. The solution is for young people to organise groups and activities according to their own tastes. Again, it's necessary to use other avenues to locate young people interested in social nudity. In point of fact, the membership of traditional nudist clubs and resorts is only a small percentage - perhaps 1% to 2% - of the population that is interested in social nudity. This latter group is much larger, but people in it are much harder to find with a map or directory. However, once you find others interested in social nudity, you can get together for activities such as visiting clothing-optional beaches, hot springs, and the like - or just parties at someone's home. A little research will also show that there are various existing groups, which combine social nudity with active sports like volleyball, running, canoeing, and hiking. You'll find a higher proportion of young folks in groups like this.
3. Young people, especially those who don't have an ongoing relationship, feel a higher degree of sexual tension that is stimulated by nudity
There may be no quick fix for this. You have to be very clear that organised social nudity is not a form of sexual entertainment. Its purpose is something altogether different from the release of sexual tension. To deal with that, there isn't any good alternative to forming the kind of special relationship with another person (or persons) that is right for each individual. That should be the first goal: work on your own social life. Then you will find that social nudity really is free from sexual tension. But single people can definitely enjoy social nudity - as long as they pursue other appropriate outlets for their sexual needs. Obviously, it will help if one can find a partner who shares one's interest in social nudity. But the truth is that it's much easier to find an appropriate partner in the much wider world outside of organised social nudity.
4. Teenagers going through puberty are usually uncomfortable with their bodies. This discomfort often tends to persist into the young adult years
A young adult is, by definition, more mature than a teenager. The best advice one can give to anyone over 18 who still has hang-ups about how his/her body looks is: get over it! There really isn't anything awful or gross or disgusting or "offensive" about how a naked body looks. We all have one. It's absurd to be, unlike any other animal, unable to stand the sight of a normal member of one's species. Everyone needs to learn "body acceptance", because that is part of self- acceptance, which is a tremendously important part of growing up. Becoming involved with social nudity, in fact, almost always helps enormously with achieving body acceptance. The first steps can be hard - but then it gets drastically easier.
5. There is a strong pressure on young people to have "beautiful" or "attractive" bodies, but going naked lets everyone see the imperfections in one's body
To the extent that physical attractiveness plays a role in mate selection, there is going to be such a pressure. But does being naked actually reveal that much more of one's body than happens with a typical swimsuit? No, except (perhaps) for the genitals the essential details are pretty obvious. Assuming that you do as much as is reasonably necessary (in your opinion) to be in good physical shape, your body is just fine the way it is naturally. And as a young person, your body is probably as "attractive" as it ever will be, so appreciate it at its best! Genetically speaking, almost no one actually has the shape of the supermodels heavily promoted by the media and advertising. The sooner you realise this and adopt realistic expectations about your own body's appearance, and that of actual or potential mates, the happier you will be. That's what body acceptance is all about.
6. Young people are more susceptible to peer pressure, and traditional nudist/naturist activities are not socially "acceptable" in many circles
This is another holdover from the teenage years, when peer pressure is, generally, far too important. If the concept of "cool" implies some peer-generated standard of how you have to be, it's a bad idea. It's time to get over this as well. Most people eventually realise it isn't necessary to wear the same sort and styles of clothes as everyone else. Take it further, and you realise it isn't necessary to wear clothes at all (in an appropriate environment). Ask yourself: whose life is it, anyway? You only get one chance at it, so do it the way you want, not the way "everyone else" seems to think necessary - if you believe you have sound reasons for the difference. Keep in mind Thoreau's remark: "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."
7. Students and young people in relatively low-paying jobs have little money to spend on travel and club fees
Since traditional nudist clubs and resorts aren't necessarily the best places for young people to enjoy social nudity anyway, what difference does it make? The basic fact is that enjoying nudity is one of the least expensive forms of fun there is - you actually save money that doesn't have to be spent on unnecessary "status" clothing and laundry. You don't have to go any farther than your own home or apartment to enjoy social nudity. Although most people are not so fortunate as to live close to established clothing-optional beaches, there are still many possibilities for nude hiking and skinny-dipping in remote areas on public lands if you're in shape to visit more out of the way places.
8. Young men who lack a willing female companion are discouraged from visiting some nudist clubs and resorts alone
This is true in some cases. But remember what we've been saying all along - established clubs and resorts represent just a small fraction of people interested in social nudity. Explore all the other alternatives. Consider forming your own club. You don't have to own land - most nudist/naturist clubs are "non-landed". Often they're just groups of friends, not formally incorporated as a club. Their activities include recreation on public lands, get-togethers at members' homes, and (occasionally) even visiting landed clubs.
9. Young people lack experience in the practicalities of organising social clubs and events for themselves
There's so much to learn in life, we're all dead before we learn even a fraction of it. But there's no reason to be afraid of learning new things that are useful to us. Young people are usually busy learning the details of a profession, how to manage finances, perhaps how to take care of small children. All of these things are a lot more complex than organising a social club.
10. Students with a heavy course load, and perhaps a part-time job, have little time for planned social events. Young people getting started in a career are expected to work long hours. There just isn't much time for a social life, especially one that is not part of "the beaten path" in mainstream society
It doesn't get any easier until you're ready to retire or (at least) until your own children leave home. No matter how busy you feel right now, the more responsibilities you acquire over the years (on the job or around the house) the less "free" time you're going to have. The truth is, if you're under 30, the chances are that you have more time to enjoy now than you will later. So enjoy it now, while you can. The whole secret of managing time is in setting priorities. Some amount and type of recreation should be a priority. The question is: will it be with clothes, or without.
11. Colleges and universities are reluctant to allow campus naturist organisations to receive official sponsorship out of concern for problems with sexual harassment or nudity involving students under 18 years old
This problem, of course, arises only for young people still in an educational institution, if they want to use any campus facilities for their organising and meetings. Keep in mind that sexual harassment and "underage" nudity are legitimate concerns of school administrators, especially in these politically correct and sexually paranoid times. But the objections can be overcome in most "reasonable" schools. The would-be organiser of a campus clothing-optional club or event needs to take on the burden of educating himself/herself about the issues and including appropriate safeguards in the plans. It shouldn't be a big deal, as long as the problems are understood. Given this understanding, it should be possible to convince the necessary people that social nudity is not a hazardous activity and is as deserving of support as any other activity. It's just necessary to be willing to stand up for something you believe in, even though it is widely misunderstood to have much less merit than it really does. If you can get by that problem, a campus environment is actually a great one for clothing-optional activities: It's easy to get the word out to people who may be interested, plenty of meeting and recreational facilities are potentially available, and usually the community is more open-minded and free-thinking than is normally the case in society at large.
In Conclusion
I ask everyone to reflect on these reasons and on what each of us can do to help overcome them. My next suggestion is for young people who might be interested to go onto the Internet and Google for online places where you can discuss clothes-freedom, social nudity, and naturism with others of your age bracket. There are many alternatives, such as discussion forums, chat rooms, mailing lists, and individual Web site guest books. Consult my list of sites belonging to or describing places to enjoy clothes-freedomin the United States, Canada, and the rest of the world. Chances are good you'll find places close to where you live, but finding one that is "right" for you may take a little research.
A final word of warning, be aware there are also a few predators out there, especially on-line, who pretend to be younger than they are but who really have their own agendas. Never give out personal information on-line to anyone such as last names, addresses, telephone numbers, credit card data, etc. If you agree to meet someone, suggest a nearby nudist resort because AANR and The Naturist Society do a great job of screening members and guests before they are allowed in. True nudists understand that “nude is not lewd” so if anyone suggests otherwise, drop them from your Internet chat immediately and report them to your Web Master. Social Nudism in a safe environment can be a lot of fun for young people, and it also can be a liberating experience especially for those of you struggling with body acceptance issues. My advice is, if you want to give it a try, “Just do it!” You’ll be amazed how great it feels.
Download a PDF of the article here.
By Charles Daney (2004)
First, there isn't anything inherent about being in the 18- 30 age range that makes a person averse to nudity. With younger teenagers (13 to 17) there may well be. These are difficult times of adjusting to both major changes in one's body as well as taking major steps towards independence from one's parents. Young adults, however, should be well on their way to putting such issues behind them. They are considered "adults" because they have in fact achieved enough maturity to deal more rationally than emotionally with the problems of adolescence. And this includes being able to deal with nudity.
It hasn't always been this way. The generation of people who came of age in the 60s and 70s were more at ease with nudity (even though, statistically, interest in nudity was still rather outside of the mainstream). Perhaps this has more than a little to do with why this generation, now middle-aged, is more strongly represented in social nudity than younger people. People in this age range can recall (if they happen to be male) when it was normal to swim naked at the Y. They remember, fondly, the clothing optional parties and skinny-dipping that weren't uncommon on campuses in the late 60s and 70s. They flocked in large numbers to the "free" beaches - many of which still are "clothing optional", but rather less heavily used.
Today, there are plenty of examples that show that young people are quite able to deal with nudity and enjoy it under appropriate circumstances. Just look at the popularity of mass nude runs (sometimes known as "streaking") at colleges and universities - for example the University of Michigan "Naked Mile", the Hamilton College Varsity Streaking Team, and last year’s International Nude Bike Ride held in cities throughout the world. And an even bigger example of youth participation can be found at the annual Burning Man Festival, where the average age is around 30.
Admittedly, social nudity is still decidedly a minority interest although I suspect there are many more “closet nudists” who participate in the privacy of their own homes or backyards than pollsters have yet discovered. There are probably many different reasons that most young adults don't seem interested in trying social nudity – almost as many different reasons as there are people. But they do tend to fall into certain typical categories. So we're going to try a “Top Ten List” that examines the most important reasons. Actually in composing this article, I found an additional reason so forgive me if our “Top Ten” is actually a “Top Eleven.” And for each, we'll try to suggest why the reason need not by an insurmountable deterrent - and simple steps that anyone can take to overcome the obstacle if he/she wishes to.
1. Young people prefer to associate with others near their own age, yet they find few people of their age involved in clothes-free activities
It is true that most participants in organised nudist/naturist activities are over 30 - for all of the reasons listed here. Unfortunately, this is a self-reinforcing, self-perpetuating phenomenon, if young people stay away from social nudity simply because they don't immediately find others about their age. It may be necessary to find others one person at a time, and form new social groups. Fortunately, there are many new tools now available on the Internet to find other people in one's own area with similar interests, things like message forums, mailing lists, chat systems, and Web site "guest books". There are now a few Web sites specifically set up to assist young people with an interest in social nudity to make contact.
2. Young people just aren't interested in the sedate, "family-oriented" lifestyle promoted at many nudist clubs and resorts
Young people who visit traditional nudist clubs and resorts often find them boring. This is really just a corollary of the fact most of the membership at such places is considerably older. Older people will naturally shape the available activities into what is most appealing to themselves rather than what younger people would like. The solution is for young people to organise groups and activities according to their own tastes. Again, it's necessary to use other avenues to locate young people interested in social nudity. In point of fact, the membership of traditional nudist clubs and resorts is only a small percentage - perhaps 1% to 2% - of the population that is interested in social nudity. This latter group is much larger, but people in it are much harder to find with a map or directory. However, once you find others interested in social nudity, you can get together for activities such as visiting clothing-optional beaches, hot springs, and the like - or just parties at someone's home. A little research will also show that there are various existing groups, which combine social nudity with active sports like volleyball, running, canoeing, and hiking. You'll find a higher proportion of young folks in groups like this.
3. Young people, especially those who don't have an ongoing relationship, feel a higher degree of sexual tension that is stimulated by nudity
There may be no quick fix for this. You have to be very clear that organised social nudity is not a form of sexual entertainment. Its purpose is something altogether different from the release of sexual tension. To deal with that, there isn't any good alternative to forming the kind of special relationship with another person (or persons) that is right for each individual. That should be the first goal: work on your own social life. Then you will find that social nudity really is free from sexual tension. But single people can definitely enjoy social nudity - as long as they pursue other appropriate outlets for their sexual needs. Obviously, it will help if one can find a partner who shares one's interest in social nudity. But the truth is that it's much easier to find an appropriate partner in the much wider world outside of organised social nudity.
4. Teenagers going through puberty are usually uncomfortable with their bodies. This discomfort often tends to persist into the young adult years
A young adult is, by definition, more mature than a teenager. The best advice one can give to anyone over 18 who still has hang-ups about how his/her body looks is: get over it! There really isn't anything awful or gross or disgusting or "offensive" about how a naked body looks. We all have one. It's absurd to be, unlike any other animal, unable to stand the sight of a normal member of one's species. Everyone needs to learn "body acceptance", because that is part of self- acceptance, which is a tremendously important part of growing up. Becoming involved with social nudity, in fact, almost always helps enormously with achieving body acceptance. The first steps can be hard - but then it gets drastically easier.
5. There is a strong pressure on young people to have "beautiful" or "attractive" bodies, but going naked lets everyone see the imperfections in one's body
To the extent that physical attractiveness plays a role in mate selection, there is going to be such a pressure. But does being naked actually reveal that much more of one's body than happens with a typical swimsuit? No, except (perhaps) for the genitals the essential details are pretty obvious. Assuming that you do as much as is reasonably necessary (in your opinion) to be in good physical shape, your body is just fine the way it is naturally. And as a young person, your body is probably as "attractive" as it ever will be, so appreciate it at its best! Genetically speaking, almost no one actually has the shape of the supermodels heavily promoted by the media and advertising. The sooner you realise this and adopt realistic expectations about your own body's appearance, and that of actual or potential mates, the happier you will be. That's what body acceptance is all about.
6. Young people are more susceptible to peer pressure, and traditional nudist/naturist activities are not socially "acceptable" in many circles
This is another holdover from the teenage years, when peer pressure is, generally, far too important. If the concept of "cool" implies some peer-generated standard of how you have to be, it's a bad idea. It's time to get over this as well. Most people eventually realise it isn't necessary to wear the same sort and styles of clothes as everyone else. Take it further, and you realise it isn't necessary to wear clothes at all (in an appropriate environment). Ask yourself: whose life is it, anyway? You only get one chance at it, so do it the way you want, not the way "everyone else" seems to think necessary - if you believe you have sound reasons for the difference. Keep in mind Thoreau's remark: "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."
7. Students and young people in relatively low-paying jobs have little money to spend on travel and club fees
Since traditional nudist clubs and resorts aren't necessarily the best places for young people to enjoy social nudity anyway, what difference does it make? The basic fact is that enjoying nudity is one of the least expensive forms of fun there is - you actually save money that doesn't have to be spent on unnecessary "status" clothing and laundry. You don't have to go any farther than your own home or apartment to enjoy social nudity. Although most people are not so fortunate as to live close to established clothing-optional beaches, there are still many possibilities for nude hiking and skinny-dipping in remote areas on public lands if you're in shape to visit more out of the way places.
8. Young men who lack a willing female companion are discouraged from visiting some nudist clubs and resorts alone
This is true in some cases. But remember what we've been saying all along - established clubs and resorts represent just a small fraction of people interested in social nudity. Explore all the other alternatives. Consider forming your own club. You don't have to own land - most nudist/naturist clubs are "non-landed". Often they're just groups of friends, not formally incorporated as a club. Their activities include recreation on public lands, get-togethers at members' homes, and (occasionally) even visiting landed clubs.
9. Young people lack experience in the practicalities of organising social clubs and events for themselves
There's so much to learn in life, we're all dead before we learn even a fraction of it. But there's no reason to be afraid of learning new things that are useful to us. Young people are usually busy learning the details of a profession, how to manage finances, perhaps how to take care of small children. All of these things are a lot more complex than organising a social club.
10. Students with a heavy course load, and perhaps a part-time job, have little time for planned social events. Young people getting started in a career are expected to work long hours. There just isn't much time for a social life, especially one that is not part of "the beaten path" in mainstream society
It doesn't get any easier until you're ready to retire or (at least) until your own children leave home. No matter how busy you feel right now, the more responsibilities you acquire over the years (on the job or around the house) the less "free" time you're going to have. The truth is, if you're under 30, the chances are that you have more time to enjoy now than you will later. So enjoy it now, while you can. The whole secret of managing time is in setting priorities. Some amount and type of recreation should be a priority. The question is: will it be with clothes, or without.
11. Colleges and universities are reluctant to allow campus naturist organisations to receive official sponsorship out of concern for problems with sexual harassment or nudity involving students under 18 years old
This problem, of course, arises only for young people still in an educational institution, if they want to use any campus facilities for their organising and meetings. Keep in mind that sexual harassment and "underage" nudity are legitimate concerns of school administrators, especially in these politically correct and sexually paranoid times. But the objections can be overcome in most "reasonable" schools. The would-be organiser of a campus clothing-optional club or event needs to take on the burden of educating himself/herself about the issues and including appropriate safeguards in the plans. It shouldn't be a big deal, as long as the problems are understood. Given this understanding, it should be possible to convince the necessary people that social nudity is not a hazardous activity and is as deserving of support as any other activity. It's just necessary to be willing to stand up for something you believe in, even though it is widely misunderstood to have much less merit than it really does. If you can get by that problem, a campus environment is actually a great one for clothing-optional activities: It's easy to get the word out to people who may be interested, plenty of meeting and recreational facilities are potentially available, and usually the community is more open-minded and free-thinking than is normally the case in society at large.
In Conclusion
I ask everyone to reflect on these reasons and on what each of us can do to help overcome them. My next suggestion is for young people who might be interested to go onto the Internet and Google for online places where you can discuss clothes-freedom, social nudity, and naturism with others of your age bracket. There are many alternatives, such as discussion forums, chat rooms, mailing lists, and individual Web site guest books. Consult my list of sites belonging to or describing places to enjoy clothes-freedomin the United States, Canada, and the rest of the world. Chances are good you'll find places close to where you live, but finding one that is "right" for you may take a little research.
A final word of warning, be aware there are also a few predators out there, especially on-line, who pretend to be younger than they are but who really have their own agendas. Never give out personal information on-line to anyone such as last names, addresses, telephone numbers, credit card data, etc. If you agree to meet someone, suggest a nearby nudist resort because AANR and The Naturist Society do a great job of screening members and guests before they are allowed in. True nudists understand that “nude is not lewd” so if anyone suggests otherwise, drop them from your Internet chat immediately and report them to your Web Master. Social Nudism in a safe environment can be a lot of fun for young people, and it also can be a liberating experience especially for those of you struggling with body acceptance issues. My advice is, if you want to give it a try, “Just do it!” You’ll be amazed how great it feels.
Download a PDF of the article here.
Diary of a Teenage Nudist
Below is a film about a girl called Bianca. Who at the time of making the film, was an 18 year old who, like many of her age, is about to go to university. Unlike most, however, she grew up in a nudist club. She was a naturist herself until the age of 12, when her self-consciousness, a negative image of her own body, and a lack of other teenagers interested in nudism, led her to cover up. She's been what other naturists call a 'textile' ever since.
However, she discovered, via the internet, that there is a new generation of teenage nudists. As well as looking into the motivation of nudists, Bianca investigates whether the whole movement is as universally innocent and non-sexual as practitioners claim. From meeting closet nudists who only take their clothes off alone, and witnessing a naked bike ride through central London, to an extraordinary and liberating nudist camp in America, this is Bianca's open, honest, affectionate and sometimes critical look at what it is to be a naturist.
Diary of a Teenage Nudist pt1 by PedrodePena
Diary of a Teenage Nudist pt2 by PedrodePena
Diary of a Teenage Nudist pt3 by PedrodePena
Diary of a Teenage Nudist pt4 by PedrodePena
Beauty Tips and Tricks Can Maintain Your Youth
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Chatting with otherwise women and friends strength refrain you apportion example rituals with apiece opposite. Fair book in purpose that both example routines may utilize for both but not for others. It's key to asking which beauty rituals run first for you and save to them. A merchandise of lotions may service you and others might not, thus by penning dr. what you suchlike and what looks individual on you. It's unhurried to bury what you determine of women enjoy using dead sea products as these amount vertical from the dead sea situated in Israel. The deathly seas chemical cosmetics of peaky engrossment of minerals and salts modify it perfect for obligation injure somesthesia fish and growing.
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