"Some day people will grow up and realize that the only thing vile
about human bodies is the small minds some people have developed
within them."- Dick Hein
In the Long
View
For generations we have been seeking
to cover up the so- called primitive peoples of the world with our
Western styles of clothing, whether they were appropriate to the
climate and conditions of those peoples or not. Today, we have this
change in thinking on the part of some of us that perhaps those
"primitive peoples" were wiser than we.
Let's be honest. The "movement" of
nudism/Naturism involves a truly minuscule number of people in our
society (albeit a growing number, across virtually all segments of the
population). Worse, we are considered by some to be some sort of
"cult." But in this regard it is highly revealing in many meaning of
the term that whereas less than 30 years ago there were officially
25,000 nudists in the United States and 50,000 in Germany, the number
of the officially and unofficially involved today, if we include the
occasional skinny-dippers, runs well into the millions.
Mere nudity begins to cease to be
either a matter of exaggerated concern or abnormal interest to the
majority of the public. And while the number of "official" members of
organized nudist remains small, the effect has been like the leaven in
the loaf; for the workings are far greater and vastly more extensive
than the small numbers would warrant.
Small as our numbers may be in
relation to the entire population, each one of us has to reflect and
develop some clear ideas about what nudist and Naturism means in our
individual live and in our relationship with others. What are the
values available to me from being nude, naked, bare of all clothing in
the company of others of all ages and both sexes -- and what benefit
might derive from these practices? Are there negative aspects, too?
I read with interest the various
proposals for changing the name of the American Sunbathing Association
--doing away with "sunbathing" and stating the nudist purpose
directly. Sunbathing seems to me, as it clearly did to others, a bit
of a misnomer; yes, we enjoy the sun on our total bodies, we enjoy the
fluidity and motion of the human body in the light of the sun; yet we
know nudist and Naturism are more than that.
Let's look for a moment at
terminology. Naked, nude, nudist and Naturism. According to my
dictionary, naked and nude are largely interchangeable. On the other
hand, I believe a distinction can be made between the nudist -- one
who joins with others on occasion in mixed company in a state of
nakedness -- and the Naturist, who is seeking to live in a state of
nudity at all appropriate times and as much as possible in a close
relationship with the natural surroundings, alone or with others of
all ages and both sexes. These descriptions are certainly subject to
correction and revision.
It is Naturism that I seek to
practice in my own life. In neither description have I said anything
about "values", but I like to think that the Naturist is more
positive-value oriented, whereas among nudists there is considerably
greater latitude in the values tolerated. I shall use these terms
interchangeably, though with the above definitions understood.
In virtually all the literature, in
many of the letters one reads from new "converts" to nudist or from
those who have been active in the lifestyle for a long time, one often
finds the comment that practitioners enjoy being nude "because it
feels good." Quite aside from all the other physical and psychological
reactions, I suppose that this feeling of freedom from the confinement
of restrictive clothing is one of the first things many of us
experience.
At the same time, however, among the
beneficial and enjoyable effects or feeling of freedom is the ability
of our bodies to function as intended: These bodies can breathe,
adjust to variations in temperature, cleanse themselves through the
pores, lungs and the whole circulatory system.
One very negative commentator writes:
"The alleged improvement in health, physical or mental, is founded on
no evident fact but is simply a gratuitous supposition, or at most is
based on far fetched analogies with life among certain primitive
people." Fortunately there is ample evidence based not on suppositions
but on valid empirical studies confirming that under proper conditions
nudity is a desirable aid to good mental and physical health. In
contrast, here in the U.S., body picture confusion, sexual
overstimulation and commercialization of nudity has reached an
absolute height.
For years, the health insurance
organization of Sweden has sent patients to Dalmatia, prescribing nude
sunbathing and relaxation in the mild waters of the Adriatic for skin
and other illnesses. We are often aware of the effort of practicing
nudists to care for their bodily health. We know that we find every
possible body type and form and we are no longer under the dangerous
illusion that everyone can conform to the nude examples of 'Playboy'
and 'Playgirl'. Seeing the great variety of bodily characteristics, we
no longer worry so much about "positive" or "negative" attributes of
our bodies, and we learn to accept both our own picture and the images
others present. We see those with scars of injuries and surgeries and
other disabilities and "imperfections" who participate in nudist
activities without any self-consciousness.
I might also add here what I
profoundly believe to be one of the greatest benefits of Naturism: The
positive effect it has on the mental and physical health of our
children. For almost 20 years I took groups of children to a beautiful
nudist center in Istria, Croatia, on the Adriatic. These children,
even the so- called "difficult" ones, were a joy to be with. Despite
an occasional sunburn, the general health of these children and,
especially, their later attitudes toward the bodies of both men and
women were markedly improved. Today many go to the camp with their own
children.
Short Reading About Nudist Culture
The most common problem women have toward a nudist environment is the fact that most think that only perfect 10's will be there and they will be embarrassed by other women. This is simply not the case. Only one in twenty (or less) has an exceptional physical appearance and naturists view all people as beautiful. Just as everyday people, some may have physically attractive bodies and may be proud of them, but most have average physiques and no overwhelming desire to flaunt themselves. When visiting a nudist environment, it soon becomes apparent that human beings are not rated on a scale on one to ten, based on body type, but rather on individual merit. They feel that personalities shine while exterior features have very little meaning.
A pamphlet which has helped many women better understand and adjust to nude life titled, A Woman's Perspective is available from the ASA, Incorporated, 1703 North Main Street, Kissimmee, Florida 34744-9988 USA; 407-933-2064. It details the average female nudist's attitudes about the practice and benefits of nude recreation for women, men and children. Yes, children. Experiences with children at nudist sites seems to suggest that the lifestyle also helps children to better cope with the pressures of growing up. Child naturists seem to be quite relaxed and have no problem with shedding garments. Also, incidents of abusive acts are much more rare than in "clothed" society. Children at these facilities are clean, considerate, and very well mannered.
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