So Who Are Nudists Anyway?

Actually naturists come from every walk of life. You don't have to have smoked pot during the sixties, listened to a single Bob Dylan album, ever identified with the “hippie” movement, or attended Woodstock. Naturists are doctors, lawyers, housewives, clerks, business owners, teachers, and even members of the clergy. There are rich nudists, poor nudists, blue-collar, white-collar, self-employed, unemployed...anyone can be a naturist. In fact the only thing keeping you from being a nudist is the clothes you are wearing. As someone once observed, we are really all nudists beneath our clothing. The only qualification needed to become a naturist is a sincere desire to enjoy a clothes optional lifestyle.

As mentioned previously, certainly it is very likely you might meet a “strange” nudist just as you can meet strange people in any area of life, but nudists in general are not actually strange at all. In fact, there is a very good chance that you are acquainted with a nudist but are simply not aware of it. Nudists are not exhibitionists and generally are laid back, unassuming types. We do not wish to offend others by “over exposure” nor do we wish to be gawked at by perverts anymore than anyone else would. For this reason we practice social nudity in controlled, private environments for the most part, like nudist resorts, clubs and in some cases private homes. As an ardent backpacker, I do sometimes enjoy spending time nude in remote backcountry areas where there is no danger of encountering and inadvertently offending others. It is a marvelous way to interact with nature and the environment.

I have never been one to attempt to convert someone to my way of thinking or to dissuade anyone from following their own conscience. So my purpose for writing this blog is not to convince you to become a naturist. Frankly, nudism is not for everyone. Nor is this blog an attempt to “defend” nudism or my enjoyment of a clothing optional lifestyle because I don’t think it requires any defense. I am merely presenting my own perspectives and sharing my experiences as information which you may choose to read and consider or disregard.

It might seem a bit disingenuous for me to identify myself as a nudist when I have yet to appear naked in the presence of others at a public gathering of nudists, such as a resort area or club. Frankly, long before I was even very well educated on what nudism/naturism is and what it is about, I already knew that I enjoyed the peace and tranquility that comes from spending time nude. For most of my adult life I have enjoyed sleeping in the nude and being nude in the privacy of my own home. I even spent time nude outdoors a few times on the remote backpacking trips I mentioned. I’ve been skinny dipping more than once and enjoyed relaxing dips in natural hot springs too. So it is on this basis that I feel I can honestly identify myself as a nudist. But as far as the other, communal observance of social nudity, hopefully in my next post I will be able to share with you my first public, social nudity experience since weather permitting, I plan on visiting my very first nudist resort this afternoon.