Democracy in Action

The Naturist Action Committee is the non-profit political adjunct to The Naturist Society (TNS). NAC's nine volunteer board members are elected democratically from and by the membership of TNS. NAC is a grass roots organization that relies on the involvement and participation of individual naturists and groups at local levels. NAC exists to advance and protect the rights and interests of naturists throughout North America. NAC supports the responsible recreational nude use of public lands.

From time to time NAC issues Action Alerts which provides Naturists with timely information on political and legal issues of consequence to North American Naturists. Sometimes that information simply provides a background and a context for an important issue. Sometimes it is a call for individual Naturists to take action in true grass roots fashion. As an example, on March 27, 2009, NAC issued an Action Alert pertaining to a bill introduced in the Vermont House of Representatives, designated as H. 154. This proposed legislation would if enacted into law, prohibit and criminalize skinny-dipping and nude sunbathing on all public lands within the borders of the State of Vermont. If interested you may read here the entire text of the H 154 Action Alert.

While not a citizen of Vermont, as someone who might consider visiting there at some point and contributing to the tourism industry revenues of Vermont, this bill could affect me if passed. Also, as an American citizen I find the unwarranted repression of personal liberties in our democratic society reprehensible when such repression is based solely on pandering to the opinions and demands of an uniformed minority who simply cannot distinguish the difference between simple nudity and sexual activity. It would seem that most people consider skinny-dipping and nude sunbathing to be rather benign activities since during an independent poll conducted by the Roper Group in 2006, showed that 75 percent of Americans believed people should be allowed to nude sunbathe without interference as long as it was done responsibly and in an appropriate setting (i.e. areas designated for the activity). So in response to the action alert, I wrote the following letter to the elected officials whose addresses were furnished in the document…

To the Honorable Representatives of the State of Vermont

Greetings:

It has come to my attention that a bill has been introduced in the Vermont Hose of Representatives, Prohibiting Public Nudity on Public Lands, designated as H. 154 which proposes to prohibit and criminalize nude sunbathing and skinny-dipping within public lands located in the State of Vermont.

Frankly, I am astounded that the State of Vermont, known for valuing the personal freedom of its residents and visitors would be considering the enactment of such a bill designed to restrict the personal liberties of every individual and prohibit such benign activities as skinny-dipping and nude sunbathing. Given the challenges of the current economic times, it would seem the legislature has more pressing issues to address. Undoubtedly a law of this type would negatively impact on Vermont’s tourism industry, an industry that I expect brings in a good deal of revenue to the state.

May I respectfully bring to your attention that a public opinion poll conducted by the independent Roper polling organization showed that 74 percent of Americans believe that people who enjoy nude sunbathing should be able to do so without interference as long as they do so at a beach that is set aside and has signage properly installed advising those who might be offended by nudity that the beach has been designated for that purpose.

I respectfully call upon the Honorable Representatives of the State of Vermont to vote against H. 154. There should always be compelling reason to restrict the personal liberties of citizens within a democratic society. Passage of legislation aimed at prohibiting benign and harmless activities and conduct at the behest of a misinformed, intolerant minority does not meet that definition. I think the current laws on the books of Vermont are more than sufficient to regulate public nudity and "lewd" conduct to protect the sensibilities of the ultra conservative minority within Vermont who find it impossible to distinguish between simple nudity and sexual activity.

Respectfully yours,


It is difficult to know whether writing the letter will influence anyone in the Vermont House of Representatives but certainly doing nothing wouldn’t accomplish anything. I can only hope that many North American Naturists will do as I did as certainly correspondence from many will have a better chance of being effective than the correspondence of only a few.