Social Nudity Experience: A Female Perspective

As a follow up to my last post, I decided to post an interesting article I recently found on the web about a female’s first social nudity experience. The article, written by University of Texas at Austin staff writer, Roxanna Asgarian, and published April 2, 2009, at The Daily Texan online web site, details her first social nudity experience when she visited a club party hosted by members of Hill Country Nudists, a non-landed nudist club located in Austin, Texas.

Generally it is not my habit to publish the work of others on my blog as I prefer to write my own original content and share my own personal experiences and opinions. Yet when it comes to the female perspective, I am of course rendered unqualified by the fact that I’m male. I think this article succinctly and effectively communicates the female perspective on a first experience with social nudity and felt that exposure to this article would be beneficial to any women who might visit this blog. I tried without success to contact the writer for permission but hopefully she won’t mind having her article re-printed here with full credit. Given that I only came across the article by happenstance myself and that few outside Texas are familiar with the Daily Texan, hopefully this re-printing will allow greater access to what was a very well written and enlightening piece of journalism.

Nudist club gets down to the essentials[1]

As I head down the winding, tree-lined Highway 71 on Saturday evening, I can’t help but feel butterflies in my stomach. I am going to the home of John and Connie, who withhold their last names, to have my first social nude experience.

Pulling up to the driveway, I am floored by the beautiful, secluded home.

I shyly ring the bell and look through the glass front door into the house, and see an awesome view of Lake Travis, which lines the backyard. A naked man appears in my line of vision. I blush as he beckons me in.

“Here goes,” I think, as I strategically avoid his lower region with my eyes as he directs me to a room to change. On the way, I glance at 10 or so middle-aged people, mostly couples, hanging out by the bar. Most of them are naked, although some have on a shirt or a sash covering select parts of their bodies.

We talked at length about nudism before the event, and they set my mind at ease. I was curious to know what goes down at a nudist event and how I would handle being naked in public.

“Women have an additional barrier to nudism,” one man said. “Many women don’t know whether nudism in a group setting will be safe, when actually it’s incredibly safe. It’s safer than going out to a bar, because you know and trust these people.”

I thought it was funny that, before I went to the Hill Country Nudists’ gathering, all my friends asked, “What are you going to wear there?” as if my outfit would be even more important since it would only be on for five minutes. I have on yoga pants and a T-shirt, and when John drops me off in the guest room with two other changing women, I peel them off.

The youngest woman there, besides me, is 24 and also a UT student. Other than that, the crowd is primarily middle-aged and most of them have their partners with them, which helps me loosen up and let my arms hang by my sides, rather than gripping tightly around my body.

They all introduce themselves as I crack open a Red Stripe and someone blends Pisco sours, a traditional Peruvian drink that tastes like a margarita topped off with bitters.

The theme of the evening is “Peruvian night,” and Virginia and Carlos, a married couple from Peru, fix empanadas and ceviche in the kitchen.

Then I meet Paul, who takes me out to the backyard to look at the view. In the back of my mind I wonder if “look at the view” means different things to each of us, but I figure I’m here to participate. Once I am naked, I feel like the hardest part is behind me. He is surprised when I tell him this is my first social nude experience.

“You seem so at ease,” he said.

I take that as a compliment. I had been worried leading up to the event that I’d arrive to find some massive middle-aged orgy, or that I wouldn’t be able to stop looking at all the penises on display. But no orgies (at least in front of me) and I only sometimes glance at the penises, a little. The ceviche and empanadas are divine, and the atmosphere is relaxed, friendly and respectful.

After dinner, the group takes turns in the hot tub, which is housed in a room with hanging plants and a wall of windows overlooking Lake Travis. Saturday evening also happens to be Earth Hour, a time when people around the country are urged to turn off the lights and conserve energy for one hour.

So off go the lights, and I sit in the hot tub, in the dark, with a couple of middle-aged men. I marvel at the fact that there isn’t even a hint of sexual overtone.

I’m serious. They’re asking me about my career goals and I am responding openly. I definitely feel naked, but I don’t feel exposed or sexually objectified.

I realize that these people are onto something, and that it takes maturity to be able to hold it down like this when you’re all nude.

At the end of the evening, after retreating to the guest bedroom to put my clothes back on, I say my goodbyes. I am invited back and told to bring friends. I take their invitation seriously, but am not sure if I want to become a lifetime member just yet. I hug the women and men and promise to come back. And on the way out, I don’t even glance at the penises.

For more information on the nude lifestyle, visit www.hillcountrynudists.com.

[1] Roxanna Asgarian, Daily Texan Staff. “Nudist club gets down to the essentials.” [Online] April 2, 2009. <http://www.dailytexanonline.com/nudist-club-gets-down-to-the-essentials-1.1639833>.

Hopefully as you read the article you were able to identify many of the obstacles and barriers to female participation in social nudity which were discussed in my previous post. The issues and concerns are very real to women as I’m sure you could see expressed in Roxanna Asgarian’s article. But also, I hope you were encouraged by the positive experience that she had and saw how she worked through her initial misgivings and misconceptions and in the end discovered that social nudity was an enjoyable, wholesome, non-threatening, safe and relaxing experience.

A First Social Nudity Outing

All of the clubs and resorts associated with such organizations at the American Association of Nude Recreation (AANR) aim to provide a stress free, relaxed experience for first time visitors. AANR affiliated clubs and resorts are the perfect choice for those who have developed an interest in nudity and feel ready to move beyond simple home nudity to a first social nudity experience.

You can easily locate a club or resort near your home by referencing the helpful AANR Club Listings web page. You will find a map on the page and you simply click on your own or a nearby state and you will then be taken to a list of AANR clubs and resorts for that specific area.

One important thing to know and understand is that there are two types of nudist clubs. The first is a “landed club”. A landed club, often referred to as a resort has its own grounds and facilities. Landed clubs range from the very posh and luxurious to those that are more related to nature and rustic. Landed clubs are my recommendation for a first visit and first social nudity experience. It is not necessary to be a member of a nudist organization like AANR or The Naturist Society (TNS) before visiting a nudist resort but members of these organizations do receive discounts on fees and often on lodging as well.

Most clubs and resorts have web sites and you will find links to those on the club listing pages. Check out the web sites of those that are of interest to do a little preliminary research to find out general information about the club and the atmosphere you can expect if you choose to visit. It is always best to plan a head and to understand the type of club you will be attending and to familiarize yourself with their rules and regulations.

Most if not all require that you call ahead of time and make a reservation so that they will be expecting you. This is a good time to ask any questions that you may have and to put yourself at ease over anything you might feel uncomfortable about. Be sure to let the club representative know that this will be your first visit to a nudist club. The representative will then do his/her best to make sure you understand all you need to know about their club.

Here are a few suggested questions to ask:

• What are the club’s admissions policies?
• What are the fees involved?
• What recreational facilities does the club offer?
• If you are planning on more than just a day visit, you will want to ask them what type of accommodations they have to offer if any. Some offer standard motel rooms and nearly all have camping facilities to accommodate both RVs and tents.
• Ask if there is an adjustment period before first timers are expected to take off their clothing. AANR affiliated clubs are very sensitive to the fact that a first time visitor is going to feel a bit nervous and uneasy at the prospect and generally will allow you to remain clothed while you are given a tour of the grounds and make up your mind about staying. There are “clothing optional” and “clothes free” resorts so make sure you understand the policy of the specific club or resort that you select. Clothing optional clubs allow and encourage nudity but full nudity is not required except when using pools or hot tubs. Clothes free resorts on the other hand have a clothes when necessary (inclement weather) but nude when possible policy. Some clubs have different rules based on gender, appreciating the fact that women are sometimes more ill at ease when visiting a nudist club for the first time than men. So women may be allowed “clothing optional” while men are expected to be nude. Still, it is pretty much a common rule with all that full nudity is required for those who wish to use the pools or hot tub.
• If you intend to take pets for an overnight stay, make sure to inquire about pet policies. Many nudist clubs are very family oriented and pet friendly and do allow pets but expect that you will have them on leash when in the common areas.

There are a few things you will want to make sure that you take along for your first visit;

• Photo identification.
• A couple of towels as nudist rules of etiquette require that a towel be used for sitting on any furnishings for personal hygiene reasons. It is nice to have a second towel to use after swimming or showering.
• Sun block to prevent sunburn on areas where you normally don’t get sun.
• Camping equipment if you will staying overnight and are not renting a room.

Every club or resort has its own rules but here are some rather common ones that you might encounter;

• Sitting on towels is a common courtesy and expected.
• Always ask permission before taking photographs if cameras are allowed.
• Use of vulgar language or any other unseemly behavior is prohibited.
• Parents must supervise their children at all times.
• Body acceptance is the theme at nudist clubs and resorts and everyone is encouraged to be nude most of the time but it is not mandatory at all places.
• No overt sexual activity is permitted. No sexual propositions of any kind allowed. Basically, any behavior that might cause others to feel uncomfortable is forbidden.
• Piercing jewelry below the waist is usually not permitted.
• Overuse of alcohol and any use of illegal drugs is not tolerated.
• Politeness and respect for the property of others is expected.

As far as costs go, most resorts charge a “day rate fee” and there are additional charges for lodging or camping. Many offer special rates and discounts to first time visitors so be sure to ask about them. Day rate fees vary but tend to range from $ 20 - $30 per day.

My First Public Nudity Experience

On March 15, I experienced my very first visit to a nudist resort and my introduction to nude recreation. After deciding that social nudity was something I wanted to experience and explore, I had been eager to visit a resort but of course was a little nervous about it too. I packed my gear along with towels and other items that were suggested on the resort’s web site and then I was on the road around 12:30 p.m.

It took me about an hour and 20 minutes to reach the resort, Bluebonnet Naturists Resort. As the gates came into sight I was still feeling nervous, but committed to trying this. I stopped the car and took a couple of deep breaths before pushing the intercom button.

I chose this particular time for my visit day specifically because the owner of resort during our telephone conversation had told me he didn’t expect a very large crowd since it was early in the season and the weather had been cool and rainy during the past week. Since this would be my very first casual public nudity experience, I really thought not having to face a huge crowd might be a little less intimidating and would help me feel comfortable with it a bit faster. After identifying myself at the intercom, the gates swung open to admit me and I continued on to the Welcome Center, located just inside the entrance.

Stepping out of the car I was immediately greeted by the owner. I suppose I was somewhat surprised that he was dressed as I guess I just assumed the staff would be naked. It was however still a bit cool when I arrived. The owner spent a good deal of time talking with me after I arrived, telling me about the history of the place and about some of the facilities and activities available. I felt he was trying to help me feel at ease and get over feeling nervous but also could tell that he was sort of “checking” me out to make certain I was a stand up guy (which he later confirmed he was). I didn’t mind that at all because it demonstrated that he has a lot of consideration for his membership and wasn’t just profit driven.

After our discussion, the owner checked my identification, made a copy of my driver’s license and had me complete some brief paperwork to officially check-in. He went over the resort rules and then gave me some preliminary information on memberships and costs. After taking care of the financial end of my visit, he then escorted me to a building (which I later learned was the clubhouse). On arrival, he had me remove my clothes before starting the tour and he removed his as well, I think to make me feel more comfortable.

I was actually amazed by how nice and well equipped the clubhouse was. There was a spacious dining room, dance floor, big screen television with satellite service, a Wii setup, a game room, a sun room with lots of comfortable seating and a fully equipped commercial type kitchen. Adjacent was a pool area, with two pools, spacious sun decks with lots of loungers and chairs, a large hot tub and sauna. Across the street there were tennis courts and a sand volley ball pit. Everything was very clean and well kept and the grounds were well maintained with lots of landscaping evident.

After a thorough tour, the owner invited me to walk around a bit, explore the grounds and to choose my camp site. He also invited me to use any of the facilities I wished even the kitchen as long as I cleaned up after myself. I had my pick of sites as there were no other tent guests during my visit and there were lots to choose from. The fee for all tent sites, even those with electric and water are very reasonable, only $5 per day.

After walking around a bit and then setting up my camp site, I headed straight for the nature trails for my first nude hike. The sun was bright and the conditions were near perfect by that time and it was amazing how nice the sun felt on my skin. I was actually surprised with how quickly I became comfortable being outdoors completely nude. While there weren’t any other short-term guests during my stay, the resort has a good number of permanent residents and so I did encounter other people from time to time. Without exception everyone was friendly and didn’t even seem to notice I was naked and so I didn’t feel at all uncomfortable.

The first day I pretty much spent exploring the facilities, hiking on the groomed nature trails and took time for my first ever nude run. Following a restful night I awakened the following morning at about 8:30 a.m. It was a bit too chilly for clothing optional so I had to throw on a fleece jacket and a pair of sweat pants while I had breakfast and coffee. But by 10:30 a.m. it had started to warm up and was once again comfortable to go clothes free. I spent the morning taking a second jog around the resort roads then sunbathed beside the pool until lunch time. After lunch I showered and then enjoyed a dip in the hot tub. The hot tub was fabulous and my first hot tub experience without wearing swim trunks. I also tried out the sauna, my first time in one of those. I did a little more hiking on the nature trails and then grabbed a book and spent some more time lounging by the pool. By 4:00 p.m. I was starting to feel the effects of the sun, especially on those areas where I never get sun and decided I better get packed up and headed home. I rounded up my things and was all packed up by 5:00 p.m. I really hated the thought of having to put clothes on again after more than 24 hours of being nude. Finally I forced myself to put on a polo shirt and pair of shorts and not surprisingly it felt as bad as I expected.

By the end of my visit, I had encountered quite a few people some naked ones and some clothed and never once felt out of place or uncomfortable. It was a fabulous experience and such a relaxing and pleasant two days. I had finally felt the freedom and naturalness that I’ve read about. It was such a nice feeling walking about with nothing on but my tennis shoes, sunscreen and a towel around my shoulder. Overall, I’d say my first nudist experience was perfect and I was actually amazed at how quickly I felt comfortable in this new environment. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and plan to visit the resort again soon as well as a couple of others I’ve read about. It was the perfect low key introduction for me but next time I’ll go when the season is in full swing so there will be more guests to socialize with since this first experience has I think allowed me to get over the inevitable shyness as a newcomer.