Part 3: Nudism as a Cultural-Political Movement

A simple evaluation of the lifestyle against those discrete elements that define a cultural-political movement disqualifies nudism and naturism as such. Consider these examples:

While we have two national membership organizations, AANR and The Naturist Society neither body serves as cohesive leadership. Neither works to curry favor from among the country's political and economic power brokers, necessary to launch a movement.

Our community does little in the way of actively recruiting new participants either on a strategic or tactical level. Our national organizations focus on "educating" the masses and "promoting" nude recreation as a wholesome, healthy lifestyle but do little if anything in the way of getting the message out to the average non-nudist that forcing the lifting of the societal imposed restrictions on the responsible practice of nudism would positively impact on the civil liberties of all. That is I think an area where we all, from the national organizations to individual nudists fall woefully short.

In an environment where civil liberties for all are shrinking at an alarming rate, it seems to go virtually unnoticed. Our centralized governments grow larger, more powerful, and less responsive to calls for change and no one seems to care as the reality of an Orwellian society looms ominously on the horizon.

Recruiting those who share similar values and patriotic principles from among general society in support civil liberties, irrespective of their opinions on nudism is essential if nudism is ever to gain any traction toward becoming a more mainstream part of American culture.

All successful cultural-political movements of the past were able to do this. A great number of white Americans who were not personally impacted by racial segregation joined with black Americans in the cause of equal civil rights during the American Civil Rights movement. These individuals were made aware of fact that they too were stakeholders in the movement even if only indirectly affected by racial inequality and segregation.

Neither our national nudist organizations nor we as individuals do much in the way of removing barriers to participation for potential recruits to our cause. We haven't done enough to counter the stereotypes and stigma that so many in our society associate with our culture. Until and unless we do, we are going to find it tough going to recruit allies from among the members of general society or to develop support among those holding the reins of political and economic power. Who outside the culture of nudism wants to be saddled with the reputation of being aligned with nudists?

Finally, we lack even a collective identity among ourselves. The type of person attracted to nudism typically is typically an individualist, unafraid of bucking conventional thinking. Individualism is in my opinion a positive trait. On the other hand, many nudists carry the independent streak to the extreme, becoming in a real sense isolationists. They don't need an AANR or TNS membership card. They don't need to be part of club with what they consider ridiculously restrictive rules on things like body jewelry or open sexual behavior. They are convinced that they know what nudism is about and don't need the acceptance or opinions of others.

The problem with isolationist thinking is that it slowly but surely erodes the bedrock principles on which nudism was founded leaving us with a message that lacks fundamental coherence or continuity. Disagreement and fragmented thinking within the community prevents the articulation of any clear message to those on the outside.

The whole point of this is that there are lots of little details that we are all free as individuals to have different opinions and perspectives on, but individual opinions on minor, peripheral concerns shouldn't divide us on the larger issues. Such a state of affairs fragments our cohesion and continuity to the degree that nothing is accomplished in the cause of moving nudism forward.

In conclusion, nudism simply does not fit the criteria of a cultural or cultural-political movement. Principally, the lack of strong leadership, absence of unity, and the nonexistence of a common, long range vision are the reasons why. It doesn't mean that the lifestyle couldn't become a viable cultural-political movement but that can happen only if proponents of nudism find a way to address the missing necessary elements.

Is the goal of becoming a cultural-political movement something nudists & naturists collectively should aspire to? There would be some real advantages to pursuing such a goal. Therein lays perhaps the most favorable chance for gaining wider mainstream acceptance, a key ingredient towards expanding access to public lands for nude recreation and the decriminalization of public nudity.