Part II: The Demise of Organized Nudism?

In Part I, we examined anecdotal evidence like declining membership in AANR and the declining numbers of nudists in evidence at local nudist clubs and resorts as potential signs that organized nudism as it has been known since the American Nudist Movement first came on the scene is on the way out. Anecdotal or not, it seems rather clear that the declining numbers at traditional nudist clubs and steep decline in membership with arguably the most prominent national nudist organization do seem to indicate that interest in organized nudism is certainly waning. There are of course endless possibilities for why this is occurring but I think we can fairly easily identify some of those reasons. What is not so clear is whether the trend can be reversed.

The Role of AANR

Based on comments I have received right here at TEN, discussions I have participated in at various forums including the one at the official AANR website and private discussions with other nudists with whom I am acquainted, it is quite evident that there are a great many nudists today who are very unhappy with AANR. Dissatisfaction with the organization's actions or inaction, depending on which side of the argument one chooses to take, on the recent San Onofre Beach Issue was merely the most recent example of criticism leveled by nudists at the national organization that bills itself "the credible voice of reason on issues relevant to nude recreation."

In the interest of disclosure, I remain a current member of AANR and am still of the opinion that the organization does accomplish some positive things on behalf of nudists. Yet I have to admit that personally I feel that the organization has increasingly become somewhat of an apologetic for social nudity and seems to have become entrenched in an apparent willingness to accept the status quo with respect to where nudism is deemed "appropriate."

It is very difficult to mount a reasonable defense for AANR against those who have the opinion that the organization has ceased to become an effective agent of change with respect to debasing society in general of the unhealthy attitudes towards the naked human body and seems all too willing to defer to those who find nudity offensive by accepting the relegation of social nudity to the out of sight, out of mind, walled AANR member clubs and resorts. Just as people find it difficult to affect real change as they age and become entrenched in established habits and behaviors, the same is true of organizations like AANR. Even when the evidence is quite clear that a model of operation is not working or meeting key organizational goals, the path of least resistance is to simply stay the course and continue with a business as usual approach.

Personally I think that if AANR desires to be a credible voice for nudists rather than to continue to devolve into little more than a nudist club accreditation body, the time has come for the organization to begin agitating against the existing laws in this country that unfairly criminalize mere nudity and to adopt an activist mindset when it comes to demanding more equal access to public beaches and lands on behalf of this country's nudists. I think it has become strikingly evident that nudists are expecting more from their membership dues than discounted club grounds fees and a monthly newspaper and many are apparently voting with their feet by refusing to renew their memberships.

The Role of Local Clubs

In response to Part I of this discussion, Rick, who writes and publishes the very excellent MojoNude Blog, I think made a most insightful observation that for the most part, the "mom and pop" style local nudist clubs have fallen woefully behind the times. I could not agree more with his assessment. Most still offer the same circa 1940 activities today which are lacking in appeal to many. The resorts that continue to enjoy success and a strong membership base like Lake Como in Land O' Lakes, Florida, are successful because they have been willing to change with the times and move beyond volleyball, horseshoes and Pentanque.

As an example, Lake Como offers scheduled health screenings, fitness classes like Yoga, Chinese Wand Exercises and water aerobics, special interest groups like their computer club, live entertainment and a full-service restaurant. In addition, the club is involved with the community by sponsoring various volunteer services which brings them visibility and credibility rather than members cloistering themselves behind private walls. In comparison, the activities available at my own local clubs center around the same old Friday night potluck dinners, Saturday night DJ dances, water volleyball tournaments and vegetating around the pool.

You always hear a lot of talk about "we have to attract younger members" but in the absence of any real changes or willingness to provide the kind of activities that might accomplish that purpose and legitimately compete for recreational dollars, it seems fairly obvious that local clubs and resorts will become increasingly irrelevant and year by year, more and more of them are likely to have to shutter their facilities.

The Role of Individual Nudists

Nudism has been described as a movement, a culture and as a lifestyle. Most accurately, social scientists would term it a sub-culture. Those attracted to sub-cultures tend to be highly individualist and non-conforming. Many are attracted to nudism because it represents a higher form of freedom than can be found in general society.

Our very nature then as nudists is likely one of the biggest threats to the continued existence of organized nudism. As important as it is to educate society about what non-sexual social nudism really is about I think it is equally important to educate nudists about the importance of standing together as a group rather than standing alone as a group of disjointed individuals. Consider for a moment a world with no AANR and no Naturist Society. The shutting out of nudists from public lands as was the case with San Onofre Beach would soon become common place. Lacking any national organizations, threats to remaining clothing optional beaches would be left to the defense of small, local groups lacking numbers, organization and resources. While there is no guarantee that any AANR-style clubs would survive in such an environment, any clubs that did remain would no longer be subject to any traditional nudist standards and one would be as likely to find themselves in a swinger-type environment as in a wholesome, non-sexual environment if they chose to visit a club. At some point if we want our way of life to continue and prosper we are going to have to divest ourselves of our dogged individualistic ways and band together.

Perhaps neither AANR or TNS are the organizations to lead nudists into the future. We do not need organizations satisfied with the status quo. We need a leadership with goals for expansion rather than organizations that stand by impotently while the few rights won by past generations of nudists are stripped away one by one by our increasingly paternalistic government and increasingly conservative society. Perhaps a new coalition capable of organizing nudists into a credible political force and willing to forcefully lobby for our civil liberties is what is needed.

Frankly I have long since tired of so many in general society viewing nudists as eccentric, odd, voyeuristic, exhibitionists, sexual predators and pedophiles. We are simply normal, everyday Americans who refuse to buy into the prudish culture of body shame, extremist modesty standards and nudity as a societal taboo. One would think that society would over time evolve away from the neurotic, Puritanical ideas about the nude human form, but in many ways I feel society is even more repressed and entrenched in Victorian ideals of modesty than every before and it is high time that changed. I for one am never going to be satisfied with being cloistered behind the walls of a private club, forced to practice my healthy lifestyle in my own backyard while all the while living in fear that some prudish neighbor peeking over the fence is going to file a criminal complaint against me or being made to feel that I can only enjoy nature, naturally on public lands by doing so clandestinely having to be ever watchful that I don't inadvertently encounter someone who would be offended by my nudity.

Part I: The Demise of Organized Nudism?

Recorded American nudism history acknowledges Kurt Barthel as the founder of the American Nudist Movement. Barthel organized the first dues-paying nudist club, the American League for Physical Culture, forerunner of the present-day American Association for Nude Recreation, and in 1930 the first official nudist club in America was opened near Spring Valley in Rockland County, New York.

Is Organized Nudism on the Decline?

Since its humble beginnings, AANR has expanded to nearly 270 affiliated clubs, campgrounds, bed & breakfasts and resorts. It is difficult to find current organized nudism membership figures, but an AANR press release issued in 2004 claimed that there were “almost” 50,000 AANR members in December 2004.

Recently I read an article published on the web claiming that current AANR membership was on the order of 40,000. Unfortunately, I have not since been able to find the article again and I haven’t been able to verify the figure from any other credible source. If the figure was accurate then it suggests a rather significant decline.

Anecdotal Evidence

Near my home in Texas, there are presently four landed nudist clubs, all located within about a one hour drive for me. Since becoming a nudist I have visited two of the four. Some of my visits were during weekdays and some during weekends. During the weekday visits the clubs had few others in attendance beyond the members who resided there on a permanent basis. Even during the weekends there were not a great number of other nudists present. Only during one weekend visit was there a nudist family with children present and during all visits, men always outnumbered women by a wide margin. The majority of those present during my visits were my age (mid-fifties) or older. While only anecdotal evidence, my personal experiences suggest that at least with respect to the clubs I have visited, there isn’t a great deal of interest in organized social nudity.

The Cost Issue

Part of the problems with landed clubs is things that are just the reality of nudism in general. There is typically always a significant disparity between the number of men and women who participate in social nudity and there tends to be more singles interested in social nudity than couples. Based on the information I have been able to find, the number of nudist families has been steadily declining for a number of years. Yet there are some areas in my opinion that clubs might look at to attract a better following.

The average cost of an annual membership for a single at the two local clubs I am most familiar with is $330 plus tax. While not as expensive as a country club membership, in today’s economy that is a fairly significant sum. Daily grounds fee for AANR members at both facilities average about $25. So to make sense from a purely financial point of view, I would have to make 13 visits to a club to justify the cost of a membership. In addition if I want to overnight, even as a member I would have to pay lodging or camping fees.

On the surface 13 visits doesn’t sound like a lot and if I visited on 6 weekends during the height of the summer season, I would just about break even. But given the number of other things going on in my busy life, realistically I doubt that I would be able to find even 6 weekends during the summer to go to a club and so it is actually more cost effective for me to just pay the daily grounds fees when I can go. $330 only amounts to $27.50 per month, but the weather in the part of Texas I live in does not lend itself to four-season nudism. The best weather for outdoor nudity is late spring to early fall. I just don’t see myself visiting a club for the indoor potlucks and dances during the winter months.

All of the local clubs are individually owned and operated and naturally the owners have to look at profitability. No one can stay in business without turning a profit so for all I know the current membership rates don’t have a lot of flexibility. Yet it seems that clubs might be well served to consider restructuring membership rate policies. For example, establishing a “seasonal” membership plan at a reduced cost for those who would only be visiting during the summer months. Or a plan where people could purchase a fixed number of visits at one time at significant discount over paying the daily grounds fees rates for the same number of visits.

Looking Ahead

There are some additional areas that I think clubs might look to develop a stronger membership base and I will discuss those areas next time, in a Part II.

March Poll Results

The March 2010 reader's poll asked for responses to the question, "I Was Introduced to Nudism By..." While albeit not a scientific poll and a limited sample, I do think the results were enlightening.



Poll Results

I was Introduced to Nudism By...

Reading Printed Material - 23%
Internet Information - 53%
Raised in a Nudist Family - 10%
A Friend or Partner - 13%

* Based on 30 total responses

Interpretations

Regardless of its limitations, I do think the poll shows how important the availability of sound, traditional nudist information on the web is to positively promoting nudist culture. It is the primary method that I have chosen to do my part in presenting nudism as a wholesome activity that produces some very positive benefits. I actually think many of the very excellent nudist blogs that are available today are an excellent source of information for people who may be curious about exploring nudism. I regularly read a number of blogs published by fellow nudists that I feel are great ambassadors for our lifestyle.

In addition to blogs, many of the national nudist organization websites contain lots of practical and useful information. Particularly, I think that The Naturist Society and the Federation of Canadian Naturists have excellent sites. Both very very helpful to me when I first became involved in nudism and the information I gleaned from those two organizations was pivotal in my decision to embrace nudism.

Interestingly only 13 percent of those that responded had been introduced to nudism by a friend or partner. This suggests that we might all do a better job talking up the benefits of traditional nudism to those we know. I admit I was a little uncomfortable doing this myself early on for a number of reasons. I wasn't sure how people I knew would receive the news that I was a nudist or how they would react to it. Yet steadily I have been able to speak up about nudism and my participation in the lifestyle more frequently. For one thing it is hard to keep something secret that you feel has been meaningful and valuable. You just naturally want to share it with others you know and care about. Not everyone I have talked with about nudism has been interested in giving it a try, yet I actually have not had a single bad experience thus far as a result of discussing nudism with others. Most nudists I think know at least one person that would likely be receptive to the idea of exploring nudism if they were just invited to do so. There are no hard figures on how many nudists there actually are in the country but if each one of us committed to introducing one other person to nudism this year, it would double the total number of nudists. Perhaps we will always be a minority, yet the more people who come to embrace the nudist lifestyle, the more acceptance we will find in general society.

Thanks to all who participated in the March poll and I hope a good number will also register their opinions in the April poll.

Coexistence of Health and Body Image Issues

Recently I mentioned that an article in a past issue of N Magazine had prompted me to not only think about the health issues involved in being overweight but had motivated me to act. I also promised to provide updates from time to time and today I will deliver with the first update. It has now been almost three weeks since I committed to trying to eat more healthfully and started attempting to become more active on a consistent basis.

The "Before" Evidence

The image I chose to illustrate this article is a side view of yours truly, taken nearly three weeks ago when I weighed 206 pounds. Easily evident is the fact that I had a generous amount of belly fat. Thus far, I have managed to lose just under 10 pounds and while it will yet be a while before I am ready to provide an "after" photograph, a similar image to this one taken today would already show a noticeable change. No, I am not now the proud owner of six-pack abs but as a look in my mirror reveals, my belly does not protrude today to the extent shown in this image.

The Value of Body Image Acceptance

As I have stated previously, the principle of body image acceptance, espoused by nudists is I think one of the most valuable and healthful perspectives we possess. Yet I have now come to embrace the idea that health and fitness issues can and should be able to peacefully coexist with the issue of body image. The potential developing some very serious health problems is great among those of us who are significantly overweight. That fact has been well documented scientifically and medically. Thus being physically unfit and significantly overweight is a great deal more than just an aesthetic issue. I have no inclination to lose weight, make healthier food choices or become more fit because I want to either achieve some unrealistic media generated body ideal or to become more attractive to others when I appear nude socially. I am motivated to do those things however to avoid the possibles of contracting diabetes, hypertension or heart disease.

The Perspectives of Others

Nudists accept ourselves and others irrespective of body type and size. This is foundational to who we are as a culture. Yet it is an inescapable fact that those outside our lifestyle do judge us as individuals and to great extent base their opinions on nudists in general by physical appearance. One of the greatest criticisms of nudists by non-nudists is that we are predominately an aged, overweight, unfit and unattractive group. An article I read, Nude Cruises Need an Image Makeover, illustrates this point.

I am not advocating the improvement of our physical appearances to pander to the opinions of others but the fact remains, if we want to change attitudes and attract more people to nudism, we are likely as a culture going to have to embrace our historical roots. There is no denying the fact that health and fitness were part and parcel of the North American nudist movement when it began. I think we can agree to live a healthy lifestyle and keep our weight in check and still remain true to our core belief in body acceptance.

No Radical Changes Necessary

For those with whom this discussion might resonate, you may be curious about exactly what it would take to drop a few pounds and to improve physical fitness. Based on my own experiences during the first few weeks, I have honestly not had to make any what I would consider radical changes to move towards a more healthful lifestyle. I am neither strarving myself or totally forgoing my favorite foods. I have not joined a fitness club. Here is a summary of what I have done.

• Started counting calories and following a 500 calorie a day deficit plan.
• Eating less high calorie fast foods.
• Switched from drinking regular beer to light beer.
• Reduced the amount of cola I consume.
• Started an exercise regimen which is predominatly simply a 30 minute walk at least five days each week.

As can be seen, I have not taken up some fad diet, haven't started hitting the gym 8 hours a day, have not given up beer which I promise I have no intention of doing or really made any drastic changes at all. The changes I have made are actually very minimal and easily accomplished. I've become a bit more educated about food so that I can avoid those things that have way too many calories in them to be healthy, have become more aware of what I put into my body and committed about 2-1/2 hours a week to exercise (less than 1-1/2 percent of the 168 hours a week we all have available). In return I have lost a few pounds, feel better and more energetic and look a little better to myself in the mirror. If achieving a healthier weight and reducing the size of my belly makes me a better ambassador for nudism then that is just icing on the proverbial cake.

Exploration Continued

Photo by Rick McCharles/Flickr Creative Commons

As a follow up to the previous post, I had the day off and decided to do further exploration of the green belt area that I discovered quite near home. I found another improved wide dirt trail that roughly paralleled the river that lasted for about 1/4 mile and then became just a path worn by regular use. After less than a half mile, a large tree had fallen across the path that was very difficult to get around because at the base was the river and at the top a steep bluff. I was able to negotiate it and given the difficulty I was not too worried about encountering anyone else from that point on and felt comfortable enough to remove my shirt and shorts.

I free hiked for about 45 minutes until I came to small clearing. It was around 11:00 a.m. and the sun was high so I decided to stop and do some sunbathing. It was a fabulous location that had been more than a little difficult to access because of the steep hilly terrain that was well covered with trees and brush so I felt totally at ease lying there on the grass and enjoying the warmth of the sun over every inch of my body. Since it was only my third day of sun exposure since the weather had cleared and warmed up, I decided to limit myself to 30 minutes. Afterwards, I collected my clothing and continued a bit further finding a huge rock almost shaped like a bench and so I stopped again and just sat down and enjoyed being outside in nature.

While I really wished I could have just devoted the whole day to my adventure, I had some things that had to be done so I reluctantly headed back the way I had come. I remained naked until almost reaching the end of the wide improved trail I had used to start the hike and didn't dress until I was near the point where it led into the open.

All told, an enjoyable 90 minutes of free hiking and nude sunbathing. Actually it was the longest period of time I have spent nude outdoors other than when I have been visiting one of the area landed clubs. I have no doubt doubt I'll be spending a great deal of time in my newly discovered personal outdoor nude space.

An Enjoyable Nature Walk

It has been an especially cold winter and thus far spring has been cool and unusually rainy with more cloudy days than sunny ones. I have eagerly been anticipating warmer weather and the chance to get back outdoors to enjoy nature in the natural. There is a nudist bed & breakfast not far from my home and I have been looking for nice weather that will permit a visit there during my time off from work but so far at least, I haven't had any luck.

While I haven't had chances for outdoor nude time, I have been spending time outdoors regularly in conjunction with my recent decision to get fitter and lose some weight. As a part of that I have been faithfully following the American Heart Associations recommendation for getting at least 30 minutes of exercise, five days a week. There is a park nearby with an all purpose fitness trail that I have been using for walking and jogging. This past Thursday, was a scheduled walk day for me and despite the fact that it was a little chilly out, with a stiff March breeze, I dutifully donned a pair of shorts, walking shoes and light fleece jacket and headed for the park. The park is quite popular especially for walkers and so I was surprised to find it almost deserted. Other than a young mother allowing her two small children to enjoy the playground equipment near the entrance and another walker who was finishing up as I arrived, I had the whole park to myself.

This particular park has a circular fitness trail the follows the entire perimeter and then there is a shorter connecting loop that runs down from a small ridge towards the river off the main trail. I especially enjoy that portion of the trail because it circles a dense stand of trees and really forms an oasis of nature in the center of an urban environment. Typically the area has lots of birds and small wildlife like squirrels in evidence. As I was starting back up hill towards the main loop, I noticed for the first time that the smaller loop is completely shielded from the view of anyone else in the park unless they happen to been on the main fitness trail near the point where the smaller trail connects. Suddenly an idea was born.

Rather than continuing on to the main trail, I turned back on the smaller loop and slipped off my shorts before continuing my walk. While it didn't seem wise to remove my jacket and get completely naked, it was very enjoyable to at least be partially nude as I continued my exercise. It certainly made my scheduled exercise period much more enjoyable and less of a chore than usual. Once the scheduled 30 minutes were up, I decided to continue walking off the fitness trail down along the river bank through the green belt area that joins the park. After a few minutes I knew I was completely shielded from view by the trees and brush and so at that point felt comfortable removing my jacket too. It has always interested me that the feeling of exhilaration and freedom one experiences while naked in nature never gets old and at least for me never seems routine. Each time I think is as enjoyable as the very first time I experienced it. The sun had popped out after I ventured off trail and the trees effectively cut the wind and so it was actually quite pleasant to be outdoors naked. I hiked and explored for another half hour, surprised that I hadn't discovered this area before which offered a very nice venue for naked walking without much real risk of running into anyone. In all I enjoyed almost of full hour outdoors naked and it was much appreciated leaving me feeling rejuvenated and relaxed.

Finally it was time to head back home so I walked back towards the fitness trail, stopping to dress just short of it and made my way back home. It is always enjoyable visiting the local resorts but my Thursday experience made me stop and think that there are likely lots of places where nudists can enjoy some naked time in nature that we never take the time to notice.

Incorporating Health and Fitness into the Nudist Lifestyle

Earlier this month I posted the article, The Culural Shift in Nudism, which discussed how the emphasim in nudism has shifted away from exercise and fitness since AANR embraced body acceptance in 2001. I also discussed a little about an article that appeared in N Magazine where the author encouraged nudists to start giving more attention to health and fitness and actually the article has motivated me to do just that. I think body acceptance is an improtant principle of nudism and that we should be accepting of our own bodies and the bodies of others in spite of differences in sizes and shapes. But as the author of that article emphasized, we shouldn't use body acceptance as an excuse for ignoring the consequences of poor dietary habits and lack of exercise.

Personally I have allowed myself to gain a good bit of extra weight, especially around the mid-section over the past couple of years. When I weighed on my own bathroom scales about a week ago, I discovered that my 5 foot, 8 inch frame sported 206 pounds. Plugging those figures into the handy Body Mass Index (BMI) calculator available at the Center for Disease Control website revealed that my BMI stands at about 31.3. Persons with a BMI over 30.0 are considered by the CDC as obese.

Since I am not an exhibitionist and was not attracted to nudism as a way to have others see me naked, my reasons for wanting to lose weight and get more fit have nothing to do with wanting to appear more attractive to other nudists. I am motivated by the health considerations since it has been well documented that being overweight does increase a person's risk of developing some very serious health conditions. But on the other hand, if becoming more physically attractive aids in presenting nudists in a better light and makes the lifestyle more attractive to others, then I don't have a problem with that really. So I have taken the challenge to lose about 30 pounds and to become more physically active once again.

I have actually started a diet and fitness regimen and while I haven't weighed yet to see if I have dropped any weight, I already feel better and have more energy. My reason for sharing all this here is that I hope making this public will serve me well by increasing my motivation to succeed and in that vein, I will be providing updates from time to time on my progress.