Why am I a Nudist?
That question was recently asked in the NWFunintheSun Yahoo Group and I felt it appropriate to post my ideas here as well. Here's my reply to the question, 'Why are you a nudist (naturist)?'
1. FEELS GOOD: Covering the skin with clothing is like blindfolding a man and then asking him to describe the flower you place before him. The skin is the largest organ on the body and is jam-packed full of sensory nerve-endings. Stand naked on a sunny mountain ridge (or a nice beach) and feel the warmth of sunlight on your skin, or the tactile tickle of a breeze triggering the nerve endings near the roots of your body hair and you'll know what an indescribable sensation that is.
2. A CONFIDENCE BUILDER: A person who is comfortable with their nudity has built confidence in themselves, their bodies and their sexuality. It's an on-going process. A nudist or naturist must have confidence in themselves to transcend expectations of society. Confidence is an outgrowth of nudism.
3. HEALTHY LIFESTYLE: Others may take the easy way down to the textile beach . . . I work on getting to my nude beach. I lead a much more healthy lifestyle as a naturist; I seek the outdoors and activities where I can be nude . . . and that has lead to fitness of body and well-being of spirit and mind.
4. NO PRETENSIONS: 'The person sitting next to you in the Onsen could be a simple worker or the CEO of a major Fortune 500 corporation' . . . but without clothes you wouldn't know. So says the Japanese lore on hot spring etiquette . There are no pretensions when the person you are speaking to is just as naked as you are. We can drop the false-fronts and just be ourselves.
5. BODY ACCEPTANCE: Surprise! Women have breasts and men have penises. Why do we keep trying to deny a basic fact of anatomy? At the nude resort no body cares and we can quit trying to have bigger, larger, more symmetric . . . whatever. No body is comparing and judging you which goes a long way to building that confidence in item #2.
6. BEYOND SEXUAL WORRIES: Clothes are sexy . . . nudity is not. Half the fun of sex is in the unwrapping of the package . . . the surprise and reward. There is no sex in the champagne room so why do people continue to equate nudism with sex? Ban the enticing Calvin Klein jeans. When you are nude sex is often the last thing on your mind . . . there are so many other sensations to enjoy. And since we are much more body-accepting we are often much more honest about sex . . . instead of skulking in the dark as if you ashamed to be seen naked.
7. THE LITTLE JOYS: Swimming naked is sensuous and easy; bugs don't get trapped under my trousers legs when hiking (because I ain't wearing any); I don't overheat when backpacking; I don't stink because of sweat-drenched clothes; my backpack weighs less; mosquitoes don't seem to like my naked body; I don't have tan lines (to the envy of my friends); I meet lots of people on the trail who think it's neat and wish they had the guts to hike naked.
8. MUTUAL SUPPORT: There are thousands of people in these forums who think alike and share. There is a network of support . . . fellow nudists helping other nudists. I've made several new clients through these channels. We all seem to want to support each other even though we have the same diversity of religion, politics and culture as the larger society around us.
9. It's fun!
10. . . . and I feel FREE!!!!!!!!
A friend of mine wrote in a op-ed piece for his website (which unfortunately is not available anymore) He suggested a challenge to a potential nudist . . .
2. A CONFIDENCE BUILDER: A person who is comfortable with their nudity has built confidence in themselves, their bodies and their sexuality. It's an on-going process. A nudist or naturist must have confidence in themselves to transcend expectations of society. Confidence is an outgrowth of nudism.
3. HEALTHY LIFESTYLE: Others may take the easy way down to the textile beach . . . I work on getting to my nude beach. I lead a much more healthy lifestyle as a naturist; I seek the outdoors and activities where I can be nude . . . and that has lead to fitness of body and well-being of spirit and mind.
4. NO PRETENSIONS: 'The person sitting next to you in the Onsen could be a simple worker or the CEO of a major Fortune 500 corporation' . . . but without clothes you wouldn't know. So says the Japanese lore on hot spring etiquette . There are no pretensions when the person you are speaking to is just as naked as you are. We can drop the false-fronts and just be ourselves.
5. BODY ACCEPTANCE: Surprise! Women have breasts and men have penises. Why do we keep trying to deny a basic fact of anatomy? At the nude resort no body cares and we can quit trying to have bigger, larger, more symmetric . . . whatever. No body is comparing and judging you which goes a long way to building that confidence in item #2.
6. BEYOND SEXUAL WORRIES: Clothes are sexy . . . nudity is not. Half the fun of sex is in the unwrapping of the package . . . the surprise and reward. There is no sex in the champagne room so why do people continue to equate nudism with sex? Ban the enticing Calvin Klein jeans. When you are nude sex is often the last thing on your mind . . . there are so many other sensations to enjoy. And since we are much more body-accepting we are often much more honest about sex . . . instead of skulking in the dark as if you ashamed to be seen naked.
7. THE LITTLE JOYS: Swimming naked is sensuous and easy; bugs don't get trapped under my trousers legs when hiking (because I ain't wearing any); I don't overheat when backpacking; I don't stink because of sweat-drenched clothes; my backpack weighs less; mosquitoes don't seem to like my naked body; I don't have tan lines (to the envy of my friends); I meet lots of people on the trail who think it's neat and wish they had the guts to hike naked.
8. MUTUAL SUPPORT: There are thousands of people in these forums who think alike and share. There is a network of support . . . fellow nudists helping other nudists. I've made several new clients through these channels. We all seem to want to support each other even though we have the same diversity of religion, politics and culture as the larger society around us.
9. It's fun!
10. . . . and I feel FREE!!!!!!!!
A friend of mine wrote in a op-ed piece for his website (which unfortunately is not available anymore) He suggested a challenge to a potential nudist . . .
" . . . hike clothed out to the middle of nowhere. When you get there leave all your clothes in a secluded spot and bravely walk naked 100 yards in any direction. By the time you return you will have had an epiphany that will change your life."
Nudism and naturism are about having that epiphany!
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