Don Beard

Planning to go to the AANR-SW convention at Oaklake Trails Resort in Oklahoma,  TX June 20-23, 2019.  Anyone else going?  Has anyone attended any nudist convention?

I went on the Carnival Sunshine chartered by Bare Necessities for the Big Nude Boat 2019 Cruise.  I really enjoyed it after the first day when we left Florida on January 25, 2019.  It was cold that day, but warm and mostly sunny after that.  

Being nude most of the time with almost 3000 other nudists while seeing shows, eating and doing other activities on the ship was a fantastic experience.  I was nude almost all the time except while eating in the dining rooms.  I would have preferred being nude there, too.   I don’t see why we had to dress in both dining rooms at both dinner times.   At least they were casual, not formal.  I would prefer they were clothing optional as well.   A highlight of the cruise was passengers competing in a costume contest based on “Two Worlds Collide” between Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland.  There were clothing optional passenger talent shows, lip-syncing contests, dancing and seminars as well as the recreational activities of the Carnival Sunshine.

I went on excursions to four beaches that were reserved for us so nudity was allowed on those days.  After the first day at sea, we reached Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas on January 27.  It was beautiful and seeing over 2000 nudists on the long beach there was amazing.  A good lunch was provided at Half Moon Cay.  After the second day at sea, Ocha Rios, Jamaica was the next stop on January 29, 2019.   I went on a paid excursion there to all-inclusive Puerto Seco Beach Club just for Carnival Sunshine passengers that day.   It included a great beach and facilities, non-motorized water sports, on the water obstacle course, great food and unlimited bar drinks.   The staff there were fantastic though visitors to the beach are not usually nude.   The third stop after another day at sea was Mohogany Bay, Roatan on January 31.   I got a great massage, lunch and a Hurricane drink on the beach there.  The next day, February 1, we were at the fourth and last destination, Cozumel.  I went on an speedboat excursion to Passion Island.   It included a beautiful beach, great food and unlimited drinks (including “Sex on the Beach”).   However, it was just too short because we had to leave to return to the ship at 1:00 after getting there at 10:00am.

If members of the Sunshine crew were bothered by nudity, they didn’t let it show and they treated us great.  I met passengers from many different places and various ages, races, etc. who enjoy casual social nudity.   At age 70, the Big Nude Boat 2019 was my first nude vacation.  I enjoy visiting nudist resorts near home and nude 5Ks, but I hope I can go on more nude vacations including other nude cruises and all inclusive resorts.

I would like to thank MrTexas for going on the cruise with me and for taking the photo on Half Moon Cay with the Carnival Sunshine in the background.   I enjoyed his company and it also helped with the cost of the cabin.

Humans are not created wearing clothes. Clothes are artificial additions to our bodies. Humans created clothes for protection or warmth when needed. People are taught that wearing clothes is the normal way to be, but it is not. Customs and religions made being nude unacceptable, shameful or sinful. Everyone is nude sometimes such as when bathing, changing clothes, being examined or treated medically, etc. It is often acceptable for people of the same sex to be nude together in locker rooms or other places. Many people sleep nude because sleepwear is as unnecessary as wearing a swimsuit when taking a bath or shower. Nude is healthier and more comfortable. The cultural norm may be clothed, but nude is our body's real normal state .

Why not be nude at home? Housework, cooking, relaxing, reading, doing laundry, watching TV, using the computer, playing games, exercising and other activities at home don't always require clothes. Even when clothes are required, little may be necessary and underwear is not needed. Playing, working or relaxing outside in your “birthday suit” is very enjoyable and healthy. Fresh air and sunlight on your entire body is relaxing and reduces stress. Except when it's very cold, the body regulates its temperature better when uncovered. Working nude in the yard, garden or on a farm is more comfortable except when clothes are needed for protection. You have more freedom of movement without clothes making most tasks less stressful and more enjoyable.

People don't become indecent, immoral or sinful just by taking off all of their clothes. The person is the same without clothes. Clothing styles and fashions are designed to impress people, get attention by “dressing up” or to show social status or profession. The most comfortable and casual way to dress is to wear nothing. Nudists believe being nude is decent, so no minimum clothing is necessary for modesty. In most cultures, exposing "too much" of the body is indecent, shameful or sinful. The minimum coverage required ranges from skimpy swimsuits to covering almost the entire body. Customs and laws vary by place and over time. They usually require females to cover different body parts such as breasts or more of the body than males. Nudists know that none of the human body is shameful. They prefer to be in the normal state of no clothes. Nudism is also about body acceptance, equality and respect of others. Physical appearance, skin tone, sexual orientation, gender, age, size, physique, masculinity or femininity do not matter. Everyone has something different or unique about their body. It is okay to notice or admire a person's face or body, but not to stare or judge them. It's never okay to body shame, harass or ridicule another person's appearance.

Nude recreation is comfortable, convenient and fun. Once they get used to being nude in their home, yard or garden, people usually go to nude beaches, camps, hikes, resorts, etc. Swimsuits are not needed for swimming or sunbathing. They are less comfortable and hygienic than wearing nothing. At non-nude beaches and pools, men often wear baggy, soggy swim trunks while women wear bikinis that emphasize what they are hiding. Bikinis are decorative, fashionable or “sexy” rather than functional or modest. Swim costume fashions change often to sell more of something that covers little in order to be stylish. Swimming and sunbathing nude soon feels normal and wearing a swimsuit feels strange. You will need less luggage and have less laundry when you go nude.

Social nudism is people of all ages and both sexes being casually nude together. Nudism recognizes that nudity is our normal state and human bodies are not shameful or embarrassing. Nudist organizations with rules of conduct provide safe environments for social and recreational nudity with organized activities. People don't lose control or become perverts when they take their clothes off. Nudism is a moral and respectful lifestyle. Nudists are normal people that enjoy the comfort, freedom and health benefits of being nude.

Nude is not harmful. Clothed people have no reason to fear unclothed people. They should not be offended by non-threatening humans simply in their normal state of wearing nothing. Being offended by a person's body is the same as being offended by their skin color, race or speech. The human body is not disgusting, immoral, indecent, scary, shameful or sinful. Children should not be taught to be disturbed by nudity. How a person dresses is a choice of expression like make-up, jewelry or hairstyles. People who wear little or nothing should not be bullied or shamed for their choice. Being nude should not be a crime. Government should not tell people how to dress. Laws should protect people from harm, not from being offended.

Every person is born wearing a custom-designed body suit. It lasts a lifetime if taken care of by the wearer. It comes in many shades of pink/yellow/olive/red/brown from very very light to very very dark. Every part of every person's suit is made of the same stretchy, renewable material. It is only about 2mm thick. It is very flexible, especially at birth. It is washable and dry-able while being worn. It is very durable and waterproof. It expands as the body grows and when a larger size is needed. It even shrinks back down when the body size decreases. It covers every area of the person's body and follows their shape very closely. The suit usually automatically mends itself when damaged although a mark might be left where the damage occurred. It protects the person wearing it from pathogens. It prevents excessive water loss and gain. It insulates the person inside it, regulates their internal temperature and synthesizes Vitamin D. For most people, it automatically darkens to protect them when in the sun. It has specially shaped openings in it that allow air, liquids and solids to go in or out of the person. The suit has two darker lumps on the person’s breasts. When young, they are very small. The lumps on males stay small and serve no real purpose while the ones on females grow larger when she reaches child-bearing age to allow babies to be fed through them. This incredible suit, though complete at birth, can even be customized to some extent. But many people prefer to leave it as is. It usually requires little care other than being washed and dried occasionally and avoiding exposure to excessive temperatures. It must never be removed. When the birthday suit is not covered by other materials, the person is said to be nude.

Nude means having no clothing or covering;i.e. undressed and uncovered or not wearing any clothes. Nudity is the state of being nude. Partial nudity refers to a part of the body being uncovered that is customarily covered. “Topless” is regarded as partial nudity if it is customary for breasts to be covered for modesty.

The nude human body is too often associated with sex, disgust, shame, or exploitation except when cleaning, changing in private or being examined by a physician. An exception is often made when the nudity is in art. Some people fear or experience anxiety from nudity. That is called gymnophobia. Research has shown that children raised accepting nudity as normal have a healthier attitude about the human body.

Cultures, religions, social norms and careers have created standards of dress forbidding nudity or partial nudity. Some consider female breasts and nipples as sexual and must be covered, even on prepubescent girls. Some extreme cultures/religions even require that females be almost totally covered or they are being sexual or immoral. Most public places require at least some clothing to be considered "decent".

Nudism, also called naturism, is the practice of being nude at home and socially for comfort and freedom. It promotes the idea that no part of the human body is shameful and that covering is not needed for modesty even in mixed groups of people. Nudism or naturism is not about sex or a religion. It is a lifestyle shared by tens of millions of people worldwide.

People who practice nudism are called nudists. Nudists ask, "Why is it necessary to have certain areas of the body covered or why is nudity considered immoral, disgusting or shameful? No one is born to think that way. People have to be taught nudity is bad or "sinful".

Nudists are not ashamed of their own bodies and are more accepting of other people's body differences. They don't think any part of the body is disgusting or indecent. Because nudity is not associated with sex, nudists are less likely to go to topless or strip clubs, be addicted to pornography or sexually aroused just by seeing a nude or partially nude body. Many nudists think it is healthier to be nude.

Some nudists are activists who work to promote nudity acceptance in all public places. Many are just happy to be nude wherever they can. Some may prefer designated resorts or areas to be nude because they feel more comfortable or safer. Most resorts have rules, but not all the same. Some resorts may require nudity at least in some areas while "clothing-optional" in others.

Nudists will wear clothes when necessary for warmth, protection, hygienic reasons and even not to offend others if needed. They may also wear body paint or more jewelry as decoration instead of clothing.

Some people grow up as nudists. I became a nudist socially in 2014 two days after my 66th birthday.

In the July 2016 AANR (American Association for Nude Recreation) Bulletin, there is an article about what people enjoy most about nude recreation. Briefly, the author states that almost every nudist will respond by talking about freedom. "Enjoying recreational and social activities without the hindrance of clothing is a freeing experience." He elaborates about it being psychologically, emotionally, spiritually and physically freeing. He says to not lose the feelings of freedom, we should challenge ourselves with new nude recreation experiences. I agree with him, but I think the basic reason why we should go nude is simpler than that.

Here is a response I am sending to editor@aanr.com

"Why be nude and why enjoy nude recreation? Although I’ve always preferred sleeping nude and being nude as much as possible, I was not active in social nude recreation until June 2014 at age 66 when I started visiting nudist resorts nearby. I joined AANR in January 2016. Since retiring from working for other employers and moving to the country in 2012, I have been able to remain nude more. Unless we have visitors or are going somewhere, I don't need to wear any clothes most of the time. It is much more comfortable to stay nude. Wearing any clothing feels uncomfortable compared to being nude. I also want to be that comfortable when working outside, playing, socializing and traveling. Nudism is definitely about freedom as Dan Whicker stated in his article, but to me, it is more about comfort. It feels good to be nude and it is a healthy lifestyle. When you realize that nudity has nothing to do with sex and that no body or any area of the body is disgusting or shameful, the question becomes “Why not be nude socially and recreationally?”

The first time I visited a nudist resort was in June 2014 two days after my 66th birthday. Since then I've visited two resorts about an hour from home a few times last year and this year, so I'm still pretty new to social nudism. On December 12, 2015 I went to a dinner and Christmas Party at one of the resorts. The weather was warm enough in north central Texas to be comfortable nude outside. After I undressed and unloaded some food and a gift, I used the hot tub and sauna and talked to some other men. I went for a walk/run on the nature trail before it got dark then played a couple of games of pool before dinner. Dinner was followed by a gift exchange where people could open a new gift or “steal” one from someone else. I think at least sixty people were there. It was my first Christmas party at a nudist resort. I thought everyone would be nude since it was a nudist resort. It surprised me that most people had on pants and shirts or pajamas or robes. The resort owners/managers and some others who lived there were fully clothed and never undressed. Just a few other men and maybe three women were nude. I think that is what the “outside” world should be like, clothing-optional with people wearing as little or as much as they want. I enjoyed the party and the socializing. After the party, I got dressed to drive home. A woman who was dressed the entire time said to me, “You look nice with clothes on.” I said, “Thank you.” I hope she meant it as a compliment.