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.
Call me anything…I just enjoy being naked.
There is a joke in the nudist movement that goes "Nudists like going around nude. Naturists like going around nude and giving lectures." 😉
http://www.wordreference.com/definition/nudist
The joke implies "naturists" are more pretentious, dedicated or something than "nudists". Nudist and naturist really are the same. Maybe we should coin the words "gymnoist" and "gymnoism" going back to the Greek word gumnos meaning naked, bare or exposed. Not really. I still prefer nude, nudism and nudist as in this blog.
To emphasize that nude is not lewd, my response to somebody asking, "Are you decent?" is "Yes" or "I certainly try to be". People who know me have learned to ask, "Are you naked?" if they want to avoid my nudity.
To try to spread this message a bit further, Glen Donnelly has set up the Nude Movement website (https://nudemovement.org/) and is pushing it to as much in the way of social media as he can. Take a look at the site, and consider helping to spread the word.
The words nudism and nudist are derived from nude. For some reason, people think they are outdated and should no longer be used. I disagree. I think they fit the lifestyle and those who follow it.
This is a very good description of what Naturism/nudism is all about; the philosophy behind it and the attitudes of those who practice it. You may have been 66 before you "became a nudist socially", but you must have been one inside for most of your life to be this 'in tune' with what it is all about.
I would like to see this published to a wider audience, but sadly I fear it is not sensational enough, nor is it controversial enough to get much interest from mainstream media. Such is life!
Thank you. I was nude whenever possible at home and many times with other males in locker rooms my whole life. It was great to finally go participate in nude social recreation with both men and women and people of all ages.
I remember reading about young folks in the Peace Corps in the 1960s running into cultural differences and taboos regarding nudity when they were assigned to Pacific islands in Micronesia. The girls were wearing their ordinary clothes – skirt above the knee and blouse. The visible knees scandalized the local people. As soon as they could, the locals hid the girls' clothes, leaving them no choice but to wear the native garb – a hip to mid-calf lava-lava with no top. It was a bit of a shock, but the gals got used to it – to the delight of their male counterparts!
What is found acceptable has changed over time as fashion changes, proving that it is completely arbitrary and therefore pointless. I like your story where knees were more shocking than breasts – further proof how silly it all is.