While I was reading "Naked Hiking", the chapter written by Howard Anderson, titled Free Range Naturist, made me realize the three reasons why naturism is not embraced and accepted by more people. In this chapter, the author goes into the details of the memes, those cultural elements transmitted from people to people by non-genetic means. This chapter brought back memories of conversations I had with my spouse or friends about naturism. When thinking about them, they revolve around three elements "transmitted" by the family and society against naturism and nudity:
You can't do that . You cannot be naked in public, nudity is private or nudity is for animals. All those sentences are preconceived, without rational objective reasons. This is my parents, my reverend, or my education that taught me that nudity was a private matter. Full stop! What happens if I feel good naked and am confronted with the "You can't do that" that I was taught? Well, you may end up with a shrink to solve your own internal battles or accept this well-being and decide to live the naturist lifestyle, a healthy and positive one. Because in fact, yes, you can do that! There millions of naturists in the whole world. Naturism is legal in a vast majority of countries, including, in some, outside of naturists structures that define naturism boundaries.
I am not beautiful enough . I'm too fat, too thin, have too many scars, etc. Society has applied so much its ideal body distorting mirror that body shame got into our minds slowly. When you go to a nudist beach or a nudist resort, you immediately realize there are very few, if any, perfect bodies. All naturists are men and women who accept their own body as it is. They can practice sports, eat healthy and take care of themselves, but they do not hide their body flaws being a clothing armor. The joy of nudity kills any body shame.
It's not hygienic . It's true that sitting bare bottom on a chair is not hygienic, no need for a deep explanation. It's the reason why every naturist always goes around with her/his towel, so she/he can sit on it. It's certainly the number one rule of any naturist respectful behavior. It's generally one that is on display in places like cafés and restaurants.
Those three reasons are memes, transmitted and replicated par our parents and society. The same goes with associating nudity and sexuality. Every naturist knows that by dissociating nudity and sexuality, le human body can be naked with it being seen as the precondition to a sexual act. Naturists are not having sex all day long. It's not that naturists do not have sex, but this is a private matter like for a vast majority of people, naturists and non-naturists alike.
The challenge with those memes is the stronger they are, the more difficult they are to change or to prevent from replicating, even by using rational reasons. Asking a religious fundamentalist to become naturist is near to impossible since his/her anti-nudity meme is so strong. As such, have more people accepting naturism et being able to be naked in a greater number of places is a never ending battle. However, by realizing the anti-naturist memes revolve around the above three reasons, every naturist can explain rationally and emotionally what naturism brings in joy, simplicity and well-being.
We cannot convert everybody to this wonderful lifestyle, but with patience and by living our naturist life, naked and happy, we contribute to a better world, where nudity will eventually become one of the available clothing options.
Get Naked, Stay Naked, Live Naked and Share the Naked
The only reason that "You can't do that" is believed is because most people haven't seen it done. If enough people would do it so that most people have seen it done than you can do that. As long as nudists are willing go hide rather than do it without permission then it will continue.
I'm not beautiful enough comes from the first and the cure is the same. People need to be seen and to see a wide variety of human beings, our own species.
Not hygienic…. Again, dirty laundry is not a cure all for good hygiene. Neither is a towel a cure for not washing oneself. Human bodies are not naturally "dirty" any more and probably less so than the dogs and cats most of us live with. We wash a lot more often. Again, as long as WE are willing to comply nothing will change.
100% Bob! The first one gives justification to naked hiking, WNBR, Burning man, Bare to breakers, etc. Naturists need to be naked more often outside of naturists resorts/beaches. Nudity is just normal. Stay Naked!
When I hear a person saying that nakedness is 'disgusting' I ask them what they think when they see their own body without clothes.
If they say it is 'bad',, 'fat'.. 'thin'.. 'ugly' I say that they should try to change it or accept it without blaming other people who have accepted their own nakedness. If they say they are happy with their own body I ask "Then why can it be wrong for others to see it, or for other people who feel the same as you to show their own nakedness?"
Mostly folk just accept what they have been taught, that is that nudity is naughty, rude, bad, or even disgusting. The majority find it difficult to form their own opinions that differ from those they were taught as children.
If nudity is disgusting, then they should be disgusted by their own image! Come on, a body is a body! We all have the same! Stay naked!
Having said this, the other argument is "I keep this for my spouse/companion". Okay, then you equal nudity to sex, and this is not what naturism is about.
Well,,any woman will can add other reasons that are legitimate. Safety, burns, cuts etc, are others. Even the Brazil tribes cover some areas. But for recreation I see no reason to not be naked if I want to. And it is encouraged in my hot tub!
The safety argument is an interesting one. Tip boiling water on yourself and clothes hold it against your skin for longer, doing more damage! Then there are the times when clothes get tangled in machinery and are therefore the cause of the accident. Unless your trousers are made of Kevlar (yes they do exist), you may as well be using your chainsaw naked for all the protection your clothes will offer you…
Dart, Brian, of course, safety comes first. I hear this alone, just from "microbes or germs" when not wearing anything. Let's face it, closing your skin from fresh air with tight clothes is less hygienic, but so ingrained in society, that we refuse to see evidence! Stay naked!
Yes, there are many specious arguments, but very few of them hold up to scrutiny.
To the first argument, "You can't do that" I simply say, "Why not?" and watch them floundering for an argument. (It does pay to be ready with the facts that it isn't illegal and isn't sexual, etc…)
To the second "I am not beautiful enough" I point out that overcoming this kind of body shame is exactly what Naturism is best at. As you have said above, it instils greater realism and I have found that it helps you appreciate the beauty of other ordinary people more.
"It's not hygienic" Where do I start! Swimming pools need extra filtering and treatments to cope with the effects of people wearing costumes (lint and cleaning chemicals from the costumes); in the days before such modern treatments were available it was often the rule that everyone swam naked to help keep the water clean. Does separating your bottom from a chair by two thin layers of material that have been in contact with your bottom all day really keep the chair any cleaner than the layers of a folded towel? Especially when you consider that clothes are a breeding ground for bacteria…
Well put Brian, I totally agree.
Brian, you nailed it! We are as we are! Accept this and nudity becomes so obvious! Stay naked!
Great explanation.
I think the biggest obstacle we have as humans is the inability or refusal to question our "beliefs" in adulthood. We do it it as children constantly. Why Why Why!!!
Some years back I questioned to myself the effect of some minor taboo activity on the part of ill mannered people.The answer started me questioning many taboos including nudity.
Thanks Greg. Beliefs hold you back. Questioning them is starting to put things in perspective. Once you get to the point that we are all made alike, nudity becomes obvious. Stay Naked!