I find it both odd and disturbing that people want to pigeon hole other people, worse is the desire to pigeon hole oneself. A key element in freedom is to avoid such behaviour, so I am not “one of them”, a member of X or Y or Z. If you get into that mode of thinking, members of “us” will inevitably see members of “them” as being lesser in some way, if not, why not go and join “them”, what makes “us” better and hence worth joining? Then there is the desire to “define” what makes a person fit an “us” or a “them”. All this leads to unnecessary conflict and disagreement.
Such ideas are foreign to the way I want to see the world, so no I am not a naturist nor a nudist nor yet a nakivist, I am simply a human being, often but not always, nude.
I know the words naturist or nudist are a short-hand to other people for “I like to be without clothes in a non-sexual, social setting”, it is quicker to use one word than those 10 or 11 words but that does not mean I am any kind of “ist” nor does it define me in any way at all.
We would all get along much better without unnecessary tribal membership, surely society can now move away from out-moded tribes.
46 thoughts on “The out-moded terms naturist or nudist”
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Thankyou for sharing your thoughts on the matter Yvonne. 🙂
Personally, I like the term Nudist, as it gets right to the point of how I choose to live. As for what and who I am as a human being, given the best of terms for their implied meanings, aka labels, the term Nudist is generic, and can never capture the essence of what and who I am as an individual. Then again, that isn't the purpose of term. The purpose of the term, is simply to distinguish myself, from the mainstream world, as it applies to the spiritual dependence on clothing.
I make note in my social life, by using the term Nudist, that I am spiritually free, to the extent that I have realized my sense of self worth, beyond all the psychological trappings of Body Shame! I am aware that many in the mainstream, do associate Nudism with sex. For some of them in the mainstream, it is a matter of education, and for the rest of them, it is a matter of sanctimony! It's been my experience, that there is no cure for the sanctimonious … I walk the other way! As for the uneducated, their interest and/or curiosity will always reveal their Hearts and minds! I am always open to them, for sharing all that I can about the lifestyle of being a Nudist. I like the term Naturist also, but too many people confuse it with how one eats, or lives with nature, with no association with nudity.
I discovered as a very small child that I loved being nude, but I was never with a nudist household. I didn't discover Social Nudism, until I went to work at the Rawhide Ranch in Wilton California, now Laguna Del Sol. I've been an avowed nudist since (1986). I never wear clothes in my home, unless receiving a visitor of business of my best interest!
I too prefer the term nudist, since my experience of British naturists leads me to believe they not only regard it as a religion but also that they want to keep their nudity hidden away from society rather than make society more tolerant of it.
In some respects that may be correct however it's more to do with how we've been raised. School/home/spiritual upbringing. Some people see nudity as a sin. I've heard of women who never allow their husbands to see them naked. Yes, even in our enlightened age. Go figure
OMG All the labelling we do. Who cares what we call ourselves. I just want to be without clothing, whenever I can. And I just want to enjoy that moment. Whether it's at home, on a beach, with a bunch of people, wherever. As my friend says, be in the moment. I'm not going to analyse anything anymore. Too much of life to enjoy to get bogged down in such miniscule unimportant details
One of the reasons people want clothes is the ability to label others. If you wear ths tighten clothes you are the right people. Avoid the label and avoid the clothes.
I have to agree with Yvonne. I don't really care what people call me. I know that i am happiest when I am naked.
If I were to attach a label to my being, I think it would be "gymnophile", which simply indicates that I like to be naked. But any tag or designation paints a broad stroke over what is, essentially, a very small part of who I am
I left the site True Nudist because of that attitude. Not all there were like that but enough that if was not a good place for a conversation.
That is just the thing, whoever wrote it is stuck in a tribal frame of mind. The whole reason we have to have this site and areas cordoned off in which we can be nude is the action of regimes that arrest nude people. The laws they passed came from the old tribal habits of religious believers. If such laws were to pass into history, along with the power of religions in the legislatures, we would no longer need the Naktiv site (sorry Richard!) nor any naturist/nudist/naktiv establishments or associations, we would be free to be nude as we please (some hope!!). On the wider political scale, tribal behaviour causes wars, so in our little nude world, it makes no sense to carry on the same out-moded tribal allegiances. Tribalism validates more tribalism, we need to stop.
That's true Yvonee…. I strongly
agree with you!
I wrote a blog about this very subject – http://freerangenaturism.com/blog/?p=96 although if I was to create my own word for someone who prefers not to wear clothes it'd be scuddymeister, a word nicely reflective of the Scottish culture I come from and the German one I live in 🙂
There are, as usual, some seriously good words in that blog of yours, but scuddymeister is not one of them! I feel an overwhelming sense of censorship enveloping me, but shall (endeavour to) rise above it – it's a struggle…
"true naturists"? Yuk, almost as bad as "true nudists"! WTF!
I agree Yvonne, that is elitist!
I see where you're coming from, Howard, but at this point in the game I personally don't see either term, "nudist" or "naturist", being used to keep others out as much as a rallying point for like-minded people who enjoy being themselves to share their experiences and give mutual support to one another.
In other words, — and I'm only speaking for myself on this one — I see openly identifying as a "nudist" or "naturist" as being comparable to someone else having an RSPCA sticker on the back of their car: they are advertising their way of life and/or their point of view; they're stating publicly that they think and act in a certain way and — if they're lucky — they might spark some thought in the people around them.
So, if you don't mind, I'm going to continue to call myself a "naturist" or a "nudist" — not because I want to exclude anyone or set myself above anyone else, but because I'm happy to belong to a group of like-minded, often tolerant, people of all ages and sizes.
Björ, I also use the term naturist to describe myself, it is a (lazy) shorthand that is easier to use than a long descriptive sentence, should I use the better word naktiv I will generally be met with incomprehension, but the word naturist does not “define” me, I am not bound by it. I was really making the point that on sites such as this, we get quests for "definitions" of such words, then we get people deciding if someone is a “true” nudist/naturist/naktivist based on those usually disputed definitions. To me such ideas are daft. You only have to use the same ideas in relation to say race or religion, then “definitions” of a person of race X or religion Y are seen as being just as contentious, sometimes leading to wars. To my world view, it is best to avoid the temptation of definitions, such definitions have their basis in old tribal behaviour. In the past when life was more precarious, there may have been sensible to have cohesive tribes simply for survival, but in the modern world we can move into a better, more enlightened sphere and enjoy a common humanity without these artificial tribes.
Indeed, "naktiv" is the better word, but until (in 50 or 100 years perhaps) that new inclusive word ousts the old exclusive word, then probably nudist (in the US) and naturist (everywhere else) will probably have to suffice. And for those who are interested, this is the source of the "new" word: http://www.nacktiv.de/
Anita and Wolfgang made their word to describe their (and our) open lifestyle, not to enclose behaviour. We can do likewise, in deed, if not in nomenclature.
Naturist or nudist, with the definitions you give are fine with me. I regard them as meaning the same thing and they are commonly used words. They do not exclude the possibility that we sometimes wear clothes, and are sometimes happier to do so. Anything that creates "tribes" is an obstacle to acceptance of nudism / naturism as a pleasant and reasonably normal activity and, possibly, is a discouragement to novices.
Whatever name you may give it, the fact is that there exists a way of life ("lifestyle") where people enjoy been naked. Maybe there are many different origins to start with, and many different ways to approach nudity. The interest point is that if we all like and enjoy nudity, then we can find all these things that are unite us to our common target without labels like "us" or "them"….
If you view words as denoting 'tribal membership' then I suggest you have a very critical viewpoint and wish your own criteria or words could replace what you don't approve of. Through generations many naturists have been contented to use the words "naturist & nudist" purely as identifying words without thinking of 'tribes' or dated clubs etc that would lead to "unnecessary conflict and disagreement". Just live and enjoy your clothes free lifestyle choices, stop please agitating!
Patrick, judging by your reply, I do not think you have understood one word of what I have written.
I think I got your point ok Howard. At the end of it all it comes down to being naked, preferring to be so and not wanting a name or tag associated with being naked. In the actual world though there are names like nudism & naturism widely accepted and used by contented people. The way other people see "nudists" or "naturists" has always been either the 'butt' of jokes & comedy down the years or has been the focus point for spasms of vitriol and condemnation. At worst naturists (or nudists) have been blamed for ever sexual misdemeanour on the planet or at best used as the ideal solution to everything that is wrong with the world. What we need to do is not get too embroiled or concerned with it all, just get on with life either naked, nudist, naturist, clothes optional, textile or anything else. It's a personal choice, dealing with everyone else's viewpoints is just another 'problem' that surfaces every once in a while. I am in a tribal group called "People" and they do tend to be very peculiar!