Author Archives: amanda

Nude Recreation Week: Join the Festivities!

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If you are a nudist, you know that you’re comfortable doing just about anything in the buff, whether solo or with friends. But what about your friends who have a hard time showering without a swimsuit on? Nude Recreation Week offers a great way to introduce your buddies to the idea of being naked while also enabling you to enjoy more clothes-free activities.

Nude Recreation Week, takes place July 7–14, 2013 and was created by The Naturist Society (TNS) 38 years ago. This annual event is supported by TNS and the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR), with events taking place around the globe.

Vacationing at nude sunbathing resorts is one of the fastest growing trends in the travel industry, according to The Wall Street Journal. And Nude Recreation Week is a great time to invite your non-nudist friends to the party. There are clothing-optional resorts in every state and country, so it’s easy to find a place to comfortably take your friends and introduce them to your weekend (or all-the-time) activities.

This year, the festivities culminate in an attempt to set a new world record at the World Record Skinny-Dip, taking place at locations across North America on July 13. The last record was set in 2010 for the most number of people simultaneously naked in the water. The time of this year’s attempt is 1 pm local, and the goal is to track how many people are in pools and watering holes in the buff. You can view a list of participating resorts and learn more on the AANR website: http://www.aanr.com/world-record-skinny-dip. Sounds like a good time to host a party!

Most resorts host a variety of fun activities during Nude Recreation Week, ranging from merely swimming to volleyball tournaments and other outdoor sporting events. But it’s mostly a time to encourage those new to the lifestyle to take part. It’s a great opportunity to “come out” to non-nudist friends and invite them to your backyard party or a nearby resort.

AANR provides a list of ways to ease people into the idea of being nude:

• Take a skinny dip in the backyard pool. You’ll be surprised at how good it feels. And no swimsuits to rinse out after!
• Clean the house au naturel. Most people work up a sweat dusting, vacuuming, and mopping, so save a step and clean in the buff before you clean off your own body.
• Get naked with nature. Plant some flowers or veggies in your garden, pull those pesky weeds, or sit outside and read a book. You’ll be that much closer to the pool when it’s time to cool off.
• Exercise naked. The treadmill, jump rope, weights, or exercise video can be a great way to get those muscles moving and heart beating. Just don’t try this one at the gym!
• Telecommute so you can spend a day or two at home working in the nude. Your house is your sanctuary, so take advantage.

This year, truenudists.com is supporting the World Record Skinny-Dip, and as a member of the site, you should be first in line to strip down and jump in! Invite your friends, family, and coworkers and share the fun and ease of being nude. Just tell them it means less laundry at the end of the week; that should get them!

So It’s Your First Time to a Private Nudist Party

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There are many ways to join the nudist lifestyle and share it with others. Certainly, you can invite friends to your home and be comfortable shedding your textiles in your own backyard pool. Another choice is to visit a resort (learn more about your first time to a nudist resort: http://www.truenudists.com/blog/first-time-to-a-nudist-resort/), where you’ll be among many other folks, some who are experiencing communal nudity for the first time. But what if your first foray into the world of nudism is at a private nudist party? That might open a whole new can of worms.

Find an Event
There are lots of places to learn about private nudist parties in your area: Check out truenudists.com, AANR (http://www.aanr.com/), or Meetup (http://www.meetup.com/phoenix-nudists-by-truenudists/), or ask your friends who are already in the lifestyle about what’s coming up in your ‘hood. Identify first what kind of party it is (clothing optional or nude) and who is welcome. While most nudists are exceptionally family friendly, be sure you know what to expect before you pack up your whole family. Also, some adults who are new to the lifestyle may be uncomfortable being nude in front of strange children. It’s better to do a bit of research before showing up.

Know What to Expect
It’s typically good to go to any new environment with a buddy: a friend, a sibling, or a significant other work well. However, if you don’t have someone willing to join you, make sure you’re ready to interact with others. There’s nothing worse than having a person no one knows lurking in the corner of the pool watching everyone; that makes the whole situation uncomfortable. And that brings us to the idea of voyeurs. In any environment, they are a possibility. Don’t be one. And if you’re a single man, be even more aware of how you’re conducting yourself at a clothes-free event. You may find this to be the first—and last!—nudist event you attend.

Keep It Covered
Always have a towel with you, and use it every time you sit down. Alternatively, you can take your own chair and just sit on that. It’s bad form to put a bare bottom on furniture that doesn’t belong to you, and the extra layer will also protect you from seats that have been soaking up the sun’s heat.

If you’re a man who’s new to the environment and suddenly finds nature sending blood to the wrong part of your body, your towel can serve as a quick cover-up to avoid any embarrassing situations as well.

Have Fun
Essentially, checking out your first private nudist party is a lot like going to any other party where you don’t know anyone. Mind your P’s and Q’s, get to know people, and be friendly. Before long, you’ll make some new friends and have your dance card full of all kinds of fun activities to keep your summer exciting.

I Love You … and I’m a Nudist

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Me and YouGetting into a new relationship is stressful. We’re on our best behavior for the first few months, and we second-guess every action, word, thought, and feeling. So what if you’re a nudist and you met your heart’s desire at a time when you weren’t naked? How do you “come out” to your love as a nudist?

When looking for that perfect person, we naturally seek others who share similar values and attitudes, but what about hobbies and lifestyles? It’s impossible to know everything about a person immediately. Typically, we start with topical conversations that only skim the surface. And some things, such as hanging out with strangers while not wearing clothes, can be a bigger conversation to tackle, especially if you’re pretty sure the other person isn’t also into the clothes-free lifestyle.

The way you share your hobbies and lifestyle with someone special will really depend on you, the other person, and your relationship. We all know that the best relationships are built on honesty, and since we’re heading into pool season across most of the globe, it’s likely to come up that you attend pool parties in the buff. And some people may be ready to check out the scene with you, while others may not be bothered yet not ready to be naked in a group setting. Still others may completely misunderstand what nudism is about and be jealous that you’re sharing such a seemingly intimate activity with others.
This is a great time to whip out some education. If your partner isn’t a nudist, get ready to teach him or her about the lifestyle! Show off some of the family-friendly nudist sites online, introduce her to your nudist friends, or invite him to a clothing-optional party so he can choose to stay clothed or not. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of being misinformed or apprehensive. Once you explain that the lifestyle is innocent and natural, you’re likely to gain at least acceptance if not full-out participation.

It may just take time, and only you will know how to broach the subject based on your specific situation. If you’re comfortable with your nudist lifestyle (and we are sure you are, especially since you’re here!), it’s that much more likely your friend / lover will be too. You never know: Before long, you might have a companion on your next nudist resort vacation!

What have been your experiences introducing a new love interest or good friend to nudism? We’d love to hear about what you did to make things run smoothly, or if your confession led to a huge fight and break up. Share your stories in the comments!

Are You Ready to Come Out as a Nudist?

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Closet nudist

Nudist coming out of closet

Usually, when you hear the term “coming out,” you probably think of individuals who identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. But there are a lot more categories than sexual preference that require “outing” ourselves to friends, family, and coworkers. Whatever seems different or odd to the vast majority of people means there must follow an explanation to support our choices. One of these categories is definitely sharing the fact that you’re a nudist. Are YOU ready to come out as a nudist?

Maybe you’ve already shared with some loved ones that you enjoy lounging around without clothes on. And maybe you’ve received that look; you know the one: that look that immediately labels you a sex-crazed nymphomaniac who’s hosting weekly orgies poolside. Too often, the textile-wearing crowd jumps to conclusions that because you’re not into keeping your body parts covered at all times, you must be doing something sexual while you’re naked. Certainly, there is a lifestyle that is fine with that, but it’s usually not just people who are nudists.

So what can you do to let people know that being naked is just like wearing another outfit?

- Share that nudism is a family-friendly activity; children and teens are very welcome to join their parents
   and families at resorts and backyard parties.
- Invite them to an event, which you may choose to label as clothing optional.
- Give them information from area nudist resorts and organizations.
- Be open and answer questions.

A big part of coming out as anything away from society’s norm requires education. No doubt that your friends and loved ones will have a number of questions about your choice to be naked, especially with others! Hopefully, though, by remaining open and honestly sharing the lifestyle, you’ll not only educate more people, you may even find some new friends to be naked with you! And that’s really what it’s all about.

You Have to Be This Old to Enter

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If you’ve ever visited a clothing-optional resort community, you may have noticed that there are a large number of people there in their golden years. It seems that retirement helped them to lose their inhibitions and they high-tailed it, en masse, to the local nudist gathering. Certainly, there’s nothing wrong with finding the freedom to be around others in your birthday suit, but when the majority of nudists are 55+, does that mean that the younger crowd is left out in the cold?

Although, in theory, nudism is a family-friendly activity for young and old, in practice, it may be a different experience.

Whether clothed or naked, there is a generational difference in our approach to life, especially when looking at 20s and 30s vs. 50s and 60s. The younger group may be seen as loud and disrespectful, whereas the older folks may appear to youth as stodgy and not fun. It can be a dilemma, especially for the community organizers who want to plan events that appeal to all visitors.

What has your experience been in the clothing-optional lifestyle? Do you feel too old or too young for some events? Have you ever experienced a feeling of ageism? Chime in below in the comments!

Are You a Naturist or a Nudist?

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So you don’t have a problem with walking around in your birthday suit, whether you’re alone or with others. But does that make you a nudist or a naturist?

These days, the terms are used almost synonymously, but their true meanings are a bit different. The biggest distinction is when and where one enjoys being without clothes and how one views the act of being naked.

Strictly speaking, a nudist is one who shuns clothes any place or time, primarily because he or she enjoys being naked. A naturist, on the other hand, takes off his or her clothes to be closer to a natural state of being, getting naked in outdoors settings such as parks and campsites.

Some definitions take the distinction a step farther, saying that naturism is a physical representation of shedding the confines of society, whereas nudism is just about being naked.

One thing that holds true, no matter how you define yourself, is that many others don’t always understand the desire to be naked in public. A number of nudists and naturists feel the need to hide that part of their life from friends and family for fear of being ostracized. Those who aren’t part of the lifestyle often extrapolate the act of being naked with being involved in deviant sexual activities.

In fact, though, no matter which moniker you use to describe yourself, nudity has next to nothing to do with sexual activity. To prove that point, many nudists and naturists are families who enjoy the lifestyle together.

Whether getting back to nature, stripping the confines of everyday life, or just being comfortable in your own skin, going out in public without clothes is a pastime that is enjoyed by more and more people around the world each year.