When I look back, I find that i used to be extreamly excited in my younger days when someone saw me naked. With aging, that desire slowed down. But when I see younger generation of present era, I feel all have the desire to be seen. Depending on sexuality the expected audiance varies. Some wants to show hard on (flasing) some just want to be seen by others in its natural way.
What do you guys think? (I am coming from a male's perspective only)
Replies
- MI
Sep 11, 2023I am of the older generation (70) and I have no particular desire to be seen.
I am nude for comfort.
If someone sees me nude in an appropriate situation, fine. but I do not seek situations where I would be seen, especially in inappropriate placesReactReply - CA
Sep 12, 2023I don't care if someone sees me, as long as I am not offending them. In a clothing optional situation, I will always be nude
ReactReply - 2B
Sep 12, 2023I think as a nudist you are at least somewhat of an exhibitionist, but maybe also a little rebellious and adventurist too. Naturism is an alternate world right here in this world, for me, social nudity is the best time spent.
ReactReply - NO
Sep 12, 2023I have enjoyed being naked for decades. Alone or with others, I enjoy any situation. I pretty much live nude alone at my rural home. I have a natural talent of hospitality and enjoy welcoming folks , old friend, casual aquaintances, or even total strangers. With a hot tub I have been able to suggest and introduce social nudity to many people who would never have stripped down without that ice breaker.
All that said, I have no qualms about being seen nude by anyone . I do feel " more naked" when I am the only one stripped down, like when I pose for artist to sketch, or when I have a house guest who is not comfortable nude themselves but are fine with me nude. And there is a bit of a rush when I find myself naked in situations that the average person would never consider being naked at.ReactReply - 00
Sep 12, 2023Nudism is a lifestyle that has nothing to do with being seen or not seen by someone else. It is simply that you don't put on clothing until you have to. Exhibitionists want to be seen to see what reaction they get. I believe that a true nudist is not an exhibitionist, but some exhibitionists are nudists.
ReactReply - NA
Sep 12, 2023[quote]Nudism is a lifestyle that has nothing to do with being seen or not seen by someone else. It is simply that you don't put on clothing until you have to. Exhibitionists want to be seen to see what reaction they get. I believe that a true nudist is not an exhibitionist, but some exhibitionists are nudists.[/quote] Well said, this is also my perspective. It's not about being seen but about the freedom, comfort, and sensations that only come from the freedom from clothes. If I am hiking for a whole day and ever see a soul (and, as a result, am not seen), it has still been a wonderful day of enjoying the benefits of being naked.ReactReply - WI
Sep 12, 2023Some reasonable points and some dangerous assertions here about similarities and differences betwixt nudity and exhibition; I'll offer some addition & dissension about a few points if the floor is open.
Nudism is always the same, regardless of the number of participants, whether we're speaking one body or 1000. So a nudist is a person without clothing, and that can be solo or with others. The dynamics of the moment can and do change given the age range of the persons involved. Naturism, not part of the original post but mentioned by others, is similar to nudism in that it does not take more than one bare human to occur. Even alone in the woods, both a naturist and a nudist "are". In Europe, so I have heard, the two words are used somewhat interchangeably, and that the term nudist is heard much more rarely. Americans seem more apt to use the words differently (that pond is pretty wide), with a 'naturist's desire' being more aligned with being bare in nature, coming into and being better in tune with nature by their bareness; nudists are not always so focused on the natural world, with their interests in being bare leaning toward nudity in all things, often with a heavier interest in the social aspect of it.
Exhibitionists are in it to be seen, and that takes another set of eyes, and there is no way to achieve that without at least one other person present - unless they are the sort who feel the eyes of the Universe on them and that excites. The word 'excite' means turned-on sexually, used in this context. Let me be clear - exhibitionism is being nude around others, whether or not they are naked, typically without their consent, and a thing that is bringing the exhibitor a sexually-driven (and often a power-driven) thrill. By showing your genitals to someone without expressed permission, whether or not you are erect, you are being sexually-stimulated by the act of exhibition. This is illegal in most of the world and appropriately so. One more point here - an erection is not always erected through sexual thought and action, but that is not the point I'm attempting to make and it has been fleshed out aplenty of other places here in True Nudists. Yes, 'fleshed out' was completely intentional.
To return to our naturist in the forest for a moment, and with a short dabble in humor amid a topic of seriousness -- if someone alone in the woods sprouts a boner, does anyone hear it? A bear might, but another 'bare' has to be nearby or it is simply a hard penis. Exhibition takes an audience; nudism can have an audience but it doesn't need one. And if your penis makes any discernible noise when it becomes stiff, you might want to talk to a doctor. And if being stiff around a bear excites you, seek out a doctor with a psychology degree.
I feel that to put humans into a static category belittles this experience called life. As was mentioned in the OP, the writer's mind and body react differently now than they did when he was young. He used to get an erection when other people would see him nude, but with age and experience has come comfort, and a level of relaxation in his genitalia, probably because the occurrence of shared nudity has become more commonplace. Without change comes stagnation; without growth comes decay. To say that all nudists begin as exhibitionists on some level is also unfair, with a prime example being the children of nudist parents, who are given the freedom to never put clothes on (within reason), mimicking their parents as children do. For many of the rest of us, the moment we realize that being nude can be so much more than that fleeting thrill of total exposure to other people, the doors are flung wide to learning the joys of nakedness in all its beautiful forms.
ReactReply - NA
Sep 12, 2023I like to be considered as a "naturist" which could have a different definition from a nudist. It's not always about being nude, but being free and comfortable with nature. Being barefoot as much as possible is important to me and others I know to really connect with the earth. I would prefer not to be seen or caught nude in places where it is not normal and the risk factor is often undesirable for the gain from the enjoyment of said nudism . Nudist campgrounds, beaches, resorts, hot springs are all places where myself and like minded folks enjoy and are comfortable with social nudity.
ReactReply - SUsuhritnewOriginal PosterSep 13, 2023
The desire to be naked in locker room, where one can stay naked.... But it's not the same joy, when I am naked and alone, when I am naked and others are too, and when I am naked, and others are not...
Exhibitionism has anything to flaunt? If I have a great body or I am well endowed...Just to know what others think?
ReactReply - WISep 13, 2023The post quoted below is somewhat confusing, I'll assume because English is probably not the writer's primary language. Would he be kind enough to clarify his points? To offer further opinion, I need to have a better understanding of what is being said. Are we to interpret that these different nude scenarios are bringing more or less levels of pleasure? It is difficult to tell what the writer is trying to get at - different types of nude interaction will bring different feelings. Where does the greatest joy come from? Ignore the way your penis reacts to any situation for a moment and look into your heart - what do you feel? Separate your mind from your body if you can. Try to see past your physical reaction to the bareness and into the truth of what draws you to want to be naked. In my case, what I love is being natural within sight of anyone else when everyone is naked, though I thoroughly enjoy being nude anywhere and everywhere, alone or in a crowd. [quote]The desire to be naked in locker room, where one can stay naked.... But it's not the same joy, when I am naked and alone, when I am naked and others are too, and when I am naked, and others are not... Exhibitionism has anything to flaunt? If I have a great body or I am well endowed... Just to know what others think?[/quote]ReactReply
- GS
Sep 13, 2023[quote]What do you guys think? (I am coming from a male's perspective only)[/quote] No offense but I think conflating the two shows a misunderstanding of one or the other and probably both.ReactReply - SUsuhritnewOriginal PosterSep 14, 2023[quote]What do you guys think? (I am coming from a male's perspective only) No offense but I think conflating the two shows a misunderstanding of one or the other and probably both.[/quote] Can you elaborate with example, please?ReactReply
- SU
Sep 15, 2023The degree of overlap in the imagined Venn diagram is not total but not absent as these forums show. For me, it's mainly about the being (for myself) but the social dimension also contributes, even if I'm not actively engaging with others. Is it a shared interest, exhibitionism or both? Perhaps both. I'm happy to be seen in a consentual environment such as a designated CO zone or an unofficial one where I'm not the only one. If I am the only one I'll generally try to keep a respectful distance if I can help it, but that has failed on occasion.
ReactReply - GSSep 16, 2023[quote]Can you elaborate with example, please?[/quote] Not really. They're two different things. Like comparing apples and oranges. Basically, nudism is not at all about attracting attention. Exhibitionism is *all about* attracting attention and feeling good about shocking other people's sensibilities. Nudism is about good health. Physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. It's practical and just makes good sense for all involved. Exhibitionism is considered a frickin' psychiatric disorder and has nothing to do with nudism. That's not to say that an individual has to be one or the other and can't be both. I'm just sayin' the statement "Nudists are exhibitionists" is absolutely not true. One ism is separate and apart from the other. Same can be said for swingers. "Nudists are swingers" is untrue as well. And don't get me started on Naturists/Naturalists. But at least the confusion there doesn't do the damage to the general public's perception of nudism like exhibitionism and the swing lifestyle seem to do. Just thought I'd throw that in there to help with my point.ReactReply
- NE
Sep 17, 2023Thank you GSNPhil for your excellent explanation of the term exhibitionists. I, like you, have been a nudists nearly my entire life but never felt that I was an exhibitionists of any type.
ReactReply - NU
Sep 19, 2023The notion that "nudists must have exhibitionistic tendencies" came from the misguided belief that seeking out social nudity muststem from some desire to be seen naked by other people. When in fact, for most nudists, being seen naked by people is an "effect" rather than an "objective." And just because some nudists are more socially engaged than others does not mean they are "more exhibitionist." It might simply mean they are more extroverted/confident. But that's an enduring misunderstanding that will probably not go away any time soon.ReactReply - WISep 19, 2023[quote]The notion that "nudists must have exhibitionistic tendencies" came from the misguided belief that seeking out social nudity must stem from some desire to be seen naked by other people. When in fact, for most nudists, being seen naked by people is an "effect" rather than an "objective." And just because some nudists are more socially engaged than others does not mean they are "more exhibitionist." It might simply mean they are more extroverted/confident. But that's an enduring misunderstanding that will probably not go away any time soon.[/quote] A very reasonable take on this worn-out notion. The final sentence says volumes. It is up to all nudists/naturists to unerringly fight the good fight for the freedom to be bare in social spheres, to constantly do out part to decry the faulty perception that nudism is always connected in some way to sexual exhibition, and to call out the ones who keep attempting to draw nudism toward exhibitionism. Where there is but a single nudist there is pleasure - where there are two or more comes some possibility of misunderstanding. We who call ourselves nudists must be ever vigilant in addressing and belaying the assertion that commonly connects our movement to some underlying sexual component. We are all sexual beings, but we do not all become nudists solely to get more sex, though that is undeniably why some do. The percentage of nudists who are also exhibitionists (and those who seemingly cannot tell the difference) do weigh heavily on the world of wholesome nudism.ReactReply
- CO
Sep 20, 2023I think that seeing and being seen are essential elements of naturism, based on the absence of shame and fear, which are the motives for normally choosing to be clothed. Being naked with other people does not constitute exhibitionism (or voyeurism), because it is consensual and mutual. Exhibitionism consists of showing oneself (or one's sexual organs) naked to a clothed person without their consent; it is the correlative of voyeurism, which consists of watching without consent a person who is naked and/or engaged in intimate acts.
ReactReply - SUsuhritnewOriginal PosterSep 23, 2023
Thank you guys. All responses help to build up correct understanding.
ReactReply - HO
Apr 18, 2024NO nudists are not exhibitionists. There are two fundamental flaws to this argument. First the definition of exhibitionism is the derivation of sexual pleasure being viewed naked. While I believe many people who like to be naked are indeed exhibitionists, nudism and the non sexual nudity that is part of the nudist way of life is is not about sexual pleasure or pleasure from being viewed naked.
Second it relies on the notion that has been popularized that anything naked or anyone in a state of nudity is de facto a nudist. This is like saying anyone or anything in a garage is a car.
So for those two reason among many others categorically NO to proposition that nudists are exhibitionists. Not even close.
ReactReply - MA
Apr 18, 2024In the 2000s there were some people in naturism / nudism / FKK who started the nude activism, like the nude in public movement. They said nudism would be the same as exhibitionism. We should stop that. This harms only our nudism & naturism movement.
ReactReply - HOApr 18, 2024Co-sign on this many of those people were not for the most interested in actually promoting naturism/nudism but rather self promotion as so called nudist content creator. They pushed the idea that anyone who promoted nakedness online should be considered nudists. They are in large part responsible for the degradation of the nudist way of life as the uninitiated looks at that particularly online and associates sexual nudity with nudism. [quote]In the 2000s there were some people in naturism / nudism / FKK who started the nude activism, like the nude in public movement. They said nudism would be the same as exhibitionism. We should stop that. This harms only our nudism & naturism movement.[/quote]ReactReply
- JO
Apr 27, 2024At our old house both my neighbors knew I was a nudists and were cool about and thevone next to me saw me alot and even chatted at the fence line ,now we moved and I miss that so I guess I am somewhat a exhibitionists
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