New Nudist
For anyone just starting out home alone or whever into nudism that wants to share his or her fears, expeiences, etc. I am also inviting anyone who wants a FRIEND to chat with Clothes or Whatever on the SUBJECT. I was a NewBie Last Year and had a few great friends on Yahoo Chat help me relaxe & got me over my fears. If you want to Yahoo Chat IMme at ChiGuy168 on Yahoo all I ask is that you have a...
- created by RobChi
Nudity and Exhibitionism
Return to DiscussionsMaybe it's me and my being new to nudism, but aren't all nudists exhibitionists? I mean if we aren't then why do we like being naked in front of others at beaches, resorts, clubs, and even our own backyards, pools and hot tubs? I know of some on this site that refuse to put on clothes even when textiles and workmen come over. So aren't we all exhibitionists at heart? Just a little bit?
I agree. Perhaps not all nudists are exhibitionists, but my guess is that the vast majority of us are. Speaking for myself, I certainly am. And I am also a voyeur. Those might are contributing factors as to why I like to be nude with others but certainly not the only ones.
I don't consider myself to be an exhibitionist. I enjoy being nude, am more comfortable that way, and don't care if people see me nude or not. I am not comfortable and feel out of place when I am nude and others aren't just like I would be out of place wearing a suit to a beach. When I go to a nude beach or club, I sit where I would be most comfortable and I don't necessarily sit where everyone can see me.
There is probably a little bit of exhibitionist and voyeur in all of us at a CO beach. We go there because we can be nude in a public place and we walk on the beach, to the water, swim etc. in full view of others although most or many of them are also naked so is that really being an exhibitionist?
Seems to me a true exhibitionist would be nude in the middle of town and apart from a group on this site that does dares about being naked in public places probably most of us don't fit that category.
I'm nude now in my home, streaked out to get the newspaper early, was nude all day yesterday in my yard in the garden where someone might see me. Don't consider myself an exhibitionist but don't care if I'm caught. Not sure where that puts me.
Exhibitionism is different than nudism in that an exhibitionist is out to show him or herself to involuntary viewers, where a nudist will be respectful of the clothed world and only be around other nude people voluntarily. Thats the technical, classic definition of exhibitionist though.
I cant say that Im coming to a more social version of nudism to show off, but Id be lying if I didnt admit theres an initial level of thrill going into it. Its confusing. Im hoping eventually I can ease into it all and it will become no big deal.
I've talked about this in a similar thread here; but there is a difference between exhibitionism and confidence. The two can be easily mistaken.
My ex was a good "case in point" for this. She started out as a shy, self-conscious "reluctant" nudist. Over time, her attitude about being socially nude changed. She started liking being nude with/around other nudists. She decided to go "smooth"; and took a much more relaxed attitude about "open-legged" lounging by the pool. She was very much aware that "onlookers" could see all her "nooks and crannies"; but she decided she wasn't going to care about it. She used to say she had "nothing to hide." After we became regular visitors at our resort, we got in the habit of undressing before checking in, and walking into the pool area naked. My wife would then walk around, stop and chat with people she knew, socialize and participate in resort activities. I received positive feedback many times from other nudists about my wife's "nude attitude", and her lack of self-consciousness interacting and hanging out naked around everyone at the resort.
To an outsider, she might have seemed to have gone "full exhibitionist." But she never got a kick "provoking a reaction" from people, which is a key element of exhibitionism. She was just confident with her nudity and didn't mind who/how people saw her naked; in the context of social nudity. My current wife is still new to resort nudism; but she's displayed the same lack of self-consciousness when interacting with other nudists.
It's not exhibitionism.