Nudism, Nudity, Nude, Naked

Nudism is an ism. That means it is a philosophical position. Of course the exact description of that philosophy varies widely. This is possibly the reason that we nudists don't even agree on the proper word. Some of us call it nudism, while others use the word "naturism". I suppose this depends on whether one is emphasizing the freedom of being unclothed or the naturalness of it.

Most nudists are not very doctrinaire. The phrase often heard is, "Nude when possible, clothed when necessary." Not many of us are masochists and we tend to get well and warmly dressed when faced with winter weather. We also don hiking shoes, tennis shoes or whatever other clothing will protect us. Very few nudists cook in the nude without an apron to protect from spillage or burns.

Never-the-less we do prefer to be nude, particularly when relaxed outdoors or in. That is probably the only thing that unites those who profess nudism. Nudists range from very conservative Christians to whatever other political and religious extremes exist. Nudists come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and ages. There are very few who would pose for magazine covers. The vast majority of us have spindly legs, or pot-bellies, wrinkles, or bald heads.

The nudist community tends to be older. Many don't become nudists until their mid-30s and beyond. However, thanks to the efforts of the American Association for Nude Recreation's (AANR) subgroup, Young Adults for Nude Recreation (YANR) there is an increasing population of younger nudists. In addition many people have entered nudism by being members of nudist families. As they grow through their teen years and enter adulthood, they are already seasoned nudists and find nude and natural to be their preferance.

Nudists are often startled when someone asks what it is like to be "naked". The word "naked" seems to imply an involuntary state of weakness. People who don't have sufficient clothing are spoken of as naked, just as those without food are hungry. Being naked is forced upon people. Nudists usually use the word "nude" for the state of voluntarily shedding unneeded clothing. Since it is a choice, being nude is empowering. Nudists feel good as they experience the brush of the breeze against their skin, or the bodily freedom of swimming without constrictive clothing.

In another post, I will discuss the many great reasons for embracing not just recreational nudism but a social and family nude life-style.