Today we see RnR talk about the FIN idea on the activity feed of ANW - labelling venues and events as Family Inclusive Naturism. 

And in today's BN Newsletter we see the end of the family event at Alton Towers and the replacement of it with an Adult Only event in Blackpool. 

No matter how good the intentions are of naturist individuals around the world how do we get people to appreciate naturism on a grander scale when our national bodies seem happy to move naturism into an adult only arena? 

Once again we have to ask - does naturism actually want families. Our national bodies will not admit it but surely we have to consider that the fear of linking naturism to children is making them believe that they will not stir up any trouble if they lean towards adult only. But they cannot ignore the fact that such an attitude will actually put off many people from being naturists, confuse people into thinking it is sexual and in a short time make it so.

You do not have to have children, like children or want to be around children to understand that while famiulies are part of naturism we keep naturism suitable for all. 

What do we do? What do you think? 

Being a middle aged man with no kids , I have no objection to others in the same situation , but I dont want them to be the only people I meet at naturist events and sites. If the current direction of the national organization carries on in the way it is at present , not only will people like me not want to attend anything , sooner or later membership is bound to dwindle.

It seems that Anw is the only place that will even acknowledge that humans under the age of 18 exist !

Whilst I appreciate that Bn has to take care to a certain extent as the non naturist world so easily jumps to the wrong conclusions , not discussing the issue is getting naturism nowhere. I am hoping that some form of comment is being formulated to at least give naturist families a bit of hope that they have not been forgotten after the news of the demise of the Alton Towers event. 

I suspect that , in a lot of ways , I am the ideal Bn member. If that is the case, I'm not sure I want to be. 
 

We have tried to find a way to say families and children, without ever uttering the words or writing them down, which is the whole concept of creating the image we have. We run a couple of small websites, and so we know how simple it can be to add a small logo to an index page.

Our aim is to get people entering the debate, and really helping to find safe and positive solutions, that will reopen naturism to families. We would hope that the use of an image on a flyer or website would encourage others to add it, and in doing so, all families would have an instantly identifiable way of know that they were catered to.

Recent trends have seen far too many turning away from encouraging families, and taking the easy route of 18+, and it is our aim to hopefully get others to really consider the damage this is not only doing now, but will do in the long term to naturism.



We could be wrong, but we do feel, now is the time to act, and that could be as simple as adding a small logo to a website, or a flyer. Now matter what, all of us need to get these kinds of conversations going right across all of naturism.

Well said Matt1969 - I must state that I have no issue at all with single men, older naturists, couples, 18-30s, gay naturists etc etc but I do have an issue with the current trend of moving naturism away from families. We have to ensure naturism stays welcoming to everyone   - and I feel that the BN is either too cowardly or too interested in "party" events to care. If it is the former they have to remember that they are supposed to represent us all and protect us all. They often talk about our fees going towards legal support - but what about moral support and fighting for naturism to be better understood and appreciated. They nned to take a stance and clearly state that naturism is for families. By not doing this they are basically leaving families to try and protect their rights themselves and be victims of the naturist hating wolves. As I mentioned in last months H&E over 60% of all people in the UK live in a hiome with children under 18 - this is the biggest group in the country and they need to know naturism is for them. If it is the latter then they need to be asked do they exists to supply naturism (which they even hide this word in EveryBody acting like it is a dirty word) to about 500 people who attend these party events or do they exist for the 9000 members they have or do they exist for the 7 million people who say they are naturists in the UK or do they exist to simply support the growth of naturism world wide? I think they should exist for all these reasons but I fear they are losing sight of the bigger picture. Why is that?

I love the thought RnR - I wonder if we can replace the I with a U and make it FUN maybe a U made up of juggling balls the colour of the Olympic rings. What good words begin with U understand, uphold, use, unite, undeniably.

I know one that those on national boards may consider Families Upset Naturism!   

We would certainly like to get this honed and put it on the landing page of ANW.

We could write something like ANW is proud to support (then the logo reading ) FUN. And venues and events could add things like This event is proud to offer FUN, or this venue recognises FUN etc. 

If we exclude families, we strip naturism from one of its most important components. I can think of a few good reasons to include families:

Promoting naturism values: body acceptance, respect for others, and a connection to nature. By participating in naturist activities as a family, they help reinforce and perpetuate these values within their own family unit and the wider community. Furthermore, kids embrace naturism faster than adults.

Fostering a healthy understanding of the human body: Naturism promotes body positivity and acceptance of the natural human form. When families practice naturism together, they help their children develop a healthy and non-sexualized understanding of the human body, which contributes to better self-esteem and body image.

Encouraging social acceptance: Family participation in naturism helps normalize social nudity and challenges misconceptions about the practice. When people see families engaging in naturist activities, it demonstrates that naturism is a wholesome and family-friendly lifestyle choice.

Ensuring the future of naturism: The involvement of families in naturist activities and communities helps ensure the continuity and growth of the movement. As children grow up in a naturist environment, they are more likely to embrace these values and practices as adults, continuing the tradition and passing it on to future generations, even though when teenagers often drift away from naturism.

Creating a supportive community: Families are the building blocks of many community, and this holds true for naturist communities as well. When families participate in naturism, they contribute to a strong, supportive, and diverse community that can provide a nurturing and inclusive environment for people of all ages, particularly because it's often a headache for parents to organize activities for their kids.

Overall, parents play a huge role to create a positive environment that fosters understanding, acceptance, and respect for the human body and the naturist lifestyle.

my 2 cents (or centimes, or shilling, or pennies...;-))