I believe that being honest does not equal shouting all around and pushing our own agenda onto others. I believe that being honest is asking for permission to be naked when nudity seems obvious (swimming pool, boat, beach, etc.), is telling people that when it comes to being comfortable being naked is our preferred choice, and is sharing openly that naturism is a fantastic lifestyle. Finally I believe that being honest is about neither denying nor hiding that we're naturists.

Over the years, some people looked at me as if I were an alien when I told them I was a naturist, but it did not go beyond that weird look. It happens that people really don't care at worst, and are curious at best, asking questions about naturism, what it is, what is the experience like and other clarifying questions like this. "Honesty is the best policy" as an old saying goes.

Read Lying by Sam Harris if you doubt honesty has more value that concealing the truth. I wish you all an honest naturist life!

I agree with Marc also.  I suppose one of my  points is that if you are not openly expressive about nudism there are possibly missed opportunities.  For instance, if I had mentioned to our young neighbors that I enjoyed walking nude and was going to make a trail through the forest they may have pitched in and helped with the work of getting it done and also may have enjoyed using the trail themselves which would have been fine with me.  So, saying nothing led to over 15 years of not knowing that we shared the same interests.  

Being a bit more open in conversation with the couple at the RV park resulted in a very pleasant walk on a deserted beach with them and could have led to more of the same if I had expressed myself better a few days earlier.  

Sometimes, it is just a casual mention that causes the other party to be interested in your activities.  An agressive, in-your-face attitude will bring problems, IMHO.

I find it rather fascinating. Where is the balance? The more I think about life the more I am aware that it is always a balancing act. If we are timid about our naturism then it remains unknown, unappreciated and opportunities of connections, learning and growth of the lifestyle are lost. If we force it down people's throats then we are in danger of doing more harm that good. 

I occasionally come across an agressive naturist on the internet - the sort that get angry about a man being asked to cover up when dancing around naked in a school playground. There is a turning pont when naturism becomes exhibitionism and when making a point becomes picking a fight. 

In the UK there was a man (well he still exists) dubbed the Naked Rambler he was always in and out of court and prison for his public nudity - or moreover his unwillingness to cover up when requested. I cannot deny that we do need to get out there and stir things up a little - but his approach probably hurt naturism more than helped it. People need to trust the idea of social nudity a little more before knowing how to deal with individuals walking naked down the high street. Those reading about him will consider naturists as anti-social trouble makers with an axe to grind and on a mission to bring down the establishment. If I wanted to join a club, or head to a beach - I wouldn't want to surround myself with people that are possibly angry oddballs. So maybe such behaviour is a bad advert for naturism. 

I feel that people should have the right to be naked in their front gardens - and that right should be protected. Maybe in time people like the couple above will become more commonly place and accepting them will also be easier. 

As I have mentioned before when I was a girl there was a man in my village who cycled around naked most days. No one cared. No one worried. No one saw him as a threat. No one called the police and no one call the media. Simpler times and ones that we should try to recapture. 

Talking and gently promoting and finding as many non-shocking ways to be naked as possible will surely help. When we told Steve mother about creating ANW she simply replied that it sounded good and she hoped it worked. It didn't seem to press any alarm bells that naturism would attract the weirdos that are so plentiful on the internet. After all she know me and Steve very well and knows that we are to be trusted, and we are decent and honest - so why should naturism change that?

Don - I simply don't get it that couples are naturists and hide it from their children. Why pretend it is something to be ashamed of? The problem is if someone acts ashamed long enough they will start to question it themselves and may even turn it into something to be ashamed of. Maybe that is why some people damage naturism by moving into more libertine behaviour? Maybe in their minds they are already convincing themselves that they are being shocking so think "in for a penny in for a pound."

I have read about the Naked Rambler and his times in jail etc.  I think he probably has done more to harm to nudism than he has done good.  Although, I defend his right to do what he has done if he is willing to pay the price.  There is an entire sect in India whose members never wear clothes and they live off of the generosity of the towns and places where they roam.  I certainly could not be part of either of these examples.

I think nudists should be active and try to get more public places designated for their use.  The "Free the Nipple" campaign here has had some success in larger cities like NYC but in smaller places the old ways still rule.  Also, Free the Nipple is basically trying to play catch-up for women to have the same rights as men as far as being top-free.  To me that should  have been by-passed and and those efforts should have been applied to getting totally nude areas for all.  As I have said there can be more than one "right" and agencies should not favor one opinion over another.  If you chose not to go to the designated nude area in your city park that is perfectly fine but it should be there for those who want to visit it.  (The same applies to beaches, trails and other C/O areas.)  Who knows there may be more folks partaking in the public nude recreation space than there are in the textile sections.
 
Personally, I think children who are brought up in a situation where nudism is considered normal end up becoming well adjusted adults without some of the hang ups that others have.  Our club has one 70+ member who lived at a nudist resort since she was 4 years old or so and I have tried to get her to write an essay about that experience that I would put on our club website.  I think other members could benefit from her experience and opinion of it. (So far, no essay, but I will keep trying.)

I think the term "non-shocking" is entirely appropriate and should be on everyone's mind when involved in a discussion about nudism.  I continue to be surprised that there are so many folks who could care less about someone going nude.  I suppose if you did a poll the numbers would be greater than expected.  Those who hide it from their relatives either are not entirely convinced that they are doing the right thing or they are afraid of some sort of conflict that may or may not happen.  

Interesting observations--Thanks, Anna

 

I don't know if Stephen Gough, a.k.a. the Naked Rambler, did more harm than good to naturism. He was just defending his right to live a naked life. Being naked may "shock" people, although I don't understand why a naked body should shock anybody. That some people want to "hide" under clothes or swimsuit, I agree and let them live their lives. But why should they deny others their right to be naked if and when they want? We, naturists, know our simple and social nudity is not linked to sexuality. Now, shall we cover when people are shocked? I believe so the time we explain why we are naked and why it's not sexual. When I hike naked, I cover up when meeting people to avoid "shocking" them, as my goal is not to "shock" but to be comfortable when hiking. However, if I have an opportunity to explain that I'm hiking naked, most people are amused or intrigued and generally share they are not "shocked". End of the story. So, in a nutshell, being "shocked" is a posture that I respect and see as an opportunity to explain naturism, not to seek approval but respect and understanding. Explaining the benefints of naturism to others, one person at a time, one drip at a time...