So true Alan - the concept of behaving as you would in a clothed environment is something Anna and I mention and suggest all the time. In all behaviour including photographs for example. Social media has people who have profiles that are simply their penis - imagine having a profile that is the fly of your jeans - just crazy! So neither are normal behaviour within naturism - but could be innocently acceptable in an articles about penises. Some naturists share blogs with photographs where they hold things in front of their breasts or genitals. You wouldn't consider doing that if dressed so why when naked? Conforming to Facebook standards may explain it in Facebook but not on a naturist website or magazine. But even on Facebook resorted to such positions must make people confused. Do naturists remain obsessed with those parts of the body - and do they bare them purely to show them to others - or do they still fear people seeing them in a naked situation. Do non-naturists imagine we walk around like Peter Sellers in A Shot in the Dark with a guitar in front of our genitals?

We know it is wrong to stare in a dressed situation, or pinch a strangers bottom, or follow them, or sit too close, or take photos without asking - so the same applies for naturism. 

Sadly we live in a world now where children are worried about constantly - we cannot simply take a photo of our children at school with their peers, and when there is permission you have to promise not to put them on social media. People fear talking to children or showing any interest - a child falls over - back away and leave them in pain - a child is crying and lost - leave it alone and hope someone else helps it find his parents. It is crazy. Children are made more vulnerable because they are kept at a distance. A well respected naturist woman told Anna she tries to never goes to any naturist venue/event that involves children - because basically children ruin things with their behaviour - and yet she has actively promoted naturism for her countries federation, in magazines and on the internet. What has gone wrong with society that people can feel this way? How can children ever find the "proper behaviour" when they are not given the example and experience? How can she truly appreciate the naturist environment if she can enjoy the equality and universal aspect of it? How can she feel she has the right to promote it when she has such a belief. Imagine if she didn't want a specific gender, sexual orientation, race or colour around her? Wouldn't we see that as wrong? Naturism has to show equality. What would people think if I suggested that I only want to go to venues that have women  between 20 and 40 there? Naturism needs to embrace everyone in a natural way. 

Alan's words about appearing too puritanical and have too many rules on behaviour are well considered. We have often talked about the need to bring up arousal on almost all websites in rules, FAQs etc could actually adding concern rather than removing it. I noticed that the BN did it recently in their new EveryBody website. Sometimes bringing something up makes it seem a problem - when it simply isn't. It isn't rocket science to work out how to behave if such a thing happens but always talking about it makes it seem that it will happen all the time. It makes it seem that men will be constantly looking at women and being turned on. That could be worrying to men fearing embarrassment - but more importantly worrying to women not wishing to be "free porn." We often wonder why there are less women than men in naturism - the fear that they will be placing themselves into a situation where they are lusted over and made to feel cheap has to be a massive reason. 

I have to say a big thank you to Stephen for initiating this forum topic.
Just through reading all the subsequent posts, be those short or long, expressed with our own individuality, openly and honestly sharing opinions and experiences, it is so evident to see that we are all 'on the same page'.
That in itself, is so valuable, as it helps breed a sincerity, a confidence and a trust, between fellow naturists and also on a personal level helps us feel relaxed and confident in who we are, both as naturists and human beings.
In that sense, forum discussions and open honest debate on all topics, even sensitive ones (possibly more so) are so useful, and wonderful 'tools' which help promote a healthy, deeper appreciation, understanding, they increase our knowledge, educate and are a great help in the evolution of an ever more harmonious, happy and relaxed naturist community.

Many thanks for the nice comments, Steve ....much appreciated.
Yes, it is such a shame, that so many people, for whatever personal reasons they may have, do not feel at ease in uploading even a 'none revealing' profile photo.....and that on what is essentially a trustworthy sincere naturist website.

I love this thread. For me, there is real joy and aesthetic pleasure in seeing people of all ages, shapes, and sizes nude. A nude person is displaying their true, unmasked self, so I really enjoy seeing how we're all different, and yet all the same!
As for being seen nude, I love to be able to show my natural, unmasked body to those who are also sharing their own wonderfully bare bodies with me. I love my naked body, and I love each and every one of yours, no matter what it looks like! Also, I really do believe every BODY looks better WITHOUT clothes. As an ex-girlfriend once said to me, "You look good with a tie, but I'd rather see you with a penis!"

I really think that it is a totally natural want to be naked and see others naked - and the human body in all forms is wonderful to behold. I think the main reason we have so much porn and have such a strong attitude of sex sells is that we crave natural nudity and because we often do not get it we look for it. We have a passion for nudity and that has been mistranslated by our brains as a lust for nudity.

If we allow this idea to play out it could explain the growing popularity and concern about child porn - in its simplest form the more we deny something natural to society then the more society feels the loss  - but for some that removal takes on a depraved craving. 

To me there is an amazingly simple pleasure in watching people naked - it is so natural and joyful - and that goes beyond age and gender. And I also think that goes for being seen naked. I remember thinking to myself many years back that it was wrong to want to be seen naked. I feared that my want to be a naturist was like a want to be a flasher or an exhibitionist. But although I loved it it was never something that felt sexual - and after a while I realised that it was alright to get pleasure from being naked with others because that pleasure was not a sexualised pleasure despite the nudity - just as one may get pleasure from smiling hello to a stranger on the street, or chatting with them on a train. There is something so reassuring about being seen naked and not shocking people and seeing others naked and not lusting after them. We are taught at an early age that neither of those attitudes can exist - and we have to learn for ourselves as naturists that they do. I had a real want to be a naturist and I couldn't work it out - inside my head it didn't seem perverse but that passion and drive had to surely mean something. I think if it was anything other than nudity I would have seen it more clearly for what it was - but we are brainwashed about nudity and so I felt in turmoil. I didn't want to do something that was seedy or sordid and yet I wanted naturism - and who was there to tell me that there was nothing seedy or sordid about it? Only experience could teach me that. And I think that is one of the reasons we wanted to create ANW - to give people that advice (particular as the internet often misadvises!) - for Anna and myself (and then later the community itself) to tell people how naturally sweet and healthy naturism truly is and that you have to let go, fall backwards and trust that you will be safe.  

I think we have learnt to be so distant in general anyway We forget how joyful connecting with strangers should be. I always worry that if I talk to a young woman - anywhere - that she may think it is flirtatious - and that is a shame because it means we end up only feeling safe talking to strangers of the same sex - or people that are older or possibly considered less attractive. But really we should want to connect with everyone - be as friendly as we can. We shouldn't have to worry about being seen as a pest because we talk to a young woman or a pervert for smiling at children. Society has been like it for so long. As a child I remember seeing adverts warning us from speaking to strangers - and even then I thought it was a sad state of affairs and I worried about being rude. If someone was polite and friendly is it right to ignore them - and I wondered what classified a stranger - because I knew most the people who lived locally - but I didn't know many of them very well - and some I thought seemed nice and others I didn't like. If I remember correctly I stay a distance from those who gave me the creeps or I thought were scary - and anyone other than that I would politely respond to and then go off on my merry way. We had local shops, people didn't move much, my mother had coffee mornings and lots of neighbours were referred to as Auntie This and Uncle That. I always felt safe and part of that was keeping away from people I didn't like - I used my judgement - Do children get to do that now? 

One of the things I like about naturism is that it does connect us to a more realistic view of the human race and it does allow those connections. It is beautiful to see a group of people naked and to be naked also - how can it not be? The problem is we live in such a silly society that we have been indoctrinated to consider that pleasure and nudity mean something much more - and I think that is very confusing for non-naturists.   

When we sat at our tent looking down over the hill at NKD and could see many people (mostly young naturists or families) sitting in groups on the grass enjoying the sun and the nudity - that was simply the best. Nothing could be more beautiful. It was so natural and it made you want to capture the moment and live like that always. It was like a beautiful work of art - and it made you feel that the world was just perfect (although also sadly aware that it was escapism and the real world is not like that. But imagine if it was. If every park in every town had such scenes - I have seen some pretty inappropriate scenes in parks - and none of them have ever had anything to do with naturism - if only life could always be so beautiful and sweet. Would we take it for granted? Yes and no - we would learn to expect it maybe but we would never stop appreciating it - because we just don't. Just as we never stop appreciating trees, flowers, bees and butterflies, garden birds, long grass blowing in the wind, bouncy white clouds in a pure blue sky, the bright round sun shining its warmth down on us. We should be part of nature and our clothes don't allow that - if we were then our true beauty would shine for all to enjoy all the time - and that is why we should always be happy to know it is OK to enjoy seeing people naked.

Hi everyone and welcome to 2023. Our 2023 Mission is Nurturing Naturism https://www.anaturistworld.com/article/46115/nurturing-naturism and I think ideas from it can be used to illustrate certain topics in the Forum. 

This one for example. As we integrate naturism more and more into our lives then it is hard to ignore that it isn't just OK to enjoy seeing people naked but it is simply wrong not to.

From older couples walking hand in hand, to babies playing in the sand.  
People who we are attracted to, people like ourselves, or people as we would want to be. 
Those whose youth we envy. Those who are brave, confident and inspirational. 

In a world without clothes we would get joy from seeing everyone around us. Family, friends, associates and strangers. Pleasures of the heart, the soul and the mind. We would not be cut off from our awareness of the physical appeal of certain people - but instead more aware and tuned in to what that means. 

The clothed world creates a tabboo and shock around nudity. Building a thrill from the value of being exposed. It sells all types of media and products and services.

A naturist world removes the titillation value of seeing someone naked - it places everyone on a equal ground - with no barriers and no disguise. We are then able to better judge how the nudity of others move us and recognise the right and true emotions connected to each individual. Naturism allows us to truly appreciate our own bodies and those of others - on a whole range of different levels. It removes both the exhibitionist kick and the voyeuristic thrill and replaces it with honesty. 

It allows us to see the beauty in every body and recognise what that beauty means to us. 99.9% of the time that beauty is not a sexual attraction but when it is then at least we understand and recognise it.

How many people are there that are confused by the joy they get from seeing people naked? That confusion can lead some to guilt, anxiety, perversion and even abuse. Too many are not experienced enough in enjoying the naked human being and that lack of experience can lead to a misunderstanding. Enjoy for example seeing a child naked on a beach and that leads to a worry that it is wrong to feel that enjoyment and encourages a denial of the enjoyment and a discomfort from having children naked around you. The subconscious then asks why and this creates a sexualisation of child nudity that in turn can lead to a mistrust of yourself, naturism, nudity, children - and once society picks up on this feeling as a collective we have a breeding ground for perversion, fear, hatred and paranoia.

It works on all sorts of levels. Legalise and make equal the female nipple in a country and you will not see all women suddenly embrace the freedom. For there is guilt, concern and modesty values in their own heads and there is an awareness of shock, perversion, pestering and porn in the minds of others. We are not just dealing with the simple idea of nudity - we are dealing with the conditioning we have grown with and the ideas we have about society and individuals. If we had all grown up with a equal view of males and female nipples - women would not worry about what baring their nipple may mean about them and not worry about how much it means to others. 

The fear of nudity is like a virus - we need to build a herd immunity - but that means for a while some of us will suffer (within ourselves and at the hands of others) - like immunity to a virus - we know that there is light at the end of the tunnel but very few want to cathc the virus to help get the rest of the herd to the other side. 

The damage done to society through the fear of nudity was easily done - just add clothes and wait a while - the repairs are a much bigger step to take because the mentality of society has changed - we have lost that natural instinct of understanding nudity. We have lost the awareness of how natural it is to feel all manners of joy simply by being naked with others.