I've been sort of psychoanalysing myself and I think I've hit on a big reason why I love being naked. There's the feeling of freedom from not having clothes restrict movement or the feeling of the sun, air and water on my body but there's something deeper for me. Going to a nude beach for instance satisfies those but there's something I get from being naked where it's not really expected or allowed. I'm sensitive and very averse to conflict so I almost always do as I'm told by everyone, my wife, my mum, my boss even just randoms because I hate to disappoint people. When conflicts arise I always lose because people use fear, guilt, shame, blame, bribery, you name it and I feel these things acutely and hate feeling that way. I also very quickly see others' points of view and understand their grievance, motivation and give them the benefit of the doubt which leaves me with no leg to stand on and I cave almost invariably. I guess for the same reason that teenagers break the rules I want to show - if only to myself - that I can make decisions and face whatever consequences come along. It's empowering and reminds me that I am the master of my own destiny. Finally there's the enjoyment of seeing naked girls but that's a rare and wonderful privilege. Why do you do it?
I think I would largely agree. In fact most people that know me would never guess me to go nude. I have been socially awkward, although I have gotten better recently, so nudity gives me confidence.
That's interesting. I've never really thought about why I like being naked just that I like it. Im pretty sure if growing up and having the house to myself when the parents were out of town every month, I would never have discovered it. Just got the urge to get naked one day then a few days later got brave enough to go outside in the backyard at night. Now that I live by myself I guess it is a habit, come home take everything off, put clothes on before I leave and repeat. I think I just like to be naked, no psychological reasons behind it. No exhibitionism or anything. But I do have social anxiety disorder but I don't think it is related to me being naked.
I was just raised without any sort of qualms with modesty and such. Times when clothes were impractical or not really needed, i just didnt wear them. It turned out to be beneficial in other ways, i have fairly minor psoriasis, not as severe as the people who end up scaling and stuff, but my skin is very dry and its healthy to not wear jeans, socks, tighter shirts, etc all the time, especially nothing much when sleeping.
Actually, This is a great question. How we all become nudist has many answers. I can tell you it is life changing and emotional empowering. Like many here, we have to walk a balance between the textile world and nudity. That’s why as nudist we seek out other nudist for acceptance. I was not raised in a nudist household. But over the years it just developed for me and now my wife embraces it. We are home nudist, but we now go to and planning more nudist camping/resorts. To avoid conflict and anxiety about nudity is all about developing balance in your life. Most people who shun nudity have never tried it. Remember that!!
I was brought up in a naturist family, we were friends with other naturist families, and always took naturist holidays, so for me that's how it started and being nude has always been a normal way of life. We were sometimes nude around textiles so it still felt normal. I still enjoy the lifestyle now and socialise nude with other naturists and textiles whenever possible.
Why - is a good question. I really don't think that I could pinpoint any one reason. I started sleeping nude when I was around 14. And would spend most of the time in the nude while doing my homework or watching tv. Of course it helped a lot that my " room" was really two rooms and a full bathroom. So I had a lot of space to myself.
I think its also a way of not having to tow the line with everyone. This one does this - that one does that. You just might want to get away from whatever and do something on the spur of the moment or, if you are organized, planned. If you are driving by a beach with your family and hadn't planned on a taking a swim because you don't have suits, well you can't. But, if you are on a drive and know of a pond that's out of the way and want to take a swim when you don't have suits, well you can. Home nudists? Indoor, I'll wager. Even if you throw a towel down on the lawn and sunbathe, someone will complain if they can see over your fence. Bought a piece of property a few years ago and went with a couple of friends to check some drainage. Hot day and the kids wanted to swim. One of the mothers said. "Take your clothes off so they don't get wet." They did. The other family looked at each other as their kids joined them. And that, as they say, is history. A few times a year I end up cooking bbq for about 5-7 families on weekends, when I can make it. Food locked up to keep it from the bears. Just tents or mini-vans. No suits, just fun. The damn kids eat alot.
I don't think I could pinpoint a single reason why I love being a nudist. I kind of started back in my early to mid 20's when I lived in a house with a pool. I would go out at night and skinny dip because I just loved the way the water felt on my nude body. I would be fascinated by the occasional nude beach photo shoot in men's magazines. I just felt so good being nude that I've kept it up now for over 30 years now. But I've only started branching out into the nudist club membership, going to resorts, etc. in the last 8 years and hopefully this May I'll make it to my first nude beach visit.
We have nude swims in the winter at a Local Pool in Edmonton. But what I really look forward to is Summer at the local Nudist Resort. A Vacation in BC at Sol Sante followed by a few days at 3 mile beach in Penticton. I like the Sun everywhere and its much easier to meet and talk to people !
There's an openness in a friendship when you can show, "this is me." When I can do that, or when somebody trusts me enough to see him/her nude, there's a feeling of being "all in." It's like the difference between a "hey, how ya doin'" kind of friend and one who actually knows you because they want to. I crave nudity because I crave contact, and fear it because I fear social rejection. Like you, I tend to go along to get along, "When conflicts arise I always lose because people use fear, guilt, shame, blame, bribery,...." is the way you put it. It's more of a fear of offending people that leads me to not express myself. The teenager approach of asserting yourself has legal implications. I've often wondered if this isn't just the flip side of gymnophobia, the mortal fear of being naked. Freud said that you desire that which you fear. I wonder how fruitful it would be to have some gymnophobes comment on their feelings about it. The two groups may have two halves of the story.
Why do I go nude? Because I can! Old habits, formed long before my teens (I'd come home from primary school at 4pm and strip off and run around the backyard starkers and not put anything on until the next school day), do indeed die very hard (and probably not at all!).
I think the word that stands out for me is empowering. I also think its not unusual for people with introverted or conflict avoidant personality types to adopt non conformists lifestyles or attitudes as a way of asserting themselves in a world seemingly designed for pushy extroverts. Some of the most original and creative people I know have introverted/ conflict avoidant personality types. That being said, being a non conformists doesn't mean disrespecting others or just trying to piss off everyone, that's just being anti social. I've found that others simply knowing OF my nudist lifestyle gets the message across that I don't buy into their preconceived notions or norms, that I'll play by my own rules, define success and happiness on my own terms. So for me that's the empowering aspect of being a nudist.
Now thinking back on this question for a few weeks I realize that there is more to it then the simple answer that I gave earlier. When I was a young child I have two friends a bother and sister that I would play with on a regular basis. He was a year or two older then me. She was younger then me. It really did not matter. We just got along great all of the time. I do remember that he was a school teacher And both parents would be home during the summer months. Every Friday it seems they would load up their station wagon with camping supplies and take off for a few days. And I would always be looking for something to do for those 3 or 4 days every week. I expressed my desire a few times wishing that I could go camping with them. And they always invited me to do so as long as my folks agreed. My mother always would say No. every weekend and that was that. Finally my father said if he wants to go let him go and my mother finally agreed. It was near the end of the summer and maybe near the start of the new school year Because it was their last time going camping for the season. I "packed" my bag ( okay my mother did at the time) And off we went. While their parents were setting up the tent and campsite we were sent to the playground to be out of their way. We all took off running. From the playground we went to the swimming area and everyone got undressed to skinny dip. It seemed like the thing to do so I just joined them. After spending time in the water we decided to go back to the campsite and get something to drink. But they didn't get dressed and I remember them telling me that I didn't need to ether. I took it as a challenge and walked back with them on the trail towards their parents. As we got closer I asked when are we going to put our clothes back on. The laughed and took off running and I just followed them. Then suddenly we were at the campsite. Both of their parents were naked and I was surprised I thought that we would get in trouble but it seemed like it was okay that we did not have any clothes on. Like it was just a normal thing. Well it really was, I found out what a naturist family was. I took to it like I was doing it all along. I spent the whole time there with no clothes on and it was not a big deal .. I met their friends and the bunch of us hung out all weekend. in the evening it seemed most people had tee shirts on but nothing else and we sat around the camp fire. At night the five of us slept in one tent. Us kids on one side and their parents on the other side if the tent. When we got back home my parents wanted to know how the camping trip went and if anything special happened. I just talked about it like it was just a normal camping outing and that was it. I never talked about it being in the nude. But somehow I just knew that they knew even though they never brought up the subject. The following year right after school ended they moved and I never heard or saw them again. Many years latter I came across a newspaper article about a town closing down a unofficial nudist campground and the photos in the newspapers were the same images that I had in my memory. Minus any people in them. So I think my childhood friends and their parents planted the seed in my head and it just grew over the years.
I feel the same way although I am not generally brave enough to be super evangelical about it, it takes some prying first to see how well someone would receive it.
