Monday, October 24, 2005

The Accidental Nudist



Shedding years of programming in one weekend
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/10/16/CMGM9DDNU91.DTL

Spud Hilton

Sunday, October 16, 2005

The Accidental Nudist

At the risk of making a sweeping generalization, running into a
rattlesnake when you're naked is a bad thing. It's not the being
undressed that's particularly bad, nor the chancing upon a reptile going
about his business. It's the sum of the equation: Leaping venomous
serpent + full-frontal buck-nakedness = bad. Apparently, it's one of
those important life lessons you learn when suddenly and without warning
you realize you're spending a weekend in a nudist resort.

OK, there was a little warning. My wife wanted to camp on our
anniversary and I knew of this popular, New Agey hot springs resort in
the hills north of Calistoga that had campgrounds, pools, a spa and a
decent restaurant. I'd heard the place was, technically,
clothing-optional and that there might be one or two people whose
wardrobe for the weekend wouldn't fill a coffee mug. But we thought
ourselves open-minded and able to deal with the occasional birthday suit.

Might even be amusing, I said.

We checked in and found a shady spot, set up the tent and ducked inside
to change into swimsuits, zipping doors and windows for privacy. My
first clue that the place was a little different should have been that
the showers at the campground restrooms were on the outside of the
building, but I didn't give it much thought.

We hiked the woodsy trail toward the main resort area and, descending a
small hill and rounding a bend, found the pool area and 100 or so people
sunbathing, swimming, chatting and relaxing in hot tubs.

Ann regained the power of speech before I did.

"Ya think?"

"Probably."

Her unsaid question asked whether we were the only ones at this
clothing-optional resort who had checked the box "Yes, please." Our
swimsuits were the only wearable items around that didn't require a
piercing. I was an ambassador from Earth to Planet Naked.

There's a common perception of nudists. They're out-of-shape hippie
types you don't really want to see naked. But that wasn't the case.
These were every color, every age and every body type from Lara Flynn
Boyle to Shaquille O'Neal. Most were very tan, all over. More than
likely, these people were lawyers, meter maids, high school principals
and soccer moms -- as well as a few professional hippies -- and a
healthy percentage of them looked downright healthy. Some were, ahem,
really healthy.

We played it cool, casually dumping our stuff on a bench and wading into
the large pool, careful to avoid eye contact and stray appendages. In a
new twist on an old nightmare, we were clothed in resort full of naked
people, which made me feel, well, naked.

I tried to lie out while Ann read "Harry Potter," but it seemed no
matter which direction I looked, I was facing portions of attractive
women and men that you can't see on basic cable.

We woke up the next day facing a decision: feel like outsiders or get
over the fear and do as the Romans do. I was undecided right up until I
walked into the coed locker room by the pool. I stood at a locker,
finally resolved to going nude when, as I pulled my shorts down, two
young women as naked as Miss May and Miss June walked up and stood on
either side of me, each fiddling with a locker. I, like most men, had
had fantasies involving locker rooms, but this wasn't it.

I had not been this close to a naked woman who was not my wife since a
colleague's bachelor party a few years ago -- even longer since I was
also undressed -- and I was suddenly very conscious of where not to look
and keeping my arms and hands close my body. I nonchalantly put the same
clothes in the locker and took them out three times in hope they would
leave so I wouldn't have to squeeze past them.

But the women -- still very naked -- chatted around me, as if comparing
stock portfolios. It was not exactly "Girls Gone Wild." They didn't care
about my nudity, and they certainly didn't care about their own.

If they didn't care, why should I? I strolled from the locker room
jaybird-like, wearing only a towel on my shoulder, and nobody cared.
Years of programming lifted and I suddenly got it: It's just skin. Is
there really that much difference between bare and a bikini? Is there a
powerful underwear lobby? Is it really that wrong to iron naked?

I stood in line for the outdoor shower, soaped up in front of scores of
strangers and waded into the hot pool, feeling a little more free.
Within 15 minutes, I'd forgotten I wasn't wearing a swimsuit. I didn't
consider myself a nudist, but I had crossed a barrier.

It was on the trail back to the campground, after throwing on some
shorts, that I ran into the snake, a small rattler I'd spooked -- a
reminder that nudity isn't right for all situations and that, sometimes,
I really, really like clothes.

The last morning while taking down the tent, we saw a pickup truck full
of teenage boys we guessed to be locals. As they drove past a small
group of naked people, the two guys in the truck bed yanked down their
pants to expose their butts, letting out a hearty "Wooooo-hoooo."

They mooned naked people.

There's just never a rattlesnake around when you need one.

Queensland's climate allows nudists, and tourists, to enjoy it all year



By JOHN BORDSEN - The Charlotte (N.C.) Observer
October 25, 2005

What's it like to live in a far-off place most of us see only on a vacation? Foreign Correspondence is an interview with someone who lives in a spot you may want to visit.

Les Rootsey, 55, is publisher of Australian Naturist, a magazine about nudist camps and resorts in Australia. He is based in Runaway Bay, Queensland, on that country's Gold Coast.


Q. Queensland is closer to the equator than most other parts of Australia. Does the warmer climate make nudism more popular?

A. We're midway up Australia's east coast, where Queensland is the northernmost state. Yes, it is warmer - subtropical is the best way to describe the climate. I just came back from visiting Florida; the climate here is similar to the Miami area.

And that makes naturism more attractive year-round. You can enjoy this lifestyle throughout the year. Australia's southern states tend to get quite cold during our winter, so they're not year-round in those areas.


Q. What's the Gold Coast like?

A. Again, similar to Miami, but smaller. High-rise buildings and lots of tourism. Long stretches of white, sandy beaches. It goes for about 50 km - about 30 miles. Brisbane is on the northern end of this.

Like Miami, it is a major tourist area. We get a lot of international tourists - from Asia, the European continent and, of course, New Zealand, which is our neighbor.


Q. Is that who goes to your nudist resorts?

A. Many do come here for nudism, but it's mainly Europeans. Asians aren't into it. Naturism started in Germany, originally.

Naturists tend to be similar types of people worldwide. There's little different among them except the way they speak.


Q. How would you compare or contrast nudism in the U.S. versus Australia?

A. Philosophically, there's no difference; the large proportion of Americans who practice naturism are similar to those in Australia. Aside from there being the "Moral Majority" in the U.S., which we don't have here, there are strong similarities.

There are demographic similarities. The majority are 40-plus, with fewer being younger than their 40s. From what I noticed in the U.S., there's not a large black population of naturists. There aren't a lot of aboriginal Australians in the scene here.

The nudist parks are similar, though we don't have them to quite the extent you do. We don't have the large population to support places like Caliente or Paradise Lakes, in Florida. No places like that. We have resorts, but nothing like those places in terms of quality.


Q. Are they on the coast? In the States these resorts tend to be a bit out of the way.

A. Eighty percent of Australians live near the coast; naturists are there, as well. But out of the way? Yes, that's how it is here.

There are no resorts directly on the coast of Queensland because land costs so much. That's where everyone wants to live. It's economically unviable to establish a nudist resort on the actual coast, so the resorts are inland just a ways. You can't go too far inland because you hit the desert very quickly.


Q. Are clothing-optional beaches popular?

A. There are quite a few of them - proportionately, basically the same as you have in the United States. The quality is about the same, but our beaches are prettier. Our beaches are sandier and mostly have better surf conditions. In the U.S., beaches tend to have darker sand that's grainier.


Q. Is there a surfing season?

A. It's year-round, but surfers tend to travel toward warmer climates. As a result there's a seasonal shift, depending on water temperature.


Q. Australia has scorpions. Now, if you're not wearing anything on your feet or legs. ...

A. I've never seen one in my life, and I've been here 55 years. Unless you're in the desert, you won't encounter them.


Q. What about other animal life in Queensland?

A. There are a lot of kangaroos and wallabies. Koala bears. Echidnas - they're like a little anteater. All the typical Australian marsupials are around here. Anything dangerous? Snakes. But unless you go looking for them, you won't encounter them. They tend to be shy creatures.


Q. How far inland do you go before you hit ... nothing?

A. No habitation? First you reach the Great Dividing Range, which reaches down the whole length of Australia. Once across to the other side - about 100 km (about 62 miles) from the coast - it tends to be less populated. You see more and more of a desert type of climate; vegetation gradually depletes. And once you're in the middle of Australia, there's just sand hills and no habitation.

But lots of people travel in there. One of Australia's big attractions is Ayers Rock. And Alice Springs is in the middle of the continent. It's a desert-oasis type of place.


Q. Isn't Ayers Rock now called by a native name?

A. Yes, but Ayers Rock is what it's better known as. Only changed it to the Aboriginal name of Uluru about 10 years ago. Because of land rights, they've taken control of that area.


Q. When you were in the States, did you see what we call Australian steakhouses?

A. Yes, and I was surprised. We have steakhouses, but they're not Australian named. Foster's beer isn't sold much here. I don't even know if it's brewed in Australia any more. It went out of favor and other beers took its place. The big-selling beer is a brand called VB, which is short for Victorian Bitter.


Q. What about the blooming onion? Got those?

A. Nothing by that name. I was at one Australian steakhouse in America and didn't recognize it as being Australian or having anything that necessarily caters to our national taste buds.

Source: http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/travel/12984859.htm

Saturday, October 22, 2005

Las Vegas restores paintings of nude women to City Hall display


LAS VEGAS

Oct 21, 2005, 08:49 AM
Las Vegas City Hall has restored two pastel paintings of nude women to a display of winners of a city-sponsored art contest.

A city spokesman says the decision came after officials weighed the requirements of federal law protecting workers from a hostile workplace against the US Constitution.

The paintings were taken down came after a city employee filed an anonymous complaint to the city manager.

They were put back up several hours after the Las Vegas Review-Journal published a story deriding the decision, in a city where scantily clad women are a common sight on billboards, marquees and posters on taxicabs along the Las Vegas Strip.

The painters defend their work as as tasteful and artistic, with nothing suggestive or sexual about them.

(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Friday, October 21, 2005

Bonjour, please take off ze clothes...


Bonjour, please take off ze clothes...
Pierre Rochiccioli - iafrica.com
October 12, 2005

ILE-DU-LEVANT, FRANCE -- Back in the 1930s, early pioneering nudists settled on the remote and wildly beautiful Ile-du-Levant off the coast of Provence. Today, mod-cons such as electricity have come to the Mediterranean isle, but to save the environment there are still no street-lights at night.

Lying some 12 kilometres off the French coast, not far from the port of Toulon, the long skinny island covered in thick vegetation was electrified only 25 years ago.

A pirate haven in the sixth century and a penitentiary for child criminals in the 19th, the eight-by-two kilometre isle is 90-percent owned by the army, while also boasting one of the world's oldest nudist colonies, Heliopolis, which in ancient Greek means the city of sun.

Nature, sun and nakedness

"Heliopolis must be ... a simple rustic settlement where lovers of fresh air and sun can bask in the splendour of nature to rest from the fatigue of artificial urban civilisation," the founders of the community, Drs Gaston and Andre Durville, said in 1931.

Seventy-three years later, 230 owners, half of whom live on the island all year round, share the 100-hectare domain which is privately-owned, but open to the public. That is, to lovers of nature, sun and nakedness.

"The island has always attracted people in search of liberty," notably homosexuals, recalled Claude Lutz (90), a fervent nudist and the doyen of the island.

The new generation of nudists often are more financially well-off than older residents and aspire to modern creature comforts, but only on condition the environment be left unspoilt. "We have exceptional surroundings, but we would like to evolve just a little," said Jacques Ollive, who manages Heliopolis.

Stargazing with the naked eye

Change first came in 1989 with the installation of the underground electricity network. "But public lighting was banned so we could continue to see the stars and the milky way. Flashlights are the rule here at night," said a resident.

As the island slowly opens up to the idea of development, it has become easier in the last three years to reach the island, but the journey by boat remains relatively expensive, at €22 return from the port of Lavandou.

Water, which is not fit for drinking, is supplied from bore-holes and purification is in septic tanks. The next step in developing the island is a plan to slightly extend the port and its facilities.

"People who want comfort above everything else just don't come here," said Philippe Fourneau, a former manager of the domain. "The island has found a proper balance."

Traffic is banned, bar for utility vehicles. The terraced village, built around a square, has cafes, a baker's shop, a grocer, a town hall, post office, and even a school with six pupils.

Footpaths cross through a natural park and follow the coastline, where a beach facing onto crystal-clear waters has been laid out complete with rocks for the swimmers.

Nudism is allowed everywhere across the domain except on the village square and at the port. On the seashore, it is not only allowed but is obligatory, under a local council decision of 1978.

The rule is enforced by a uniformed policeman, whose job it is to order some people to undress, and others to dress, depending where they may be. "I've never had to hand out a fine, it's all very friendly here," said the officer, who asked not to be identified.

Each summer some 25 000 tourists, around half of them foreigners, disembark on the island, which has a number of hotels and guest-rooms. But this pales in comparison to the "sex boom years" of the 1960s, when 60 000 people visited Ile-du-Levant each summer.

"The island's main attraction in those days was sex," said Pierre Perrin, who is part of the management team at Heliopolis. "Each summer we used to get a swarm of swappers. These days they tend to go to Cap d'Agde (the nudist camp in France's southern Herault region)".

Source: http://travel.iafrica.com/destin/europe/333451.htm

Nude sensation


Nude sensation
Alana Bowden - Volante Online
October 19, 2005

University of South Dakota - Standing naked in a classroom with all eyes fixed on one's bare body is the type of story read about in trashy teen magazines under the heading "My worst nightmare." But senior Joey Feaster assumes this position frequently. And he doesn't even find it scary.

Feaster is a nude model and one of a handful of people who model in the buff for figurative drawing classes at USD. Nude modeling continues a tradition going back to Greek art, and if that fact alone isn't enough to entice prospective models to lose their clothes, the Fine Arts department pays $20 per hour out to models.

Feaster said the class helps him pay for college. As an artist himself, he wanted the perspective of being the artist's subject.

"It was a personal challenge," Feaster said.

People unfamiliar with nude modeling may misinterpret what is valued about the process. The original nude modelers, the Greeks, were idealizing the human body, art department chair Cory Knedler said.

"It's not that we love nudity," Knedler said. "Modeling is seeing the human form for what it is."

That type of honest disclosure can be intimidating for even the most uninhibited of souls.

Before entering the studio for his first modeling experience, garbed only in a robe, Feaster said five minutes prior to the disrobing, he started to feel scared.

"It's like a rollercoaster ride," Feaster said, "You're looking down at the top and you say, 'OK, now I have to do this.'"

Usually with nude models, the subject finds peace in knowing their identity is not revealed to the artists. Anonymity is not afforded to Feaster, as at least half the students he poses for are fellow art majors.

As Knedler explains, the artist-subject relationship is not one of contention but education and professionalism. With nude models, students are able to examine the skeletal structure and witness light and shading around the body. Students don't look at the models as a whole, but rather they focus on rendering specific parts and details of the body.

Knowing the many eyes on you are not judging but rather absorbing details necessary for art gives the models a welcomed sense of security.

"You forget you're naked because they are drawing … not just staring at you," Feaster said.

The models stand on a two-foot platform with the artists surrounding them. Usually there are 10 poses, 30 to 45 seconds each, then several five-minute poses. Feaster said occasionally models will do one pose for 30 minutes.

Models are kept comfortable and receive five minute breaks, usually when the artists critique their own work. One model was so comfortable one class period he actually fell asleep.

Even a five-minute pose can be a long time not to move. But there is a comfort in the routine.

"For the first while my heart was racing," Feaster said. "Eventually I'm just thinking of things like what homework I have."

Drawing a living, breathing nude model merely five feet away might be nerve-racking for the artist.

Senior Nile Eckhoff recalled his first time, when he drew a friend. While the presence of his friend led to uncomfortable feelings at first, those feelings were quickly overshadowed by feelings of accomplishment.

Would Eckhoff, an art major, switch roles with his models? For the moment, he is content to stay on the drawing side of the easel.

"One must be comfortable with their body, and I'm not completely comfortable with mine yet," Eckhoff said.

Focusing on the drawing for Eckhoff may be good for another reason too - as many artists agree the body is a tough subject to draw.

Senior artist Joe Jamison said certain parts of the body are harder to draw than others.

"For me drawing the hands and feet are the most difficult," Jamison said. "For my teacher it is the knees and elbows."

This year, to reach a wider audience to attract students and non-students to come in, the art department has information about nude modeling on the Coyote Careers website. Previously, the department only posted flyers around Vermillion.

Knedler said this change in advertising has been very successful.

"We've actually had more models than we can take," Knedler said.

Posing nude is not only important for the sake of art, but it can be an exhilarating personal experience. Feaster looks back with pride on the newfound independence he's found through nude modeling.

"My reward, would be my self confidence with myself, as well as my body," he said.

Happy to be... a naturist


Happy to be... a naturist
By Kerry McQueeney - This is Local London
October 20, 2005

LONDON, ENGLAND - To most, naturism is a hobby which raises a few eyebrows and prompts a titter or two.

But to those who regularly shed their clothes, it is a chance to get back to nature and an great way to combat the stresses of everyday life.

Jennie Trisnan was introduced to naturism around three years ago and hasn't looked back since. She spends most weekends indulging her hobby at one of two clubs close to Croydon and insists they are just like any other social club. Except that sports, amateur dramatics, dancing and drinking in the club bar is all done in the nude.

"I had done the occasional bit of nude sunbathing on beaches in the past," says Jennie, a 56-year-old holistic therapist. "But I never gave it serious thought until three years ago.

"There's a big difference between nudist beaches and proper naturist clubs. Most people who sunbathe nude are not what we would call proper naturists because their reasons or doing it are not the same as ours.

"It's not about looking at other people or doing it for the benefit of other people. For us, it's all about feeling free and liberated and being close to nature."

According to Jennie, a large number of naturists choose to keep their pastime private to avoid being judged by their cloth-wearing contemporaries and clubs are keen to preserve members' privacy.

She explains: "You are generally introduced by another member and you can usually tell immediately if someone is there for the wrong reasons.

"I suppose I have what you might call an average type of body, but there are people of all shapes and sizes at the club and no one feels uncomfortable about it.

"It's the freedom of not wearing clothes that naturists enjoy, not looking at other people's bodies."

Jennie divides her free time between two naturist clubs, the Naturist Foundation in Orpington and, when it gets a bit colder, the White House in Caterham, which boasts a sauna.

She adds: "For me it's like being primitive. Being at one with nature and leaving the outside world behind you. I'll often take a tent and just go to the club for the weekend and relax.

"I like to go barefoot, even when I'm walking in the woods. The only thing I will wear occasionally is a scarf when it gets a bit cold."

"My family don't mind really. I don't tell everyone in my life because people do tend to judge you, but the ones who do know think it fits in with my personality."

Jennie believes her passion is something she shares with a significant portion of the population - even if they don't yet know it.

She says: "I'm convinced many people would think about giving it a go, they are just stopped by what other people might think.

"Doesn't everybody want to feel free and liberated? Just to be accepted for who they are? I am sure many people want that but are just too scared to try it."

Monday, October 17, 2005

Is Nudity Inherintly Sexual?



NUDE TV

Larry Potash - WGN-TV
September 30, 2005

Being nude is nothing to be ashamed of; most of us were born naked.

Still, most everyone has a hangup about showing up in nothing more than what God gave 'em. It all started with Adam and Eve. They were already ashamed, even though there were no reasons to feel inferior, since there was no one else around except that snake.

If you're a slave to conformity, it's time to liberate yourself from the polyester and microfiber shackles of Puritanism. Tune in to a new show: Clothes Free TV. You won't find it on the WB following "Seventh Heaven," rather it's available at www.clothesfreetv.com and is run by The International Naturist Association. The show highlights some of the great things you can do naked:

-naked rollerskating (though technically, is it nudity if you have skates on?)

-naked Hoola Hoop (there should be a 24-hour naked Hoola Hoop channel)

-naked basketball (I will not be posting up in this one)

The show includes interviews with celebrities like Erik Estrada and Vanilla Ice. Now there's a plan to revitalize your career.

Corey Mangold helps produce the show. He embraced the nudist movement despite growing up in what he describes as a relatively strict Catholic family.

"I gave it a try; hanging out nude. They thought it was strange, but they respected my decision," Mangold said of his family. "It's just people that share a common interest; freedom in every sense of the word."

I've checked the Declaration of Independence. There is nothing in there restricting naked badminton. Mangold says the nudist movement is not about wild orgies. It is strictly a social atmosphere. Without the clothes, everyone is created equal (more or less.) You can't tell who wears Gucci or who wears a mechanic's uniform.

"Women say they're not harassed as much" at nudist resorts, Mangold said. "Because men are vulnerable too--it's all out there--[men] don't want to look like a fool."

Mangold is working with Chicagoan Greg Silva on a documentary called "Naked in America." But despite their partnership, Silva disagrees that nudism is just family recreation.

"Nudists like to say it's not about sex at all. Sexuality is there whether you're naked or not. It's a thrill to see people naked," Silva said. "But that sense of arousal dissipates quickly. When you take away their sexual persona, you're left with just skin and we all have the same equipment. Once your curiosity is satisfied, that's 90 percent of the arousal factor. The same goes for your shame and embarrassment."

So what's the big deal?

That's what their documentary aims to find out. They hope to discover why so many Americans have a hangup about hanging out.

They were inspired by the furor over the Janet Jackson Superbowl Nipplegate, and Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft covering nude statues at the justice department. Silva suspects we still feel the influences of our Puritan ancestors. Of course, they never experienced the thrill of revealing their privates in public while riding a boogie board.

Source: http://wgntv.trb.com/news/local/morningnews/wgntv-news-093005larrysworld,0,4716740.story?coll=wgntv-home-3

Saturday, October 15, 2005

Photographer gains self-esteem from social nudity



By Mark Schuster - The Chart (College Publisher Network)
October 14, 2005

I have always found social nudity to be a fascinating thing. What would life be like sans clothing? What would my life have been like if, instead of being embarrassed and even ashamed of my body, I could have seen first hand that I was no different than anyone else?

I finally decided to find out, and I called Oaklake Trails Naturist Resort.

If it hadn't taken me almost three hours to find Oaklake Trails, I very well may have turned around once I got there. I was very nervous. I couldn't seem to make my finger push the call button on the gate. I would have stood there till the end of time if an elderly woman, driving a golf cart and wearing a baggy T-shirt, had not chosen that exact moment to check her mail. She asked me if I had a reservation.

I said I did, and she said to follow her through the gate. I looked in my rear view mirror and saw the gate swinging closed behind me. I was really going to do this.

After stopping at the camp office to fill out the appropriate forms and receive my complementary tour of the grounds via golf cart, I found myself sitting back in my van, alone and left to my own devices. I realized this was the part where I was supposed to get naked, which is the only part I was worried about, but which was, after all, the whole point of the trip.

I had read the hardest part about visiting a nudist resort is taking off your clothes for the first time, and it is definitely true. If you can do that, the rest is easy.

The fact that everyone else is naked helps, too.

Like most people who have never experienced it first hand, I had certain ideas about what a nudist resort would be.

To my pleasant surprise, all of the positive things were reinforced, and all of the negative things were proven to be groundless. For one thing, the atmosphere at Oaklake Trails was not one of extreme sexual tension, as may be expected considering everyone was naked, but was actually less sexually charged than, say, your normal municipal swimming pool. It's hard to explain, and it seems illogical, but it's true. These people were not flaunting their nudity.

They were simply existing in a state of undress, as commonplace at Oaklake Trails as firemen wearing protective outfits before running into a burning building.

It seemed to me that social nudism would be good for my body image and self-esteem, and it was. I'm not in shape and I have issues with my body, but in talking to people who were willing to take the time to look below the surface at who I really am, I learned that my body has just as much validity as any other.

There were no "hot chicks" at Oaklake Trails. There were no fat people, no skinny people and no old or young people. There were just people. And I realized that people are beautiful simply because they are people; not because they are younger, or firmer, or larger or smaller than anyone else.

All I can say to people thinking about trying social nudism is that if you think you may like it, you probably will.

On the other hand, if simply reading this column has embarrassed you, social nudism is probably not for you. Of course, there is only one way to know for sure.

If I can do it, anybody can.

Source: http://tinyurl.com/7bwue

See also www.oaklaketrails.com

Friday, October 14, 2005

5 myths about nude vacations


5 myths about nude vacations
The realities of 'au naturel' holidays


Kissimmee, Florida
By Christopher Elliott
Travel columnist
Tripso
Updated: 1:11 p.m. ET Oct. 14, 2005

As a college student hiking through the French Alps many years ago, I accidentally uncovered one hotel’s shocking secret.

I didn’t mean to reveal it. It was a blistering hot day in Grenoble, and my traveling companion, Nate, wandered toward a swimming pool behind the resort while I stocked up on water and provisions. Moments later he returned, pale-faced.

“Chris,” he said breathlessly, pointing toward the pool. “There are breasts in there.”
Story continues below ↓ advertisement

Yes, there were. The French, like many Europeans, generally think nothing of baring breasts, butt — and more — at the beach, much to the surprise of visiting Yanks. I already knew this, because I had grown up in Europe. But my friend Nate, who was born and raised in the Bible Belt, didn’t.

Nudity! There, I said it. If the thought of going au naturel on holiday makes you uncomfortable, please don’t read on. You’ll probably be offended.

Still with me? OK, here are the five leading myths about nude vacations.

1. Vacationing nudists are just a bunch of perverts. Hardly. In fact, nudists are everyday people, and there are more of them out there than you think. The American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR), the largest organization of its kind in North America, represents nearly 50,000 members and their families. There are also 270 clubs and resorts for people who want to vacation in the buff — and that’s just in prim-and-proper North America.

2. Clothing-optional resorts are seedy. Nope. We’re talking about mainstream, professionally run properties offering a wide range of wholesome activities. Among them: Cypress Cove Nudist Resort & Spa in Kissimmee, Fla., which has villas and campgrounds, and even sponsors its own nude bike rally every year. (Its motto: “Just as nature intended.”) And DeAnza Springs Resort in Jacumba, Calif., a 500-acre club with hiking trails, volleyball courts and swimming pools. (“You’ll love the way you feel,” it promises, “We guarantee it.”)

3. You have to take your clothes off at a nudist resort. Not necessarily. There’s a difference between a clothing-optional club and a clothes-free resort. Clothing-optional means that you can keep your clothes on if you want to - the idea being that it sometimes takes a little time to adjust to nudity (in fact, even devoted nudists sometimes keep their pants on). However, a clothes-free club means a mandatory strip-down. Knowing the difference is important when it’s your first time at a nudist resort. The AANR suggests contacting a club in advance to clarify its policies.

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4. Nudists are mostly senior citizens who are off their rockers. Actually, most clothing-optional and nudist resorts are extremely family-friendly. For example, at the White Thorn Lodge, in western Pennsylvania, there are a number of activities for the whole family, including volleyball, bocci, pumpkin painting, a Christmas social with Santa, and a potluck dinner (“Meat provided, bring a side dish to share”).

OK, so there are some nudist resorts where you’re likely to find a disproportionately high number of, well, older folks. But as nudism goes more mainstream, a lot of families are embracing the movement. In fact, my former neighbors were nudists. Both parents would hang out in their backyard sans clothes with their two teenage daughters.

5. Nudists are exhibitionists who want to seduce you. Trust me, for most people, the odds of getting a date are greatly improved if they keep their clothes on. And seriously, how long do you think anyone with criminal intentions would last at a nudist resort? So why do people vacation in the buff? Well, often it’s because they don’t want a tan line. They’re not exposing their bodies to you as much as they are to the sun.

The idea of taking a vacation in your birthday suit may take some getting used to. But nudists aren’t deviant septuagenarians and their resorts aren’t sleazy hideaways. The truth is, nudists are often the people next door, and if nothing else, a nude vacation can lead to many new discoveries.

Nate’s encounter with the topless French women apparently left a deep impression on him. Several short years later, he got married and he is now the father of eight children.

And me? I’m looking forward to my next trip to Europe.

Source: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9696792/

A pool of naked ambition


Nudist Teddy van Geemen, an organizer of tomorrow night's Cariboo Nudist Society swim at Canada Games Pool, will probably leave his duck in its bathtub home. "It's a great sense of liberation and freedom when you first try it," he says of nudism. "Social nudism is characterized by great acceptance. Nobody cares whether you are fat or
skinny."

By MARKUS ERMISCH

Staff reporter
Oct 14 2005


The curtain will drop tomorrow night as the clothes come off at the Canada Games Pool for a two-hour nude swim.

To protect the splashing nudists from the lecherous gazes of voyeurs - or anyone else interested in gawking at bodies in the buff - the city's parks and recreation department required the Cariboo Nudist Society to draw the curtains for the duration of the event. From 8:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m., the pool's windows will be blocked.

For a nudism greenhorn, Saturday's swim could be an experience that may liberate the novice from more than just the clothes. After all, human beings are born nudists, says Teddy van Geemen, an event organizer.

"It's a great sense of liberation and freedom when you first try it," he says, especially when it is done with a group.

"Social nudism is characterized by great acceptance. Nobody cares whether you are fat or skinny."

Van Geemen's friend, Connie Robson, was initiated about six years ago when she went skinny dipping in a lake.

"It was an exhilarating feeling of freedom," she recalls. "You can be yourself when you're clothes-free."

"You don't have the trappings of status," adds van Geemen. "You don't have the sense of angst."

Still, baring it all before strangers, even when these strangers are equally bare, is a threshold not easily crossed. But van Geemen suspects there may be more nudists than meet the eye.

"There are a lot of people who are closet nudists, like people who like to vacuum or do dishes in the buff," he says. "Some find clothes confining and restricting and uncomfortable."

Not so the city's director of parks and recreation.

Although Byron McCorkell appears comfortable in his own skin, he's not about to tread water wearing only that.

"It's not my thing," he says.

But whereas nude swimming is out of the question for McCorkell, he doesn't rule out making swimsuits optional in the distant future.

"That is a provincial jurisdiction," he says.

"I would go along with whatever the province is saying."

During the swim, a code of conduct will be strictly enforced to ensure that no one engages in inappropriate behaviour.

Those suspected of coming to the event for reasons other than swimming and socializing in the nude will be asked to leave immediately after getting dressed, Robson says.

Anyone interested is welcome and admission is $10 per adult. Children are allowed to swim for free.

The fledgling Cariboo Nudist Society, once more members join, plans to hold house parties, travel to other nude clubs in North America and visit clothing-optional beaches and hot springs.

For more information, contact cariboonudistsociety@yahoo.ca or call Robson at 318-6844.

Source: http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=15&cat=23&id=510403&more=

In Germany, it's all nudes, all the time


In Germany, it's all nudes, all the time

By Samantha Bennett – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

October 13, 2005


For reasons regular readers may remember, I am considered something of an expert on nudism. I have this exalted status because, while most people have in their lives been nude, I am one of a tiny handful of Americans who have been nude in public. To be honest, I don't know why the talk shows haven't called.

Nudity is a big deal in this country. I participated in an art installation in Cleveland in which more than 2,700 people disrobed as briefly as possible on a very chilly morning so an artist could take a picture of the whole crowd of us, and I am still hearing about it as if I had been Miss September.

"So what's it like to be naked?" people ask me (usually men, for some reason).

I got one anonymous screed, written in cramped handwriting trembling with fury, that scolded my immorality and finished, "I hope you don't have children!" From what I understand, it's actually rather difficult to have children if you don't get naked at some point.

Things are different in Europe, where nudity is so commonplace that it has become dull. The Wall Street Journal recently ran a story about this trend in Germany, a country that has for decades listed "nude Germans" as one of its leading exports.

There is now a lot less call for nude Germans, particularly in Germany.

Just as we in the United States have seen the decline of bowling leagues, German nudist clubs have seen their membership wither and have trouble attracting young people. Who needs club dues and rules when you can bare all at parks or at the beach? Nobody has to peep over club walls to see folks nekkid; you can see them on magazine covers and on TV. When fruit isn't forbidden, it's just another tomato in the back yard.

Conversely, as the land of the free zips up and buttons down, nudist clubs (resorts, cruises, chat rooms, rugby teams, sewing circles) have grown in popularity. Public nudity is still rare enough that practitioners of this unusual hobby need to gather for support and understanding. You know, the way people who read seek out book clubs.

We have to keep our little quirks among friends as the old axiom "Live and let live" dies out. But one Berliner quoted in the Journal story said of his family's weekend trips to the beach, "Everyone accepts each other the way they are. If someone showed up in a fur hat and nothing else, nobody would bat an eye."

Clearly, this is outrageous and immoral behavior. Just ask an anti-fur activist.

The Germans started getting very keen on nudism as healthful and athletic and outdoorsy around the turn of the 20th century. You'd think all those strapping Aryans strutting around and playing sports in the buff would have appealed to Hitler when he came on the scene, but the Nazis initially banned nudist clubs. Hermann Goering declared that "the naked culture is one of the biggest dangers for German culture and morality."

I think we've learned that anything the Nazis were against can't be all bad.

The Journal story also notes that nude beaches were very popular under Communism in East Germany, when nudist clubs were also banned. It was a kind of subtle defiance against the repressive regime to engage in "do-it-yourself nudism."

Here, where thousands were nearly incapacitated by a split-second of nipple on TV, nudism is almost unthinkably subversive, or just depraved. But in Germany, where full nudity is common on TV, both do-it-yourself and league nudism have lost their cachet.

And that's too bad. Because the problem with a permissive society is that you run out of ways to shock the squares and stick it to The Man.

Imagine the frustration of teenagers, artists and political dissenters in such an environment. American teens, for example, can wear their pants down around their hipbones to great effect, but in Cologne, a woman who popped out to do some grocery shopping wearing nothing but a jeans jacket couldn't even get arrested. And the jacket wasn't buttoned!

As for the likes of Janet Jackson, in Germany she'd be hosting a morning cooking show.

Maybe it's not so bad to live in a society where becoming interesting is as easy as dropping your pants. Maybe German youths and artists will have to wear muumuus to offend.

One thing's for sure: The Naked Culture would be a great name for a nightclub.

Source: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05286/586617.stm

Thursday, October 13, 2005

Sicko Visted Nudist Places; Take Note!

This is why all naturist venues MUST do background checks on visitors!

Convicted Sex Offender, Wife Face Pornography Charges


(MAYFIELD, Ky.) -- A convicted sex offender from Indiana and his wife face pornography charges after detectives said they found all manner of pornography inside the couple's home.

Paul Godbey, 43, and Pamela Godbey, 42, were arrested Tuesday afternoon when police and state Cabinet for Human Resources officers responded to complaints about possible child molestation at the house.

"If you could think of it, it was there," said Mayfield Police Capt. Steve Hendley said.

Hendley said the Godbey's 6-year-old stepdaughter lived at the residence, but has been placed in protective custody.

Paul Godbey was charged with distribution of obscene matter, distribution of obscene matter to minors, first-degree wanton endangerment and endangering the welfare of a minor. His wife was charged with complicity to the same charges.

An initial examination of the photos showed children involved in sexual acts, Hendley said. Police seized three computers, three paper grocery bags and a large box full of materials plus several large photo albums with nude photos, he said. Police also found papers indicating that the family had visited a nudist camp.

"I figure the more we dig into this, it's just going to get ugly," he said. "This is not something you see in everyday police work and think, 'Oh, well it's just the way society is.' We have children and grandchildren and this affects us."

Police have not identified any children shown in the photos, but Hendley said the stepdaughter may not have been involved.

"We think we caught it before it got to that point, but we think it was heading in that direction" based on statements Paul Godbey made to the police, Hendley said.

Paul Godbey is a convicted sex offender who was charged in Indiana, Hendley said. Mayfield police have not determined the original charges.

"We don't know whether he was supposed to register," Hendley said, noting that Mayfield police didn't have contact with the family before Tuesday. "If he was, we want to know why he didn't do it, if he was allowed to leave the state and why he wasn't registered in Kentucky when he changed states."

Neighbors said the family moved to North 4th Street about six months ago. They were quiet and recently installed a backyard pool. They frequently packed up their camper and left for long weekend trips.

Richard Hash said his granddaughters, ages 11 and 15, visited Godbey's home often.

"I want to know why that happened," Hash said.

"It's a little nerve-wracking. You'd think you would know if someone like that moved in next to you. You'd think someone would let you know," Hash said.

Bobbi McKinley, who lives across the street, said she knew very little about the Godbeys before the arrests.

"I met them when they moved in and talked to (Paul Godbey) once when I was out with my dog," she said. "He told me I had a cute dog. He offered to baby-sit him if I ever needed someone. I had no idea this was going on. I just didn't know."

(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Source: http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=3974841&nav=0RZF

Tuesday, October 11, 2005

A Woman Speaks Out on Acceptable Nude Beach Behavior



go to a nudist beach and you'll see quite quickly it's not packed with nubile young girls playing volleyball in their birthday suits. there might be some women you find attractive, but there's going to be an equal number (at least, maybe more) who are not to your taste, not to mention all the men - there are far more nudist men than women, especially on beaches.

when i last went to the beach, i wasn't the only woman and i wasn't the only under-30 woman either - but there were far more men, of all ages, and children, and the majority of the women were of the more mature sort. i think most people who could have seen the beach that day would have had no doubts that nudism isn't something to bring on sexy thoughts.

so i think if you go, you'll very quickly realise that, far from being a place to tempt you into hitherto-undocumented levels of perversion, a nude beach is full of the same people you see down the supermarket - the same variety of ages, sizes and shapes. it's not going to be full of teenage models tempting you with seductive poses - it's people sunbathing, reading books, taking a dip in the (very cold!) sea and generally mucking about - just like any other beach, except here the people aren't wearing anything. and once you see that, you'll wonder what you worried about.

i also agree that maybe it's not healthy to try and rid yourself of all "lustful" thoughts towards women. if you do that, repress all sexual urges, you may find that they seek an outlet and you end up expressing them in far more unhealthy ways than you ever would now.

what's important is not what's in your head, but what you do, what your actions are. and contrary to popular belief, it is entirely possible for a normal, red-blooded hetero male to behavehimself impeccably at a nude beach. think of it as a sliding scale, from saint to (ugh) "sinner".

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Presenting: Amy's Behavioural Index for Men on Nudist Beaches
man looks up from his book and sees pretty girl nude on beach:
1 - man thinks nothing, goes back to his book.
2 - man thinks, "what a pretty girl," goes back to his book.
3 - man thinks, "what a pretty girl, i wouldn't say no to that if it was offered!" and goes back to his book.
4 - man thinks, "what a pretty girl, i wouldn't say no etc" and looks at girl appreciatively for a bit before going back to his book.
5 - man thinks, "pretty girl, i wouldn't say no etc" and stares unashamedly for ages, even when girl notices him staring and obviosly becomes uncomfortable.
6 - man thinks, "pretty girl, i want a bit of that" and moves over to start chatting girl up, because if she's naked already she's bound to be up for it, right?
7 - man thinks, "pretty girl, i desperately need a bit of that! oh yeah, baby, work it!", gets erection at sight of girl and openly displays it to her.
8 - man thinks, "pretty girl etc, work it! etc" and begins openly masturbating himself.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

if you think you'd fit into the first category, you've either been a nudist for so long that the naked female form offers no surprises for you, or you should consider the priesthood. or you're gay, in which case you should have replaced the word "girl" with "boy" in the chart anyway.

category two and three are, to my mind, totally acceptable thoughts and behaviour and i would have no problem associating with you at nudist events or stopping for a chat on the beach or something.

category four is also totally acceptable so long as you're not making a habit of it (i.e. moving on to category five). if i saw you looking and you looked away embarassed, i wouldn't think badly of you for it - you're only human!

category five is moving on to less acceptable. if you're aware that your behaviour is not appreciated but carry on anyway, you're not appearing as a nice, harmless guy any more and i may no longer feel comfortable staying in close proximity to you (this is the worst i have actually experienced myself btw). however, you're probably not a pervert, just someone who is yet to recognise women as more than objects for your titilation.

category six is stuff that you may be asked to leave the beach for if you do it on every girl there, and would almost certainly get in trouble with management at a resort. you haven't been invited and yet you assume the girl will welcome and maybe even respond to your attentions. she's probably not there to pick up guys (i never was!) and so won't really want you coming over. and if you don't take the hint and leave, well that's even worse. again, it doesn't necessarily make you a pervert, but you aren't seperating nudity and sex in the context and you probably need to learn even more than the category five guys about how to deal with women in a nudist setting. and generally, too.

category seven and eight are unhealthy sexual displays. seven is a bit less bad than eight because it shows you still have some notion of keeping things private, but it is still unacceptable. both will get you thrown out of a club i am sure, and would probably get you confronted by a gang of rather more appropriately-minded and protective male nudists at a beach. both are also criminal offences. if you think you'd be unable to stop yourself from doing either seven or eight, congratulations, you're a pervert. stay the hell off my beach!

but if you think you'd be able to keep it in the top 3, or at least the top 4, then you're perfectly normal and unlikely to upset anyone at the beach, because no matter your thoughts, you aren't transferring them into actions.

FYI: Mr. Musings comes in at a two.

Source: http://www.freebodyzone.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=3168

Wednesday, October 05, 2005

Mountainers Naturists: Wild Wonderful West Virginia


The Naked Truth
Posted 9/22/2005 06:00 AM

Tucked away in Hampshire County, a clothing-optional resort caters to needs of stressed-out city dwellers.
Story by Christine Miller Ford

PAW PAW -- Despite a lineup of activities ranging from fishing, swimming and nature hikes to tennis, yoga and dancing, it's easy to pack light for a trip to Avalon Resort.

You'll need shoes, but forget about bringing your swimsuit, eveningwear or sports clothes. Avalon is a clothing-optional resort, the only such vacation spot in all of West Virginia.

"There's a wonderful sense of freedom that comes back to you as you spend time nude,'' explained Phyllis Gaffney, the North Carolina native who founded Avalon 10 years ago along with her husband, Patrick. "It's really just very natural, very relaxing, very freeing."

The Gaffneys have been hooked on the lifestyle since they first went skinny dipping at an abandoned quarry in Northern Virginia as grad students in 1975.

Two decades later, they came across the property near Paw Paw, which was on the market after having served as a church conference center.

Today the site includes a full-service restaurant called La Belle Pomme, two bars, two heated pools, a gaming room with video lottery machines (a spot known not as a casino, but the "nude-sino"), a sauna, tennis courts, sand volleyball courts, horseshoe pits, an exercise trail, a stocked pond for fishing, three hot tubs and more.

Overnight guests can choose from hotel-style rooms, one- or two-bedroom condos with kitchens or camping sites for tent or RV. For Avalon visitors who plan to spend a week or longer, Gaffney's staff stands ready to offer assistance in planning off-site trips to nearby attractions including the historic Paw Paw Tunnel, the outlet mall in Hagerstown, Md., nearby Civil War sites such as Antietam and Gettysburg, antiques shops, white water rafting, wineries, golf and other pursuits.

Though Avalon is described as a "clothing optional" resort, nudity is the absolute rule in Avalon's pools, sauna, hot tubs and the nude-sino.

"People are expected to be nude whenever weather and health permit,'' reads the mailer sent to prospective Avalon visitors. "No one is forced into being nude; you may get undressed at your own pace. If one member of your family does not wish to get undressed, they will not be required to disrobe except for using the pools, sauna, hot tubs or gaming room.''

Avalon's location at the edge of the Eastern Panhandle allows it to attract visitors from all over the Northeast, particularly from Baltimore and Washington, D.C. A small advertisement for Avalon recently appeared in The Washington Post's Sunday travel section.

From inside the Beltway, it takes about two hours to get to remote, bucolic Paw Paw.

"It's close enough to get to easily, but also far away enough to feel as if you're truly getting away,'' Gaffney said.

Nude recreation is an ideal antidote to fast-paced city life, Gaffney said.

"Everybody today is dealing with so much stress," she said. "It seems like the closer you are to D.C., the more stressed out you are. People tell us they can feel their stress level decreasing as they drive out."

Autumn in Paw Paw, when the surrounding mountain ridges are full of vibrant color, is something to see, Gaffney said.

"Early fall and Indian summer offer a beautiful time to experience nature in the nude," she said.

Some of the special events slated for the coming weeks: an Autumnal Equinox Celebration and Dance (Sept. 24), Hunter's Moon Dance with the band Living Out Loud (Oct. 15) and the popular All Hallow's Eve Party (Oct. 29).

As the weather cools, Gaffney said, the aquatic center will put up its space-age roof and sliding glass walls to become an indoor facility. Massage workshops also help guests ease into the cold-weather months, she said.

Any time of year, Gaffney said, nude recreation delivers an opportunity to "just be your true self" and to turn off the messages sent by the culture's perfectionist image makers.

"We face these impossible standards of appearance," she said. "Most people can't begin to imagine how good it feels to just accept your natural body.

"It's a too-well-kept secret how relaxing and safe a clothes-free getaway can feel. Once you try it, you find yourself wondering, 'Wow. What took me so long?'"

Source: http://www.statejournal.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=5341&catid=165

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

Just for the Fun of it: the Legend of Lady Godiva


LADY GODIVA (Godgifu, in the spelling of her time.)

An Anglo-Saxon gentlewoman, patron of the arts, equestrienne, and tax protester, etc. All the historians say that she "flourished, circa 1040 - 1080 A.D."

Leofric, earl of Mercia, and husband of Lady Godiva, was a man of broad but obscure interests; a religious man thoroughly Christian, and an entrepreneur, raconteur, and general all around good sport. At the same time, he did have an avaricious streak in him, and it is for this reason that his name has survived through the ages, but more prominently for his interesting response to the nagging of his bleeding-heart wife, who pestered him incessantly over details of the daily lives of the peasants under his control, and similar fussy matters.

It's not that she was always being petulant about everything he did, but certain of his actions caused her to be irritable, but that part of the story comes later.

Actually both Leofric and Godiva were quite religious, and upon their move to Coventry, Warwickshire, from Shrewsbury, Shropshire (where Leofric had earned his fortune and title from amazing successes in the mutton trade), they were immediately impressed by the lack of proper facilities for training and housing men of the cloth in or around the raucous little district of Coventry (pop. 6215). How, they thought, were the spiritual needs of these simple souls to be cared for? At the same time, being somewhat "nouveau riche" and anxious to make their mark in what passed for genteel society there (not having had the proper credentials to enter such circles back in Shropshire -- which may have been a big piece of the motivation for the move), they decided to apply some of their ready cash to a worthy public cause.

Near the physical center of Coventry, where the bombed-out ruin of mighty Coventry Cathedral stands today, Leofric and Godiva (in 1043) founded and funded an abbey (some accounts say monastery), named in honor of Ste. Eunice of Saxmundham (an early martyr, slain by flaying at the hands of the Romans). The abbey faced the rising sun, as was decreed it should by Leofric in a moment of romantic inspiration. A simple affair, made of wattle and daub with a roof of thatched reeds in the manner of the day, it was nevertheless imposing by standards in the village otherwise; it was the biggest structure in the entire region.

Before long this edifice was something of a social focus for the town, functioning not only as a center for the education and housing of those who had received the calling, but also as a gathering point where more vulgar popular events and festivities could be celebrated. Leofric and Godiva came to be awarded the attention and respect they longed for from the start, and they had served the purposes of the church as well. They did not seem to mind that much of the activity circulating around the abbey was decidedly Druid in origin; at least the peasants were occupied and happy. Coventry grew around the abbey.

As a gentleman, and now established philanthropist of some local repute, Leofric assumed a growing role in the governance of public affairs, and was given responsibility for certain financial matters (the town had grown enough to actually have financial matters), which he quickly understood as presenting especially interesting opportunities. One public work generated the idea of another, if only some money were at hand to facilitate such growth...

Meanwhile, Godiva's proficiency as a horsewoman had become polished to a considerable degree, as she had acquired a taste for the hunt and the social pleasantries which accrue to the activity "apres." Plus, the people she met during these excursions which provided such complacency, were of a disposition and delicacy of interest to which she had aspired for some time. She could do worse than to engage in certain preoccupations of the intellect, and considerations of the aesthetic, and so she immersed herself in the arts and, therefore, society.

Perhaps, she earnestly thought, aid to those industrious in this field of elevated concern (artists) would inspire the rude masses by means of example. Commissioning a proper portrait of herself would be a good place to start; it would be an inspiration for simpler souls, so the work was begun.

It only slowly entered Godiva's consciousness that the lack of success she was having in interesting the base masses in artistic concerns, beautiful pictures of herself spread around or not, was rooted in the fact that nearly all of them spent 100% of their waking hours in partially effective efforts to feed and clothe themselves, and to provide some form of shelter from the elements. Most were having a hard time of it, in light of the fact that Leofric, in his new-found megalomaniacal grand-public-works mode, had been taxing everything he could think of, even including a levy on manure.

Lady Godiva would not have such noble aspirations -- such as art for everyone -- placed on a back burner for the sake of boring considerations like a municipal water supply. Men had such ignoble visions, always functional and mechanical, mostly never above waist level. This would not do, the taxes must be reduced if this early medieval subsistence-agriculture village was going to pull itself up into the 11th century and its more cultured concerns. She went to have a pointed talk with Leofric.

Beside himself with raucous laughter, Leofric injured his left wrist slightly as he fell off his stool in the hall of the village burghers, and this sobered him up rather quickly. Reduce taxes in order to foster the peasants' appreciation of silly pictures? Was she mad? No waterworks? There would be no tax reduction; as a matter of fact, Leofric added a new tax on pictures, which only had to be paid by his wife since she was the only person who had any, except for the church which was exempt.

Their argument became a classic war of wills, taking the equally classic form of nagging versus stone-walling. However, at very long last, since his wife would not give up and was driving him to distraction and worse, Leofric capitulated, but, regarding it all as something of a sport, attached an interesting condition to his offer to allow some reduction in taxation.

The ancient Greeks, he pointed out, and those coarser Romans as well, viewed the nude human body as one of the highest expressions of the perfection of Nature. Nudity was not seen as erotic in any sense, but as purity, and a celebration of the wonderful form of a sensuous being displayed in all its marvelous glory for the betterment and appreciation of those enlightened enough to consider this aesthetic. To present a well formed nude body as an object of great beauty, even art, would be to offer a lesson of inestimable value to the simple peasants of Coventry, whose experiences and perceptions had never been enlightened to appreciate such perfection.

If Lady Godiva truly believed in the crusade she was promoting, then she should lead it herself, and offer to the citizens of Coventry an example of the glorious beauty to be understood by careful consideration of a perfect nude human body. There could be no shame in this, it would be the most gross error to consider it as such. Was she ashamed of the wonders of God's work? Besides, with all that horse-back riding, and similar, she had lost some weight and looked pretty good.

Therefore, Leofric proclaimed that if Lady Godiva would ride her horse through the crowded market-place of Coventry, in the full light of mid-day, clothed in only that which God had given her, as an example of the perfection of God's work and as an expression of the highest possible aesthetic -- she had been spreading pictures of herself around anyway -- then he would reduce taxes on the populace, lifting from them the burden Godiva perceived, and erasing from himself any further doubt he might harbor of the sincerity of Godiva's convictions.

To Leofric's absolute surprise, she agreed, once she had ensured that she actually had his "permission" to do so.

Taken aback by his wife's courage and certainty in her purposes Leofric, somewhat overwhelmed, then stated that he fully accepted the truth of Lady Godiva's belief in the merits of her cause, and so in response, on completion of her ride he would not just reduce taxes, but would remove all of them -- save those tolls on horses which were already in place before he assumed his office, and which were necessary for basic needs of the city.

A day was chosen for the event, and while no particular effort had been expended to publicize the ride, talk of it had spread in whispers throughout the whole of Coventry. Not wishing to reveal that this concealed discussion had taken place, and since people were curious about all aspects of the affair and did not want to interrupt it, the marketplace's business proceeded as it might have done on any other less interesting Thursday in late August.

As noon approached, so did Lady Godiva. She was not alone, but was accompanied by two female aides also on horseback, but normally clothed; one rode on each side and slightly to the rear. Three horses walking on the cobbles in formation at a measured gait did not have the sound of the usual traffic and bustle, and so -- since all were secretly and eagerly anticipating the event -- her appearance was announced clearly to everyone.

She sat straight and properly in the saddle with a look of composure on her face; relaxed, confident, unashamed. Her hair was done in two large braids which were curled snugly at the back of her head, one on each side; she wore no jewelry or other adornment. People looked at her and saw that she was not merely naked, or nude; rather she was in a higher state of presentation -- being a correct and elevated quality of her composure, and resulting also from the people's appraisal, appreciation, and consideration beyond simple voyeurism.

To all present this was an experience like no other in their lives. The only images of people unclothed they had ever seen were in the church: Adam and Eve, and the crucified Christ. This was a lady, simple and normal with a body like that of every other woman present, a human, a creature of God's earth. Though he half meant it as a joke, Leofric's words rang true: here was a celebration of being in its perfection.

Perhaps, as well, some believed with Zoroaster that sex is the bounty of God.

So, all survived the event with peacefulness and dignity, and the taxes were removed.

In the CHRONICA, written by Roger of Wendover (who died in 1236), the account of the year 1057 tells the story of Godiva's ride in full detail, and is the earliest surviving written description.

Even more complete versions are provided by the famous historian Ranulf Higden (died in 1364) in his POLYCHRONICON, and by Henry Knighton (died c. 1396) who followed him, which explain not only the details of the ride and its reasons, but also the specifics of the removed taxes, in particular that all save those on horses were eliminated.

Much later, King Edward I, being an inquisitive man (he devised an earnest, but rather awkward system for the classification of songbirds in Wales), wished to discover the truth of the Godiva story and, therefore, commissioned an inquiry of ancient records which showed that in 1057 and thereabouts, there were indeed no taxes levied in Coventry except those on horses, which was a rather anomalous situation not seen elsewhere at the time, thereby establishing the merit and probable accuracy of the legend.

The tale of "Peeping Tom", who was struck blind (or dead) when he alone gazed upon Lady Godiva was not added until the 17th century. This is also true of the detail of the story, often added, that Godiva was covered totally, except for her legs, by an enormous and improbable quantity of hair.

Doubtless both of these embellishments were supplied later by prudish Christian churchmen who entirely missed the point and considered that viewing the unclothed human body under any circumstance was a heinous act which would damn one to eternal hell fire; they certainly thought the female body to be dirty and inferior to appreciation, and only worthy of being hidden from view. On the face of it such a view would seem to be a perversion, and affront to the beauty of God's work. The Greeks felt that the idealized human form was the only one worthy to represent the gods on earth. On the other hand, the Christian faith is unique in that it alone has, throughout its history, suppressed any celebration of the beauty of the human body.

So, what was Lady Godiva? A visionary; a social climber; a patron of the arts; a dilettante of the worst order?

In any estimation, she had the guts to follow her convictions, and may have brought a degree of enlightenment to a small corner of 11th century England. And, probably, no one went to Hell because of it.

© Jerome C. Krause

Source: http://www.abacom.com/~jkrause/godiva.html

UK Naturists' Struggle to Shed Their "Bad Image"


UK Naturists' Struggle to Shed Their "Bad Image"

Ever since the Earl of Mercia's wife ordered the people of Coventry to close their shutters while she rode naked through the streets to secure them a tax cut, public nudity has had a particular pull on the British psyche.

As Lady Godiva made her legendary progress in about AD1000 to force Leofric III, to abolish his tolls, a tailor supposedly disobeyed her proclamation and spied on her, only to be struck blind. His curiosity gave the English language the _expression "Peeping Tom".

This trade-off between the principled shedding of clothes and the risk of exciting a prurient "phwoar" or "eeurgh" from the unenlightened has provided the nation with comedy, outrage and entertainment for the 1,000 years since. From the Carry On movies to Health and Efficiency magazine, and Lady Godiva to Erica Rowe, the 24-year-old bookshop assistant who became Britain's first female streaker at Twickenham in 1982, there are few acts more guaranteed to earn publicity in Britain than the simple fact of getting naked where others are not.

It is a response that irks Britain's 25,000 signed-up naturists, along with the estimated 500,000 who regularly go nude.

British Naturism, a 16,000-strong nudists' organisation, has spent four decades trying to dispel the notion that nakedness is, of itself, anything to do with sexual attraction and is instead everything to do with a oneness with mother nature.

A spokesman said: "It is a way of life in harmony with nature with the intention of encouraging self-respect, respect for others and for the environment."

Monday, October 03, 2005

Naked in Tasmania? Not Yet...


When no nudes is bad news ...

By ANNE MATHER

03 Oct05

TOURISTS are desperate for a nude beach in Tasmania, says a group of nudists.

The Southern Tasmanian Association of Nudists says it fields several calls a week from visitors keen to shed their clothes.

The association is pushing for the state's first nude beach this summer, to satisfy both local nudists and visitors.

The association's president, who wanted to be identified only as Kevin, said Tasmania was the only state in Australia without a nude beach.

But he said the recent influx of mainlanders moving to the state, as well as visitors, meant demand for a clothes-optional beach was rising.

"So many more people are moving to Tasmania from interstate and they are contacting us asking where they can go," Kevin said.

The nudists are seeking to raise their profile and numbers this summer to gather momentum for a nude beach.

The association received backing for the state's first nude beach from the State Government and Tasmania Police in 2000.

But no local council was willing to allow a nude beach, Kevin said.

Originally the association was pushing for clothes-optional beaches at Neck Beach on Bruny Island and Calverts Beach on South Arm.

But councils were not keen.

He said that although the beaches were secluded and unlikely to offend anyone, the proposal "went down like a lead balloon".

Local Government Association of Tasmania chief executive officer Alan Garcia said the nudists would probably still run up against objectors at whatever beach they chose.

"I don't expect councils will jump up and down and saying `yes please', because the reality is someone will object wherever the location," Mr Garcia said.

He said it was up to the nudists to demonstrate to councils that their activity would cause no problems.

Kevin said the number of nudist beaches and resorts was growing constantly in the rest of Australia.

"We're a great tourist destination, but there are a lot of tourists who we are missing out on," Kevin said.

"We have got the most beautiful beaches in Australia, our beaches would be perfect."

The law against nude sunbaking was repealed in 2003, but naked sunbaking is only permitted in areas that have received council approval.

The Southern Tasmanian Association of Nudists advertised at the weekend for people interested in becoming members.

Kevin said there were about 12 members in Hobart and about 50 nudists statewide.

Tourism Council of Tasmania chief executive officer Daniel Leesong said he doubted whether a nudist beach would attract great additional numbers of visitors to the state.

"From a tourism perspective I don't think it even ranks on the radar," he said.

Mr Leesong said he imagined nudists would prefer beaches in warmer climates.

Anyone interested in contacting the Southern Tasmanian Association of Nudists can email southerntasnudists@netspace.net.au

Personally, I Think This Guy is a Nut


Naked Ramblers and the Freedom to be Yourself campaign


Steve Gough's desire to walk in the nude from Land's End to John O'Groats made him a national hero.

Jonathan Brown (suitably attired) joined his Freedom to be Yourself campaign

Published: 03 October 2005

It bore all the hallmarks of the classic anxiety dream, but it was for real. I am walking along a deserted woodland track, stark naked, when a convoy of vehicles trundles into view ahead, packed with people. There is no time to run. Ridicule and humiliation feel harrowingly imminent.

As the windows are wound down, everyone inside is laughing. The urge to cover up becomes almost uncontrollable but I am determined to tough it out. After shaking a few extended hands, they start to get out and take in turns to stand beside me and have their photographs taken before driving off, the laughter now ringing out louder than ever. Strangely, I don't feel ashamed. What I have is a sensation akin to pride. For someone who feels self-conscious wearing shorts in public, this feels weird.

Such was my first encounter with the clothed public when I joined former Royal Marine Steve Gough and his girlfriend Melanie Roberts and their 60lb rucksacks for a naked ramble in the Cairngorms.

Mr Gough has become something of a celebrity in the last two years since he decided to launch his campaign for the nascent liberty movement Freedom To Be Yourself by making the 847-mile unclothed journey from Land's End to John O'Groats. On that occasion he was arrested 15 times and spent 140 nights in prison. The police referred him to a psychiatrist while his ex-wife and mother lambasted him in the press. He eventually reached the northern tip of the United Kingdom in the perishing month of January, five months behind schedule.

Undeterred by his experiences, the father-of-two embarked on the same route again in June this year. This time however, he was accompanied by his new girlfriend Melanie, a hairdresser from Bournemouth, close to where Mr Gough, 46, spends a lot of the time parked up in the Ford Transit van in which he now lives. The couple met, naturally enough, on the naturist beach at Studland Bay two weeks before the planned departure. A veteran of naked sunbathing since she was 17, Ms Roberts, 34, only decided to join him on his latest odyssey at the very last moment. They were joined by a third naked walker, a retired librarian from Beckenham, Kent, who completed the walk in late August.

It has been a winding road since the sunny start line on the beach in Cornwall, surrounded by Page 3 girls courtesy of The Sun newspaper. After more than three months walking up to 25 miles a day in sun, wind and rain, their bodies are toned and they boast deep brown, all-over tans. And to speed them on their way they have been joined by dozens of supporters, some of them - like me - going naked for the first time. Some have spent their annual holidays walking with the couple. More than 10,000 people have logged on to the Freedom website to chart their progress.

But it has not been all sleeping under stars and wind in the hair. As well as suffering the official disapproval of British Naturism, which represents the UK's 17,000 naturists, for being part of an allegedly "confrontational" stunt, Mr Gough has been arrested on five occasions and spent three weeks in custody. Ms Roberts has been detained three times. Their collars were first felt - metaphorically - in We in Shropshire. A few weeks later they were arrested again just outside Skipton in North Yorkshire after shopping naked at a village store. On that occasion Mr Gough's refusal to cover up earned him a second spell in the jug from Harrogate magistrates.

Moving north of the border they came a cropper with the law again outside Edinburgh. Mr Gough was sentenced to two weeks in jail. He was re-arrested as he was released for refusing to get dressed. The couple's greatest test still lies ahead as they enter the territory of the Northern Constabulary - a force which proved public nudity's most implacable foe last time.

I joined the naked couple following their latest release from jail. They have spent the last three days enduring some atrocious Highland weather - bitterly cold winds and driving rain - as they made their way across the high peaks of the Cairngorms north of Pitlochry. Descending into the calm of the Spey Valley, the sun makes a merciful appearance, although as the wind drops and the temperature rises, so appear the dreaded midges.

Mr Gough admits that cracks are starting to appear in his philosophical armour. "When I first started doing this I thought I had reasons. I thought I knew why. But the more I go on I realise that there isn't a reason." He has grown used to the impact he creates, politely acknowledging each hoot and clap as we make our way along along the banks of Loch Morlich on the Aviemore road.

This time there has been no repeat of the attack at St Ives by a group of lads that left him badly beaten. The negative comments - apart from those of the magistrates that sentenced him - have been virtually non-existent. "The worst we have had so far was a man in a van who said "put your clothes on", he said.

Ms Roberts has not been harassed - apart from the occasional farmer who has driven his Land Rover around the block for a second, or third, look.

They both remain committed to the cause of public nudity, or more accurately the right to go naked. "People talk about a healthy self-image and that it is important to be comfortable with your own body. We are challenging people to think about how they really feel about their own bodies. People talk about freedom but I can be locked up for just walking from A to B naked," said Mr Gough shaking his head in exasperation.

There remains a minority that feel naked rambling should be punishable by law, which means the police must continue to act. But for Ms Roberts the equation is simple. "The overall effect is that it makes people happy. Everyone likes a naked body." I ponder her comments as Steve informs me that we are preparing to rendezvous with a BBC documentary crew making a programme about the walk.

As I see them waiting in the car in a lay-by at the side of the loch I conclude I have reached the limit of my desire to be publicly naked. For all my new found self-confidence the idea of my nakedness being captured for perpetuity on camera sends me diving for my clothes.

They climb into clothes for lunch - as they only remain naked for walking - and become just another young couple out for a walk in the woods.

So who has the problem? The people who feel so uncomfortable at the sight of two fine specimens of the humanity striding through the British countryside in the all together? Or is it them for flouting convention and challenging society's ancient taboos? How can the naked body really be shameful?

I cover up again and feel a sneaking admiration for their strange, epic journey. Will I be doing it again? My family is begging me not to and no matter how intellectually I reason that there is nothing wrong with being naked per se, for me it just feels too damn weird doing it in public.

Naturists' struggle to shed their bad image

Ever since the Earl of Mercia's wife ordered the people of Coventry to close their shutters while she rode naked through the streets to secure them a tax cut, public nudity has had a particular pull on the British psyche.

As Lady Godiva made her legendary progress in about AD1000 to force Leofric III, to abolish his tolls, a tailor supposedly disobeyed her proclamation and spied on her, only to be struck blind. His curiosity gave the English language the expression "Peeping Tom".

This trade-off between the principled shedding of clothes and the risk of exciting a prurient "phwoar" or "eeurgh" from the unenlightened has provided the nation with comedy, outrage and entertainment for the 1,000 years since. From the Carry On movies to Health and Efficiency magazine, and Lady Godiva to Erica Rowe, the 24-year-old bookshop assistant who became Britain's first female streaker at Twickenham in 1982, there are few acts more guaranteed to earn publicity in Britain than the simple fact of getting naked where others are not.

It is a response thatirks Britain's 25,000 signed-up naturists, along with the estimated 500,000 who regularly go nude.

British Naturism, a 16,000-strong nudists' organisation, has spent four decades trying to dispel the notion that nakedness is, of itself, anything to do with sexual attraction and is instead everything to do with a oneness with mother nature.

A spokesman said: "It is a way of life in harmony with nature with the intention of encouraging self-respect, respect for others and for the environment."

Some within the movement frown upon the militancy of Steve Gough, who first made headlines with his naked rambling in 2003, believing that it once more gives a laughable quality to a past-time trying hard to shed its image as an object of ridicule conducted largely by corpulent middle-aged couples on Leylandii-screened campsites.

Unsurprisingly, serious nudists also eschew streakers, the breed immortalised in popular history by Ms Rowe's topless sprint across the turf during the England-Australia rugby match. In the aftermath of Ms Rowe's 15 minutes of fame, one nudist organisation commented: "Exhibitionism is not nudism. Nudism is about people who enjoy being naked but are not motivated by seeing others naked or being seen naked. That is very different from baring your 40-inch chest in front of 50,000 people."

The history of British nudism is, ironically, a little hazy. The father of modern naturism is Richard Ungewitter, a German who published a book, Die Nacktheit or Nakedness, in 1903 explaining the pointlessness of clothing. He also espoused a Spartan regime of vegetarianism, compulsory gym exercise and being teetotal.

It was not until the 1920s that the movement made its way to the UK.

A nudist club opened in Wickford, Essex, in 1922 but it remained an activity only to be conducted on private land for almost 60 years. The first of Britain's small crop of designated nudist beaches opened in 1978 and there are now more the 150 naturist clubs across the country.

But rarely is the subject of nudism greeted with sober discussion or, as in Germany or the Netherlands, a disinterested shrug. When naturists at Studlands Bay in Dorset complained about the shrinking size of their nudist beach, they were greeted with stories about "naked fury".

Exponents of the birthday suit, however, can retort with words of one of the nation's foremost seekers of spiritual enlightenment. John Donne wrote in 1598: "Full nakedness! All joys are to thee."

Cahal Milmo

It bore all the hallmarks of the classic anxiety dream, but it was for real. I am walking along a deserted woodland track, stark naked, when a convoy of vehicles trundles into view ahead, packed with people. There is no time to run. Ridicule and humiliation feel harrowingly imminent.

As the windows are wound down, everyone inside is laughing. The urge to cover up becomes almost uncontrollable but I am determined to tough it out. After shaking a few extended hands, they start to get out and take in turns to stand beside me and have their photographs taken before driving off, the laughter now ringing out louder than ever. Strangely, I don't feel ashamed. What I have is a sensation akin to pride. For someone who feels self-conscious wearing shorts in public, this feels weird.

Such was my first encounter with the clothed public when I joined former Royal Marine Steve Gough and his girlfriend Melanie Roberts and their 60lb rucksacks for a naked ramble in the Cairngorms.

Mr Gough has become something of a celebrity in the last two years since he decided to launch his campaign for the nascent liberty movement Freedom To Be Yourself by making the 847-mile unclothed journey from Land's End to John O'Groats. On that occasion he was arrested 15 times and spent 140 nights in prison. The police referred him to a psychiatrist while his ex-wife and mother lambasted him in the press. He eventually reached the northern tip of the United Kingdom in the perishing month of January, five months behind schedule.

Undeterred by his experiences, the father-of-two embarked on the same route again in June this year. This time however, he was accompanied by his new girlfriend Melanie, a hairdresser from Bournemouth, close to where Mr Gough, 46, spends a lot of the time parked up in the Ford Transit van in which he now lives. The couple met, naturally enough, on the naturist beach at Studland Bay two weeks before the planned departure. A veteran of naked sunbathing since she was 17, Ms Roberts, 34, only decided to join him on his latest odyssey at the very last moment. They were joined by a third naked walker, a retired librarian from Beckenham, Kent, who completed the walk in late August.

It has been a winding road since the sunny start line on the beach in Cornwall, surrounded by Page 3 girls courtesy of The Sun newspaper. After more than three months walking up to 25 miles a day in sun, wind and rain, their bodies are toned and they boast deep brown, all-over tans. And to speed them on their way they have been joined by dozens of supporters, some of them - like me - going naked for the first time. Some have spent their annual holidays walking with the couple. More than 10,000 people have logged on to the Freedom website to chart their progress.

But it has not been all sleeping under stars and wind in the hair. As well as suffering the official disapproval of British Naturism, which represents the UK's 17,000 naturists, for being part of an allegedly "confrontational" stunt, Mr Gough has been arrested on five occasions and spent three weeks in custody. Ms Roberts has been detained three times. Their collars were first felt - metaphorically - in We in Shropshire. A few weeks later they were arrested again just outside Skipton in North Yorkshire after shopping naked at a village store. On that occasion Mr Gough's refusal to cover up earned him a second spell in the jug from Harrogate magistrates.

Moving north of the border they came a cropper with the law again outside Edinburgh. Mr Gough was sentenced to two weeks in jail. He was re-arrested as he was released for refusing to get dressed. The couple's greatest test still lies ahead as they enter the territory of the Northern Constabulary - a force which proved public nudity's most implacable foe last time.

I joined the naked couple following their latest release from jail. They have spent the last three days enduring some atrocious Highland weather - bitterly cold winds and driving rain - as they made their way across the high peaks of the Cairngorms north of Pitlochry. Descending into the calm of the Spey Valley, the sun makes a merciful appearance, although as the wind drops and the temperature rises, so appear the dreaded midges.

Mr Gough admits that cracks are starting to appear in his philosophical armour. "When I first started doing this I thought I had reasons. I thought I knew why. But the more I go on I realise that there isn't a reason." He has grown used to the impact he creates, politely acknowledging each hoot and clap as we make our way along along the banks of Loch Morlich on the Aviemore road.

This time there has been no repeat of the attack at St Ives by a group of lads that left him badly beaten. The negative comments - apart from those of the magistrates that sentenced him - have been virtually non-existent. "The worst we have had so far was a man in a van who said "put your clothes on", he said.

Ms Roberts has not been harassed - apart from the occasional farmer who has driven his Land Rover around the block for a second, or third, look.

They both remain committed to the cause of public nudity, or more accurately the right to go naked. "People talk about a healthy self-image and that it is important to be comfortable with your own body. We are challenging people to think about how they really feel about their own bodies. People talk about freedom but I can be locked up for just walking from A to B naked," said Mr Gough shaking his head in exasperation.
There remains a minority that feel naked rambling should be punishable by law, which means the police must continue to act. But for Ms Roberts the equation is simple. "The overall effect is that it makes people happy. Everyone likes a naked body." I ponder her comments as Steve informs me that we are preparing to rendezvous with a BBC documentary crew making a programme about the walk.

As I see them waiting in the car in a lay-by at the side of the loch I conclude I have reached the limit of my desire to be publicly naked. For all my new found self-confidence the idea of my nakedness being captured for perpetuity on camera sends me diving for my clothes.

They climb into clothes for lunch - as they only remain naked for walking - and become just another young couple out for a walk in the woods.

So who has the problem? The people who feel so uncomfortable at the sight of two fine specimens of the humanity striding through the British countryside in the all together? Or is it them for flouting convention and challenging society's ancient taboos? How can the naked body really be shameful?

I cover up again and feel a sneaking admiration for their strange, epic journey. Will I be doing it again? My family is begging me not to and no matter how intellectually I reason that there is nothing wrong with being naked per se, for me it just feels too damn weird doing it in public.

Naturists' struggle to shed their bad image

Ever since the Earl of Mercia's wife ordered the people of Coventry to close their shutters while she rode naked through the streets to secure them a tax cut, public nudity has had a particular pull on the British psyche.

As Lady Godiva made her legendary progress in about AD1000 to force Leofric III, to abolish his tolls, a tailor supposedly disobeyed her proclamation and spied on her, only to be struck blind. His curiosity gave the English language the expression "Peeping Tom".

This trade-off between the principled shedding of clothes and the risk of exciting a prurient "phwoar" or "eeurgh" from the unenlightened has provided the nation with comedy, outrage and entertainment for the 1,000 years since. From the Carry On movies to Health and Efficiency magazine, and Lady Godiva to Erica Rowe, the 24-year-old bookshop assistant who became Britain's first female streaker at Twickenham in 1982, there are few acts more guaranteed to earn publicity in Britain than the simple fact of getting naked where others are not.

It is a response thatirks Britain's 25,000 signed-up naturists, along with the estimated 500,000 who regularly go nude.

British Naturism, a 16,000-strong nudists' organisation, has spent four decades trying to dispel the notion that nakedness is, of itself, anything to do with sexual attraction and is instead everything to do with a oneness with mother nature.

A spokesman said: "It is a way of life in harmony with nature with the intention of encouraging self-respect, respect for others and for the environment."

Some within the movement frown upon the militancy of Steve Gough, who first made headlines with his naked rambling in 2003, believing that it once more gives a laughable quality to a past-time trying hard to shed its image as an object of ridicule conducted largely by corpulent middle-aged couples on Leylandii-screened campsites.

Unsurprisingly, serious nudists also eschew streakers, the breed immortalised in popular history by Ms Rowe's topless sprint across the turf during the England-Australia rugby match. In the aftermath of Ms Rowe's 15 minutes of fame, one nudist organisation commented: "Exhibitionism is not nudism. Nudism is about people who enjoy being naked but are not motivated by seeing others naked or being seen naked. That is very different from baring your 40-inch chest in front of 50,000 people."

The history of British nudism is, ironically, a little hazy. The father of modern naturism is Richard Ungewitter, a German who published a book, Die Nacktheit or Nakedness, in 1903 explaining the pointlessness of clothing. He also espoused a Spartan regime of vegetarianism, compulsory gym exercise and being teetotal.

It was not until the 1920s that the movement made its way to the UK.

A nudist club opened in Wickford, Essex, in 1922 but it remained an activity only to be conducted on private land for almost 60 years. The first of Britain's small crop of designated nudist beaches opened in 1978 and there are now more the 150 naturist clubs across the country.

But rarely is the subject of nudism greeted with sober discussion or, as in Germany or the Netherlands, a disinterested shrug. When naturists at Studlands Bay in Dorset complained about the shrinking size of their nudist beach, they were greeted with stories about "naked fury".

Exponents of the birthday suit, however, can retort with words of one of the nation's foremost seekers of spiritual enlightenment. John Donne wrote in 1598: "Full nakedness! All joys are to thee."

Source: http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article316672.ece