Caliente Homeowners Fight Back: De-Swing This Place!

Caliente is handed a task list

By Chuin-Wei Yap, Times Staff Writer
In print: Saturday, June 21, 2008

---

LAND O'LAKES — An attorney for 351 property owners at Caliente Resort & Spa has laid down a list of conditions for the nudist resort to repair its reputation or face a lawsuit.

Calling it a way to "open the door for dialogue" between the resort and its homeowners, Anne Hathorn, of the Clearwater firm of Becker & Poliakoff, said the resort must cut off ties with Web sites that promote the swinger lifestyle, tighten control on the use of Caliente's name in event advertisements and where the ads are distributed, and get Caliente reinstated in the American Association for Nude Recreation.

Caliente Resort said it plans to keep on marketing to those it calls "nontraditional nudists."

Caliente was embroiled in controversy last month when the association temporarily suspended its membership and opened an investigation into sexually charged monthly parties at Caliente organized by Aahz Party Lifestyle Group, a "lifestyle," or swingers, group with Caliente's blessing.

The association promotes family-friendly nudism. Its investigation puts at stake Caliente's access to marketing assistance and membership subsidies for tourists, among other advantages.

Caliente is not just a resort. It is also a full-time home for hundreds of people, many of whom objected to the swinger parties, called "Swingfest." They hired Hathorn, who wrote on June 10 to R. Gale Porter, Caliente's attorney, demanding the resort clean up its own image.

"If the reputation of the club changes to something more risque, people will worry about bringing their kids," Hathorn said Friday. "The board wanted to open the door for dialogue and come to a reasonable resolution. So far, we haven't heard back."

Angye Fox, Caliente's spokeswoman, said Friday that the resort is a family-friendly place with rules that create a safe environment, but the resort refused to scale back what it called a brand campaign focused on "nontraditional nudists."

"Caliente has an aggressive marketing plan that targets outside the traditional nudist clientele," she said. "This has created dissatisfaction with a minority of homeowners in the Caliente community. Caliente intends to move forward in expanding our brand to nontraditional nudists and people who want to enjoy occasional skinny-dipping in luxury both here and at our resort in the Dominican Republic."

Hathorn acknowledged in her letter that "the resort has recently taken (actions) to alleviate the members' concerns, including withdrawing the resort's direct participation in Swingfest and continuing to communicate with the (property owners' board) about its concerns."

But she warned of legal consequences.

"The board of directors has a fiduciary duty to act on behalf of the (homeowners) association members, and the board will not hesitate to do so in this regard, to whatever extent is necessary, including legal action for violation" of the declaration of restrictions and covenants for Caliente, Hathorn wrote.

"They will realize they need to work together," Hathorn said Friday. "It's in everyone's best interests for the two entities to work together."

Chuin-Wei Yap can be reached at cyap@sptimes.com or (813) 909-4613.

Caliente: Throw the Book at Them

News of the suspension of Caliente Resort in Florida hit the net this week. AANR has suspended the resort due to their open catering of sexual deviants (swingers).

This is a radical departure from what might be called the naturist/nudist ideal: non-sexual social nudity, accompanied by body-acceptance. Sexualized nudity always rejects body acceptance since attraction is selective (and rejective).

Caliente is not alone. It is always disturbing to see sexualization of nudity, and NW will publish credible reports of the same. Place your report in comments, and if I can confirm it I will publish it.

I call upon the Naturist Society to also make a statement regarding Caliente, and to join with AANR and clothesfree.com. This letter is now on their website:

An Open Letter to All Nudist Resorts...

A few nudist resorts are going into a direction that has caused many to no longer recommend them. We also will no longer recommend some resorts in response to their sexually explicit ads we have seen.

Why sexualize something that is not sexual? Especially since we are already fighting the false notion that nudity equals sex. Why fuel the flames ourselves? Of course, we believe the human form is neither immoral nor inappropriate and endorse the culture of positive body acceptance. But we protest the “pornification” of the human body. There is a line to not cross and it is simple where it is drawn.

We need to set a good example! People will discover that nudism is good for the whole family and allows everyone, including children, to have a better body image, learn respect and have more self esteem. Present yourself as an exemplary naturist resort by fully abiding by all the standards of naturist behavior. Keep sexuality where it belongs, in private. Don't mix it with nude recreation and cause others who are just discovering it to leave.

Nude beaches and resorts are typically family-friendly places. Children benefit from the experience through improved self-image and confidence. But if we blur the lines between sex and nudity we will not gain society's respect and could lose many of our rights.

The core of our philosophy must be strong.

We believe swingers and others seeking sex is the biggest threat to nudism. If the "nude equals sex" idea is the biggest threat to our lifestyle, should we allow swinger or sexual activities of any kind at family nudist resorts and beaches? Nudists enjoy sexuality as much as anyone but should we give in to those who would sexualize nudism? It might make more money for some but it will destroy us starting at the foundation of our philosophy.

In order for nudism to really grow and gain acceptance in the long run, we need to keep it wholesome at all costs.

Some say adults want to have places for these "adult" activities. But should they be at family nudist resorts at the expense of our lifestyle? When sexual activity of any kind happens at a nude beach or a resort, the public uses that to attack us.

We also need to stay united with our core beliefs. It is necessary that we keep strong in numbers. We all may not agree on every nudist philosophy but we must not let that divide us. Friction among ourselves will hurt us all in gaining respect and credibility with the population at large. As always, we fully support and belong to great organizations like the Naturist Society, the American Association for Nude Recreation, Federation of Canadian Naturists, and the International Naturist Federation.

Our society is obsessed with hiding what they call the "indecent" body. Together we can fight that. It is such a worthy cause.

CFI Staff

Good for CFI!

Until then, regards Caliente, I say,

THROW THE BOOK AT THEM!