Women and Nudism

[CTNudist]

In the United States, why does it seem there are more men than women attracted to nudism? Is this the case elsewhere in the world? What might be some reasons there are less women involved?

[Eternity]

It seems to be the same around Europe from what I've seen, but it would surprise me if men outnumber women by more than 3 to 1

[1Ace]

I agree, it would be much nicer for my wife if there were more women at the resorts and beaches we visit...

[Boreas]

I have given this topic some thought. I think there are a variety of factors at work. Women have been taught a different sense of modesty than men, and often it is more difficult for women to be nude in social spots than men. Men seem to get taught to flaunt it, while women seem to get taught to hide it. Of course I am making broad generalizations here!

I know it took me awhile to be comfortable in social nude settings. I realized the other day, I have come a very long way. We were at a lodge that had a hot tub. My husband and I were the only two guests, and the woman who runs the place gave her blessing for us to use the hot tub without bathing suits, since we had left ours at home. Her husband, who is German, and comfortable with public nudity, came down to join us. We thought he had been told we'd be au naturel. He was wearing a bathing suit when he joined us, and we were already in the water. He later said he did not realize we'd be nude, and that he might have been nude but was concerned about how I'd feel being the only female. I really was not concerned, and it was okay. Not too long ago, I would have been horribly embarassed or something. It was cool to be so comfortable! We have bought an acre of land in the development that is going in alongside the lodge. The owners of the lodge are becoming our friends. If we ever build there, we will be more able to be openly nudists now they know we are comfortable in the hot tub nude with others. If we get a hot tub, it will likely be a no bathingsuit zone!

[JeepNude]

Boreas- Great story! I wish you much success with your new home! That is just plain awesome.

CTNudist- Good question. This may or may not help answer it.

As a guy, it is much (much!) more comfortable to be nude than clothed. Simply because the testicles are always under some sort of distortion or pressure when clothed. For example, look at a man wearing shorts (not the 'floods' that pass for shorts these days, I mean SHORTS). Look at a man nude on a warm day, The manhood is resting low on the nude man, but the clothed man has his pushed up against his body for the clothing. Look at a nude man squatting down to pick something up. His testicles almost hit the floor of it is hot. Look at a clothed man squatting to pick something up. The testicles are compressed by the clothing into a very small space, and flattened themselves. The testicles are actually compressed and squished, which causes all sorts of health problems for many. Same thing with testicles clothed and unclothed when walking, etc. Study after study shows what happens to fertility and health for men who have their testicles squished in jockey shorts vs. those in boxers. Testicular cancer rates are much higher in men with squished testicles. Even so, just pants without underwear tend to squish them too, and as far as I know, there are no studies that show the testicular cancer rates for clothed vs. unclothed men. But, I imagine it would be even lower yet.

Believe it or not, that is VERY uncomfortable!! Most men seem to be okay with the discomfort somehow, but for those who have lived nude, and for those of us with larger than average testicles, it is nearly unbearable. So, nude recreation and lifestyle is not only healthier for men, but also more comfortable.

For women (only speaking for my wife), clothed or not doesn't make a lot of difference. Sure, a bra helps her when running and playing sports, so she actually prefers not being nude when active. When laying around, she prefers to be nude.

I (as a man) prefer to be nude no matter what. So, it is much more important to me to be nude than it is to her.

Maybe that is why more men seem to be attracted to this?? If women had their breast squished between their legs, I am sure you would see a lot more women nudists too.

[Eternity]

Maybe that is why more men seem to be attracted to this? If women had their breast squished between their legs, I am sure you would see a lot more women nudists too.

If women had their breasts squished to their legs.... :eek: That sounds so horrible!! :surprised:

For me nudism is a total body experience, I love the feeling of freedom it gives me. I don't know how it feels to have testicles flattened by clothing but I do know how it feels to wear a bra on a warm day and I doubt it feels worse than that.

Do you really think that for guys it's mostly about letting their manhood enjoy freedom? :confused: Somehow I doubt that.

[Pete Knight]

Do you really think that for guys it's mostly about letting their manhood enjoy freedom? :confused: Somehow I doubt that.

Believe me, after a hot day in the office or driving to meetings at sites, I just couldn't wait to let my danglies free and feel the cool fresh air around them.

I find that I feel the need to let them dangle free all the more as I get older, not sure why that is. I used to wear tight fitting clothes when I was younger, now I need to have more space to dance (More ballroom!).

Pete Knight

[Eternity]

lol so the only way to increase the number of female nudists is to give them a sex change :surprised:

[HabaneroSting]

From my perspective men think less of being nude than women. For such gender differences I think back to what cavemen would have done as being more reflective of evolution. Men were out on the hunt and clothing was restrictive, heavy and kept you from keeping up with fast moving pray. And also used their parts to intimidate the enemy. I think the basic instincts are still there. Today's society at large has a negative view of nude women for the most part. I expect that is a process of societal evolution somehow and makes most women self conscious. However, the goal of nudist activists is to counter the oppressions of society for the freedom to be yourself. It is a bigger leap for women to overcome then men. It will also take women nudists recruiting other women nudists to fill the gaps. I think most women would be suspicious of men trying to convince them to be socially nude.

[Running Bear]

I teach naturist yoga and I can assure you there is nothing more physical than this activity. The womans breasts move under the influence of gravity in a healthy way. The breast massage of gravity improves tone in the breast tissues and the swing is liberating. The man's testicles fare the same. Restricting either of the more mobile parts of the body is not the yoga way. Yoga was traditionally done near naked or in a loin cloth.

From a physical and mental point of view I can see no reason for the male: female problem. Both sexes have no shame in yoga and enjoy the discipline naked. The feeling of the naked body in yoga is the same for men and women.

I suspect the sex ratios does depend on the activity. I walk in the open countryside but few women do. I swim in a pool infested with women. I attend naturist events and the balance is often more equal. I have yet to receive an explanation that I agree with but suspect it may be a multi-faceted problem. Men dominant - no; some women terrify me. Women more gentle and modest - no' some women threaten me. Are women meant to be more modest than men? Nudity is not immodest!!

When truly in a naturist environment the writing on the tin says naturism for all so unless we are breeding pigeons you have a naked person not a gender section.

[usuallylurk]

I think most women would be suspicious of men trying to convince them to be socially nude.

A lot of men complain that there are no nudist women -- BUT -- there are some. It's just that to a great degree, they can't convince their mates to join them.

I know some single guys who have no problem finding female companions to accompany them to a nudist venue, and also others who have no problem mingling with single nudist women.

Being a married guy -- I wouldn't know how to go about doing this, but if I wouldn't "tip my (nudist) hand" until I knew someone long enough so I could confide in her ... also, if I had a serious relationship and my partner said "I would never do that", I would have to make a decision - the relationship, or nudism?

And of course, we are faced with the element of men who come into nudism with the primary objective of seeking a mate, and those guys almost always end up disappointed...

I saw a scene in a movie = "European Road Trip", where a woman went to a nude beach, and was "rushed" by a number of solo males... I am not surprised if this happens far too often.

[Sanslines]

A lot of men complain that there are no nudist women -- BUT -- there are some. It's just that to a great degree, they can't convince their mates to join them.

I know some single guys who have no problem finding female companions to accompany them to a nudist venue, and also others who have no problem mingling with single nudist women.

Being a married guy -- I wouldn't know how to go about doing this, but if I wouldn't "tip my (nudist) hand" until I knew someone long enough so I could confide in her ... also, if I had a serious relationship and my partner said "I would never do that", I would have to make a decision - the relationship, or nudism?

And of course, we are faced with the element of men who come into nudism with the primary objective of seeking a mate, and those guys almost always end up disappointed...

I saw a scene in a movie = "European Road Trip", where a woman went to a nude beach, and was "rushed" by a number of solo males... I am not surprised if this happens far too often.

Nudism is just one aspect of a meaningful relationship. No relationship will ever last based purely on nudism. A meaningful relationship must be based upon numerous shared interests and common values and understandings. If someone seeks a nudist mate, then (as you have mentioned) they should first search for a mate and then bring up the topic of nudism afterwards.

[OZJames]

The gender balance question is often asked but despite that it is still interesting. The quick answer has been stated above - women are more self conscious of their body shape and if they have a few extra pounds on board they don't want it seen by others. Films and advertising constantly promote the beautiful body which leaves us with not so perfect bodies "out in the cold" feeling depressed. I am reading an article by Kate Jennings at the moment which has just described a very classy (expensive") restaurant on the Upper East Side (of Manhatten) as full of women who have "been under the knife" some of whom can't say the letter "P" because of Botox. I find that the fact that people must resort to plastic surgery to maintain their feeling of wellness of mind and body very upsetting. Why cant we all get old gracefully.

Boreas says that women are taught to "hide it" and men are taught to "flaunt it" - well I am not sure about that. I know that many men flaunt themselves to some extent. We have recently returned from a weeks holiday at a naturist Village (Charco del Palo - Lanzarote) and most of the men there had nothing much to be proud to flaunt. We live on an isolated farm, it was my wife who started the nudity on our farm, we have two couples who visit us in each case the women go nude often in a totally relaxed way with my wife and I but their husbands do not go nude at all - they don't protest but just keep their swimmers on.

[vanesa1017]

It kind of is a cause and effect thing.

If a woman is concerned because there are more guys, then actually tries nudism and realizes that yes there are more guys, then that might keep her away. It is kinda a shame.

I also have heard of a lot of male only nude groups, and don't know of many female only groups. Are there any?

[usuallylurk]

Nudism is just one aspect of a meaningful relationship. No relationship will ever last based purely on nudism. A meaningful relationship must be based upon numerous shared interests and common values and understandings. If someone seeks a nudist mate, then (as you have mentioned) they should first search for a mate and then bring up the topic of nudism afterwards.

Absolutely! Someone compared nudism to pepperoni pizza. Two people might have a love for pepperoni pizza but it isn't enough to build a relationship with.

Too many men enter nudism thinking that it's a dating paradise -- and they find either that it's not.

Or in the WORST of cases, they make judgements and assumptions as to why the women are there...

I've been known for my bluntness in here, and I also sense that many of the men who come into nudism on their own -- NOT ALL -- but many --- are lonely people.

Nudism affords social opportunities, and it offers companionship and some great life experiences. And if you're a lone male, you can come into nudist living and you will enjoy those things. But if you are looking for female companionship?

Guys - if you have trouble having relationships with women in the textile world, the nudist world isn't the place to overcome those problems.

Many of the guys who date, and have relationships with women, and get into living in the textile world often have no problems doing so in the nudist arena. But if you can't "click with the chicks" in your everyday life, you're going to find the situation far more disappointing in our world.

There are women in nudism, single women in nudism -- but they're very independent. They often have careers. They know what they want in life, and in a mate, if they're looking for one at all.

As I say -- if you have a variety of interests, a career, an interest in the arts, music, food, wine, travel, etc. etc. you may find happiness, and a mate, in nudism.

But if your hobbies are Star Trekking, or comic book collecting, and you're over 30 and you still live at home with your parents, well, uh.....