Naturism & Beer

[ncognito66]

My daughter-in-law stopped by and I had the INA screensaver running. My son and I have been slowly trying to convince her to try naturism. Her comment after seeing the photos on the screensaver was "So you have to drink to be a naturist huh? Just about every photo has a beer in it".

I've reviewed the photos and she was exaggerating somewhat, but there is a lot of pics with what appears to be Smirnoff in them (I don't drink).

Is this the message we really want to send?

Alan
http://www.vermontnudism.com

[ncognito66]

My daughter-in-law stopped by and I had the INA screensaver running. My son and I have been slowly trying to convince her to try naturism. Her comment after seeing the photos on the screensaver was "So you have to drink to be a naturist huh? Just about every photo has a beer in it".

I've reviewed the photos and she was exaggerating somewhat, but there is a lot of pics with what appears to be Smirnoff in them (I don't drink).

Is this the message we really want to send?

Alan
http://www.vermontnudism.com

[NudeAl]

First let me start off with this is just my opinion and I could be wrong here but....

I feel like when someone already has a preconceived notion about things they can find plenty of reasons to justify themselves. I know I will never change the way my kids think about the nude lifestyle. They all participated when they were kids but then when they got older in their teens they stopped. I haven't pushed the idea either.

As to the alcohol in the pic's are we really that politically correct now that we have to censor our pic's that closely? I mean get real! I go to the beach to relax and let off stress about my normal life and part of that means having a drink or two.

I think she my have been trying to get under your skin. She knows you are a non-drinker and that you are a naturist and she sees this as a way to needle you about something she feels very different about than you do. I know that is the way my kids are whenever they can prove the old man wrong or just pull his chain a little to get him riled up they just love to do it.

[FireProf]

Gotta agree with NudeAl. It wouldn't matter if you drank, smoked, told dirty jokes or whatever, she was going to find something that associated your naturism with something bad or considered bad.

We are a part of society. We do things just like everyone else whether we wear clothes or not. We are drinkers, smokers, swearers,gossiper's, you name it, we can find it in our naturist group. We have also gotten too Politically Correct for our own good. I would hate to think that we now cannot enjoy our lifestyle because someone else that chooses to wear clothes doesn't agree with some small thing I do. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]

[Frank R]

In this same spirit, I read about a protest in New York state. A new statute of FDR had been put up and a large number of people objected to it because he was holding a cigarette in a cigarette holder. As a long time student of history, the simple fact is that FDR did smoke and he did use a cigarette holder. However, smoking today has become so "evil" that many people want to re-write history so as to not show it. So I must agree, some people will find any excuse to object to something.

[Nude in the North]

I see lots of Beer and Liquer commercials/ads where people are sitting at a beach or doing other "normal" activities while drinking.
Does that mean you "Have to" drink to go to the beach clothed?

I figure if they can do it dressed, I can do it nude.
I wish I could do everything else "they" do.

Steve

[Bartamus]

NE Alan: Actually there aren't that many INA photos that depict naturists with alcohol.
Secondly, every naturist resort INA has been to
allows alcohol.
I think the point is well taken. True naturists
can enjoy being naked and handle alcohol at the
same time. I'm all for political correctness when appropriate, but I don't think it applies here.

[NW Nude]

We have been RV'ing for over 10 years now. The same percentage of textiled and nudist for alcohol consumption is the same across both groups (in my opinion). I've yet to be at a nudist function where someone was out of control or had crossed the line. At several textiled functions over the years, there's been barfing, inappropriate touching, language etc. I believe nudist are much better at policing themselves to protect our right to be nude. Most people at this weeks music festival had bottled water???? Go figure.

[FireProf]

I don't think just because we are nudists we need to hold ourselves to a much higher standard than non nudists. We need to respect each other and give each other the rights to do what we want.

We don't smoke. I think that providing an area to eat, drink and so on without someone blowing smoke in my face should be provided. But we also think that those wishing to smoke should be provided a place to do so also. If I choose to sit outside in a patio of a restaurant and they allow smoking there, I should not complain.

We are social drinkers. We do not get drunk, get obnoxious, get sick and so on. I don't think just because we are nudists we should refrain from drinking because I am a nudist and we want to display this false front. We, nudists, are just regular people with all the same wants, needs, faults, and hang ups as those who choose to wear clothes all the time.

Nothing changes a person just because they choose not to wear clothes most of the time.

[img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]

[ncognito66]

You're right. She was just probably trying to push my buttons!

[greensunshine]

I wish I could agree with the others and their view points on nudism and drinking, but I can't [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_redface.gif[/img]

For some reason wherever nudist tend to congragate, alcohol tends to be an influencing factor in their social setting and this is not just on the beach but at their clubs too [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif[/img]

I have seen far to many people who can't/couldn't stop at just one drink...they seem to think that in order to fit in they need to have a drink in their hands the majority of the time...and more often than not the drinking began in the morning and stopped only when it was time to call it a night.

Case in point is the NWNA president husband a few years ago at a social event...had it not been for alcohol being involved in the setting and a few to many drinks...remember as nudist we are imune from becoming alcoholics... "NOT" An embarassing fight would not have ensued over something really stupid, had both parties not been drinking.

Never during my time as a social nudist did I "NOT" see an event where alcohol was "NOT Present in some form, even in Dixie cups" and the majority of the time the clubs made a special point in having a special permit so they could sell the stuff.

One other confession, it was only at the clubs that I almost found myself being a misfit even more so if I didn't join in with the drinking...and I don't even like the stuff...but it was easier to have a glass, than not in their social setting :mad To make matters even worse, for those who can't drink because of their admitting to being an alcoholic, wantabee brews are made available so they too can feel like they be a part of the party that is never ending in their social settings.

So my advise to you who wonder how prevalent is alcohol in nude setting...take another look at the photos and they will speak for themselves...

Greensunshine in the Pacific NW [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[NW Nude]

Now that us social drinkers have been made to look like we are all bad. Look at any textile club....it is the same in all demographics!!! Just because we like to be nude, doesn't require us to change who we are or what we like to do. All of these events and clubs say "recreational" or "social". When I'm recreating or socializing, I enjoy an adult beverage (as most of society, clothed or not does). I have educated our kids on alcohol and don't condone over-use, fighting etc. But lighten up...have fun and stay naked. If you like a couple drinks have one. If your club gets a permit..then they should be commended for being responsible.

[missouriboy]

"So you have to drink to be a naturist huh?"

So you have to have sunglasses to be a naturist huh?

So you have to wear sandals to be a naturist huh?

So you have to have a towel to be a naturist huh?

So you have to like water to be a naturist huh?

So you have to play volleyball to be a naturist huh?

So you have to eat food to be a naturist huh?

So you have to _______ to be a naturist huh?

Yeah, sure, you can fill in the blank with just about anything that all people do, and the question has the exact same import... next to none!

Is playing volleyball and eating food the image we want to project? Gosh!! Heaven Forbid!!

[Kenny G]

Greensunshine, I can understand your point because I been in the same situation. I never had my first social drink until about five years ago (at age 34). Many times I felt like an outsider because I didn't drink, and many times in was easier to socialize if I got a soda in a cup from the bar, just so it looked like a mixed drink. But, I only joined the nudist club four years ago, and places all of those experiences in the textile world. That's an issue with society in general, not restricted to nudists or textiles. If the people around you shun you or otherwise make you feel wrong because you're not drinking, THEY are the ones who have a problem. Remember that being a nudist/naturist is all about accepting yourself and others as we are, we may not like everything about everyone, but we should strive to accept.

[luvnaturism]

I agree that we ought to avoid naturist places completely because we'll all be given a bad name by association with those nudists who enjoy a can of beer or a mixed drink.

For the same reason I no longer attend baseball, football, basketball, or hockey games. In fact I don't go to any sporting events except fourth grade soccer. I want to be sure that someone doesn't mistake me for a person who might like a drink.

Unfortunately I can no longer take my wife dancing, and our selection of suitable eating places is really limited. These things are just part of the price I'm willing to pay to make sure no one thinks I like to be places where anyone is taking a drink. My wife's not very happy with me, but what can you do?

We tried church, but can you believe it? We were offered wine during communion. Naturally we left immediately, and haven't been back. We even visited a synagogue, where we were offered spirits during the fellowship time after the service. Disgusting.

Mostly we just stay home now and watch TV. I keep the clicker in my hand so I can instantly change channels if a beer ad comes on. It's hard to follow the plot that way, but what can you do?

It's not much of a life, but at least no one thinks I enjoy hanging out with people who drink. I have overheard people saying other unflattering things about me, but they know I don't hang around people who drink. You just have to stand up for what's right.

-----

OK, that's the sermon. Now here's the advice: there's too much life that you'll miss if you never go where someone is taking an adult beverage. Enjoy your nude outings, and don't worry about what someone has or doesn't have in their glass.

But don't accept drunkenness. It's just not necessary. If people are drinking too much, move away and then don't go back to that particular place.

We've been to many nude or clothing optional places over the years. In that time we've maybe seen two people who obviously had too much to drink. We've never seen a group that was obnoxious.

How can that be? We're careful where we go. We have strong convictions about excessive use of alcohol, and we just don't go to places that we can't reasonably believe will be well managed with high standards.

Can we do that and have fun? You bet. We look for hilarity and move right into it. As a result there are cameras around with pictures that show us with a drink in our hands. What the pictures can't show is that it was the only drink we had all night, so I suppose someone could point to us and say, "Those nudists sure do drink a lot."

And here's a question for those of us who are Christians: who was the world's most famous supplier of wedding wine? [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]