What does body acceptance mean?

[Gary Naturist]

I'm wondering what the term body acceptance means, and whether there are different levels of body acceptance and whether these levels necessarily involve nudity. Here are my suggestions as to how to classify one's level of body acceptance.

Level 1. The most basic level is being comfortable with your own body. You are not ashamed of any part of your body (although you might want to improve your physical self). In order to qualify at this level, you need to be comfortable being nude in private and with your partner.

Test of level 1: Spend the day nude at home.

Level 2. You are comfortable being nude in the presence of at least one of: family (other than partner), friends, strangers at a nudist or clothing-optional location. At least one the others must be of the opposite sex.

Test of level 2: Sunbathe nude with friends on your deck in the daytime (assuming no worries about the neighbors).

Level 3. You are comfortable being nude in the presence of all of the groups in stage 2 AND anyone clothed (assuming that person is not offended by nudity).

Test of level 3: Go nude for a day at the invitation of the host during a weekend visit to a cottage with a group of mostly clothed, non-nudist friends of both sexes.

Level 4. You are comfortable being nude in the presence of a large group of strangers, almost all of whom are clothed (assuming that they are not offended).

Test of level 4: Go nude in the Bare-to-Breakers run/walk in San Francisco or for the whole weekend at Burning man Festival at Black Rock, Nevada.

Level 5: Is there another level?

Is this an appropriate classification system for body acceptance? Where are you on the scale?

Gary

[Gary Naturist]

I'm wondering what the term body acceptance means, and whether there are different levels of body acceptance and whether these levels necessarily involve nudity. Here are my suggestions as to how to classify one's level of body acceptance.

Level 1. The most basic level is being comfortable with your own body. You are not ashamed of any part of your body (although you might want to improve your physical self). In order to qualify at this level, you need to be comfortable being nude in private and with your partner.

Test of level 1: Spend the day nude at home.

Level 2. You are comfortable being nude in the presence of at least one of: family (other than partner), friends, strangers at a nudist or clothing-optional location. At least one the others must be of the opposite sex.

Test of level 2: Sunbathe nude with friends on your deck in the daytime (assuming no worries about the neighbors).

Level 3. You are comfortable being nude in the presence of all of the groups in stage 2 AND anyone clothed (assuming that person is not offended by nudity).

Test of level 3: Go nude for a day at the invitation of the host during a weekend visit to a cottage with a group of mostly clothed, non-nudist friends of both sexes.

Level 4. You are comfortable being nude in the presence of a large group of strangers, almost all of whom are clothed (assuming that they are not offended).

Test of level 4: Go nude in the Bare-to-Breakers run/walk in San Francisco or for the whole weekend at Burning man Festival at Black Rock, Nevada.

Level 5: Is there another level?

Is this an appropriate classification system for body acceptance? Where are you on the scale?

Gary

[TXK NUDE]

I would think most would find themselves in the arena of Level 2 simply because the others beyond that are difficult at best for most to accomplish. However, if it were truly legal to be nude anywhere, then count me in at Level 5!

[Gary Naturist]

To clarify, the test shown for each level is intended as an example of what you should be comfortable doing at that level, not necessarily something that you have done or must do to qualify.

Gary

[Guest]

I am at the last level even though I can't practice it because of others who aren't comfortable with my nudity. I don't care who sees me although I still have some self-consciousness about my lact of manhood--particularly when I see 13-year-old boys with more than I've got.

However, if the other people didn't care I would be nude anywhere and everywhere I could, even if they are dressed. I can't even be nude all the time in my own home for fear of embarrassing others who aren't at all comfortable with nudity. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]

[TXK NUDE]

Agreed.