Will Americans ever “get out” of the Nudist Colony?

[NakedDaniel]

Haven't posted here in a while. But I thought I'd give it another go.

Latest blog post. Hope it stirs up some conversation.

ND

[Evernude]

Americans claim to love freedom, and mindlessly whoop and holler at the phrase "'the land of the free" when the National Anthem is played before a sporting event or NASCAR race, yet they both unknowingly and voluntarily give up freedoms every day. Unknowingly, because most Americans aren't paying attention to what their government is doing and are far more interested in shiny things and music videos. Voluntarily, because if they are paying attention, they are convinced that it's in the name of security or protecting the children.

Nudity and nudism in the US is being attacked on many fronts, but mostly from the religious right, who claim to hold the "moral majority" in the US, and are trying to "save" us from the devil. Many of them actually believe that hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes or other natural disasters are being wrought upon us by God because of the liberalization of Gay and Lesbian lifestyles in the US. Gays being allowed to marry, transgender people using restrooms, etc, have thrown them into apoplectic fits. They claim to be for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, unless someone else's behavior fails to comply with their religious beliefs. Then they clamor for the passage of "religious freedom" laws that seek allow them the freedom to take other people's freedom away. Amazing, isn't it?

The fact is that nudity is not illegal in many places in the US. For example, on any National Forrest or BLM lands, there are no laws against nudity. There is no Federal law against being naked. Those laws come from States, Counties and Cities that pass their own "morality" laws, most of which ban nudity in public places. So far, Americans still have the right to be naked on private property as long as it can't be seen by the public,or from a public place, or by anyone who could be offended. The funny thing is, the vast majority of everyday Americans are not offended by nudity. The USA is the biggest producer and consumer of pornography on the planet, after all. Seeing people naked is not a problem for most people, only a vocal and powerful few who claim to be acting in defense of "morality" and "the children" when they scream about someone being seen naked.

Clothing optional places can be found in the US. Good ones, too. The challenge is to get people to go to them and give it a try. These places can't survive without customers, and the bigger the clientele, the broader the base of power they have to fight over zealous law makers intent on shutting them down. So, the real question is; How do we get Americans to get out to the nudist colony?

[atalanta]

Very well said Evernude. Such a shame that so much noise comes from such a small minority who are unwilling to tolerate opinions that differ from their own.

[natureboy1776]

There seem to be two prominent opponents to naturist culture in the US. The vocal "moral" ones and the general population. The Vocal/moral opponents are overcompensating for their perversions. Examples, politicians and religious leaders who later we find out are into terrible things behind closed doors. Seems the more vocal they are the worse things they themselves are into.
Then you have the general population that are OK with seeing naked, but actually want to see sex. They watch HBO and read Playboy. They devour gossip news about who is sleeping with who and they have one-night-stands. They can not conceive of being socially nude with friends because "where is the sex?" Oh and many are ridiculously homo-phobic.
It was very interesting to sit in on the hearings in NH this year over the "Free The Nipple" protests.

[usuallylurk]

It was very interesting to sit in on the hearings in NH this year over the "Free The Nipple" protests.

This question is sort-of off topic - but what's up with FTN? I know that the legislature just told them = "Yeah go ahead, we're not gonna stop you on state property" ... after which point, we have heard or seen no news about future activity.

I went to the website - it seems all that's there is that they're selling t-shirts, no events scheduled, etc. I know they were tying the indie movie in with this - but there's no info on any upcoming protests, demonstrations, etc.

Is the group still running? Dormant? What's the status?

[Agde]

Will Americans ever “get out” of the Nudist Colony?...

This question is sort-of off topic - but what's up with FTN?...

The answer to both the original getting-out-of-the-colony question and Lurk's FTN question are sort of encapsulated in comments in a recent Irish Times "Free the Nipple" article:

For men, its when there's a visceral awareness of "male gaze" conditioning: "For the first time in my life I feel free from the macho teenage chauvinistic, stereotyping, misogynistic bull**** I was brought up in and bought in to. I also feel really sad about all the lost opportunities to create positive relationships with women because I bought in to the bull**** – it’s made me really sad. But mainly, it’s liberating..."

For women, its when there's a visceral awareness of being conditioned to care about a "paradigmatic standard of feminine beauty" (the passively-watching-being-watched flip-side of "male gaze"): "Even when [women] feel it’s unfair, unequal and wrong, [we] are so afraid of judgment... I wanted to take my top off to protest, but my boobs aren't good enough, I’'d feel so embarrassed...”

FreetheNipple.com ("FTN") is not at the forefront of female-side of "the movement" because there isn't a forefront. Its everywhere and there is a lot happening this summer among women that men can support by just not buying into "the macho teenage chauvinistic stereotyping" i.e. men don't have to proclaim it, just live it, women will sense it, and we'll all be happier. None of us ever actually fit the "paradigmatic" stereotypes for gender looks or attitude anyway.

Meantime, the change in social gender relationships that FreeTheNipple represents is exactly what's needed to get social nudity out of the colonies. But of course it may also reduce the number of people who tag themselves "nudists" as opposed to normal. OK, back to the last few days of my normal (nude) vacation...

[natureboy1776]

This question is sort-of off topic - but what's up with FTN? I know that the legislature just told them = "Yeah go ahead, we're not gonna stop you on state property" ... after which point, we have heard or seen no news about future activity.

I went to the website - it seems all that's there is that they're selling t-shirts, no events scheduled, etc. I know they were tying the indie movie in with this - but there's no info on any upcoming protests, demonstrations, etc.

Is the group still running? Dormant? What's the status?

'Lurk, there has been lots of activity from FTN-NH. There are topfree women on several NH beaches and hiking trails nearly every day this summer. We have held protests at non-complying towns like Gilford and Laconia. And our big day is next Sunday 8-28, when we celebrate "Go Topless Day" at Hampton beach. Come on down and join us.
As you noticed "freethenipple.com" is a ad site for the movie with a try-in forum to the movement but the real action has been in FB closed groups and other forums around the world.

Now back to the original subject or the tread...

[riptidenj]

No, and i don't think we should. At the risk of being called a mossback or a Fudd (hey, I am a Life Member of SNM-Sons of Neanderthal Man) I am a firm believer in the old concept of Proper Time and Place, something which too many don't accept and that causes a lot of problems. For example, Gunnison Beach here in NJ is clearly posted, anyone who goes there knows what they will encounter, go to a place that says "nudist colony" or resort, you know what to expect. If a restaurant says BYOB, advertises itself as Italian or Chinese-again, don't ask for a T-bone steak or Lobster Thermidor. Likewise women who go into the women's or ladies room are entitled to reasonable expectations as to whom they will encounter.