How did you get started in nudism?

[travelguy]

I found nudism all on my own, in my mid 30's. I wish I had found it earlier. To have been able to raise my daughter as a nudist. But it least I found it.

[nudeM]

Re: How did you get started in nudism?

I had a very rough time in my life losing several family members and close friends, I decided life was too short. I found nudism as a means of relief.

[naturalmanwa]

Re: How did you get started in nudism?

I found it on my own many years ago. I went from swimming nude with my friends as a teen, enjoying it to find more clothes free activities. I find being nude is very relaxing and stress relieving, especially while working in the garden!

[Mosquito_Bait]

Re: How did you get started in nudism?

I went to a beach near Santa Cruz with some friends. My friends and I didn't go nude, but there were others on the beach who were nude. I had always assumed that nudists operated on the principle of "You show me yours and I'll show you mine." The concept was new to me that a person could be nude in front of others and not feel any shame or embarrassment. It looked like fun and I resolved to try it. Once I did try it, I never wanted to wear a swimsuit again. This is something that non-nudists need to understand. It isn't about seeing others nude, or being seen nude by others. It's about feeling the sun and breeze all over your body, and not having to deal with a soggy swimsuit full of sand.

[NudonyII]

Re: How did you get started in nudism?

There were several factors that led to my embracing nudism. The first, perhaps "key event" was a nude lake/beach visit when I was about 4-5. My Dad had heard of this nude beach when we lived in Germany; and he wanted to check it out. We drove out there, he went nude; my Mom didn't go nude, so I didn't either. But I remember fairly clearly a couple of siblings - around my age - who were running up and down the beach having a blast. When they rejoined their Mom, and I saw their interaction, I was struck. Even though the concept of being completely nude with one's parents in an open environment was alien to me, I was struck by the beauty of it. That day stayed with me for years. And I didn't have another nude beach experience until 20 years later.

When puberty hit me, I developed a weird peeping-tom thing. I had grown up in a prudish environment, and I wanted to see nude people; but didn't want to be seen myself. I might have never been able to turn that around had it not been for one particular friend. She was a home-nudist and my introduction to the concept of not staying dressed if you don't have to. Her approach was very unique: it was home-nudism with an artistic twist. She used to draw and paint a lot; usually nudes of herself painted while nude. She would then hang her artwork up around her room; so there were nudes of her all over her walls. At first I thought she was nuts; but we developed a friendship nonetheless. And as our friendship grew, she grew more comfortable being nude around me. It wasn't that she just stayed nude around me; it was that she stopped caring about how much of her was covered or uncovered when I visited. I came to find her nude attitude very inspirational; yet found myself incapable of doing the same.
I had developed an interest in clothesfree philosophy at that point; but was still a long way from actualizing it.

The third event was when I visited France after moving out some 5 years earlier. I was in the mountains where my Mom had relocated, hiking on my own in the middle of nowhere. And that's when it hit me. I had developed all these fine ideals and philosophy about clothefreedom, and except for some sporadic moments spent nude "hidden in the shadows", had never really experienced it. And right there on top of that cliff, with no one around, I just took off all my clothes. I walked around a bit, climbed some rocks; and I knew that was it. I knew that from that point on I would practice my nudist philosophy; being nude when/where I could and as much as possible.

[JohnE44]

Re: How did you get started in nudism?

for me i rember my mother letting me air dry after my bath in the summer but i think my first time nude in public was when i was 9-10 and my parents were at a lake fishing and i was bord and i talked them into letting me go swimming there were other kide and parents around and there was allways 1or2 boys that were nude i rember my mother telling not to run in and out of the water and if anyone said anything i would have to dress nothing was ever said and i had a great time

[jasenj]

Re: How did you get started in nudism?

I went on a backpacking trip with my mother, aunt & her husband, and their two daughters. I was about 12, I think. It was known in the family that the aunt's family skinny-dipped in a creek on their property. While we were backpacking, the aunt & husband skinny-dipped; they laid out on rocks & sunbathed. I thought they looked very comfortable, relaxed, and "at one" with nature. I knew then that nudity in nature was "Good" and something I wanted to do.

A little later, in jr. high, there was a small river I could walk up to get home from the bus. Many days I would walk up the river, find swimming holes, and skinny-dip. In high school, my step-brother's mom had a private pool; he and I would sometimes skinny-dip there with the knowledge of his mom & step-dad. I would also sometimes close all the curtains in the house and lounge around nude.

Finally, when I graduated from college, I moved to central Florida. There with the help of the rec.nude Usenet group I discovered Playalinda, Paradise Lakes, and Lake Como Club (which I joined). Rec.nude is where I discovered there's lots of people who share a love of naturism and learned about the organized movement side of nudism.

I credit that backpacking trip as very foundational to my thoughts on social nudity. To me, that trip is what naturism is all about - enjoying the sun, water & air over your whole body, relaxing completely free and unashamed. Whenever someone questions the motives behind nudism/naturism or it's "rightness", I can look back on that memory and know that they are wrong.

- Jasen.

P.S. I've also been told that as a toddler I would take off my diaper and run around naked to the amusement of others. Maybe those early experiences stuck somewhere deep in my brain.

[nuada]

Re: How did you get started in nudism?

Well I've been a closet nudist since childhood. Grew up in a very conservative textile house and so my nudism was never out in the open. I ran naked in the woods behind our house when I was alone and started sleeping nude when I was 10 or so. Today I always sleep nude and stay nude on waking until the teenager gets up or I need to leave the house. Oh and my wife no longer gives me dirty looks when she finds me nude outside the bedroom.

[lightmetal]

Re: How did you get started in nudism?

Not sure what really caused my non-embarrassment about nudity, but was never really freaked out by it, even growing up. I really started with the at home nudity while living by myself in a new apartment. I was working at a plant making metal car parts, and would get home covered in metal shavings/slivers/dust. Not wanting to spread the mess through the apartment, I would strip down just inside the doorway. One day, I decided to just stay naked, and I loved it (as I thought I would). When the wife and kids moved in from our old place, I didn't change the routine. They were a little freaked/weird about it at first, but it didn't take long until they weren't the least fazed by it. Since then, we have all been to a few resorts, and the rest is history. I am still the only one who has embraced nudism fully, but that doesn't really shock me....wife with body image hangups, and a son who hasn't figured out who he is yet. Neither one has any problem walking from the bath to the bedroom nude, but that's about it.

[freecospirit]

Re: How did you get started in nudism?

For many years I had been curious about naturism but never had the courage to try it. However, on holiday in Crete my wife and chanced across a nude beach which was deserted aside from a single nude and an older clothed couple. We thought "why not?" and picked a separate part of the beach where we stripped off. My first recollection was the fantastic sensation of body freedom that being naked outdoors brings. At first when people walked by we covered ourselves but when nobody seemed concerned we just as we where just lying on the beach and going for the odd dip. Not many others came to the beach but one couple picked a spot at the back of the beach furthest from the sea; the man came first in his costume and slipped it off before entering the water. The woman almost proudly walked the full length of the beach completely naked and went for a swim.

We enjoyed that day so much that although have never joined a club on holiday we look for nude beaches, in the UK where I live there aren't any places near home. When we find a nude or clothing optional beach I'm always nude sometimes the only one and I'm even brazen about exploring the hinterland wearing just sandals and sunglasses. Essentially as long as people expect to see nudists there it doesn't bother me if they are clothed, it is after all clothing optional, but it is more relaxing if some others are also nude. Like the majority of nudists I wouldn't go nude where it was judged inappropriate.

[sweetiepie]

Re: How did you get started in nudism?

I found nudism all on my own so im not too emabarrased to be nude.its too hot for clothes.i really enjoy it.my boyfriend got me hooked on this site and I really like it.

[northlondoner]

Re: How did you get started in nudism?

I started through having saunas, which were initially men only, until I moved house and the local leisure centre had mixed saunas that were clothes optional (the place no longer has a sauna, though I still meet someone I first met there over 20 years ago at another sauna). A few years later I visited saunas abroad and then beaches.

I have made many acquaintances and friends and equally as importantly saunas in winter has transformed my holiday choices and just my general feelings in winter.

[Normski]

Re: How did you get started in nudism?

We were on holiday in Eastbourne on the Sussex Coast in England about 30 years ago and visited Brighton where the nudist beach had recently opened. We went to "have a laugh" at the nudists but as we approached we looked at each other and said "As we are here shall we give it a go? We did, enjoyed it and joined the National Organisation and a club.

Norman

[78828892]

Re: How did you get started in nudism?

We were on holiday in Eastbourne on the Sussex Coast in England about 30 years ago and visited Brighton where the nudist beach had recently opened. We went to "have a laugh" at the nudists but as we approached we looked at each other and said "As we are here shall we give it a go? We did, enjoyed it and joined the National Organisation and a club.

Norman

I couldn´t tell. Ever since I have memory, I used to go naked into the family´s pool in our family´s farm. May be due to the fact that my grandfather was Swedish, the thing is we boys could be unrestrictedly naked at the pool. My mom and grandma didn´t go nude, but wouldn´t object (in fact, it wasn´t even an issue) to our nudity, even in our teen and young adult years. Then, my grandparents passed away, and I continued being naked at the family pool, as an adult, married and with children. My wife was surprised at first that I was naked in front of my mother without her or me caring at all, but in the end she got used to it. When my mother comes to visit us in the USA (we are from Argentina), since she wakes up early, and so do I, it is not unusual for me making breakfast in the kitchen, naked, and talking to my mother. But for some strange reason, my children (all adults now), did not take it after me and none of them is a nudist.

[nudesunguy]

Re: How did you get started in nudism?

It's interesting how nearly everyone found it on their own. And I'm guessing many are old enough to have done it "pre-internet." That's how I did it and I'm not even sure how; maybe saw a magazine or "The World Guide" somewhere? In any case, it was a real challenge to find out anything about nudity in those days. With the ease of finding things now, you'd think the beaches/resorts would be overflowing with young Google/Yelp searchers.