Being clothed around others

[Slim-Tall]

A lot of times I get to meet with friends that I have been nude with. Usually we are clothed because we are somewhere that nudity isn't appropriate.
How do you feel when you are around others like this? I think that it makes our relationship better when everyone has knowledge of everyone's naked appearance. It kind of brings down the barriers of clothing even though we are dressed. I wonder what people we see in public would think if they knew that.

[Slim-Tall]

A lot of times I get to meet with friends that I have been nude with. Usually we are clothed because we are somewhere that nudity isn't appropriate.
How do you feel when you are around others like this? I think that it makes our relationship better when everyone has knowledge of everyone's naked appearance. It kind of brings down the barriers of clothing even though we are dressed. I wonder what people we see in public would think if they knew that.

[Bob S.]

The nudity factor has something to do with it, but not the way you are describing. If two extreme Star Trek fans met at a convention, each dressed in their Starfleet Uniforms, and then later on met at a grocery store, their friendship would be enhanced by their love of Star Trek. The same holds true for nudists. Your friendship is enhanced by your mutual recreational activities, not by the fact that you know what each other look like naked.

Bob S.

[luvnaturism]

quote:

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Originally posted by Slim-Tall:
[qb]I think that it makes our relationship better when everyone has knowledge of everyone's naked appearance..[/qb]

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My guess is that everyone is different on this point. Personally I don't seem to have much recall of other people's naked appearance if I meet them in a clothed setting. I definitely don't stand there and imagine what they look like nude. Their nudity just isn't that important to me.

I agree that any relationship is enhanced each time you add another dimension to it. I also think that being nude with others is an experience of trust, and that trust definitely carries into the relationship when it is placed in other settings.

[David77]

I don't think that I feel any differently toward a person when I see that same person clothed.

[Rik]

I agree with luvnaturism: it's the element of mutual trust which enhances the relationship.

[David77]

quote:

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Originally posted by Rik:
[qb]I agree with luvnaturism: it's the element of mutual trust which enhances the relationship.[/qb]

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Mutual trust enhances ANY relationship!

However, I don't see that simply being nude at the same time in a social setting will very much enhance trust in that person without knowing that person's personality traits over time, and then deciding in which specific areas the person (or persons) may be trusted.

[Rik]

David77,

Well you're right to a point when you say "I don't see that simply being nude at the same time in a social setting will very much enhance trust", but in my experience it goes a long way.

Whilst there will always be a small number of people who abuse naturism for their own ends most nudists, certainly the ones I've come into contact with, are so open and honest that they feel unthreatened by me and are themselves unthreatening. By and large they treat others with a much higher degree of trust and respect than non-nudists. I think this is because nudists have just about nothing left to hide from others.

These are not just empty, idealistic words but for me are representative of my experience. As an example I regularly tour countries of Europe and have stayed at campsites in France, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark etc. There is a marked contrast in the atmosphere between nudist sites and regular sites. At nudist sites, for example, everyone (without exception) cleans up after themselves when using showers or washbasins or cooking facilities. I feel completely happy to leave valuables in my tent and even leave the tent door open when I'm not there - something I would never do at a regular campsite. At several places I've been to you can buy beers or food and just leave the money in a tin! That would be completely unheard of in a non-nudist camp site. I have never witnessed rowdy behaviour or suffered noisy neighbours at a nudist site whereas these things are commonplace at ordinary sites.

So if I have been socialy nude with someone I can feel pretty safe in the knowledge that I'm dealing with someone who respects me, respects my space and in return I feel the same towards them.

Of course there'll always the exception that proves the rule!

Rik

[Bartamus]

Slim Tall: I think what your getting at is a
"bond" naturists feel with each other whether
clothed or not. Since we are few in numbers, I
always feel a lot more comfortable around friends
of mine who are naturists and understand that
part about me. It's like we speak the same language. Yeah, I already know what they look
like naked as they do me. But I think it adds to
the comfort zone around us.

[Slim-Tall]

Bartamus,
That is right. I guess it would be no different than if you were in a place surrounded by people who looked the same (i.e. all clothed) but were completely different (always clothed). Meeting someone like yourself would be a bond. It would be a "secret" bond between that person and yourself especially if that bond were divulged that it could result in some kind of persecution. But also from an aesthetic point of view it would be kind of like being next to a masterwork painting that is draped over and you and only one other person (the painter) have ever seen the painting. That would be a kind of bond.

[Slim-Tall]

Bartamus,
That is right. I guess it would be no different than if you were in a place surrounded by people who looked the same (i.e. all clothed) but were completely different (always clothed). Meeting someone like yourself would be a bond. It would be a "secret" bond between that person and yourself especially if that bond were divulged that it could result in some kind of persecution. But also from an aesthetic point of view it would be kind of like being next to a masterwork painting that is draped over and you and only one other person (the person who brought the painting --and of course the painter--) have ever seen the painting. That would be a kind of bond.

[Mic]

My reaction to being around someone I had seen naked is shown in the following.

In college, I took a swim PE course and all the guys were nude, no problem later.

Before I got into naturism, I briefly saw nude photos of a female friend. I was nervous when next I saw her (clothed). She too was nervious since she had not authorized the distribution of the photos. After time we both got over it.

Early in naturism, I met a female HS student in one of my classes. On the following Monday, we smiled and went on as usual.

On a CO beach, I ran into friends from home who were walking the beach. We stood and talked normally (me naked, they clothed) for about ten minutes. I noticed that she checked me out several times. Later at home, he would not talk to me, she remained very friendly and in a crowd, she sought me out. Her attitude eliminated any worry on my part. His attitude did not.

I met couple friends at a CO resort in Carribean, we all enjoyed our beach time and then enjoyed nude tub time back home.

People I have met at naturist site are always cheerful in the outside world. Some have been or are best friends.

I guess that is all the options.