When and why did we choose to be nudists?

[garbo]

Is it genetic or environmental? Is there a "nudist" gene? Are we all exhibitionists? Are we a counter-culture? What are the common denominators that influence our decision to be nude? We are all different and we may have different reasons. Once we break down the basic fundamentals, this will give us a better understanding about ourselves and may allow us to be better equipped to share with the textile world.

[nudeM]

I think the common denominator is we all love to be nude and enjoy life, just as long as we stay within the limits and not "push the envelope" around others. I chose the nudist lifestyle due to an extremely difficult time in my life (deaths of family and friends) with the feeling, live life to the fullest, for you never know when it will end. I personally feel more relaxed and more at ease with nothing on.

[FireProf]

My wife has convinced me that there is a nudist gene. I have it and she doesn't. I have the need to be naked, she does not but enjoys being naked and being a nudist but ... she could give it up if I were not around. I could not and would not give it up ... it's truly a part of who I am.

You'll get tons of different opinions on "exhibitionist, counter-culture and common denominators" ... I've been this way since I can remember and decided to act on it when I knew I could get away with it. I was so afraid of being outted, seen, discovered ... I hardly suspect I was ever an exhibitionist and I certainly am not one now. I happen to be one of those that pushes the envelop but it must be taken in the right context. What some feel is pushing the envelop, I most certainly do not and because I drive naked, I take my trash cans out to the curb semi naked ( wearing a flannel - after midnight) ... in their eyes, I'm an exhibitionist ... I say ... "to whom? No one's up or out there!"

Freedom, comfort, less stressed, relaxed, feeling of well being ... all of these things have been stated as to why someone is a nudist or becomes a nudist. For me ... it's always been there. For my wife, she found what I found and embraced it the day after we were married.

[atalanta]

I'm not sure that there is anything in the genes that leads people to nudity. I suspect it stems more from circumstances, opportunity and the types of activity practised. I first discovered naturism soon after getting motorised mobility, and in consequence Independence of movement, in my late teens. I guess I was always a bit of an explorer, seeking out remote and unfrequented places. On a beach I always want to find what lies beyond the next headland. When you do this for a bit you realise there is no point or reason to be tied to clothing - nude is cleaner and less sweaty. For many years my main leisure activity was mountaineering and hill-walking. After a long, hard hike and descent there is nothing better than to tear off boots and clothes and jump into a mountain lake. The thought of putting any clothes on to do this is unimaginable to me. Not all of my companions shared the same views but a good number did - boys and girls.

When I was a child, in post-war years, we had to wear knitted wool swimming trunks, which would fill with water and hang off you like a sack of potatoes. I find it hard to think of anything more repulsive and uncomfortable, so that may have influenced my later attitudes. It is far more natural and comfortable to swim nude, where circumstances permit. My wife, who is about as far from being a nudist as you can get and will never go nude in public unless completely alone and isolated with me, now agrees and will normally swim nude in our home pool and tan afterwards the same way.

[usuallylurk]

It's not that complicated, Garbo, at least for people who get into it.

Curiosity got the better of us. We tried it together (mrslurk & I) on a Florida vacation. We liked it. We joined.

FireProf said = "Freedom, comfort, less stressed, relaxed, feeling of well being" ... sure, we might have found it in other endeavors, but we found it in nudism.

No it is not "genetic" and we are not all exhibitionists, although I have run into several men and women in nudism, through the years, that are/were.

We just like to do it. We like what comes with the "nudist package." The social experiences that come with it, I guess, add to it all.

[FireProf]

Well ... Garbo, the problem will be that you'll hear from the self appointed experts on when and why we choose to be nudists. I don't have the need to visit every event, visit every club daily, weekly, monthly ... I don't have to have a gathering to prove, what I know in my heart and mind, that I'm a nudist and a nudist in mind and heart. As I stated before, for some, it's about how often they get out there and do it with others. That defines nudism for them ... that's not what nudism is. Nudism is a philosophy, a mindset, a lifestyle and no where in the philosophy does it state that you must socialize to be a nudist.

In our opinion and, I think, in the vast majority of nudist's opinions, nudism is living a life without clothing and the preference to do so, It has nothing to do with doing it around others to be able to call yourself a nudist. Can an introvert be a nudist? Of course they can and many, many introverts do not socialize.

The "nudist package..." if there were no package, would you still "do it?" This is what troubles me with those that think you HAVE to socialize in order to be considered a nudist. For those that have the need to socialize to be naked, it's a past time, a hobby, it's done for recreation and socialization primarily. So if that all went away ... would they still have the want, need, desire to live naked ... even if it was alone? What's bunk and I've argued the fact that I could match anyone's involvement in social nudism here and I've never said or implied that if you're not social with your nudism, you're not a nudist. It's BS and to argue that fact is baseless and there are no facts to prove otherwise.

But ... I also wonder ... is there some scientific bases for stating "No it is not "genetic." Is this statement based on fact and data or is that another self proclaimed, expert opinion?

[scrptman]

I mostly subscribe to the "nudist gene" concept for the following reasons:

I gravitated toward wanting to be nude (all the time) in my early years (10-12) with absolutely zero environmental or familial influences. I grew up in the midwest where it was cold a lot of time, so weather was not a factor; no one in my immediate family, extended family, or friends was ever seen nude at any time, so there were no outside influences to "expose" me to nudism. In fact, I had no idea there was even a movement called nudism until much later in life.

So I found opportunities to skinny dip, hike, sun bathe, and be around the house nude whenever I could, so there was no social aspect to it at all...it was simply how I wanted to be. I found that I was most comfortable in my own skin when I was naked. Clothes were, and still are, extremely claustrophobic to me. This is how it came about for me, others may be different, but I think the gene is there and it is awakened by circumstances is some people, while it may stay supressed in others through years of conditioning and fear.

[FireProf]

I mostly subscribe to the "nudist gene" concept for the following reasons:

I gravitated toward wanting to be nude (all the time) in my early years (10-12) with absolutely zero environmental or familial influences. I grew up in the midwest where it was cold a lot of time, so weather was not a factor; no one in my immediate family, extended family, or friends was ever seen nude at any time, so there were no outside influences to "expose" me to nudism. In fact, I had no idea there was even a movement called nudism until much later in life.

So I found opportunities to skinny dip, hike, sun bathe, and be around the house nude whenever I could, so there was no social aspect to it at all...it was simply how I wanted to be. I found that I was most comfortable in my own skin when I was naked. Clothes were, and still are, extremely claustrophobic to me. This is how it came about for me, others may be different, but I think the gene is there and it is awakened by circumstances is some people, while it may stay supressed in others through years of conditioning and fear.

Great explanation. Yours and my opportunities, environment and family influences mirror each other and I, too, was like you but took to those same activities a little later (12-14). I think those that experienced this desire, early in their lives, are much different than those that came upon it later in life and decided to get involved in nudism. It's one thing to decide ... "this is fun, lets do this," and another to feel the need and desire to be nude whenever and wherever you can, from very early in your life.

Appreciate your input and story.

[natureboy1776]

It was a little different for me. I strive to dissect and overcome irrational fears. I found myself wondering why I had such a strong fear of nudity, my own mostly. I wondered why some others could comfortably change their clothes of walk around in only a towel, or even be nude on a beach. I wondered why I was suppose to be offended by the "indecent" parts. Why I was suppose to be grossed out by nudity. The more I thought about it, the more I realized there was no good reason for my fear, so I began to test myself. I have grown much though this process and gained a lot of confidence in myself. Now I may not live nude most of the time but I do enjoy Freehiking and would not miss the WNBR. I hate the thought of swimming in a "costume" and I often put off getting dressed until I have to. Am I a Nudist? I don't care as long as I feel good about myself and have beaten another irrational fear.

[nudeM]

One does not have to attend social functions be become a full fledged nudist. I am a nudist right here at home. Sometimes I visit a nude beach, but because I am able to enjoy the nude life here at home, I don't have to go to "extremes" to practice nudity. I would love to visit social functions, but time does not permit me, so I am happy to practice home nudism most of the time. Last year, due to a surgery, I was able to get the best all-over tan I've ever had. I wouldn't have been able to get that good of a tan without multiple trips to the beach, but I was able to get it right here at home. And yes, we still are raising our Grandson, so I cannot practice 24/7, but once he leaves for church, school, etc., I am naked all of the time. It's just the mindset and the willingness to enjoy the nude life whenever possible, but to some of us, the 24/7/365 is out of the question.

[usuallylurk]

One does not have to attend social functions be become a full fledged nudist. I am a nudist right here at home. Sometimes I visit a nude beach, but because I am able to enjoy the nude life here at home, I don't have to go to "extremes" to practice nudity. I would love to visit social functions, but time does not permit me, so I am happy to practice home nudism most of the time.

I agree (just so people don't put words in my mouth) -- people practice nudism in various ways.

Some do so at home and live nudism as a mode of living.

Some do so recreationally.

Some do so socially. Many more would like to but are not able to -- various reasons -- spouse objects to it, financial reasons, distance from social nudism locales, anti-social personality , and last but not least, personal fear. Any one or combination of these factors.

Some do it all.

They all count. What attracts them to it, what attracts them to it, to answer Garbo's original question, differs from person to person.

[dakref]

I seriously doubt there is a "nudist gene" per se. However, that question is never going to be definitely settled one way or the other. That being said, my own experience was discovering at an early age (around 10 or so) it was much more comfortable and pleasurable to be nude as opposed to not. I learned via returning to my room after a bath and not being in a hurry to get dressed. The breeze coming in the open window felt like nothing else. Living in the country, I then looked for other opportunities to get naked, be it out in the back 40, down by the river or the abandoned farm next door. Then some years later I discovered a nudist magazine somewhere and learned I was not alone. And the rest as they say is history.

[Eldernude]

I think it's environmental. An attitude against some social norms may play a part and that can be genetic but there are a lot of ways to choose to live other then nudism. I first heard of "nudist colonies" when I was a kid and that got my curiosity going and it never left me. Back then you could see naked primitive people in the National Geographic and even on some TV documentary shows. I think that opened my mind more to nudity and led to more questions. Why was it OK to see primitive people naked but not naked civilized people??

Years later My wife and I visited Cypress Cove and 'stayed for years" on the weekends anyway. I think once being nude is the norm the wonderful feeling of being nude is a bit addicting for me. Now, even though my wife doesn't participate anymore, when I hike and fish I fight the urge to strip down long before I'm off the busy trails. So anyway,, I think it's more environmental conditioning of the mind then anything else.

[jasenj]

You might want to read the book at this link: http://www.scribd.com/doc/13378257/N...-Barcan#scribd
I suspect there are other scholarly works that have studied the inclination toward nudism.

I think if you were to ask this question in a culture where nudism is far more popular - Germany, France, The Netherlands, etc. - you'd get answers like "why not?"

[garbo]

I think the responses to my questions have been great.

I was merely looking to read what others thought of this topic. There are no right or wrong answers! A nudist prefers to be without clothes, indoors or outdoors, socializing or not, full time or part time. We define it by our own standards.