The thing is, I can.
And some people do.
Nudists and naturists participate in plenty of normal activities like swimming, camping, and karaoke without clothes.
Michael H. / Getty Images
But to hear them tell it, life is much better in the nude.
While you may have heard of nudists, chances are you’re a little less familiar with naturists.
Although the terms are often used interchangeably, some people believe certain nuances classify them as two different bodies.
via Young Naturists America
But when they can, they do, and they enjoy the hell out of it.
Sometimes it’s easiest to define naturism by describing what it’s not.
“Its not like that at all.
via Picturegarden / Getty Images
Stateside nudism and naturism have their roots in theAmerican Association for Nude Recreation, which was founded in 1931.
Similar institutions cropped up after, likeThe Naturist Society, which was founded in 1980.
Misconceptions about the naturist lifestyle can have far-reaching implications.
And while running YNA is her full-time job, her partner and co-founder works in sales.
Even though naturism’s intentions are innocent, it can be hard for people to see it that way.
So, no, naturism isn’t a cover for massive, wild orgies.
Felicity and her co-founder started it in the hopes of filling a void in modern nudity-focused communities.
Nudity has changed my life.”
A big fan of naturism’sconfidence-boostingeffects, Serenity wants to spread the message.
Like basically everything else in the 21st century, she’s using the Internet to do it.
She stumbled upon the idea when she answered a friend’s Skype call while in the nude.
Then, they got to talking about where this deeply ingrained negative reaction to nudity comes from.
“I asked her to join me [in being naked], and she did.
So, Naked Skype was born,” Serenity explains.
“There is nothing more vulnerable then being completely present with a friend or stranger in the nude.
No labels, no facade, no judgments, just openness and embracing your true self.”
“The sense of empowerment makes it all worth it for me,” she says.
That emphasis on healthy self-image is a cornerstone of YNA’s philosophy.
“I saw the human body in so many different forms,” she says.
This is especially important for women.
“A lot of the [nudity taboo] is about female breasts and genitals.
Growing up as a naturist, she was able to appreciate how broad the private-part spectrum is.
That alleviates a lot of body shame and anxiety,” she says.
(Especially because in general, women’slabia are perfectjust the way they are.)
Another essential part of naturism is bonding with the environment.
“My first time playing pool without a top was interesting,” she says.
“I never knew how boobs can get in the way when trying to play!”
Although naturism celebrates acceptance, it’s not as diverse as some would like.
Serenity has called the dearth of varied racial representation in the naturist community “daunting at times.”
“I educate other women of color about naturism and help them explore it,” she says.
Although she says “mostly everyone” has been accepting, she has still encountered some prejudice.
“Like any group, we have our bad apples.
I have run into a few transphobic people on and offline,” she says.
To fuel their ideas, they call upon misguided notions, like that trans individuals are hypersexual.
Luckily, Sheila’s made good friends who stick up for her whether she’s around or not.
“But eventually it becomes a non-issue, and I blend in like anyone else there.”
Even before talking to these women, I considered myself extremely accepting of nudity.
But in the end, I had to say no.
