How to live an Ethical Naturist lifestyle in a textile world.

This is s question that everyone who has discovered the freedom of the Naturist lifestyle faces.

We are, by necessity, forced to interact in a textile/clothing compulsive world and unfortunately very few jobs are clothing optional.

So leaving the haven of our homes we put on the uniform of the textile and put in the hours necessary to put food on the table and a roof over our heads whilst, hopefully, enjoying the work we do.

But even the "haven" of our own homes is problematic, especially living in or close to the city.

In our own case we have just moved house and while the new property is more private than the previous townhouse, there is still no opportunity to lay out in the sun or work in the backyard as nature intended.

Frustrated by this situation I decided to review what options I had to minimize what I had to wear to be "legal". I could of course wear budgie smugglers (swimming costume) or shorts but that was too confining.

I then did some research on the Internet about loincloths, that's right ala Tarzan, with a view of buying or making something up.

Finally I came up with my own primitive design consisting of a boot lace and 2 chamois that covered both the front and rear to avoid the risk of upsetting the neighbours. The beauty of the design was that they allowed the greatest amount of freedom while being practical.

The chamois were chosen due to the soft and serviceable nature of the material. Also there was the added bonus of utilizing the chamois for the car if they didn't work out.

They were obtained from an auto supply store and I decided to select natural over synthetic material.

All up they cost me $20 each for the large size (I am not bragging I just thought that the larger size would give me more options).

I am please to say that they worked out well and while a little self conscious at the beginning met the need to preserve the body freedom that I desired whilst not offending the neighbours.

So much of being a Naturist is a state of the mind. The freedom of our bodies is the outward sign of the freedom of our minds, the relinquishment of the tension and stress that builds during the day.

That is why after a day in the clothing compulsive world We have the sanctuary of our home where we can shed our garments and allow our bodies and mind to be free.

May we all live naturally ever after.

Uniforms

We as humans seem to love uniforms!

They have the effect of bonding people together, to make us feel included, unified, part of something larger than ourselves. Whether it is for a sporting team, a corporate office or a specific profession.

If we expand the view of uniforms we can include fashion because it does the same. If you are not wearing the "in" brand of running shoe then your not part of the "in" crowd.

I believe that Naturists also experience this sense of unity and inclusion when we all remove the shackles of our clothes and we see the similarities rather than differences in people.

Of course the Naturist "uniform" is accessible to everyone, it is our body that defines us uniquely as individuals and yet at the same time it shares the unmistakable hallmarks of being human.

As the senses are limited by the encumbrance of clothing, so being freed from them allows our senses to relate more fully to the natural environment, as we were intended to, and thus we feel closer to it also.

That is why the Naturist philosophy resonates so much with us as it uses this fact to reinforce the Naturist creed of respect for self, respect for other and respect for the environment.

What is it about genitals?

What is it that sets society ablaze about the sight or even talk of genitals?

I started to contemplate this question after reading an article in the Woman's Weekly Oct 2010, about Bettina Arndt the Australian sex therapist and writer.

In this interview Bettina talks openly about what she sees as the magnificence of the penis.

"I've always thought it's the most wondrous thing. The more you learn about the penis, the more you think it is extraordinary. It's this intricate mechanism. And I thought it was the most beautiful thing"

Although celebrated as part of the body beautiful in fine art, society still has this attitude that genitals should not be spoken of let alone seen?

 We have read in the popular press of the claim the sight of genitals will scar children psychologically and therefore they must be protected from such a sight.

[A point of clarification here, I am of course not taking about masturbation in public or any overt sexually aroused state being displayed in an exhibitionist way.]

If this were true then like the Puritans we should not allow our children to take a bath naked nor look at their own naked form in the mirror!

There is so much concern nowadays over the issue of body acceptance and yet we perpetuate the myth that parts of our body are "nasty or dirty"!

Without reference to what other bodies look like, concerns are raised about the normality and adequacy of our own genitalia.

In my generation the change-room /showers for sport or gym was a reference point to see (indirectly of course) the variations in the size and shape of penises.

Nowadays I am informed that even this communal nudity is disappearing with individual changing stalls or overt modesty.

So is it any wonder that adolescent boys grow up with concerns about the size/adequacy of their penis when their only reference are the male actors on Internet porn sites!

Hardly a representative sample of the diversity that is the norm.

Likewise I read with shock the increasing number of women that are having plastic surgery to "shape" their labia as they feel self conscious about labia that are perceived as being overly large.

Given the large number of female Naturists that depilate their pubic hair it is quickly realised that some women have large labia majora, others not so, some have larger labia minora, others less so.

Therefore again the "normal" range is expansive.

One of the many things that social nudity has to offer society is the practice of total body acceptance, not only of others but of oneself.

The Price of "Beach" Is Eternal Vigilance.

I have adapted this well-known truism to the ongoing vigilance required to protect the clothing optional beaches that Sydney now enjoys.

As we have seen in recent times Sydney’s Mosman Council has again petitioned the State government opposition to revoke the clothing optional status of both Cobblers and Obelisk beaches when they get into power after the state election next year.

The Mosman Daily, local newspaper, has been reporting the debate and on their website they have invited public comment. The overwhelming responses were from supporters of retaining the current status of these two beaches. This was no doubt as a result of  a call to action that went out on Naturist websites.

The attack on the beaches was a thinly veiled effort with the thrust of the argument running along the line that there was an increase in antisocial behaviour, because of the beaches clothing optional status. This antisocial behaviour, largely anecdotal, revolved around acts of public sex in a nearby bushland and “strange” men loitering around the nearby oval and public toilets. It was also noted that he area around Obelisk Beach has been referred to as a “Gay Beat” on some Gay websites.

As one Naturist observed this position makes as much sense as banning cars to stop drunk drivers!

This is the same type of campaign that the previous Mayor of Mosman started to run the 2007.

The situation is that the beaches were enacted by state government legislation and therefore the zoning was taken out of the control of the local council. So in order to change the legal status of the beaches. A motion would need to be put to State Parliament, and then passed to amend section 633 of the local government act.

It was pleasing to note that the opposition local member made the following public statement in the Mosman Daily:

North Shore State Liberal MP Jillian Skinner said she would not push for legislative change to outlaw nude bathing at Obelisk and Cobblers until she got word from police that lewd activity in nearby areas had become a major problem.


“If I get strong lobbying from the police, residents and the council who are genuinely concerned about illicit acts occurring near these beaches I will lobby for it,” Mrs Skinner said.


“I don’t condone that behaviour, it’s very worrying ... but at this stage I haven’t heard from many people.”

Don't let the statement fool you, Mosman Council will continue to lobby State politicians to try and have the clothing optional status of our beaches removed.

I would urge all Naturists to write to their local member of Parliament in support of the maintenance of, not only these two clothing optional beaches, but of all beaches that are designated clothing optional in the State.

The last thing that we can underestimate is the power of the “wowser” element within our society.

Jillian Skinner, has made it clear that she is looking for feedback from the community before taking a position on this matter. So I would encourage you, if you have an interest in maintaining these beaches, to write, e-mail, or call your local member and make your position known.

Clothing or Covering / Fashion or Farce

Looking through the eyes of a naturist clothing takes on a completely different place within our world.

Corporate attire has always been a uniform. The suit and tie, even in the heat of an Australian summer, is more attuned to the prescriptive uniform than the commonsense covering of the body for practical purposes.

With the rise of equality of women in the workplace this was reinforced as woman donned suits, thus perpetuating the same corporate uniform.


Other forms of subtitle uniform can be readily seen in the clothes of our adolescents as the baggy low-slung pants predominates and practicality has no place.

This leads us to fashion, the multi-million dollar industry founded on discontent, social pressure and change for change sake.

The often-flaunted justification for clothes, that of practicality, is seen for what it is, a fabrication.


When clothes are essential for protection from the elements or within a hostile environment, this is perfectly clear. For example for heavy clothes for a European winter, the welders gloves and apron, the use of hats in summer and shoes to protect the feet one’s feet.


The rest of the time, the only explanation is “modesty”. This societal construct is based on opinions formulated by society’s “centres of influence” who fail to see that the human body is anything beyond sexual.


There is also an element of power and manipulation in keeping the population clothed as it reinforces the differences and segregation within society. How can anyone deny the commonality of the human form and see that regardless of colour, shape, age or beliefs, we are in essence all the same.


The social construct of “modesty” can be best typified by the colonial attitude, when zealous missionaries instructed the natives in tropical climates to dress like themselves.


Why again was there no differential between nudity and sex? Surely the connection is in the mind of the beholder, not the naked person.


If this were not the case then at every nude beach or social nude gathering men would all be walking around with erections? This does not happen, why? Because of context!


There is a fundamental difference between the sexual environment between lovers and being at a barbecue with a group of friends. It is also the same reason that in a clothed work setting when a man is introduced to an attractive woman, he will not spontaneously have an erection!


In reality a social occasion in a clothed setting can be more sexually stimulating than a naked one. This is because of the titillation effect for example, a low-cut dress, hinting, what lies beyond stimulates the imagination and that is what causes arousal.

Conversely in a naturist setting, once initially observing the whole person, you can then put that aside and concentrate on the meeting of the person with freedom from distraction and innuendo, allowing for a more genuine interaction to take place.

Addicted to Boob Jobs

Addicted to Boob Jobs -Lifestyle You Channel, 6 March 2010

wikipedia.org - Dr. Placik Breast Augmentation

Last night I was watching this British produced documentary through the eyes of 26-year-old Fashion Journalist Louise Roe. Addicted to Boob Jobs looks at women who are not satisfied with having just one boob job but who are choosing to return to the operating table again, again and in some cases again.

During the course of this show, it became clear that the women interviewed were considering additional surgery were doing so for “themselves”, not for their boyfriends/husbands, although their partners were supportive.


There was one woman who had one augmentation and now wished to go up an additional cup size. Divorced with two children, and no man in her life, her comments were that she wanted to feel better about herself and had identified that large breasts would be the end to this.


Kate Merrony, 20, a glamour model and Mum from Bournemouth admits that one boob job just isn’t enough for her. Even though Kate’s first boob job has made her an E cup she still isn’t satisfied with the size and wants to go even bigger. 


Anne Marie Hart, 24, had her first boob job eighteen months ago which took her from a b cup to an e cup she now wants larger breasts that she believes would help to pursue a career as a “glamour model”.  Clearly, she felt that had enhanced breasts were not good enough and larger implants would make a difference.


The interviewer, in her side comments. rightly pointed out that it reminded her of pinning your happiness on the acquisition of a new car, then after a few months, one then realised that the feelings associated with the acquisition of the car had passed, they then started to plan for a “better” new car, to achieve this elusive happiness.


The show goes on to document the ordeal, that is involved with not only traditional augmentation surgery, but also a less invasive process called a boob jab, where a substance is injected into the breast tissue, under local anaesthetic, and then moulded into shape, like plasticine. This then last about 18 months until the product is obviously absorbed into the body ?

Diagrams of cross sections of breast implants, subglandular (left) and submuscular (right)

British and Australian television networks are to be applauded in the presentation of shows such as these as unlike the American networks there is no issue showing a nipple during these informative procedures. The viewer observes the true graphic details of the augmentation procedure, where the incision is made, the old implant removed, and then more breast tissue removed to accommodate a larger implant  The interviewer, who was allowed to watch the procedure had to leave the room at one point, and understandably so.

Chest X-ray showing bilateral breast implants

What was abundantly clear was that the perceived issue that these women are trying to address is more psychological than physical.


Now from a naturist perspective, the whole aspect of body acceptance is confronted within the first experience of social nudity. The great freedom experienced, when one sheds your clothes in a totally accepting social setting, allows one to be comfortable in one's own skin.


Now I realise that this is a “chicken and egg” situation as one must have a certain degree of body acceptance to take the plunge and remove your clothing in the first place. However, having done so, one realises the infinite diversity and infinite combinations that makes up a human form and we can then celebrate the variations rather than compare to some conceptual "perfect image" that is, in fact, an illusion.


On our local beach, we see all sizes and shapes of bodies, and yes, breasts in all their variations, including enhanced and reconstructed. There are also scars, birthmarks and stretchmarks, all on show, and all totally unimportant.


In the naturist setting, we have the rare opportunity to see people for who they are, rather than what they look like. It also gives us the opportunity to appreciate all body shapes, sizes and ages. Plus, putting a spotlight on the truth of who we are, that we are much more than our body.


Over the course of this month the same Lifestyle Channel, will run a number of programs that will show the folly of perfect body image, particularly in the eyes of the young. They were supposed to be airbrushed magazine industry are unhealthy body shapes of the runway models and other false images that are put forward as aspirational “real” men and women.


What a pity that this society is so gymnophobic (anxiety from nudity) for a greater acceptance of public nudity, and therefore exposure to it would create a new body acceptance of the whole population.

Spenser Tunick in Sydney

A crowd in excess of 5000 people gathered at the Sydney Opera House just after dawn today, defying cool temperatures to put together an installation titled Mardi Gras: The Base.

Tunick is known worldwide for his large-scale installations comprising of nude people posed and photographed in varying formations and patterns. In addition to the temperature which hovered around 20 degrees Celsius, the models also had to contend with a crisp breeze coming from Sydney Harbour, heralding the first day of autumn.


Read more here...

Great to see such a display of non-sexual nudity!

From Clothesfree.com

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

News Item - 27 Feb 2010

From an article in the Sydney Morning Herald  "Another Sydney Cover up" --  Click here for link

Professor Doug Booth, author of Australian Beach Cultures: the history of sun, sand, and surf, said the utopian ideas surrounding public nudity, and particularly nude bathing, held by young baby boomers have been thoroughly rejected by their offspring. Even Speedos are now considered indecent.

In the past 10 years he had noticed ''a remarkable conservatism which reveals itself in attitudes towards bathing costumes''. ''I think it's a combination of social hysteria around paedophilia and a fear of technology and what technology can do now,'' he said.

Even a statue of a naked child on the beach can cause angst and have to be covered, as happened with an entry in last year's Sculpture by the Sea exhibition.

Mr [Bob] Reed conceded in this climate, the movement was having trouble attracting new recruits.

'''Most naturists are the naturists who were nude in the 1970s and 1980s. This is who [the police are] harassing now - people in their 50s, 60s and 70s.''

Is this true?

On many different naturist forums there are postings asking "Where are all the young people?"

One of the most sensible responses that I have heard comes from Stéphane Deschênes* owner of Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park  in Canada, who reminds us that the young 20 somethings make up but a small part of the population so they may well be represented in appropriate numbers based simply on this point alone. Second it is normally when people are in their 30's with some stability that the naturist lifestyle becomes more attractive and affordable. *see link to Naturist Living Show

So don't close the lid on the coffin just yet!

From my experience at Cobblers Beach, our "clothes optional beach", I have observed a good mix of ages. On any given weekend you will see a good cross section of the population from 20 somethings to 80 year olds.

Yes the majority of people are in their 40's and 50's just like in the general population. The really great thing about our local beach is that we do have families come down regularly and the whole beach has a real family friendly atmosphere.

Are all these people naturists or are they "skinny dippers"? To me it does not matter yesterdays skinny dipper can be tomorrows naturist.

If the popular press is to be believed the younger generations are environmentally aware what better entrée to the naturist movement if only they can break the bonds of the body-image demons.

As they say in the classics time will tell.

News Item - 23 Feb 2010

VIDEO: Naughty nudes

Click above link for the video report of this article.

At Little Congwong Beach at La Perouse nudists who frequent the picturesque beach on the northern edge of Botany Bay have become the subject of a National Parks and Wildlife crackdown.

Little Congwong has been an unofficial haven for naturists for 50 years. However, complaints from some locals saw police raid the beach on Sunday and threaten nude bathers with fines. On 22 February, the sun lovers were defiant, returning to the beach despite warning signs and the police raid according to Chelsea White of The Daily Telegraph.

It really makes me wonder about our current society and what makes the sight of the naked body so threatening!

The beach in question is isolated and has a traditional use by naturists, granted it does not have legal status as a nude beach but with the small number of legal nude beaches within the Sydney area (3) you would think that the government and local council would create another one.

If there is overt sexual activity undertaken by members of the public then bring the full force of the law onto them and allow the genuine naturists enjoy the environment in a natural state. 

Why this Blog?

Our local legal clothes optional beach.

This blog will capture the irregular posts of Sunkissed an Australian Naturist couple as we continue to explore the naturist lifestyle and the questions and experiences that arise.

Although I may speak in the singular at times in this blog the recorded comments will be reflective of our shared views, questions and observations.

We have been attracted to this lifestyle by the freedom found in removing the clothes and with them the self imposed and society imposed repression and stress that we have carried around with us for so long. We also wish to explore and gain an understanding of the philosophy and history of naturism. To this end there are a great many sources of information on the Web and as we explore these we will endeavour to note our discoveries here in our blog.


This blog has also been brought about by the excellent blogs that I have read and this has encouraged me to try my hand and to add in some small way to the body of knowledge available on this highly beneficial life style.


I therefore have provided links to those blogs that I have found particularly interesting and helpful in the panel to the right.