I have been thinking more and more about Normalising Naturism [#NormalisingNaturism] and have come to the conclusion that in our modern western world that includes basically all first world countries, naturism will never be normal. There is too much embedded deep within the “normal” human psyche that works against this ever happening.
Many who proselytize in favour of living clothing free have this idea that once a person actually tries being clothing free, they will become nudists/naturists/whatever. It’s a nice thought, but the real world and real people don’t fit this paradigm at all. Given the chance, many wouldn’t even take that opportunity because of a host of reasons, And of those who somehow do take the opportunity to try it, even try it more than once, a sizable number would end up saying, “Thanks, but no thanks. This just isn’t for me.”
Though they make decisions to not adopt naturism as a preferred way of living, experiencing it does chance attitudes towards those who are naturists. Attitudes become more positive, a good thing. Why doesn’t the experiencing of a naturist activity result in the adoption of naturism into their lives? I will blame it on a few millennia of cultural hard wiring, not physical hard wiring.
In the collective of humanity, nudity is not the norm when people gather together. This isn’t a statement of rightness or wrongness about that reality. The collective of humanity doesn’t even think about social nudity unless they are confronted by it. The collective response to social nudity is rooted in a collective unconsciousness. Nudity is something that is found in frustrating dreams, nightmares, pornography, or in fantasies. Nudity is not found is any social context in the modern world, nor is it even remotely considered to be on the cusp of becoming the normative standard.
Nudity is not normal and nothing we will do will change this in our lifetime. Perhaps, if things work out, we can get a positive result in legal terms. Legalising nudity is our best hope. And realistically, in a world that seems to be devolving, there are serious issues for mental well-being, economic well-being, and even physical safety that will have the collective’s focus.
So what does that mean for us who want to live, as much as possible, our lives being clothing free as often as practical given many environmental, social, and economic realities that are part and parcel of being in the world? Perhaps, just being ourselves, authentic and ethical. We live as we must taking all reasonable opportunities to be nude. Avoiding the role of being a missionary, a zealot attempting to convert and save the masses – the truth is, fundamentalist preaching about naturism and nudism is offensive as is any type of fundamentalism. I’m right and your wrong, so you’d better do it my way, is disrespectful of others who choose differently.
I am a naturist. I love being a naturist. I love some people who are naturists, and don’t have a lot of respect for some who are naturists because it isn’t about the state of dress or undress. I love some people who feel safe and comfortable in their clothing. Again, it isn’t the clothing or lack of that has me choose who will be in my orbit. Yes, I admit, there are those who will, and do, make decisions not to have me in their orbit because of my choice to be a naturist. Perhaps I am better off for that.
The best I can do, is to be me. I am an “outlier” in real terms. Walk through your community and you will find that unless you are in a gated naturist community, it would be a very rare thing to find a nude man making toast for breakfast in his home. It’s not right or wrong. It is just the way it is. People in my very conservative community know about my penchant for being nude. My books have sold exceedingly well in this tiny village of 500 people, books that disclose the reality of my association with naturism. I don’t hide behind a high privacy fence, or behind darkened draperies behind my windows. I am seen as non-confrontational and non-threatening – weird but not dangerous.
I don’t presume to challenge the community with my nudity at social activities, while shopping, or even strolling around the town. Yet, I am seen, physically seen when nude without a resulting confrontation. When I am seen, I’m in my home, in my yard, or perhaps down a rarely used country lane in the prairie hills. No one presumes for a moment that my being nude has a sexual intent. Mowing lawns is not about sexual intent. Being seen while nude doing normal non-sexual activities is key to diffusing the gut response nudity.
The key? As best that I can see it, live as normal as possible, be nude when possible, and be respectful of others.