50 Plus Nudists
A group for nudists 50 years old or more. A place to discuss issues concerning nudism, past experiences, new directions, plans for your future ... most anything that strikes the veteran nudist's interest. BLANK, PARTIALLY filled out or PRIVATE profiles will not be allowed to join ... unless you contact me first. Thanks for your understanding.
- created by AndyDi
"..that's not naturism..."
Return to DiscussionsI recently went to a private view one afternoon at a gallery, adjoining house and sculpture garden that was exclusively for nudists, apart from the staff who all remained clothed. We parked our cars and undressed immediately as we'd been told we could be naked as soon as we got there. We then went to the cafe for coffee and initial viewing in the gallery while we waited for the other nudists to arrive prior to a guided tour of the house. The venue is situated out of town on the edge of a small village so it was very suitable for nudists to roam freely around the grounds. The tour lasted for about an hour and to me it was entirely suited to be enjoyed as nudists.
We are lucky in that locally there are people from a nearby nudist group who actively approach venues for use by nudists. Recently there have been visits to gardens, other art galleries, theatres and an evening at a bowling alley where we have had great fun as nudists. All of the venues have seen the staff remain clothed while we have been nude immediately on arrival and remained so until just before departure. Each time we have felt very welcome in our preferred state of nudity and the events have been perfect examples of clothing-optional coexistence.
The point of this post is to ask what others think about this type of nude recreation. Earlier this summer as we were about to leave a nudist venue we'd stayed at for a long weekend I had a conversation with a couple who were members there about the options we have nearer home for nude socialising. Over that weekend the club had had various musical acts providing entertainment. I mentioned the type of events listed above to the couple, her response was "..that's not naturism..." I asked her what the difference was to us going round a gallery, or watching a theatre performance while we were nude and enjoying music as we had at their club while we were naked. She said that she didn't attend that sort of event at her club, as she didn't see it as naturism.
We have friends who we see at local nude beaches but they do not live naked at home like we do. We enjoy hiking nude; on our own, with a few friends or as part of larger organised nudist groups. Some friends don't get why we like to do it nude. We enjoy doing just about anything nude, whenever and wherever we can, especially with other nudists. We're fine if we can be nude while others are clothed, we've done that so many times we don't really think about how some might find that 'unusual', to us it is very normal. We're nude because we're nudists!
It would be interesting to read others takes on whether it is nudism/naturism if we enjoy 'alternative' experiences while naked to the more typical time at a nudist club or beach. What other activities to you enjoy as nudists? What would you like to do nude that you haven't done naked yet?
We are very much like you and your wife, Nik! We live nude and do many things nude because we are nudists. We enjoy those types of activities where there is live music, love the theater, concerts, museums, art galleries, bowling, movie theaters... it would all much more fun if we could do those and many more things while nude.
We've also met many, many people at nudist venues that keep that part of their lives a secret. Some don't live naked at home and only do it on "nude vacations or holidays." In contrast, our vacations and getaways always encompass nudity and nudism, either alone or socially with others; nudist friends or a club or resort.
I guess you can understand those that are hardcore on one end or the other of the nudist/naturist spectrum. Some nudists dislike clubs and resorts for one reason or another. Some nudists dislike nature, dirt, sand, the beach... they prefer upscale amenities and more the spa environment when getting naked with others. To each their own but I, too, don't see why having live music at a club or resort is not considered nudism/naturism.
;-)
I would enjoy doing most anything and everything nude. Like Andy stated however, my wife like to keep our nudist side of our life secret. She doesnt want anyone one we already know in the textile world to see her nude. When we meet people while nude and developed a friendship, she is okay with seeing them in or out of clothes.
Perhaps after a few more years and a lot more friends, she may start to get more comfortable being nude around old friends.
There seems to be those that are always on the far end of the nudist/naturist spectrum and don't see any meshing, combining or correlation between the two. Some people only get nude in nature and some only get nude on vacations or weekends at clubs or resorts. Then there are those of us that are naked every minute we possibly can, where we can and live that way, most of our everyday lives. Those of us that do live this way, want to be naked at home, at clubs, resorts, the beach, anywhere and also in nature.
It's one of the reasons nudism/naturism, nudists/naturists have be synonymous with most of those living a clothes free life. There are those that may only like being naked outdoors in nature and refer to themselves as naturists but also live naked most of the time at home. Doesn't that make them nudists as well? Or, the nudist who lives naked all the time at home and visits club, resorts, the beach and goes hiking in the woods, mountains, lakes, rivers, streams, the desert... looks for secluded places in nature to be naked. Doesn't that make them also a naturist?
There are purists within both camps; nudists/naturists. But I think there are far more nudists/naturists that are quite a bit of both and thus, being one over the other doesn't define us as narrowly as some at both ends, define themselves.
..... For the purpose of communication to other non nudists I use (I am a nudist) because pretty much everyone knows that means -he doesn't wear clothing- Most assume that means going to a nudist beach or nudist club etc, few have the concept that it can be a full time lifestyle.
This is true. It can be funny sometimes watching reactions when we explain to people who already know that we are nudists that we actually prefer to live naked whenever and wherever we can, not just when visiting nudist clubs, beaches etc. That nudism for us is our lifestyle, that we'd like to live nude full time if it was warmer here, that it is not just something we do on holiday or at weekends. We both use the word 'nudist' to describe ourselves too, 'naturist' is commonly used in the UK to describe people who like to be clothes-free but we've always preferred 'nudist', we're not just nude in nature and we really like the word itself. But as was said above, its just a label, its more important that we can all live without clothing and do so with others if we choose to, or not.
I apologize to anyone who might have been offended by my statement of not using labels. You are right in that labels are sometimes needed for understanding. And the simpler perhaps the better. I herewith withdraw my statement here about not using labels and have deleted it from this discussion!
Its all part of a conversation among nudists/naturists/naked people about aspects of how we live without clothing. Different interpretations/thoughts/expectations etc all contribute to the variety of things we encounter in life, if we all had the same thoughts and views on things it would be boring in my view. To me its more important that we all get to enjoy being nude, on our own and socially, however we prefer.
I apologize to anyone who might have been offended by my statement of not using labels. You are right in that labels are sometimes needed for understanding. And the simpler perhaps the better. I herewith withdraw my statement here about not using labels and have deleted it from this discussion!
and I have done the same!
Getting back to "..that's not naturism..."
We've just had a long holiday weekend in England. We had the type of heat which discourages nudists from going into that strange world of clothed people. We were at nearby nude beaches each day where we saw many friends as well as hundreds of other nudists, it was easy to imagine the world only had naked humans. We spent quite a bit of time with friends from outside our local area, as it is getting close to the end of our high summer we were talking about meeting them at nudist venues during the coming cooler months. We were thinking of visiting a spa that is about half way between where they live and us. We've met them there before, using the spa facilities for some of the time but spending a lot of time just catching up and enjoying socialising nude with them.
A few others nearby joined in our conversation and some were saying that they only socialise nude at places like the beach when it is hot and sunny, they don't get why others there like to meet up and be nude together year round, indoors and outside. We don't really get why they were happy to be nude over the weekend with us all but won't visit a nudist spa with us during winter. We would not be interested in going to a spa that was not at least clothing-optional, preferably it would be nudist, for our own comfort and the fact that we don't own any swimwear.
We all share the enjoyment of being nudists but we enjoy it in different ways. Variety is supposedly the spice of life and all that!
I am puzzled by the judgment that engaging in any activity while nude (where it's allowed) could be considered "not naturism.". I can accept that people make choices where and when to be naked that are different from mine (like most of the responders, I like to be naked whenever possible), but calling a permitted nude activity "not naturism" is a puzzlement. Is there a nudist scripture somewhere that I've missed?
Trying to say that nudism is not naturism and vice versa would be like saying potato salad is not a salad because it doesn't have lettuce.
For me, I don't care what you call it as long as I can be naked.
Life is too short to get hung up on labels and definitions. Relax, enjoy and stay naked!