Hey beautiful people, Today I posted a tweet asking for inspiration for my blog. I received the following tweet in response:
Replying to @getnakedwithjoy: “I find it very confusing that there seems to be a line between naturism/nudism and sexuality. I am very aware of my sexuality especially when I am naked, yet it seems like oil and vinegar, they don’t mix when in context with naturism. I am not sure how to approach this subject.”
@Bareskinwander1
This is a topic that sparks a lot of debate within the nudism, naturism, and textile communities. Naked Wanderings wrote about this subject in their blog post: The Truth About Nudism and Sex. Nick and Lins have covered this and related topics from a variety of perspectives over the years. They offer a wealth of information and resources on their blog, I highly recommend them!
As for my own perspective, I’ve also written a variety of posts about related subjects, but I have recently developed a fresh perspective. When I first launched Get Naked With Joy, I had no idea what the intention was other than to free my mind, body and soul. I was going through a major life transition and at the time, felt repressed and misunderstood.
I honestly don’t know why getting naked in nature helped, but I found it truly liberating. At the same time, because I posted publicly, I opened myself up to support, criticism, and a host of truly positive and terrifyingly negative responses. Over the past four years being a naked blogger, I am happy to report that the positive connections and support I have experienced online have far out weighted the few asshats and bullies I’ve encountered to date.
An interesting emotional challenge that I developed over the first couple years blogging and posting online, is that I once again began feeling repressed and misunderstood. This time it wasn’t my ex-husband, his new partners, or his family I felt judged by, it was a handful of nudists who didn’t agree with me ever mixing my sensuous personality with my “naturist posts”.
The thing is, although I do use the tag #naturist on some of my posts (the ones where I am simply naked outdoors in a fully holistic setting), I do not think that it’s important for me to identify as a Naturist or a Nudist. If I were forced to choose between the two labels, I would definitely choose Naturist. It is more conducive to how I lead my life.
I happen to be comfortable being naked both privately and in certain social nude settings but I do tend to be more comfortable being naked with people I know and trust or who have some personal experience with social nudism. When I am naked in a group setting, I find it unsettling when people chatter unconsciously about the fact that we are naked together (unfortunately some newbie nudists do this).
To date, I’ve still never been to a nudist resort other than a few times as a child (my adopted dad is a nudist). I am considering going to a nudist resort before the summer ends but it’s not a top priority for me.
Getting back to @Bareskinwander1’s question, I agree that there does seem to be a line between naturism/nudism and sexuality. From what I have read and experienced myself, the line is there for a valid reason. At the same time, drawing that line can be detrimental to the naturist/nudist movement.
I honestly don’t have an answer to this conundrum. On the one hand, it’s important that family oriented nudist resorts maintain a safe, consent based, and overall non-sexual environment for their guests. But have some nudist organizations and advocates taken it too far? I daresay the answer is yes.
A truly lovely nudist advocate whom I’ve written about before, BlondeGiraffe @TrueBlueNude who is a proud AANR member and does not follow accounts that tweet or promote POЯN/exhibitionism/graphic sex continues to follow me on Twitter despite the fact that my posts do not always represent naturism.
We have conversed over the past few years and have developed a kinship. Linda accepts that my expression occasionally dives into the realm of sensuous feminine expression. She also knows that I am a daughter, sister, friend, mother, grandmother, and an overall empowered woman. Linda supports my freedom of expression and I adore her for that.
Although I am a highly sensuous woman, what my personal expression online does not do is cross into the realm of pornographic, degrading, or explicit content. If I were to write a blog post about an experience at a nudist resort, I would include only photos that speak to the intended message of the resort.
Same goes for each of my twitter posts. If I am speaking about body positivity, I may post a photo such as the one from my recent blog post:
If I am writing about a topic such as censorship, I may post a photo like this:
In contrast, if I am writing a post about naturism, I’d post a photo similar to this:
In the above photo I appear to be posing. Technically I was just enjoying the moment, but the look of me holding my hair up may even be a bit too “posed” for some of the purist naturists/nudists. At the end of the day, I do my best to navigate the naturist world with respect and compassion but I am also an advocate for freedom of expression.
I hope you have a truly blissful rest of your day.
From my heart to yours,
Joy
I think most people identifying as naturists are zealous about their safe family friendly environment, in a way leading to an almost denial of sensuality and sexuality. I can understand both sides. There are many people who would take the recognition of latent sensuality (more on this later) as an invitation to harass others. On the other hand, I can’t believe a couple, given the choice between one of them being of the kind “no one else can see my body” and someone comfortable in his or her skin to be naked would choose the first kind. In a way, as a male when replying to women online, I always find they are expecting me to comment on their bodies. Not welcoming it, but expecting it, as it’s what men are expected to do. Nevertheless, I won’t do that, as I don’t find specific body parts sexy: what I find sexy is the whole package, the attitude and the determination. Sure, some legs are prettier than others, but I really don’t care for that if the attitude is right, and it usually is with people who are nudists, naturists or that express their sensuality in other ways. I truly believe one can be both a naturist and a stripper, and the two are indeed correlated by the use of nudity. But, whereas the stripper is showing a sexual side, the naturist is expressing a sensual one, even inadvertently, solely derived by his/her lack of hang ups with specific body parts. I have yet to see a non sensual adult in a naturist beach, regardless of body shape.
Naturists are inherently cautious about being criticised in using social nudity as an excuse for sexual indulgence. In reaction many espouse a pruriance that leaves them criticising any inference of sensuality.
This in turn leads to that censorship you describe above.
Personally I abhor any form of censorship and resent the way that our society is veering towards more and more repression.
Hi Joy. Thanks for your blog – you add a refreshing perspective on the naturist philosophy. As Nick & Lins said, the Naturist movement worldwide has erected a seemingly impenetrable barrier between naturism and sexuality. And with good intentions, I must add.
The conundrum is how to sell the innocence of a clothes-free lifestyle to a society who can’t get its head around the idea that you can be naked in a public place without any thoughts of sexual motives. It’s almost like you have to “teach” naturism in graded steps: first introduce the idea of living without clothing in a completely non-sexual, sterile way. Then when people get that concept, move on to social interaction – still with no sexuality mentioned. And then, once people are convinced you can live a normal lifestyle with nudity included as just another fully acceptable dress code, we can get back to acknowledging that we are all sexual beings – that sex has a purpose and an expression, and that it is a valid and respectable part of life – and should be treated as such – not flaunted pornographically under the guise of naturism.
My view is that naturism is 100% non sexual and the two should never be mixed. However naturists are people and people are never just one thing. Everyone has a whole multitude of likes, dislikes, hobbies, interests and pastimes. Some of them will be compatible with other and some less so.
Imagine someone who’s into sport. Perhaps they enjoy rugby and golf. That’s fine, but they can’t be mixed very well. If you turned about with a bunch of friends in rugby boots and started to scrum down on the greens you would soon be chucked out, or if you went out onto the rugby pitch with a 5 iron you would soon be sent off. Yet the same person can enjoy both. If I joined a golf forum and constantly talked about rugby people would get very fed up with me.
Some of the things we like and enjoy are entirely compatible or maybe even enhancing. I enjoy drinking fine wine. I also enjoy eating good food and when combined both are enhanced.
Some things are fine one way but not the other. I might enjoy listening to opera while driving a monster truck. That’s ok, but if I try to drive my monster truck through Palais Garnier I’m going to get in trouble.
So naturists can be naturists and sensual/sexual people. It’s a bit controversial perhaps, but I think naturists can be swingers and swingers naturists as long as they keep the two aspects of their lives separate.
To me what goes into a blog depends on the nature of the blog. If it is a naturist blog (I.e. a blog about naturism) then sex shouldn’t feature. If however it is a Naturist’s blog (I.e. the blog of someone who is, among other things, a naturist) then that’s their choice. And my choice whether I subscribe to the blog.
The thing for me is I’m just a person who enjoys being naked and I’m not speaking about sex here… there’s only ever me myself and I in my photos lol. Regardless of whether or not people perceive me to be a nudist or a naturist, I wouldn’t post photos or videos of me having sex, masturbating, etc. I just happen to be perceived as sensuous in some of my photos regardless of my intent. And I occasionally am expressive in the form of artistic photography that comes across as sensual or non-nudist.
I agree naturism should be more free, not have added restrictions. The no poses is confusing, 99% of the time I’m posing for clothed photos, why not for naked photos?
Joy, I have always appreciated your posts, whether “naturist,” sex-positive, or just joyous. It’s important to state that nudity doesn’t *have* to be erotic, yet we as Society need healing in our thoughts about both nudity and sexuality. It’s the same coin.
Absolutely!
Hello, Joy !
Thanks for your latest message about naturism, nudity , sexuality , censorship .
Going back to what Nick & Lins wrote on their blog c/q website , I just want to make a very short comment : naturism/nudism gives me /to myself , this incredible feeling of LIBERTY , something we have missed so much during last year , and still, to some extent , this very year.
Whilst a lot of us were asked to work from home, I know that many people just did not get clothes on in front of the pc, and all of a sudden felt more comfortable , as well as doing daily chores at home . It happened to me also , from time to time, when the weather did permit it . Concluding, you feel free, and your first thoughts then do not go to sexuality .
Excellent perspective thanks for sharing!
Non-sexual nudity is such a simple concept, and yet, it seems so hard to explain it to people who have never experienced it.
Actually, you can compare it to showering. You are naked in a shower, and most people take a shower without sexual intentions. Yet, it’s perfectly fine to have sex in the shower. Unless other people can see you, then it becomes not done.
The problem is that naturist organizations have been emphasizing the non-sexual aspect of naturism/nudism so much, that they took it to an extreme. Almost making it look like asexual. This is what we enjoy about your blog, you show the world that both are possible but that they are still distinct and that there’s a time and place for everything. In fact, we would love it when people who are both naturists and swingers would start a blog. Because nobody would be able to explain the differences better than them, and they could show that one doesn’t necessarily singles out the other.
Yes! Thank you so much for you beautiful contribution!
I always enjoy hearing from you and enjoy your freedom. I have been nude a number of times and have gone to several nudist resorts. I also was involved with nudism through some swinging groups but only as a guest. I was a birthday present several times and helped out diabetic husbands with satisfying their wives. It seemed the only way I could express myself safely with a wife who didn’t want to do it and I didn’t want to leave her, so I found a way that didn’t threaten our marriage. I skinny dip whenever I get the opportunity and the urge and it’s almost always private. It’s not easy to be caught in a clothed world and forced to be vanilla when you want to be Neapolitan.