Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

I’d love to try social nudity, but how do I get started?

So just take your clothes off! Hey, I’m kidding. I know that’s a goofy, flippant answer, but really it’s not too much harder than that. If you want to find a place where you can get with others who enjoy social nudity, use the Internet to search for clubs and organizations and gathering places in your area. One of the best sites on the ‘Net for finding this kind of information is the Nudist Explorer (www.nudistexplorer.com). It’s really a portal that is focused on nude recreation and living and it has tons of links and a search engine. Check that one out for sure. Also, Netnude and Clothesfree are two other excellent websites. Use you favorite search engine to find them. When you’ve located something in your area that looks interesting to you, contact someone there about how you can meet up and join in with their group. I’ve found nudists to be very open and friendly and willing to offer help and advice to those of us who are less experienced. Just ask and see for yourself.

Maybe you’re a little nervous about taking that first step. I know I was. I would suggest you go to a nude beach or someplace like that where it’s clothing optional as opposed to a club or resort where everyone may be required to be nude all the time. At a nude beach, you’re free to stay dressed until you feel comfortable with the situation. Just go and spread out your towel or blanket on the beach. Be part of the group as opposed to off by yourself so that you don’t appear to be a gawker. Then just sit down and relax and allow yourself time to get accustomed to the environment. You’ll see how casual and laid-back everyone is. You’ll soon see that it’s totally normal and natural not to wear clothes on the beach and that everyone – men, women, and children - just goes about doing what you would expect them to be doing, but they’re doing it without being encumbered by any clothing. Swimsuits are so impractical anyway for the beach and swimming. Who needs them?!

After some time of seeing for yourself how normal and natural it is for people to be nude there on the beach, you’ll start to feel like you want to be a part of it, too. So, when you’re ready, take off your suit. There! You’re now participating in nude recreation. You’re experiencing social nudity. Way to go! Enjoy!

OK, so what if for some reason you can’t go to a nude beach or resort or someplace like that? Well, perhaps you could find some secluded place near where you live that you could enjoy being nude. Someplace that’s away from everyone, but still fairly easy to get to so that you can enjoy being nude there whenever you want. That’s what I often do since it’s a two-hour drive to the nearest nudist facility in my area. Another possibility might be your backyard at night or someplace else at night.

Another idea is to enjoy being nude in your house or apartment or wherever you live. OK, but what if you live with family members or roommates that would not understand or permit you to be nude around them? Then I suggest you enjoy being nude in your room or even just sleeping nude. Hey, it’s a start. And anyway, isn’t the idea simply to enjoy being nude? If you agree with that, then it doesn’t matter whether you are alone or with others or where you are - you still get all the enjoyment and benefits of being nude.

So be creative in looking for ways and places to enjoy being nude. Of course, you always need to be practical and use common sense and keep it all in perspective, but enjoy it any time and any way you can.

How do I go about talking to others to find out if they’re interested in social nudity, too?

It can sometimes be difficult finding others who are interested in social nudity, but hey, we’re out here. You just need to start off by being open and friendly with everyone around you. Whether you’re with long-time friends or brand new acquaintances, make sure that you are always pleasant, friendly, positive, and open to interaction and discussions about anything that others want to talk about. A simple hello and a smile will open a lot of doors to friendships. I know because that’s what I do. It’s good to have lots of friends whether they ever join you in any kind of nude recreational activity or not. Once you make friends with someone and you gently nudge the conversation towards something related to social nudity, even if they don’t agree with you, they likely won’t think you’re weird or a perv or anything bad. They’ll simply accept the fact that you’re a normal guy or girl who enjoys and is comfortable doing some things nude. No big deal and they’ll still be your friend. And maybe in time, the idea will grow on them.

So how do you go about approaching the subject? I think it all kind of depends on your personal style and the personality of each of your friends. It sometimes makes a difference in how you go about it depending on whether you’re talking to a guy or a girl. And for that matter, it makes a difference whether you are a guy or a girl.

But in general, you can casually bring up the subject of social nudity or nude beaches or streaking or something like that without revealing that you do it just to see what their initial reaction might be – you know, just to test the water. If they react strongly negative, then you can drop it right there without ever revealing anything about yourself. If their reaction is not negative, then try easing ahead with the issue. You could casually mention that you’ve been to a nude beach or some other place you’ve been or something else you’ve done.

The important thing is not to give them all the information at once. That way they will then want to know more. That way they will begin to ask you questions. In other words, hook them and then reel them in. So, for example, after you’ve mentioned that you’ve been to a nude beach, they might ask you what it was like and you could say that it’s a great beach. Then they might ask if there were lots of nude people there and you could simply say yes. Then they might ask if you went nude and you could simply say yes. Then they might ask you what it was like. You see what I’m getting at? Keep them asking questions and wanting to know more. If they say they could never do something like that, ask them why. And if they stop asking questions, then you should start asking them questions such as, have you ever been to a nude beach? Or have you ever been skinny-dipping? How did you like it? Or haven’t you ever wanted to?

Here’s another idea: establish a reputation for yourself that you are comfortable with your own nudity among others. Something like this is a little more courageous and depends a lot on your own confidence level and what is tolerated in your environment. For example, if you live in a dorm, you might want to try spending some time nude in your room and letting others interact with you like that. Or you might try using the sauna nude on a regular basis if that’s allowed. Or maybe the hot tub. These are just some examples and I have no idea whether anything like this might be possible for you in your particular situation. The idea is to find ways to set the example without being too radical. That way, if and when you do talk to others about social nudity (skinny-dipping or however you want to phrase it), you can speak from experience and people will already know you’re comfortable with what you’re talking about because you practice what you preach.

It’s certainly understandable that discussing nude recreation with friends and family can be a nervous experience. It can be pretty scary wondering how they’ll react to the idea and to you for bringing it up. But remember, you’re the one who knows them best and can best judge who to talk to and how and when. Don’t rush it. Don’t be pushy. Just be patient and watch for opportunities.

In summary, face your fears, be creative, and then go with the flow. If they take it seriously, then be serious. If they joke around about it, then laugh with them. Be cool. Be confident. Don’t force it. Expect good results. Hopefully, they’ll be open to discussing it and that might lead to them joining you. Hey, maybe you’ll find out that they’re already interested and they’ve been thinking about talking to you about it!

I can’t seem to find anyone my own age that enjoys social nudity. Any ideas?

I can understand your concern about the lack of people our age that are into social nudity, but I would suggest you don’t get too hung up over age differences or any other differences for that matter. Anytime I’ve been to a nude beach or nudist campground or anyplace that people into social nudity gather, I’ve always been one of the youngest adults there, but that’s never been a problem. I’ve found that nudists are generally a whole lot friendlier than the general population and they don’t seem to be concerned about other peoples’ age, gender, race, religion or any other differences. They’re just very accepting. I think you’ll find that, too. Just be friendly and open to others and they’ll likely be the same toward you. That’s been my experience. So be open to visiting with anyone and everyone regardless of age. After all, you obviously have your interest in social nudity in common with them for starters.

So why are nudists so friendly? Maybe it’s because when everyone is nude, all the barriers between us are gone and we’re just more open with one another. And so having no physical barriers between us sets the stage for more open and honest communication.

What if you’re worried about being accepted or feeling out of place because you’re there by yourself? When you get to a nudist place, you’re likely to find couples, groups of friends, singles, and families – all kinds of people of all ages. You shouldn’t think that you won’t be welcome or that you’ll be made to feel out of place just because you’re by yourself or even because of your age. It’s your attitude and behavior that counts. Just be part of the crowd. Be open and friendly and pleasant. Say hi to the people around you. Be likeable. You’ll be accepted. Even if you want to wait a while until you’re comfortable before getting undressed, that’ll be OK. If your attitude and demeanor says that you’re a friendly person there to enjoy the day just like everyone else, people will understand and probably even encourage you.

What if you’re worried that you won’t be welcome because you’re a single guy? I hear there are places like that and I suppose there are a few single guys out there being jerks that give the rest a bad reputation. The only thing I can suggest is that you just take it upon yourself as a personal challenge to demonstrate to those around you that you don’t fit that stereotype of a single guy. Be friendly and cheerful and considerate. Respect the space of others. Say hi to people. You’ll probably strike up a conversation with some of them and you’ll probably make a few new friends in the process. I hope so. Life is all about relationships.

Well, I may have gone off on a little bit of a tangent with some of this, but anyway, getting back to the original question: if it’s important to you to be around others your own age to enjoy social nudity and you can’t find anyone like that, then maybe you need to introduce some of your friends your own age to social nudity. Hey, we could all use the company.

I’d love to have my wife/girlfriend join me in nude recreation, but she says no way. How can I convince her to try it with me?

It’s great that you want to enjoy and share nude recreation with your wife/girlfriend. Couples need to do more things like this together – not less – in order to build and maintain meaningful relationships.

I think communication is key here – lots of open, honest, two-way communication. It’s important that you both talk and listen to each other’s feelings about simple nudity. She needs to know that no matter what, you consider her and your family (if you have one) the highest priority with your desire for simple nudity being some distant, lesser priority. You need to be able to explain clearly why your desire for nude recreation is important to you and then listen closely, openly, and patiently to all of her feelings and concerns about it. Listen not with the intent to argue with her or change her mind, but rather to fully understand her.

As a first step toward learning and understanding her reasons for not wanting to participate, you should be willing to start out by discussing with her all of the reasons that nude recreation is important to you. Think about this ahead of time and be prepared to discuss it at length. Don’t hesitate to say the same things more than once. It can take a while for someone to grasp a concept that is so different from what our clothes-compulsive society has conditioned them to believe all their life. Be totally open and totally honest, but also very patient, considerate, and respectful. As you talk about this with her, make sure that she understands right up front that she is the most important thing to you and that this is something that’s a much lower priority compared to your relationship with her.

Then listen carefully to any and all feedback she gives you. Hopefully, you’ll learn exactly what her concerns and feelings are. Once you know that, you can talk more about those concerns together in a more focused way. It’ll likely take more than just one discussion, so look for opportunities for on-going communication. Be considerate and understanding – not pushy. You need to make sure she knows that you want to enjoy nude recreation with her – not without her. Encourage her to tell you exactly what’s on her mind. Ask her lots of questions to keep her talking about it and then you must listen and attempt to understand everything she says. Don’t judge her; don’t argue with her, don’t try to change her mind. Just listen. Seek to understand. Ask questions if you don’t understand. Repeat back to her what you think she said just to make sure that you do understand. There are no quick solutions here – it takes time so be patient.

Her reasons for not wanting to try nude recreation could be anything. Everyone has their own motivations and fears and belief systems. Her reasons may include anything from feelings of inferiority to fear that it will disrupt your relationship to feelings that it is morally wrong; and there are many more possibilities than that. These are all valid fears and concerns when you have no prior knowledge or experience with something like this to call upon.

Keep in mind right from the outset that there is much room for compromise in trying to come together on this issue. And there are many possibilities for gradually easing into nude recreation as a couple. If she has no knowledge of what nude recreation is all about, find some books or web sites for her that explain the basics. Offer these resources to her, but don’t be pushy about it. If she will read them then you can discuss them together afterward. Educating her by providing meaningful information from reliable sources is very important because it will even things up between you. It will help her to catch up to where you are in terms of information and not feel so overwhelmed with what is likely a brand new concept to her. Here are a few web sites that are good sources for this kind of information:

• Reluctant Spouse Resources (www.geocities.com/greg_pc/cnreluctant_spouse.html)
• Women in Naturism (www.netnude.com/main/women.html)
• Women’s Issues with Nudity (www.naturistplace.com/nudity8.htm)

Another idea might be for the two of you to simply spend time nude together around your home (if you have kids, she might be more comfortable if you take them to their grandparents or something like that). Or perhaps she would be willing to join you in some secluded outdoor location where there would be no chance of anyone else being around. Allow for the fact that she may choose to stay dressed while you go nude. There’s nothing wrong with that – after all, the purpose is to enjoy nude recreation and be together so it shouldn’t matter whether she is nude or not – nor should it matter whether you are with others or not. It should all depend on her comfort and confidence level. At any rate, it gives you the opportunity to show her by your own example what nude recreation and living is all about to you. It’s your chance to lead by example.

The next step might be to go to a nude beach or someplace like that where clothing is optional. That way you can be nude and she can stay dressed as long as she wants. If it’s clothing optional, then there won’t be any pressure for her to undress and she can then get used to the idea first hand of what nude recreation is and is not all about. She’ll learn through observation that people on a nude beach are generally a lot more relaxed and accepting of their own bodies and everyone else’s, too. They’re friendly without being too forward about it and they won’t stare. And once she spends some time with anywhere from a few dozen to a few hundred nude women around, she’ll soon see that everyone is unique and no one is perfect and that she fits right in. It’s a very casual atmosphere.

Beyond that, some other ideas might be to see if she would spend a weekend with you at a nudist place if you would be willing to spend a weekend with her at some place that she would like to visit. Or maybe you could propose a longer trip such as a week to the Caribbean where you could stay on an island that has a nude beach. You could spend part of the time at the nude beach and part of the time at other beaches or touring or shopping or going out to eat or whatever she would enjoy doing. She also might feel more comfortable about it if she’s farther away from home so that there’s no chance of running into someone she knows (if that’s a worry for her).

The possibilities for compromise are wide open. Don’t be afraid to initiate the process by proposing a few ideas and then being willing to receive and consider her ideas in return.

I guess all I’m trying to say in how to ease yourselves into it is this:

• Find an ideal setting that appeals to both of you and offers the right amount of privacy.
• Be relaxed and understanding about it and don’t be pushy.
• Just make it fun!

If her concerns are coming from her religious beliefs, there are a number of good web sites that explain from a Christian perspective why simple non-sexual nudity is not forbidden. In short, there is no Biblical Scripture that forbids pure and simple nudity. It’s a liberty that we’re free to enjoy. It’s a non-issue. But I would refer you to The Fig Leaf Forum (www.figleafforum.com/) for a more thorough explanation. It’s the best site I know of that explains simple nudity from a Christian perspective. There are others, too, and you can use any search engine to find them.

Should you ever just participate in nude recreation without her? That’s one of the possible compromises you need to discuss and work through together.

So to sum it all up:

• Have lots of open, honest, in-depth communication – both of you talking and listening to each other. You need to be able to explain clearly why nude recreation is important to you. You also need to listen to her concerns and reservations without judging her or arguing with her.
• Develop mutual trust
• Have mutual respect
• Set a good example
• Be considerate and understanding; don’t be pushy
• Be willing to compromise in order to meet her and your needs. It can be done.

These are the things that I have heard about that have worked for guys who have successfully convinced their reluctant wives or girlfriends to join them in nude recreation. There isn’t any kind of quick answer – it takes time. I hope you are successful, too, but keep in mind that nude recreation isn’t for everyone. It just may be that she is never going to join you in it. I hope that’s not the case, but it may indeed be a reality that you have to face. As disappointing as that may be, you need to remember that if your relationship with her is your highest priority, then nude recreation must therefore take its place somewhere below that - wherever, however, and at whatever level the two of you agree.

So be creative. Don’t give up. Be patient, understanding, respectful, kind, and considerate. Talk about it pleasantly whenever possible. It may take time, but it will be so worth it if it works out. I hope it does and I wish you both the very best!

My husband/boyfriend says he wants to try nude recreation! What’s worse, he wants ME to go with him!! No way!!! Where did this crazy idea come from? And what should I do about it??

It’s good that you’re asking questions in response to this “crazy” idea that your husband/boyfriend has suggested. That’s the right thing to do. So how about letting me walk you through some steps that might help you make some sense of it? I could start out by explaining to you what nude recreation is and is not all about – it’s not what you’re probably thinking – but that’s not what I’m going to do. Why not? Because that needs to come from him. HE needs to explain to you exactly what he’s proposing and why – all to your satisfaction.

Good communication between the two of you is what’s needed here. Lots of open, honest, two-way communication. Don’t shut him out on this just because the whole idea seems preposterous or sounds like something that you feel you want nothing to do with. If it’s something he’s thinking, then you need to know about it – ALL about it. That alone should make it important to you. So let him explain. Encourage him to explain. Then be open to hearing all that he has to say. That way you’ll know exactly what’s on his mind. You can’t assume he’ll just forget about the whole thing if you refuse to discuss it or try to ignore it; that just sets the stage for secrecy and silence. And you for sure don’t want that.

No, I’m not saying that you necessarily need to agree with it or go along with it – just that you hear him out. Dialogue with him. Ask him questions – anything you want to know. Then listen closely and respectfully to his answers. Listen with the intent to fully understand. From talking with him, you’ll learn not only what he’s proposing, but also his reasons, his motives for it. Good things to know. I’m not saying that you should ignore your feelings; not in the least. We can’t ignore our feelings, but we can hear and weigh all the facts, too.

How are things in the trust department? Has he ever intentionally come up with anything that might have been harmful to you and your relationship? If not, then consider giving him the benefit of the doubt here - at least enough to hear what he has to say. You know his track record. You know him well enough to know his true intentions. Hold him accountable. If he offers you some resource material on nude recreation from books or the Internet, take a look at it. It will help you confirm what he’s telling you and maybe give you further insight. If he hasn’t offered this, ask him if you want. It’s really all on him to present to you not only everything he knows, but also anything else you want to know.

Then you can take your time and bring it all together – his explanation, your thoughts and feelings, your beliefs and convictions, your consideration for him - and make decisions based on thought and deliberation. That way you have something solid to stand on; as opposed to just a snap reaction to something out of the blue.

It occurs to me you may be wondering, ‘Who IS this person spouting off all this advice? Who does she think she is, telling me how to get along with my husband?’ Well, I’m 25 as I write this and my husband (also 25) and I have been married a little less than three years. I realize I may be a little bit lighter in the life experiences department than you are (or maybe a lot), but I know this much: when my husband is thinking about something like this, I want to be the very first place he goes with it…his first stop…and I want it to be sooner than later. I always want to know what he’s thinking because I want to know HIM – him and everything about him: his hopes, his dreams, his desires. And the only way I can be sure that will happen is to always be open to hearing what he has to say – everything he has to say – whether I agree with it or not. I know that I must willingly hear him out completely and with respect and never slam the door on our communication. I know that I must be his refuge, his sanctuary, the one person he knows for sure he can always come to without fear of rejection. I know that I can evaluate his ideas without disrespecting him. I know that I can trust him to have our best interests in mind. I know that I must never, never, never be unwilling to discuss compromise. I know that we can discuss anything together, work on it together, and reach agreement or mutually agreeable compromise…together.

Regardless of what you decide, I sincerely wish you both the very best.

I’m a guy and I seriously want to try social nudity, but I’m afraid of getting an erection. Is this normal? What can I do?

I’ve asked my husband, Brian to re-write and replace my original comments on this subject based on his own perspectives and experience. Advice coming from a guy who has already been through all this is way more valid and useful to you than anything I could possibly say. Here’s his response.

Yes, this is a totally normal worry for most if not every single one of us. You’re definitely not alone and in fact I was right there with you not all that long ago so I can definitely relate. If you’re like I was, you’re thinking there’s no way you could ever be nude with a mixed-gender nude group under any circumstance without getting a raging, won’t-quit erection. But you know that if it wasn’t for that, you’d be out there in a heartbeat, right? Well first off, let me tell you about what you can expect in a social nude environment and how it’s not at all like your fears and worries are leading you to believe. Then I’ll tell you how you can deal with this worry and not let it hold you back any longer. It can be done. I know. I did it and you can, too.

First of all, a nudist/naturist environment is not the sexually charged environment that so many people assume it is. The real fact of it is that it’s a whole lot less like that than a regular clothed environment. I know what you’re thinking and I couldn’t believe it either – not until I actually experienced it myself. Now I can tell you with absolute certainty that after you’ve been around other like-minded nude people for even just a little while and you’ve seen how normal and casual and laid back they are, being nude will seem completely normal to you, too. In no time it will seem even more normal than the clothed environment you’re used to. When you’ve observed men, women, and children going about their normal beach or pool or whatever activities – the only difference being that everyone is nude – you’ll understand exactly what I’m telling you.

Now let’s get back to the big worry. You’re thinking that you have no control over this involuntary reaction - and that’s somewhat true in the sense that we don’t have full control. Or you might be thinking that your mind just seems to be conditioned to automatically equate nudity with sex. You might even be questioning your motives for wanting to try social nudity. But hey, don’t get too down on yourself. After all, erections are a normal and healthy function for us. The problem is simply that none of us wants to be seen in public like that. And as for mentally linking nudity and sex, this is not necessarily all your fault. Our culture and society - particularly the media - links nudity to sex all the time in order to use it as a way to manipulate us. They use all degrees of nudity in sexually provocative and stimulating ways to grab our attention and get inside our heads and manipulate us for their purposes. This should make you mad and give you a determination to break free of this subtle form of mind control. What to do? Recondition your mind with the right ideas and experiences – the right way to think about nudity. I guarantee that a short time spent in a clothing-optional setting will quickly have your mind seeing social nudity for what it really is: a normal, natural, casual, relaxing state of being that is completely nonsexual and innocent in and of itself.

So what should your game plan be? You should plan to go at your own pace; whatever is most comfortable for you. Easing your way into it is a good idea. You could start out by being nude whenever you’re alone at home; that’s pretty easy, but if you’re serious about this, you’re probably already doing that. You could try being nude with your wife or girlfriend, but if neither of you has any experience with social nudity, then it might be difficult to sort out the influence of sexual attractions.

What I’d recommend is that you try to find a way to be socially nude among a group of people. A group setting just naturally lends itself to keeping your mind oriented toward the social aspects of the situation. If you can find a clothing-optional setting, like a nude beach, then that would be perfect. That way you can stay dressed while you observe the situation and give your mind a chance to settle in on the fact that this is far more relaxed and nonsexual than the regular beach you may be used to. You’ll see that it’s totally natural not to wear anything on the beach and that everyone – men, women, and children - just goes about doing what they normally do in the way they normally do it except they’re doing it all without swimwear, which I’ve now come to realize is about the most totally needless, impractical, and worst of all, distracting type of garment ever contrived.

In a clothing-optional or nude setting like that, it won’t be long at all before you’re relaxed and your nerves are under control and you’re thinking that it’s time to get into the game and be like everybody else. There’s nothing stopping you – just slip off whatever you’re wearing. You don’t even have to get up – just slip it off sitting on your towel if you want. No one will pay any attention. You’re just another beach bum enjoying your day. That’s how natural it is. Then just take it from there. Sit on your towel. Lay on your towel. Go for a swim. Go for a walk. Whatever you would do anyway, you’ll find it way better this way. I’m telling you.

OK, now that I’ve made a few recommendations on ways for you to move ahead, let me share a few things with you that I think are a complete waste of time – probably even counter productive – and therefore are to be avoided. One is trying to think your way through your first experience or trying to imagine yourself into the situation ahead of time and expecting to get used to it that way. In my opinion, no amount of thinking or imagining will get you anywhere close to what the reality of it is like. You‘ve got to be there to know how great it is and it’s worth facing your fears and pushing through them to get that first experience – and one is all it takes to break you in.

Another worthless idea is looking at nudist/naturist pictures and trying to “picture” yourself there. That to me simply prolongs staying on the outside looking in and will not do much at all toward helping you know what it will really be like. I remember doing this myself and feeling totally frustrated that I would still get erections even though I wasn’t seeing or thinking anything sexual about the pictures - and this even when I was completely dressed! What a discouragement that was. But then what I found the first few times I was nude in a group of nude people – first with Jim, Ann, and Sunny and then with Sunny and everyone at the campground - was that my fears and worries had led me completely in the wrong direction. I believe the reason that our fears and worries do that so drastically is because there simply are no grounds for them in a nude-friendly setting – none whatsoever. They just do not belong, do not apply, and are not there so if we listen to them how can we help but be completely misguided. That’s why you need to make sure that fear and worry doesn’t get control of you. It will only lead you off in the wrong direction, lead you to the wrong conclusions, and prevent you from making any progress at all toward you goal.

I’m telling you, it’s like once you’re physically there in the midst of it all – on the inside so to speak – your whole perspective suddenly changes. You really do become a part of it and you realize then that it truly is not the sexually charged environment your fears and worries had led you to believe it would be. Your mind instantly accepts that fact and though you and everyone may be nude, you’re comfortable with it. It’s fine. You realize that hey this is very normal for this time and place. And even if the thought (worry) of an erection might cross your mind for an instant, you realize that no, it’s not going to happen because there’s really nothing sexually stimulating about any of this and so this is not the time or place so forget about it.

It’s kind of like when you were in the locker room in school or at the doctor for a physical or some situation like that – your mind knows that it’s not the time or place for something like that to happen so it doesn’t. This realization comes not so much out of fear of embarrassment as it does from simply seeing that this situation is not about sex and if it’s not about sex, then an involuntary sexual response is not likely to happen because your mind knows the difference. I remember being so amazed that day with Sunny, Jim and Ann as I thought, here I am nude in the presence of two beautiful women, also nude and I haven’t had even a hint of that feeling of things starting up down there. You can’t begin to imagine how freeing and in control of yourself that feels after what your fears and worries have put you through for so long.

Still can’t believe it can be like this? I don’t blame you, but think of it this way. Picture a pretty girl at a regular beach or pool wearing a typical swimsuit, say a bikini - nothing provocative or out of the ordinary. You see her and what happens? Your eyes are naturally drawn to the areas of her body where the bikini is, probably because of the colors or patterns of what she’s wearing. These particular areas of her body are the more sexual related attributes of her body, so – whether intentionally or not – you tend to give those areas more of your focus and attention. Whether this is good or bad depends on you and how far you go with it, but the end result is that you’ll probably have to make a conscience effort if you want to have an overall balance in your view of her as a person and not merely as some object to gaze at.

OK, now change the picture to a nude beach or pool. Same girl, but now nude as would be right for this setting. This time however, there is nothing to draw your focus to any particular parts of her body. When you see her now, you tend to see her whole body – not just her breasts or pubic area like you did before. These specific areas no longer stand out as being different (as in colorfully clothed, hidden, mysterious, enticing) because everything is now out in the open. Everything is in balance. Ok, granted, if this is your first time in a nude setting, then those areas may very well be of notice until you get used to it – I’ll give you that, but even though you notice, you won’t find it to be a sexually charged experience. And with having this new more balanced perspective on how you see people, you are way more apt to realize that this girl is a person who has worth and deserves respect and is not just a collection of sexual body parts for the viewing pleasure of yourself and others.

This new perspective you now have becomes even more evident if you are among a group of people. In a group of nude people, seldom does one girl stand out more than the rest of the group. You see the whole human body at a glance and it’s not divided up into areas - hidden areas vs. the rest – emphasized areas vs. the rest – areas above or below some line as defined by clothing. It all blends together. You see people - not parts. You see a fellow human being; an equal; someone who has value and is inherently worthy of respect. This is a much improved way of thinking toward others and the extra benefit of all this is that it will carry over into the rest of your life as well. A very important consideration.

One more thing: I’ve told you a lot about what to expect in a nonsexual nude setting and why getting an erection is not likely to happen, but I’m not saying it will never happen. It very well could, not often, but it could. Still, it’s not a cause for worry. If it starts to happen, don’t panic. I repeat: do not panic. It’s not a difficult situation to deal with. You can casually cover yourself with a towel or change the way you’re sitting or get in the water or step away by yourself – the list of common sense solutions like these could go on and on. I’ve had to do it on occasion and I know others have, too – some more than others. But by using these simple techniques – and they’ll come to you naturally if you need them - you’ll never be embarrassed or have to worry about offending others because odds are no one will even know. I mean, people know that it happens once in a while and it’s possible someone may even guess you might be hiding it and waiting for it to go down. That’s understandable. What they won’t understand is if you don’t hide it, but that’s the only time that embarrassment and offensiveness would ever enter into the picture. Again, this is easily avoidable so don’t let it keep you away from social nudity. You know when it’s starting and that gives you enough time to deal with it in a calm casual manner. Then don’t dwell on it and before you know it, it’s gone and forgotten. There - now you have a plan just in case you need it.

So to wrap this thing up, if you’re serious about wanting to try social nudity, you will be able to do it. I’m telling you. Just take what I’ve written and adapt it to yourself and your situation and then go for it. Your fears and worries about erections are way overrated. Trust me – I worried about this probably worse than anybody out there. But then when I actually experienced social nude recreation first hand, the reality of it proved that my fears and worries were totally unfounded and completely off the mark. That’s what you’re going to find, too. I can tell you that with certainty because that’s what every one of us says. So now you can stop worrying and start making plans to get out there. You can do this. You’ll have a great experience and feel a great sense of accomplishment when you do.

SunnyDay – a goofy name like that can’t be for real. Can it?

Nope, it’s not real. I just made it up out of the blue one day when I wanted to post something on a nudist-related message board without revealing my real identity. In fact, I didn’t even want to reveal my gender, but I soon found that I couldn’t write much without that coming out one way or another. Now I wish I’d chosen a more realistic sounding name, something obviously feminine, but oh well - it would be way too much trouble and too confusing to change it now.

As you can probably imagine, there are tons of reasons that I can’t reveal my real identity or location. The most important one is for personal safety – I’m a single woman living alone. The other is because I live in a fairly small community, attended a small, conservative college, and now work as a business professional. My penchant for nude recreation and living would not be understood or accepted by most and I would receive much disapproval from the authority figures in my life if they knew. So here on the ‘Net, I will continue to remain SunnyDay. My boyfriend – now fiancé and soon to be husband - jokingly calls it being in the witness protection program. Well guess what, boy; you’re right here with me!!

Also – and you probably already know this - all of the names of the people in my stories have been changed to protect the guilty. They trust me to guard their privacy and anonymity in the same way that I protect my own and I take their trust very seriously.

What was you major? Must have been literature or journalism, right? So are you a writer?

Nope. Not a writer. Not trained in it. Don’t have a clue what I’m doing.

My major was Business Administration. I earned a degree in Business Administration specializing in management leadership.

When it comes to this kind of writing, I really don’t have a clue about what I’m doing. I've had virtually no training in it. I just put down everything I can remember about whatever experience I’m writing about. Then I start editing and I just keep editing and editing until I think what I’ve written will make sense to someone else. When I feel like my editing is no longer resulting in any significant improvements, I just publish and hope for the best. Someday I hope to take some classes or get some kind of training for writing like this, but there’s just no time for it now. Until then, I’ll just keep hacking away.

I’m very grateful to everyone who looks past all my writing inadequacies and still manages to figure out what I’m trying to say. Thank you for your patience with me.

Do your friends know that you’ve written about them? Are they OK with that?

Yes, most of the people I've written about know that they are included in my stories. Not only that, I usually ask them to read what I've written and give me feedback on it to let me know if I've accurately recorded what happened from their perspective. Then I take what they tell me and revise accordingly. We sometimes go through this process several times before it’s published.

My friends know that what I’m trying to do by writing about my (our) experiences is to help, encourage, and maybe even inspire others in experiencing the same joys of nude recreation and living that I (we) do. They are very supportive and I'm so grateful to all of them. They're the greatest!

What about religion? Doesn’t social nudity conflict with your religious beliefs?

No, there is no conflict. To explain why, let me start off by giving you some background on my religious beliefs. That way you’ll know where I’m coming from.

I’m a Christian. I believe that there is a living God and that he created this world and everything in it including humanity exactly the way he wanted it to be. I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God; that he came to earth as fully man and fully God; that he loves us so much that He died on our behalf; that He was brought back from death to life to live forever; and that by believing he is the son of God and by accepting him as the Lord of our life, we become a child of God and will live with him forever. When I was 14, I publicly accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior.

Now, on to why I feel there is no conflict. First of all, there is no Biblical scripture that forbids simple nudity and because I believe that all Biblical scripture was written under the strong inspiration of God (thus, making it the word of God), it wasn’t accidentally left out so that allows me the freedom to engage in social nudity if done in a responsible way. Some might argue that because Adam and Eve attempted to make clothes for themselves after they disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, we are now required to wear clothing, but I would suggest that clothing themselves was their idea - not God’s. They tried to use clothing to hide from God, rather than admit their disobedience and ask forgiveness.

Some might argue that because God made clothing for Adam and Eve when they were expelled from the Garden of Eden, we are now required to wear clothing at all times, but the Bible does not state why God made clothing for them. It seems likely that he did it because they would need clothing for protection in order to survive in the harsh environment in which they would be living. And being given clothing because they needed it hardly seems like a requirement to wear it constantly even when it’s not needed. After all, God provided food for the Israelites when they wandered in the wilderness, but he wouldn’t expect them to eat constantly, would he? Clothing, like food, is a resource and is to be used as needed – not compulsively or obsessively or for status.

I consider social nudity a liberty that I’m free to enjoy as long as I do so in a responsible manner. Responsible in the sense that I do it in an appropriate setting and that my motive is not to cause anyone else to stumble or falter in their faith or beliefs – a responsibility I have at all times in all settings anyway. Engaging in this liberty is no different than anything else. There are times and places today where nudity is appropriate just like there were times and places that were appropriate for it throughout Biblical times. Appropriate, acceptable nudity is nothing new.

Social nudity should be no more of a stumbling block to others than anything else we may do. We are responsible within reason not to cause others to stumble, but if we are not intentionally engaging in any kind of provocative activity, then others must control and be responsible for their own thoughts and actions. Fact is, we can be way more provocative in our choice of clothing and how we wear it than we can when we’re completely nude in a social environment. Clothing is used all the time to enhance the body’s sexual attributes in provocative ways in order to grab attention, arouse curiosity, and heighten attraction. But when everyone is nude, all of that is gone - there’s no longer anything to be curious about.

Some might say that it’s impossible to see people of the opposite sex completely nude and not stumble – that you can’t see the areas of the body of the opposite sex that are usually clothed without lusting and faltering in your beliefs. But in reality, those areas are just other facts about our bodies. Once you are accustomed to being nude and to seeing everyone around you nude, you don’t notice these areas any more than any others. If you had lived all of your life in a country or society where everyone kept their entire body covered at all times and then suddenly you came to this country, you would notice the bare arms and legs at first because this would all be new to you. But soon you would become accustomed to it and take no particular notice just like you do today. It’s the same way in a social nude environment. It’s far less sexually charged than a clothed environment.

In our culture today, we’ve been conditioned to associate all nudity with sex. This is primarily due to the media using sex any way they can to lead us around by the nose and get us to watch or buy whatever they want us to. So now most people automatically assume that social nudity must be all about sex, but in actuality, it’s just the opposite. So if you find that you’ve been conditioned to think this way, you need to re-condition yourself so that you no longer associate nudity in and of itself with sex. You need to re-condition yourself with other ideas and experiences. A short time spent in a clothing-optional or nude setting will re-condition your mind to see social nudity for what it really is: a normal, natural, casual, relaxing state of being that is completely innocent in and of itself.

Humanity is the crowning achievement of God’s creation. He created us exactly as he wanted us to be and he was pleased to fellowship with Adam and Eve as they lived naked and unashamed in the Garden of Eden. It was only after they disobeyed God that they were then separated from him and that’s when death and all the other problems entered the world. But that was reversed when God sent his only son to earth to provide us a way back to him. Yes, we still live in a fallen world, but by accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, we are restored to that original relationship with God that Adam and Eve held. What amazing love!

So if God created us in his image and considers us to be the crowning achievement of his creation, think how it must sadden him when all that most people ever think about in regard to the human body – especially a nude body – is how it relates to sex and how it compares to the mostly unattainable expectations set to by the fashion and glamour industries and the media. Very sad.

So there you have some of my thoughts. I live according to the same values and beliefs when I’m nude as when I’m dressed - whether I’m alone or with others. I’m the same person either way. It’s just part of my life – part of me – part of who I am. It’s not complicated – I’m not complicated. I’m simply not going to do or think anything when I’m nude that I wouldn’t do or think at any other time.

Other Christians may disagree with me on some or maybe even all of this, but I feel that they fall victim to the same erroneous thinking as almost everybody else – that nudity always equals sex. But that’s just not the case. It depends on each individual - their motive and the attitude of their heart.

My motives for nude recreation and living – social and otherwise – are as follows:

• Honor God by 1) fully embracing my humanity as intentionally created by God, 2) reflecting God in whose image I’m created, 3) being an image-bearer for God, 4) having the same view of the human body as God does, and 5) spending time living as God intended.
• Show gratitude and obedience to my Lord and Savior by 1) demonstrating that I’ve been redeemed and restored through him, 2) rejecting the guilt and shame brought on by the fall of humanity, and 3) rejecting the world’s erroneous view of the human body and embrace God’s view instead.
• Care for others by 1) setting an example of friendship, trust, openness, and honesty, 2) demonstrating my restoration to humanity’s original relationship with God, and 3) sharing with them a happy, healthy way to live.
• Care for myself by 1) experiencing the rest of God’s creation more fully and completely, 2) relaxing and de-stressing more fully and naturally, and 3) enjoying the health benefits and other practicalities that come from experiencing life in this way.

So again, appropriate nudity is nothing new. It occurred throughout Biblical times, too, so it’s not like it was accidentally not addressed. There is no instructional scripture specifically for it; thus, making it a non-issue in and of itself.

Whew, all that just to say that I see no conflict between my faith and enjoying nude recreation and living. In fact, I feel quite a lot of harmony with all of it. But you need to think about all this and decide for yourself. I already have for me.

For more information and better explanations than mine, check out Boyd Allen’s Christian Naturist web site and the Fig Leaf Forum web site (use any search engine to find them). The material on these sites explains it all extremely well. Both of the guys that own these sites seem genuine to me. There are a lot more Christian naturist sites than that out there, too, so do lots of reading to educate yourself.

How should I go about telling others about my preference for nudity? I’d like to be open about it with certain friends and family members, but it’s kind of scary. How can I know how they’ll respond? And what if they tell a bunch of other people? How do you approach all this?

Those are very valid questions and concerns. Most of us face those in some way or other at various times. We may feel a conflict between wanting to be open and honest with others who are close to us yet we know some of them just couldn’t or wouldn’t accept what we’d be telling them. Thus, we’re faced with keeping secret something we know to be goodness, yet secrecy is not something we usually associate with something good, but we feel we’re forced into it because they’d likely jump to all the wrong conclusions. Then there’s the matter of, what if they tell somebody else who tells somebody else who tells somebody else? We’d lose control of who knows and what they know as well as lose any chance to explain and educate.

There’s no single answer or approach to these concerns that I know of. How you need to approach it may be very different from how I need to approach it and even then it will likely vary with each individual we may wish to be open with. That’s because every person and every situation is different. But I’ll go ahead and offer you some of my husband’s and my thoughts on how we approach it and you can consider that and possibly get some ideas you can use.

Regarding the concern for others finding out about our preference for nude recreation and living, it’s funny how much that has changed over time. I’ve gone from being terribly fearful in the beginning about others finding out to not really worrying about it much at all anymore. I mean, I don’t openly share it with everyone I meet, but I don’t worry about others finding out either. And why is that? Because I know why I prefer it and I know it’s a goodness. So, if somebody finds out and condemns me for it, I can stand up under that because I know I’m right (for me) and they likely don’t understand and are jumping to wrong conclusions.

Also, the fact that my husband and I are in complete agreement on this issue is important, too. I know that even if everyone else were to condemn me, he not only agrees with me but understands and loves me unconditionally. The same is true of me for him. And so that leaves me with a sense of confidence about our preference. I’m confident in living it and I’m not running scared. In other words, I have a peace about it. Another thing; we don’t really consider it a secret, but think of it more as simply a private matter – just like certain other things. And yeah, I’ve made my share of mistakes in how I handled it in the past, but going forward I’ve got a little more experience to work with and I’m married to a wonderful man who I can discuss ideas and situations with and together we can determine the best thing to do for any given situation.

Unfortunately, there’s no sure method for deciding who you can tell and who you can’t. You just have to base your decision on your relationship with them. It’s not just about how well you know them. It’s equally, if not more, about how much they know about you. In many cases, your ideas and practices will carry the same credibility with them that they already have in you overall. If they perceive you as a person of integrity and credibility, they’ll be way more likely to think twice about your ideas and preferences rather than just categorically dismissing them as radical or nonsense. That’s true even if it’s something they may not choose for themselves. They may be able to accept the idea and accept your practice of it because they know you and they know what you’re all about overall. I’m seeing this happen more and more in our circle of friends and family.

Another thing I’ve learned is that it doesn’t have to be all or nothing when it comes to how you tell someone. It can be a gradual process. It can be by your attitude as much or more as by your words. This is going to be hard to describe, but you can let people know or see how your attitude toward various aspects of life differs from theirs. For example, you can have body language that conveys openness and trust in interacting with them. Another way is the attitude you convey about your body – not being ashamed to be normal (as opposed to a supermodel) and acting normal and relaxed when you’re in situations where nudity (full or partial) might be typical like in a locker room or even in your own home if a guest happens to be present when you’re showering or changing or something. Things like that.

I guess it comes down to the fact that for us, nude living and recreation is simply a normal and preferred way of life and so by simply being ourselves with others, that attitude comes through in various ways even though we may not be openly nude with them or even discuss it specifically with them. Does that make sense? At any rate, that’s the way we’ve been approaching our friends and families with it thus far. Someday, we’ll have that talk with some of them that fills in the rest of the gaps. For others, the gaps will just naturally get smaller and smaller until they no longer exist. So for now, we continue just being us. That’s what we’re best at.

What’s the difference between a nudist and a naturist and which are you?

That’s kind of a tough one for me. The difference in my opinion is more philosophical than anything and I guess I don’t really approach nude recreation and living this way. I just don’t think it should require that much thought. When it comes to this, I try to be more of a doer than a thinker so I’m probably not the best person to ask.

But since you did ask . . . to me, the term, naturist refers to someone who goes nude to be closer to and more a part of nature. The term, nudist refers to someone who simply prefers to be without clothes and the tie to nature is not so much of a consideration. Be warned that the next person you ask will probably tell you something completely different and they’ll probably be more right about it than I am.

In the past, I’ve used these terms interchangeably, but now, I’ve started to avoid the use of both terms as much as possible. The reason for that is because these “-ist” and “-ism” labels often conjure up preconceived notions in other people’s minds – often negative ones – that lead to misunderstanding, alienation, and other less than positive reactions. There have been discussions on the message board about this and I’ve learned a lot from the very knowledgeable people that posted about it. They said that it’s better to tell people what you do rather than what you are and by talking about it this way you can usually avoid the labeling that leads to automatic negative reactions. Makes sense to me.

Another thing they mentioned along this line is that when you are around others who you’re not sure how they will respond, simply ask them if they would you mind if you skinny-dipped or if they would mind if you sunbathed nude. Approaching them this way first of all tells them exactly what you are proposing to do in a non-threatening way and secondly it seeks their permission to do it. It’s completely non-confrontational. The people that talked about this would-you-mind-if-I kind of approach said they have used it successfully way more often than not.

OK, now getting back to the last part of your question: which am I? My answer is that I am just a regular person who is comfortable to be and prefers to be without clothes whenever it is possible and practical. Notice that I didn’t use either term in that answer. Sometimes I’ll use one or the other when I need a convenient one-word description to describe what I do, but otherwise, I’ll avoid them.

Hope this helps.

How come your site is so plain? Why don’t you jazz it up with lots of colors and graphics? What are you trying to accomplish here, anyway?

My site is so plain and simple because that’s basically all I know how to do. I’m not a webmistress. I have very little training in this stuff and no web authoring tools so I stick to very basic html and I avoid javascript like the plague (that stuff drives me crazy!).

I stay away from graphics because that can use up a ton of space real fast and you’ve got to be careful about that when you’re using these free web services like I do. They are pretty limited. I’ve also learned that you can waste a lot of time playing around with colors and fancy-schmancy fonts so again, I stick to the basics: black and white with common fonts. I want to spend my time concentrating on my writing - not on publishing and maintaining a website.

And really, this simple basic approach gets the job done just fine. I’m not trying to be another Netnude or Clothesfree or other major-league nudist/naturist site or portal. As I’ve stated on my home page, all I’m trying to do is tell my story in hope that it might be of some help and encouragement to others who are trying to find their way. It’s as simple as that.

So I would ask that you focus on what I’ve written – not on how it looks. Thanks.

I’m curious about how you discovered the pasture and what it was like your first time going nude there. I’d like to find a place like that, too.

Discovering that I could use this pasture for nude sunbathing was a gradual and unplanned process. I had been running on a country road along side it for I don’t know how long before it finally dawned on me that it might be secluded enough back in the trees a little ways that I could be nude there. The particular area that caught my attention was between two big hills and there was a creek at the bottom that zigzagged out away from the road with lots of tree cover all along it. There was a gate near enough to the trees that I could climb over it and get into the trees before anyone was likely to see me go back there (didn’t want to be followed) and the gate itself was all metal pipes (no barb wire) so it was quick and easy to climb over.

I was pretty nervous starting out. The first time, I didn’t venture very far once I was in the trees. I found a spot that was part way down the creek bank – enough to be hidden – that still allowed me to see over the top so that I could keep an eye on the gate to make sure nobody surprised me. There was a little sun coming through the trees there. I took off my top, but that was it. I was afraid to take my eyes off the gate for even a minute.

Then over the next few weeks, I gradually became familiar with that little area right around there and was soon going nude although I kept my clothes right there with me and constantly watched and listened for trouble. In fact, I don’t think I ever did take my shoes off there back then. I wanted to be ready to run if need be and I had several escape routes all planned out. I never needed them though.

It was sometime later that I decided one day to stay dressed and follow the creek farther into the pasture to see if I could find someplace that felt more secure. There was a spot where the creek was narrow enough to jump over and I chose to go that way rather than stay on the side I was on – I had to do that in order to remain hidden from the road. I followed the creek along on the bank above it and always within the tree cover. A little farther on I came to a place where the creek split into two branches. I crossed the branch in front of me – there was an old log (not very big) laying across it at an angle – and continued on. I had to cross there; otherwise, I would have had to back-track to continue along the side of the creek I was on.

The area I now found myself in between the two branches of the creek was really the most secluded and secure of all. The trees remained pretty thick along each of the branches and the creek bank was mostly tall and steep along both of them. As the creek branches split farther apart, the area in between flattened out and the trees thinned out enough to allow in the sun and let the grass grow. This was the kind of spot I was looking for – very secluded and way back from the road and the gate.

From then on I came straight to this area whenever I wanted to do some nude sunbathing. I started out staying dressed until I got back there, but eventually I started getting undressed as soon as I was into the trees and then walked back to the secluded area nude. Same thing on the way back. And I had escape routes planned out for wherever I was.

So that’s how I discovered it and how I started out there. My stories pick it up from here and will tell you way more than you probably want to know.

Anybody else could probably find their own place like that a lot easier and faster than I did. If you’re like me and live a long way from any officially nude facilities, you may want to find yourself a convenient place like this to use that’s closer to home. Just keep your eyes open for a place that appears to be secluded and that seems like a place that’s off the beaten path and unlikely to be stumbled upon by others. Then take your time exploring it and getting familiar with it and making sure that it’s safe. Use common sense and exercise caution. If you have doubts about a place, forget it and move on to another. Be careful. Don’t get into trouble. Good luck.

I wish I could write like you. I’ve had some interesting experiences that I’d like to write about because I think others could benefit from them, but I don’t have a clue how to write a story. How do you get started? How do you make it interesting? How do you organize and edit it? How do you know if you’ve written too much or too little? Please share some tips, tricks, and guidelines with us nudist-writer wannabe’s.

I’ll be glad to share with you how I approach my writing, but please realize that I’ve had almost no training in this kind of writing. What I’m going to share with you is what works for me based on what little I know and what I’ve picked up along the way by just doing it. Someone with better training could no doubt give you way better advice than I. But anyway, here goes…

First off, you need to think about why you want to write about whatever it is that you’re thinking about. If it’s because you think that what you have to say will help others, then you need to write down what messages you want to get across and then write your story so that it brings out those ideas. If it’s because you want to share a pleasant experience, then concentrate on the details of that and provide enough information that the reader can experience it with you. If your reason for writing is simply to entertain, then bring out those things that you think the reader will enjoy. And there are many other reasons for writing, as well, and it’s certainly possible that you could be writing for any number of them.

Now, let me pass on some advice that an experienced writer once shared with me after reading one of my stories. He told me that even though I was writing non-fiction, I should always write it as though it were fiction. He said that I should find ways to engage the reader right from the first paragraph and then make the story flow - keep it moving. Stick with the facts, but find ways to present them so that the reader’s interest will stay engaged.

OK, keeping that in mind, now it’s time to get started with the writing. I’d suggest you just start typing your ideas as fast as they come to you – whatever you’re thinking, type it – first as a list of brief notes, then as an outline, and finally as a story. Just let your thoughts flow through your fingers. Just start and you’ll find that one thought flows right into another. Nothing matters at this stage other than getting your thoughts slammed into your computer (or on paper) in some way that makes sense to you. You’ll go back to organize, edit, and polish it later.

Now let’s talk about being descriptive. How much detail should go into your descriptions? As for me, I try to be very descriptive when I write about settings and the actions taking place in them. Descriptions include not only visual, but also the other senses, too: touch, smell, hearing. Then on top of that there are also descriptions about thoughts and feelings – yours and those of others. All contribute toward the reader experiencing what you experienced so that they can imagine that they’re right there with you. That’s your goal.

In describing people, I generally don’t provide too much detail of what they look like. Maybe I should do more than I do, but I’ve always concentrated on actions and dialogue in hopes that that would be enough to give the reader a mental image of the person and what they’re doing and thus, the reader could get to know the person through those means. More could and maybe should be done, but when you’re writing about people in nude recreation and living, it’s not like you have any need to expend a lot of words on what they’re wearing and how they look in it. We all look basically the same.

If you’re planning to describe your subjects down to the point of being, shall we say, anatomically detailed, then generally speaking, I’d say that would be a mistake. There’s really not that much to say about it. We’re all uniquely different, yes, but going to that level of descriptive detail would most likely cloud and distract from the main points you’re trying to make and bog down your story even though you might be able to carry it out in good taste. I’ve read things written by nudist writers who attempted this and although they were very good writers, it usually seemed contrived, cumbersome, and unnecessary whenever they made frequent anatomical references. But hey, that’s only my opinion.

When you think you’ve covered everything you want to include, then start your editing – first from your perspective as the one who had the experience and then from the reader’s perspective. As the writer, keep asking yourself, “Have I written down everything about this experience that I want to remember and want others to know?” From the reader’s perspective, keep asking yourself, “If I hadn’t been there, could I know and feel what actually happened by reading this story?” Always write with the assumption that the reader doesn’t know you, doesn’t know anything about you, and doesn’t know anything about what, where, and who you are writing about. Then hopefully, that will all change as the reader progresses through your story and has more and more information revealed to them.

If you’re worried that your final result might not be grammatically perfect, well, of course it would be a plus if it were, but I would simply suggest that a little practical, common sense goes a long way in allowing you to get your ideas across. Just because you maybe didn’t get all A’s in your composition classes shouldn’t keep you from trying to write about something that you think is important. It can still be done without knowing or following all of the strict rules of grammar. For example, just use a comma where some separation is needed to keep ideas from running together. Another good idea is to keep your sentences simple - if a sentence is getting too complex, just make two sentences out of it. These are a couple of easy ways to add clarity to your writing. No, you won’t win any big awards with this approach, but you can at least be reasonably certain that someone can read and understand what you are trying to say.

Yes, writing perfectly would be hard, but writing well enough to be understood is not. And like most things, the more you do it, the better you get and the easier it gets. So I guess we all need to not shy away from writing, but just jump in and then keep at it. It’s good practice and at the same time we’re still getting our ideas out there for others to read. This approach can work for whatever informal writing you might desire to do: message board posts, e-mail, stories, trip reports, and much more.

So I’d just like to encourage you to not be afraid to write up your experiences, opinions, ideas, and anything else that you think others would benefit from knowing or might simply enjoy reading. Just go for it and see what happens. Start small, keep it simple, and go from there. But do start. It’s so worthwhile. One of the things that make writing so worthwhile to me is when someone says they felt like they were right there with me as they were reading. Another is when they say they feel like they know me and those I write about after reading my writing. But the greatest satisfaction comes when someone says they felt that they understood a little better what nude recreation and living was about after reading what I’ve written and then decided to give it a try for themself. Yeah, that’s the best. Your writing could have the same or even greater results, you know. So what are you waiting for? There’s no time like the present, so start typing! Yeah! Like, right now!!

I just had my first experience in nude recreation and want to tell the world how great it was! Problem is I’m having a hard time writing it up. What’s that list of questions that you always ask first-timers on your message board? Maybe that will help me.

Sounds like you must’ve had a great time with your first experience in nude recreation. Congratulations! You did it!

The questions you’re asking about are listed below. It’s true that I’ve posed these to help people tell about their first experience. Please feel free to use them as a starting point to write and share your story, too. Not only will others benefit from reading about your first-hand experience so that they can see what it might be like for themselves if they were to try it, but you’ll benefit, too, simply from thinking about it again in detail as you type it up and you’ll have a record of it to look back on to relive the experience again.

Remember, these questions are just suggestions to be used as a springboard to get started. You can add to or take away as needed and you can say as much or as little as you like. So give it a go. Then how about sharing it with everyone on the message board? I’d love to read Your Story!

1) What made you want to try nude recreation?

2) What (if anything) was holding you back or causing you misgivings? Why?

3) What finally prompted you to take action?

4) Tell us a little about your first experience. Where was it? Who was it with? What was it like?

5) In what ways did your first experience live up to your expectations?

6) Was there anything about it that you weren’t expecting that surprised you (positive or negative)?

7) What advice would you give others who are still thinking about trying it but haven’t yet taken action?

8) And if it’s been a while since your first time and you’re looking back and writing about it retrospectively, how has your outlook, attitude, and perspective changed over time (if at all)?

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