Divisions of Nudism

[jbeegoode]

The inclusive and exclusive tendencies in human society appear inherent in nudist/naturist.  Religious nudists/naturists rail against religious counterparts blaming all Christians for instance for the actions of their institutions. Various naturist groups, organizations and clubs eager to secure their piece of the pie challenge the credibility of others. Family nudists and nudist couples feel their experience threatened by singles. Female naturists are intimidated by males. Clothes free bloggers undercut, undermine others going as far as to copy content and bad mouthing to get attention for their individual sites. Gays and lesbians are not always welcomed by straight nudists. Young naturist criticize older ones as out of touch. Older nudists criticize younger as being impetuous. Newbies run afoul of long time nudists. “Lifestyle” enthusiasts say those who pursue non sexual nudity are prudes.. Nudists with piercings and tattoos feel persecuted by those without. Those more open with the practice being clothes free chide those who for whatever reason must be more private. Clothes free activists challenge the passivity of others. I could go on but I think you get my point. I suppose that I could go on with the list.

Do you think that this is a problem? Are some of these observations false, or blown out of proportionate reality?

Do you think that this is less prevalent among naked people that in the wider society?

Does nudity create some solution to adversarial socializing found in wider society? As a group do naked people tolerate, or accept others more than textile suppressed folk? Why?

The song says, “Let’s give ‘em somethin’ to talk about.” So, this is a forum, let’s talk.
Jbee

[Peter S]

When people are wearing clothes that is not seen as a common factor that produces common ground, fellow feeling. You never hear, "hey, your politics stink but you wear clothes like I do so you can't be all bad". Get some naked people together and straight away there is a commonality that sets us apart from everyone else and sets us together, so even if we subsequently discover our politics (or preferred music, or whatever) is at odds we already have that meeting point, that shared "outsider-ness" of preferring life naked. Sure, it's not perfect and it doesn't work all the time for everyone, but it changes the starting point of the relationship, sets in place a different sort of dynamic.

Of course that's at the individual level. Group-think changes the boundaries. "Our group meets on beaches - that's the place to be naked. Their group meets at camp grounds, that's all wrong!"

At the end of the day we're all just people, and subject to the same strains and prejudices and issues as anyone else, so the divisions JBee lists are bound to occur, but (perhaps it's wishful thinking) I reckon we have a common - naked - philosophy which can go at least some way to overcoming the worst problems.

[Greenbare Woods]

At the end of the day we're all just people, and subject to the same strains and prejudices and issues as anyone else, so the divisions JBee lists are bound to occur, but (perhaps it's wishful thinking) I reckon we have a common - naked - philosophy which can go at least some way to overcoming the worst problems.

Peter sums it up well.  Sure, we have nudity in common, but when we are together for a while we enjoy other people who have common values, common life styles, common experiences, etc.   

[nuduke]

Everywhere I read about naturism, I read about the social levelling effect of everyone being naked and the toleration and openness of naturists and their communities.  And, to an extent, I believe it.  Nakedness in groups of people, which I have to caveat I have experienced rather rarely, does for me represent groups that are tolerant mutually emancipated and socially more free than many 'normal' social interactions.
But I also think that we free thinking, tolerant and inclusive naturists are nevertheless a group of human beings and that "adversarial socializing found in wider society" that Jbee alludes to, will eventually find its way into the cracks of social cohesion in any human group, including naturists.  I think that the opportunity to be naked overrides many of the social stigmas, conventions, compulsions and divisions and so these things are supressed in naturist gatherings, making them at least temporarily, havens of good nature and tolerance.  But if we all lived naked then I am sure social divisions would be there - as real as they are in the textile world.
I'd love to hear Ian milfmog's opinion on that, him being quite a social naturist...I wonder of he's out there reading this?
John