Conference moira::naturism

What a great question?  Let's see....

When we used to live in the mountains and the nearest neighbor was 1/4 mile 
away and we had dirty clothes on, we'd take them off before stepping inside
the house.

You really got me thinking.  Work at DEC in the nude.  Can you imagine going
to an interview?!?  I'd like to work in the yard, wash the trucks, hike
more.  It is amazing how we are used to having to wear clothes, to have the
choice not to wear clothes, makes me want to say "do everything without" but
that just doesn't seem right.  We've been brain-washed for too long!  Sure 
could be alot of fun tho!  :-)

Judy

    That *is* a good question - and a hard one, too.  But I must say,
    I don't think I'd be too happy if it became a reality.  Now before
    everybody gets all upset at me, this is why:  I really enjoy being
    nude, but most of the joy I get out of going to nude beaches, for
    example, is the other people who are around me.  I feel that naturists
    are special, sensitive, caring people and I feel very safe in that
    type of environment.  You don't find any weird perverts amongst
    naturists because they'd be too easily spotted.  But if you could
    walk down the street in any city in the country without any clothes
    on, imagine how vulnerable you'd be to all the maniacs out there.
    
    I also feel that being nude would become too "normal" (at least
    for me) and the ultimate relaxation I receive from now and then
    being in a natural atmosphere wouldn't be the same.
    
    I could go on and on, but these are probably the two issues that
    are most important to me.
    
    - Kathryn
    

Actually, I think very little would change for the vast majority
of America.  Most people avoid nudity because they've been taugh
it's wrong (or they are afraid of it, as I have been in the past!), 
not because it's illegal.  At least, that's my impression.  

Laws seem to do little more than make it legal to stop people from
doing what most of society feels they shouldn't do in the first 
place.  If most of society doesn't agree with a law, it'll be 
ignored (ie. speed limits).  

I think we'd need a fundamental change in the country's impression
of nudity before we'd see any real change.  Of course, I'm not
as involved with naturism as many of you, so my opinion may be
restricted by the thoughts of surrounding textiles...

Kerry

    I don't think all that much would change.
    there is a time and place for clothes and a time and place for no
    clothes.  People would dress as is appropriate for the situation.
    People could theoretically wear just bathing suits to work right now
    if they wanted, but it wouldn't be appropriate for the situation; it
    doesn't look professional and wouldn't be safe for certain jobs. If
    anti-nudity laws were abolished, it would still be appropriate to
    wear clothes in alot of situations.
    
    As katheryn had said, nudity for me is a special time; it's usually
    a situation for rest and relaxation...freedom and peace from the 
    reality of the world.  being able to go to a place like a nude beach
    makes it more meaningful because it's an opportunity that I don't
    get to enjoy as often as I would like.
    
    B.
    
    

>    What use would I (you) make of the new freedom? - shopping? washing
>    the car out in the front street? - I'm still trying to decide.
    
	That's like giving a $100 bucks to a kid, and letting him loose 
in a candy store.

	I think I would take advantage of the new freedom, and be nude more
often than usual, where-ever I might be.  Kind of, if the mood struck, why not?
I've got to agree with the others though, I think perhaps if we were given
too much freedom, we might still enjoy naturism, but the novelty would wear
off.  I look forward to going to the beach, to the resort, wherever, if 
being nude was permitted everywhere, then you might lose the incentive to 
want to be with like minded naturists. 

Darrell

    That is a good question.  In fact, it's two good questions (both of
    which people have been answering here):

	What if nudity were legal?

	What if nudity were acceptable?

    I think that if nudity just became legal, it wouldn't make that big
    a difference.  After all, as several others have mentioned, the real
    sanction behind most social rules of conduct is social rather than
    legal.  If "society" still disapproved of nudity, I would be no more
    likely to go shopping nude than I am likely today to go shopping in
    just a bathing suit.  I'd probably spend more time nude in the yard
    than I do now, and I'd expect nude beaches to become generally
    available; but that would probably be about it.

    But what if nudity actually became socially acceptable?  (Say, as
    acceptable as long hair on men, or other mild bits of generally
    tolerated nonconformity.)  That's a more interesting question, I
    think; but I have less of an answer to it, so I'll let it go for the
    moment.

    	-Neil

    Just to show what a dullard I am its taken me this long to think of an
    answer to my own question. 
    
    I agree that for most people its not the law thats stopping them *but*
    changing the law can lead the way to social change; think of
    anti-sex-discrimination and anit-racist laws. And if first a few people
    appeared nude then a few more then ... 
    
    For me there would be some obvious simple advantages - any beach would
    be available - any swimming pools - the use of the whole garden etc. I
    dont know about you but I suppose that 99% of what we own is in the
    house and of the remaining 1% most of that's in the back garden. How is
    it then that when I strip off at home I invariably find that something
    I want is out in the front or in the van?. *And* of course hosing down
    the van or doing an oil change would be a doddle. 
    
    ( In passing, doing dirty jobs nude is great and in fact first caused
    me not to cover up in front of visitors at home. I was re-plastering a
    ceiling in my house which is about 90 yrs old and the ceilings are lath
    and plaster so I had to pull the old one down first plus of course
    90yrs worth of dust and who knows what. I found that a bib-fronted
    overall is perfect for catching the plaster in and soon got cheesed off
    having to empty  it out so - off came everything. Then the regular
    stream of visitors arrived and eventually I couldnt be bothered to
    cover up every time so I just carried on as I was and noone turned a
    hair. ) 
    
    Anyway - back to Maverick. I take Neils point about shopping etc. *but*
    its not so long ago that shopping in shorts would have caused a stir
    (here) - and its the same with long hair. I first grew my hair long
    about 25yrs ago and of course got a hell of a lot of stick for my
    trouble. *And* pink shirts for men - what a commotion that was, but now
    the average yuppy wouldn't be seen dead without a pink shirt. So things
    *can* change. 
    
    Of course I can think of all kinds of places I wouldn't go nude - like
    the local pub on a friday night when the rowdies are in; but I think
    these are the kinds of places I don't feel 100% at ease in anyway. I
    used to play the piano and guitar in pubs at one time but sometimes you
    know when the crowd is just antipathetic so then you don't do it, not
    because playing the guitar in a pub is not right - just playing in that
    pub at that time isnt right. I think what I'm trying to say in a
    roundabout way is that I'd feel happier nude nearly anywhere I feel
    totally happy now and conversely I'd feel a whole lot more uneasy nude
    in places I can't relax in now. The concept seems to work as a 'vibes'
    amplifier (pseuds corner creeping in here). Actually I suppose its
    a 'vibes' detector.
    
    If I'm totally honest I suppose one of things that would be missing if
    nudism was legal is the element of soft, harmless social mischief but
    given the choice I think I'd shoot for legalization ... it wouldn't
    take too long to think of some other mischievious? pastime 8^)
    
    jim 

    
    
    >What use would I (you) make of the new freedom? - shopping? washing
    >the car out in the front street? - I'm still trying to decide.
    
     Most things would remain the same for me, I think...
    
    	Work, shopping and the like would remain clothed activities (well,
    maybe one in a while a quick trip to the store sans shorts)
    
    	Around the house and at the the beach/lakes would be the big
    difference. 
    
    ed

The hot get undressed.

								John.