Conference moira::naturism

Necessary?  Of course not.

But the various restrictions and taboos about body exposure and non-exposure
add up to a significant and, often, irrational infringement on personal
freedom.  Some (not all) nudists/naturists find that as they overcome those
taboos and restrictions which have been engraved in their own minds, they
enhance their own sense of personal freedom.  Many others, of course, simply
feel more comfortable without clothing.

	-Neil

I have a friend who says he is a nudist and has 
explained things stating that "once free of clothes
and outer trappings, a person can feel more like
an equal with others"

I kept it to myself, but I thought:

Wow, how can the absence of clothes bring about
equality - say in a cocktail party - which he 
has attended?!!!!

    re: .0, .2 (Bill)
    
         Well, clearly it cannot, in and of itself.  Human judgements are
    our bane (bain?)  When we see someone naked, we pass judgements just
    the same, based on fat, height, coloring, hygiene, speech, attitudes,
    etc.  With clothes on, however, there is more to hide behind.  The
    mask can obscure a greater truth.  Is the clothes from Nieman-Marcus
    or K-MARt?  Is the style blue collar or white collar?  Does the 
    jewelry try to give a message?  Is someone attempting to show by
    way of ego that they are superior by their dress?  Or do they show
    their disdain or inferiority in their clothing?  Clothing reflects
    a great deal.  Unfortunately, there can be a certain protectiveness
    in that clothing (uniforms, clearly, or styles in certain circles.)
    But for the person who is naked, there is more of a willingness to
    be vulnerable, to avoid certain of the masks which most hide behind.
    Being naked guarantees nothing, and some people probably use nudity
    as an excuse or cover for some other "failing," too, so even this
    is not a panacea.  (To say nothing of those who are "exhibitionists"
    and who prove superiority by virtue of a physically superior body
    form, etc.)  
         I don't think being naked is a guarantee of anything, although
    I would tend to agree that nudity helps tear down some of the
    artificial trappings inherent within our costumes.  Yes, it does
    feel like we are "more equal" that way, but not always, and not
    necessarily.
    
    Frederick
    

I'd be curious to know how many of your readers
think clothes can truly mask something?

Yeah, we weren't born with them on, but I have
trouble thinking that with them off barriers
would break down.

No judgements implied here.....

    On the other hand, some of us really don't care...
    
    Nice people will still be nice after they go nude...
    Jerks will still be jerks regardless of their clothed state.
    
    The naturists that I spend time with enjoy nuding for its own sake.
    They're all nice people so we don't waste time worrying about
    how we look or what our status is outside of the nuding experience.
    We nude when we can; we dress when it's appropriate; and we don't
    think differently of someone if they prefer to stay clothed in a nuding
    situation.
    
    The only thing I noticed about people who started nuding with us is
    that they aren't as shy as they used to be...:-)  This carries over
    to their clothed state.
    
    B.

    
    For me it just feels better....
    

Re: .2, .4

Sure, I can think of an example where nudity brought about equality, at
least in my mind.

Once I was at the Ledges, and I started talking with some guy and his wife,
they were new to it and were really enjoying themselves.  Turns out the
guy is a bigwig at some fairly major company (can't remember the name now);
most of the time I bet they're dressed pretty nicely and act their part
to befit their social status.  I may just be shy, but I doubt I would have
started up a conversation with them had they been dressed, and for all I
know, they would have seen no benefit in talking to me.  Nudity is a great
social equalizer, since you can't make the kind of automatic judgements
about a person that their clothes imply.  Also, many people seem to act
differently depending on how they're dressed.  When they're naked, they
don't know how to act, so they just act natural.

Carl

   "They say that nakedness is what our lord intended,
    when we stand naked then we all appear the same" ..

  From:   Uniforms
  By:     Pete Townsend
  Album:  Chinese Eyes


 paul

>is the absence of clothes really necessary to feel
>freer?

Hi Bill,

Welcome to the conference.  Like others, I don't think the absence
of clothing is _necessary_ for freedom.  I think the choice to wear
clothing, and how much clothing to wear, is essentially an arbitrary
decision that's made by society and individuals.  The freedom Naturism
gives to me is the freedom to choose (at appropriate times) exactly
how much or how little clothing I want to wear.

That, to me, is more free than I can be if others mandate a certain
minimum that I have to wear.  

Good luck in understanding!

Kerry

I read a movie interview in the Sunday Boston Globe, with the co-star opposite 
Michael Douglas in "Magnificent Obsession" (right title/movie?).  She had to
do nude scene(s) and at first she was disturbed at having to be naked in front
of the film crew and the camera.  She said that it was a great test of her
professionalism to forget the fears and do her job, which requires intense
concentration.  I like what she was quoted as saying.

If it was an easy thing to do, going naked, then it wouldn't be an issue.  As it
stands this is a good opportunity to rethink reasons and traditions.  Some people
come up on the side of clothes all the time, but so long as they thought
about it so much the better.

And yes, it often feels better naked, just as I enjoy the feel of clothing in 
some times and places.
\bob

1) No wet bathing suit.

2) I like observing other people. I have found that Nudists tend to be less
	territorial. It's OK if you watch them, maybe exchange glances and
	greetings. I feel more comfortable. I can look in any direction I
	choose.

							John.