Nudism

Sometimes considered deviant, nudism is normative for more than 30 million people worldwide. Nudism and naturalism are sometimes used interchangeably to describe people who prefer to be clothing-free; however, persons describing themselves as naturalists are more likely to be spiritual and engage in clothing-free activities for the purported health benefits. The term nudism was first used in 1929; earlier clubs and groups practicing a clothing-free lifestyle were referred to as naturalists. True nudism is ostensibly nonsexual in nature; however, some nudists believe sex is one way of embracing nature and humanism. Nudists may also have political, cultural, and/or social agendas. In keeping with its original conception as a lifestyle in harmony with nature and as a means of establishing social equality, some naturist movements may espouse environmentalist or political causes.

Nudism can be personal/family or social. Personal/family nudity is practiced in the private sphere. Social nudism is practiced in a social setting, with others outside the immediate family. Social nudism can be practiced at home with friends, at a club, beach, resort, or other public space. Some individuals use nudity as a political tool or as a prank; this is not true social nudity. Social nudity is not intended to be deviant; rather, it is intended to be normative. Streaking and events such as the University of Michigan's “Naked Mile” run are not considered social nudity; in these cases, nudity is not intended to be normative but to be deviant and to attract attention.

Nonsexual nudity has its antecedents in ancient human history. Greek Olympic athletes competed naked until 393 CE, when Emperor Theodosius I banned the Olympics. Theodosius, a Christian, considered the Olympics a pagan ritual. Concurrently, a Christian sect (the Adamites) practiced holy nudism, described as an attempt to return to the “pure state of innocence” of Adam and Eve. Some early baptismal practices required complete nudity, and several Christian sects (Adamites, Adamianis, Carpocrations, Aquarii, and Marcosians) practice social nudity (nudity in public and private locations).

Until the early Victorian era, most swimming was done naked, as clothing of the time was voluminous and likely dangerous to the swimmer. Beaches and swimming areas were segregated by sex. The invention of the bathing suit (or swimming costume) in the 1870s put an end to the practice of “skinny dipping” as normative, and social nudity, for the most part, ceased to exist. A private club for nudists was established in India in 1891 by a British civil servant; [Page 472]however, the first true nudist club was opened in Hamburg, Germany, in 1903 by Paul Zimmerman. Known as the Freilichtpark (Free-Light Park), this park was inspired by “The Cult of the Nude,” published in 1900 by Heinrich Pudor, a German sociologist.

The years leading up to World War II saw the establishment of a number of nudist and naturist societies, as well as organized protests in support of the nudist movement. Several naturist and nudist clubs were founded during this time period, including Fiveacres Country Club in Bricket Wood, Hertfordshire. During this time, proponents of social nudity protested, published, and were persecuted in Canada, the Soviet Union, France, and the United States. A town for nudists, Heliopolis (off the coast of the Riviera) was founded in 1931. The first permanent nudist communities in the United States, Sky Farm and Rock Lodge Club, were founded in New Jersey in 1932; both clubs are currently active. Ironically, Germany (the birthplace of contemporary social nudity) banned nudist organizations in 1933; however, these groups were redefined as sports groups and legalized.

...