How comfortable are you being naked around other people? 

Is it different to be naked around family or friends than it is around strangers? 

Are you happily nude at home in private but fear being naked in public?

Are there some people you just could never be naked in front of?  

How do you feel about being naked when some or all others are dressed? 

Please share your thoughts with the forum...

We started off home naturists, and we have spent a lot of time naked with each other indoors, and in the garden, and our children were a part of that too. Rin’s younger Sister knew we were Naturists, and she talked a lot about wanting to be naked more, and a few years back asked if she could join us, which we responded, she could. She loved it, and has been a regular visitor to join us. We have also had a few friends ask, and that was when we made the rule of if you want to be naked, be so, and if not, that was fine.

This gave us a chance to expand from home naturists to social naturists, but all with the safety of our home and garden, and because we felt so relaxed and at ease with it, we did decide in 2020 we were going to travel out and get more involved with social nudity, sadly those plans were shelved due to the virus, but we are still planning to get more into the social side when we are free to roam again.

For us, the whole experience has been liberating and natural, albeit with people with know, and it is because we feel so at ease that we do want to move into the wider community. The fun thing is, that even though things are not much fun for anyone at the moment with all the lock downs, we do have something to really look forward to.

We have been nude in front of other naturists in various activities, from swims to gatherings to hot tub to resorts to beaches to even a week long camp (which is absolutely a blast!) I'm totally comfortable with my body as long as the company is also expected to be nude. To me it's an important distinction, that we are in designated nude events or venues, so that no one is there to gawk or exhibit. Neither of these two actions are for me and I'll run away from it as far as possible.

Maybe that's why I am a bit put off by the naked bike ride or any parade. I understand the cause of normalizing the naked body and am supportive, but it's yet not what I feel like doing.

On the other hand, if the environment is designated naturist, I would expect everyone, including women, men, teens and children, to abide by the rules and be nude. I've been to supposedly nude swim with some people making up all sorts of excuses to stay clothed, regardless of age. To me, this is disrespectful, and I feel somewhat taken advantage of.

Maybe I am too hard-core? I do know some see this in a different light and think it's a good step forward for non-naturists to get comfortable with the absence of clothing. It'll take me some time to come to see things that way though!

Some wonderful thoughts and replies here. Royston good luck with the move and do let us know how it goes and what the new found naked freedom is like!

Jimmy you are so right, we are naked her, with strangers and hopefully with some people we can think of as friends. Maybe in time to come some of the diverse members of ANW will actually connect in the real world - at local beaches, clubs or even visiting friends - but please always take safe and sensible precautions before making any contact away from the site. 

I think another similar topic may be called for, asking whether it is easier to be naked on line or in the printed form than in the 3d world. We can control what and how we are seen on the internet but maybe do not know who is looking. I will sort out this topic - so for now let us just think about being naked in the 3d world. 

a.b.y.a.C. I know exactly what you mean about things like naked bike rides being a parade and yet helping to normalise nudity in other ways. Being in a proper naturist environment is much nicer, particularly when as you say everyone does actually get naked. There is the side that it allows some to dip in when they are ready with clothing optional, but when it isn't optional it does encourage people to not think about it and just do it. 

The first time we went to a naturist campsite we weren't sure of the protocol and so although a little nervous we just stripped off the second we pulled up the car, and then wandered around looking for a pitch. Going back further the first time I went to a naturist beach as covered in https://www.anaturistworld.com/blog/24653/a-naturist-family-our-history-1-half-a-century I felt so shaky I thought my teeth would fall out. There were those that weren't naked but I figured that I was there for a specific reason and delaying it was only going to make the eventual stripping off more nerve wracking. The thing is once it is done it is done and after that it just gets easier and more relaxing. People aren't watching and don't care but if you do act nervous and delay the situation you probably are more likely to get attention. If you delay it too long you start setting an emotional precedent and before you know it you start to connect the campsite, venue etc with wearing clothes and it will become the norm in your head. 

Robin and Rin it is as ever a pleasure to read your thoughts and I think when you eventually get to that naturist day out we would all love to read an account. Do you have a specific place in mind yet? Unless you are particularly unfortunate I believe that you will find it fantastic.  Will your sister go as well? I first witnessed family naturism in Berlin and I envied that multigenerational extended family connection. 15 -20 family members from 1 to 100 sitting by a lake sharing Sunday dinner in the nude. The idea scared me to death but also left me jealous. Why couldn't my family be so cool, honest and relaxed together. I hope that in years to come Anna and I will be at least able to take part in such a scene as grandparents...

I wonder which of you felt the most nervous about being naked Robin, Rin or her sister. Had Rin and her sister grown up relaxed about occasional nudity in front of each other at home or were they very much into privacy? I think the first time Anna and I were naked in front of Anna's mother and her husband I was the most nervous. Though Anna may think differently. One thing I remember was just thinking "So what" and not wanting to act like it mattered or scared me. But I think when you are naked in front of someone who has known you dressed for many years it is alien and you worry about judgement or embarrassment much more than you would with strangers or people you do not know well.

While I will first say that I respect the feelings of others regarding nudity, I personally have no problem being naked with clothed individuals who have no problem with my nudity.  I figure that they (the clothed individuals) are the ones who are missing out on a fantastic feeling of freedom.  If I know someone is coming to the house who does not know that I'm a naturist I will put something on.  If, however, someone comes unexpectedly and discovers me  nude I'm not upset nor do I run around trying to find something to cover up with.