The idea of Get Real is not about forcing nudity upon people, and I agree doing so is detrimental to naturism. For example if someone visit Twitter and sees image of naked people when they are not looking for naked people - they may find naturism invasive and exhibitionist. Just the same as I do not want to go to Twitter and see people taking part in sexual acts. I have known some people say things like - "There is no point sharing naked photos on ANW because they are only seen by other naturists, I want my nudity seen by people who aren't naturists. Why preach to the converted?" ANW is partly about sharing and offering a safe haven for growth of knowledge, support and understanding. The sharing of friendships and information and support is just as valid for the experienced and the inexperienced naturist - there are always new things to learn, new places to find, new ideas to explore, and new people to meet, The novice needs guidance but also needs to learn to love naturism, the experienced need to pass on their experience. But I do see the relevance of taking naturism into the "non-naturist" world. Though there are good ways and bad ways of doing this, and people need to consider the message they are sharing and how they share it. Placing ideas into people's heads to ponder will only work if the people are open to looking, listening and considering. Most people will see a full frontal pose on Twitter of someone in their lounge or on a beach as nothing more than exhibitionism - they will either "like it" because they can see breasts or penises or they will quickly ignore it, remove it or block the post sharer. There is no context as there would be at a beach itself, no ability to take time and consider motive, it is just another naked image among millions of naked and sexual images that the Twitter user has to deal with. 

Part of getting Real is to recognise the sensible and productive ways to promote, introduce and share naturism, and recognise that "preaching to the converted" is part of that. Successfully getting non-naturists to consider naturism and also helping naturism to grow within naturist circles. Just because someone is open to the idea of naturism - it doesn't mean they no all the answers, have found their way, and without a supportive community they may reject naturism. Anna and I know that there are people all over the world walking away from naturism because they do not feel it is safe and do not feel it is supportive, and they fear it having a detrimental effect on their lives.

Part of helping the world to consider naturism has to be about helping people find a comfort and natural attitude towards nudity. When you are being examined by a medical professional it is one of those situations where you can real about nudity allowing yourself and them to consider the ridiculous attitudes towards needing to cover up even when they will be seeing you naked. In a situation like the one Jonathan mentions you are going to be examined so why be coy about it. In the UK if the medical worker or the patient is uncomfortable about nudity they have the right to expect a third party to be present, and this should be offered to patients by the staff but also can be requested by staff. If someone is carrying a trauma that they may make it hard to deal with nudity then they really shouldn't be in that one on one situation and a paper gown will not change that. Yet maybe spending time with lots of normal people being normally naked will help them see the difference between damaging behaviour and safe behaviour. Abuse has very little to do with nudity and that needs to be placed in context. There would normally be more to fear about their own nudity and vulnerability than the nudity of a stranger. 

Knowing good natured and well meaning people like Jonathan and seeing that you can be relaxed about nudity even in a situation when you could be given unwanted news is a positive example of nudity being natural and harmless. There is a lot of sense in the message of "Your a doctor, I am a patient, you need to see me naked, so let's neither of us worry about it." 

When I had my operation to relocate my uretha https://www.anaturistworld.com/member-blog/45831/a-naturist-family-me-and-my-body-7-learning-to-accept-yourself  I had my penis examined by so many male and female medical staff - they were 100% cool about it and thankfully (because of naturism) I was too. I also knew that during before the surgery I would be given an induced erection that both male and female staff would see, it would be drawn on with felt tips and photographed. I later saw the photos. As I was wheeled down to the surgery I was escorted to the operating room by a young nurse who was witnessing my operation as her first experience of such an operation. I remember it crossing my mind that her and various other unknown staff and the surgeon would see me aroused and then I thought "So what!" It is just a part of my body, they get that, it is part of their job, and I should get that too. If I need this operation then how can I be coy about what it entails. It is good policy to be as real as possible when in a medical situation - it helps you and the medical staff, and saying "look I am happy being naked" makes the job easier for both of you. Medical staff have to get close up to all sorts of things we would rather not. I would not want to be a chiropodist, or a dentist, or an eye surgeon - just as much as I wouldn't want to be a gynecologist. I am just not built that way, I am a little squeamish. But isn't it great that some people aren't?

My female GP at the time, who arranged the surgery in the first place, asked me to show her the operation the next time I visited her for a totally different reason. After finishing with the reason I had called by she said something like, "Can I have a look at your penis to see the finished result?" It was just pure curiosity and she asked in a way that someone may ask to see a new stamp for your stamp collection. It was a completely run of the mill request because for her it was not a shocking idea, and she obviously had picked up from previous visits that it was not something I had an issue with. So for no reason other than a slight nosiness I stripped off and jumped on the examination table and she once again examined my penis. What I found very interesting was that despite the fact that she was about the same age as myself and that we saw each other around the village quite regularly that the fact that she had examined my penis several times over the months and had also talked about some intimate details about my body was completely unimportant. There was never anything but professional and Real behaviour in the doctor's room and there was never anything but friendly chat when we met in the village. It was a little like naturism and the nudity not being an issue when you talk to people on a beach. The fact that she had maybe been examining my penis the day before was immaterial when we bumped into each other in the local shop. That is how the world should be about nudity, it shouldn't be a big deal.   

I had seen Edward's response to my posting and then Anna's reply late yesterday.  I've just had a chance to see Steve's essay.  While I respect Edward's comments I feel that Anna and Steve have the correct perspective.  Let me add some details that will help.

• This was not my first skin check at this group practice.  The first two were done by a Physician's Assistant (a new concept here in the US) while the last two were done by real physician.  All four times the individual was female.
• My records specifically note that I am a naturist.  That probably should be enough.
  
  
• Unlike customs in Europe (France I've heard in particular) no one is in the examination room while the patient disrobes.  My interaction with the nurse (an assistant and NOT a Physician's Assistant) was prior to my disrobing.  Had there been any concern with my intentions there was ample opportunity to express them.  My point in saying what I did was to specifically preclude any form of "ambushing".  The physician was the same individual as the previous year; the clinical/admin assistants are typically not the same year to year.
  
  
• Finally, and most important, the specialty is dermatology (the skin) and this is a TOTAL body skin check.  Skin cancer doesn't care whether an area is "private" or not.  In fact, there is concern within the dermatology community that these checks are often not complete enough due to patient reluctance with this being translated to the providers.

I changed dermatologists several years ago because I felt the exam was not complete enough.  I had listened to the staff and kept my underwear on.  The physician (incidentally a male) just pulled at the waistband and did a "peek-a-boo".  My buttocks and upper thigh areas were not checked.  As a counterpoint, an acquaintance also is nude at his annual skin checks.  His physician also checks his anus with my friend being asked to spread his buttocks.

One last comment.  Many years ago I had arthroscopic surgery on my right knee.  When I was taken to the operating suite, prior to actually going into the operating room itself one of the clinical staff came over and asked they could remove my gown.  I said sure, go ahead.  I was totally nude and uncovered for about 5 minutes.  Members of the operating room staff went by and no one noticed.  Just before I was wheeled in they did put some blankets over me.
At no time was I upset nor did I feel that I had been mistreated.

To Anna,

US dermatologists recommend a total body skin examination (TBSE) yearly, more often if the patient is seen to be predisposed to skin cancer.  If you read the literature, the checks should include the genitals (penis or vulva as appropriate) and the anus, with special attention to the perineum.

Back to the Get Real topic...

We in ANW have a wide representation across all geographies.  What if we create a vacation guest network or sort, not to rent out our homes as in Airbnb, but to host other naturists from out of town.  Participants can spend time nude in the comfort of another's home, and visit naturist venue and events together.  They can also share on ANW reports on their time together.  It would be a good network to start getting real with!