This is a really good question, and I suspect one that doesn't have a simple answer. All I can share are my subjective thoughts. This doesn't mean I'm right, so take it all with a grain of salt :) 

As a Gen X American, It always seemed to me that girls had to be more "proper" than boys. For example, boys skinny dipping, that's boys being boys. Girls skinny dipping goes against the cultural grain. I always thought it was harder for women to embrace naturism because of the pressures placed upon them to act or look a certain way. Those pressures weren't as prevalent for me growing up because I was a guy. Of course, that didn't mean that I didn't experience body issues. I just didn't see magazines geared toward me telling me how to lose 5 pounds overnight or be a better-just-about-anything in every grocery store line. 

There are many thoughtful comments on this thread.  It’s hard to know to what extent our attitudes and behaviours around sex and nudity are innate vs learned (nature vs nurture).  Certainly some societies seem far more relaxed about nudity than others, and it’s hard to believe that there can be a genetic basis for that, as we’re all virtually identical genetically.  For example, the US seems to be in general very conservative and prudish about nudity, despite much of the US population being descended from European immigrants whose countries of origin are now amongst the most relaxed about it in the world.  To the extent that women may be reticent about public nudity compared to men, is that something that they learn through years of upbringing and negative experiences rather than anything innate?  I suspect so, and it means that there’s potential for our society to change dramatically, given time and the right influences.  I think in very young children, boys and girls are equally happy about running around naked at home, splashing in a paddling pool etc., so I’m inclined to think that gender differences are learned later.

It’s undoubtedly true that some men behave in a predatory way, they follow and harass women (and sometimes men), they behave crudely, take inappropriate photos and so on.  Society needs to teach men that this kind of behaviour won’t be tolerated, and women need to feel completely comfortable in calling it out.  I think we’re moving in the right direction there.  It doesn’t have to mean villifying men and tarring everyone with the same brush, just dealing with bad behaviour robustly when it does occur.  We need to be clear that it’s this behaviour which is problematic, and that the people who want to enjoy non-sexual nudity aren’t penalised in any way by unwelcome responses to it. 

One thing that interests me is that some people’s reasons for disliking the idea of naturism are not just discomfort about being naked themselves, but equally (or even more so) a real aversion to seeing other people naked.  They don’t want to see other people’s imperfect bodies, men’s dangly bits and so on.  It’s a really strong feeling in some people, I think - strong discomfort or even disgust.  Where does that come from?  Is it because we tend to only ever see beautiful, sanitised, censored bodies in the media and therefore the normal variations in human appearance can become distressing?

Anyway I think my main point is that attitudes can change, even if over generations, and we should absolutely be positive about representing and promoting naturism as a normal healthy thing, in the hope that society moves in the right direction.

Thanks for all of that. I think your point about some people being disgusting at seeing the naked bodies of others - which is definitely true - is something we have never really talked much about and maybe it is time to address that a little more. As it is a fact, when asked about naturism some people certainly reply that the idea of seeing other people naked is repulsive. Maybe in some ways it is to make them appear like they wouldn't want to go for the opposite reason - the thrill of seeing people naked. But it is definitely also about judgement the idea that a lot of people consider most people unfit to be naked and basically unattractive. "The wrong people go to naturist beaches" it is both a sign that these people feel that if they went to a naturist beach they would only be going to see the "beautiful people" and also the idea that they are indoctrinated into what is attractive and what being naked means. Years of porn, stripping and naked celebrities have forced them into thinking nudity is only for the "perfect" and the non-perfect are revolting and should be covered up. They then use the same argument in their own thoughts about themselves and their body. If they consider themselves attractive they worry about everyone lusting after them and if they consider themselves unattractive they fear the opposite. In human terms they cannot win. Basically the idea that only certain people should be seen naked is hampering the majority of everyone from becoming part of naturism.    

One of the biggest issues we face if we take the above two posts into account, is that we now live in a world that is filled with manufactured fakery for a reason. The desire to fit in and be a part of something is at its most basic, a very defining factor of humanity. 

Industry plays on the weak by issolating people inside their own thoughts. Most advertising is aimed at individuals with messages such as you are not good enough, you are not pretty, you are oversized etc. Look at all the current trends, it is January, and so most ads are covering diets and getting more exercise. Why, because it spreads the message that we are overindulgent and greedy, which is one of the biggest triggers to having people be issolated and shammed for their appearance. 

We have seen decades of this societal manipulation used agasinst the masses, who have been indoctrinated into creating a fake image for the sake of acceptance within society. For naturism to be in any way acceptable to the masses, we have first to undo years of what is actually psychological abuse against society.

The reason people live in fear of being seen naked is simply society has been telling them for a very long time that they are ugly to view. The fashion industry has used countless ways to airbrush reality into fantasy via images, and now we have AI it is going to get worse. The simple truth is, people in general have no idea of what a normal body looks like, and they are afraid to find out because they might actually have a normal body, which breaks the glass bubble of the life they have been living with their own cognative dissonence. 

In todays society, the lie has become the truth, and the truth is now seen as the lie. 

It is ironic that despite the fact that sharing news and information has never been so easy and prolific we live in a world more confused than ever.  It is a shambles.