The Thorn in Our Side

When I first rediscovered Going Natural, a publication of the Federation of Canadian Naturists (FCN), the first issues I found were the spring and summer issues for 2007. Needless to say, one of the more interesting articles in the spring issue was A Paradoxical Attitude Towards Sexuality, Part 1. In the following issue came the second part of that article, plus Time and Place: Some Things Do Not Mix Well, and Sex in Naturism? These articles dealt with sex and naturism and gave plenty of food for thought and I was quite pleased to see these issues discussed more fully.

As many people have already said elsewhere, we may have to rethink the way naturists deal with sex. In Sex in Naturism? author Adelle Shea says younger people are needed, but we can’t expect the movement to maintain its present course if we bring them on board. Young people’s lives and experiences are different from those of their predecessors. Indeed, if my daughter is any indication, Shea is far from alone in her approach to sex and sexual issues.

Shea, who was 18 at the time and has been a naturist practically all her teen life, acknowledges that we’ve always had the need to be “cleaner” than anyone else just to show that being naked is not synonymous with having or wanting to have sex. We are so fond of saying “Nude is not lewd,” and any number of similar slogans. And I agree with the underlying premise: “When in mixed company, don’t do anything while nude that you wouldn’t do when clothed.” It makes sense.

However, Shea warned that the next generation of naturists would approach naturism on its own terms, and after being exposed to the Spice Girls, Britney Spears, the Internet, music videos and whatnot, the next generation of naturism may not look much like ours did. For example, they may still not approve of sex in public, but they may be more tolerant of the couple they stumble upon outdoors who took reasonable steps to avoid being discovered, whereas someone of the previous generation might report the couple to authorities.

Personally, I always thought of naturism as doing almost anything one would do when dressed, but without the clothes. Sex is acknowledged and celebrated, but actual sexual acts should be avoided where other people are sure to catch you in the act, especially if children are around. But it occurred to me that I might be wrong when I saw some centres actually prohibit nude dancing!

I agree that we have to be able to clearly articulate that in naturism, sex and nudity must not be considered one and the same. With any luck, this philosophy may someday catch on in the textile community.

Unfortunately, catchphrases such as “nude is not lewd” convey the idea that sex itself is lewd. Surely this is not what we mean to convey when discussing such issues. What we mean is there is a time and place for everything, and when you’re out in public among people you don’t even know, and even those that you DO know, it’s probably not the right time or place for erotic embraces.