Naturism and Nudism

[Noodie]

Hi all,

This is something that has been talked about recently on the YBN forum and I thought it would be interesting to open it up to a wider audience and to see what people in other countries think.

It all stems from the Guardian article that I posted a link to in the news forum.

The following is a quote from that article:

The naked rambler, Stephen Gough, is cold-shouldered by naturists, who insist that a desire to remove clothes in public is not naturism but nudism: nudists (according to the naturists' definition) foist their nakedness on an unwilling society, while the naturists' mantra is not to impose it on other people.

That obviously sparked a bit of a debate on what naturism and is and what nudism is - especially as I tend to think that in some countries, "nudism" is the acknowledged term and when people say "nudism", I think they mean the same thing as when I (or lots of other people) say "naturism". I'd always thought of the two as being interchangeable words and I suppose that I still do, purely because of the way that the word "nudism" is used here at YNAI.

Anyway, I thought this explanation of the perceived differences was really good:

In holland a nudist is seen as someone who likes to walk around naked, exhibisionist or not. And a naturist is someone who chooses a way of life in which respect for other people, your environment and nature in general are really important.
So if someone calls me a nudist, i'd definitely explain to them why i'm not! Literally translated i'd say: a nudist gets naked and a naturist opens his soul for others. (Een nudist loopt bloot en een naturist geeft zichzelf bloot.)

I think that sums it up soooo well - how I feel about it: "a naturist opens his soul for others".

I always say that naturism isn't just about physically being naked and it isn't really something that you "do" - being a naturist is something that you "are". Everyone is naked sometimes, but not everyone is a naturist and, by the same token, we are still naturists when we have our clothes on.

I suppose a "nudist" still sounds more like someone who just enjoys how it feels physically - which, whilst nice, on a hot sunny day, is really just such a small part of naturism, for me.

It's like the quote says, I suppose... that being naturist is about baring more than just skin.

I guess it's just from talking to North American people that I come to think of the two words as meaning the same, like I said before. Still, it's not a word that I tend to use  - I would always say that I am a naturist, rather than a nudist, because I feel that it's a better, more accurately descriptive word.

So... do you think there is a difference between naturism and nudism? And do you see yourself as a naturist, or a nudist?

No right or wrong answers, of course - I'm just interested in how people think and feel about this. 

[First_Disciple]

I don't really call myself either of those terms- I'm hardly defined as a person by a propensity for nude recreation- but I'd probably choose "nudist" over "naturist". I believe in being frank with others, and the first term is rather more descriptive, to one who is unfamiliar with either term. I'm not a naturalist, nor a nature-worshipper, two ways in which "naturist" could easily be misconstrued. And I don't think there is anything connotated by nudism that I would be especially uncomfortable with, so...

[bjoseph]

Honestly i disagree i have always thought of naturists who only think/like being nude outside or "with nature" if you would and nudists just like to be nude any where i don't think it has anything to do with forcing ones nakedness upon anyone else i call that exhibitionism

[Brandon]

In North America, the word "naturist" isn't really in the general public's vocabulary. So it's kind of a non-issue. But there is still a range of motivations among clothesfree people.

Rather than a clear division, I would say there is a continuum between people who just like being naked and those with deeper philosophical commitment to values underlying naturism.

But truly, it's not something I'm going to get too concerned about.

Some people go to a place of worship because they find the pastor's sermons inspiring or because it's somewhere they can meet people in their community outside of a work context.  Others go because they are deeply religious.  Is there a need to make a distinction between "churchgoers" and "true Christians"? I don't think so.


You might call me more a nudist than a naturist.  At a clothing optional beach, if the weather's nice, I'll be just as happy if I'm the only person there or if there are lots of people there.  For me, it's probably 60% about the freedom and pleasure of not wearing clothes in nice weather, 30% about being able to do it in a beautiful natural setting, and 10% about "see and be seen". 

I'm really not that interested in the social interaction, mainly because I have little in common with most of the other people at the beach. I'm sure if I lived somewhere where I could go to a young naturists swim at a pool, I would be more into the social interaction aspect.

At a nude beach, I certainly can't claim to be opening my soul for others.  I'm probably less open to others there than I normally am.


As for the man who likes to take his clothes off in public for the shock value... he is primarily an exhibitionist, in my opinion. He probably wouldn't do it in Cap d'agde because it would be a non-event there.

see also: How does Naturism differ from Nudism


and here's something Danee said a year ago in someone's Intro thread:
 

In America, we believe there is a slight difference between the two terms.  Naturist and Naturism: more about outdoor activities. Hiking, camping, beaching it, special interest groups, things like that.  Less so at home or the lifestyle in general perhaps.  Nudism: www.aanr.com  More resorts, camps and clubs and the lifestyle at home being more into wanting to be au natural whenever one can.

[Noodie]

Interesting comments, guys.

I agree with you, bjoseph, I don't think that "nudism" is about forcing it on anyone either - and I was quite surprised to see the word used in such terms. I don't think that describes it at all and, to me, that sort of behaviour is more accurately described as "exhibitionism", or "self promotion", "creating shock value".

I am not sure that I see a clear division, either. Like so many things in life, there's no black or white here, but many shades of grey...

I am comfortable with the word "nudist" and I wouldn't be offended at being called one. I even have a T-Shirt that says "Nudist" on it!

If someone asked me if I were a nudist though, I would definitely say that I prefer the word "naturist", and explain why. I don't particularly think of naturism as being defined by certain activities, though I've heard lots of people say that they do see it as an outdoors thing. Naturism to me is a lot more than that - there's definitely a philosophical commitment there, as Brandon describes, and I do feel that it is an important part of who I am.

I like the word because it contains part of the word "natural" - so naturism is being in your natural state, being comfortable with that, accepting others in their natural state, etc. It implies a sense of "being as nature intended".

Just to prove that there's a lot of overlap though (even if you don't think of the two words as meaning the same), I would say that I probably leave my clothes off for longer than a lot of people. I am less likely to get dressed in the evening, for example (temperature permitting!) If it's an appropriate place and people are comfortable with it, then I definitely prefer to be nude, more often than not.

I find stuff like this really interesting though. I have always been fascinated by language and the different ways in which people can take two different words that are supposed to mean the same thing - or why people prefer one word over another.

[Lady_xgsft]

I was never aware of the word "naturist" until I started going to resorts.  Nudist is much more common here, but I think among the nudist/naturist crowd the words are pretty much interchangable. 

[kensington25]

To be honest I think it's all semantics. For me there is no difference in definition between a nudist or naturist. One just sounds more posh and fancy than the other. Cheers William

[barefootphotographeruk]

For me, I've always counted myself as a naturist rather than a nudist, if either.  I guess I've always thought of nudism more as just the desire to be nude regardless of where you are or whose around, and naturism to be more to do with the freedom of not wearing clothes and the connection with nature.

[Karla]

If there is no clear-cut definition of naturist or nudist then how can you say you are one or another? You end up deciding on a definition that others do not share and applying it to yourself. Hence the reason I define myself as a blurble

Personally I also like to get be nude and I also like to keep my life as natural as possible in all regards.

Karla

[Noodie]

If there is no clear-cut definition of naturist or nudist then how can you say you are one or another? You end up deciding on a definition that others do not share and applying it to yourself. Hence the reason I define myself as a blurble

I guess it just depends on what you feel the word means. You choose whichever one you feel is more descriptive.

Or, you reject such labels and go off to practice blurblism... 

[JCRL]

I just think that the 2 are interchangeable. I mean really naturist nudist they're both doing the same thing in the end...and thats enjoying life nude.

[kensington25]

JCRL, well put.  William

[Nudedudeuk]

 I always thought the two words were interchangeable  ??? Never knew they had separate definitions. Anyway Shakespere said it best "What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet"

Best Wishes

Jason

[Danee]

Well cool then!  But to me, they are different and to many, they are the same!  Its all good.
-D

[edson]

I taught that naturists were people that enjoyed outdoor nudity and nudists were people that enjoy being naked, know i get the different between the two terms.