Most nudists are highly sociable, while some are so sociable they will routinely invite their many naturist friends and acquaintances to mingle in their own home. If this is something you’ve pondered doing yourself, we give you a few pointers here that might help make it a successful soiree:
The setting:
Your yard might be the most suitable environment to host a nudist party, weather permitting (below 70 F is not usually good nude weather!). Just one thing: If any neighbors can see over your fence, forget about it! Unless you live in a nudist community, you are sure to generate controversy and perhaps an embarrassing visit from the police. While your home is your sanctuary, you have to bear in mind that local bylaws might construe any public nudity as lewdness, even if it was not intended to be public. As nudists, we are constantly trying to maintain a low profile and thus gain wider acceptance, or at least tolerance, from the non-nudist public. If you respect others, they’re more apt to respect you as well.
If your yard doesn’t have the necessary privacy, or you do not have a yard, it’s perfectly acceptable to hold your reception in the confines of your house or apartment, as long as you have non-transparent curtains covering any windows which could afford an unwelcome view from the outside.
The other alternative is to hold the event in a rented party room or restaurant, but this could result in unwanted publicity. Unless the owner of the facility and any hired help are also of the naturist persuasion or at least sympathetic to it, tongues are sure to wag in town! You might not care, but some of your guests might.
Who to invite:
This one’s easy: only experienced nudists! A nudist party is not a good place for a newbie (nubie?) to have his first social naturist encounter. No matter how hard your non-nudist buddy begs you to attend, you will likely regret it if you relent. Keep the knowledge of this event within the community.
The ground rules:
You may feel a bit sheepish about laying down ground rules for a party, but trust us that if you do not, some make take it as an invitation to anything and everything. Make it easy by simply e-mailing your guests a friendly reminder of what is to be expected of them at such a gathering. The rules are the same as at any nudist resort: bring a towel to sit on, no sexual behavior allowed, etc.
We recommend you make your party nude only, rather than clothing optional. The problem is if a few people choose to stay dressed, a lot of those who would otherwise get nude will not, and then it’s not a nudist get together anymore, is it? The opposite is also true: If everybody is nude, anybody arriving later will feel awkward keeping their togs on. Lead the way: greet your guests in the flesh to set the tone!
What to serve:
In an interview a few years ago we had with John Ordover of CO Dinners in New York, he joked that “no hot soup” should be served. In all seriousness, we think soup can be served, but no food item should be scalding hot, for very obvious reasons! Also, it might not be too attractive to have a bunch of people with bits of food mingling with their body hair, so maybe you should skip the flaky, crumby stuff!
More importantly, there is the subject of alcohol. Have an open bar, or even “byob”, and watch the drunks happen! A drunk nudist could become just as crude and lewd or even violent as a clothed drunk, and just imagine having to call the police if a drunken brawl broke out or one of your pickled guests decided to take a walk around the neighborhood in the buff! Make it a dry party, or limit it to a glass or two of a nice wine, which you or your help will dole out. No self-serve!
The set-up:
Most people do not like to strip in front of others, thus it’s an absolute requirement to provide a room where your guests can undress and store their clothing in a plastic bag you or they provided.
Of course, all your guests should bring towels to sit on, and you should have a few extra ones on hand in case someone forgets. If you have furniture you rather not risk having sweaty naked people sit on, the solution is to remove those items from the party area or drape them with a blanket, sheet or sofa cover.
Activities:
You do not really need to program any special activities, as your guests will be plenty happy just to socialize in the nude, but a nude swim in your pool, if possible, is a sure hit. Some like to include dancing, but be careful to avoid music that requires body contact. While the mere sight of nude bodies doesn’t sexually stimulate a nudist, bumping and grinding to the beat might lead to temperatures soaring and inappropriate behavior and you have to blurt out: “Get a room!”.
Alexandra and I have held many nude poker nights, and this always has worked well as a social lubricant. Strip poker? No, that makes absolutely no sense in a nudist context!
In conclusion, a well organized and executed nudist party will leave you and your guests a happy gang and inspire many of you to repeat the experience! As we all know, we are a sociable bunch and we are at our best when we can shed ourselves of our textile constraints!
Tags: get together, nudist party
We’re frequently asked by TV production companies to post casting information for members of the nudist community. Here’s one just in…
My name is Michele Spinak and I work on a program you may be familiar
with that airs on Discovery Health Channel called *I’m Pregnant
and…* The show airs Tuesday nights at 9:30pm.They have been very
successful so we have been asked to gear up for a second season.
We are doing our initial outreach for the second season and some of
the topics we are looking to include a nudist. We are looking for
pregnant women who will be giving birth during the months of March or
April.
Here is a description of the program: “I’m Pregnant And…” is
a six-part series for Discovery Health Channel produced by Sirens
Media. In every episode, viewers will follow the expectant mom
through her day-to-day routine, dealing with the hardships of
pregnancy while navigating through her difficult circumstances.
We’ll follow the mom through the labor and delivery of the
long-awaited child, and see the conclusion of the story through a
post-delivery update.
Each episode is a half hour long and is sort of split into three
parts, pre-birth and back story, the birth, and the follow up after
the birth.
We would like to film the pre-birth/backstory (3 day shoot) in mid
February. We are hoping the birth (1 day shoot) would occur sometime
in the month of March or April (we are flexible). Then we would
return a couple of weeks later to for a follow up shoot (2 day shoot)
to see how mom and baby are doing.
We do offer compensation to the person who is chosen by the network.
That we discuss with that person upon being picked.
Here is the link to the tv schedule:
http://health.discovery.com/tv-schedules/series.html?paid=62.15494.127170.37382.x
If interest in the possibility of participating please contact me at
(+1) 301-920-9860 or mspinak@sirensmedia.com
Tags: casting, Discovery Health channel, I'm pregnant and, reality show
Dear readers, after five years of running this site with pretty much the same look and feel, we decided it was time for an upgrade. We hope you enjoy it!
Among the new features:
» You can now post your comments on any article, past or present. Comments are moderated.
» New link submit and contact forms. Our previous versions were broken after our last move to a new isp.
» We now have archives
» You can register right on the site rather than a forum, and thus receive only notifications of new articles, and not forum postings.
» RSS feeds directly from our site rather than a third party site.
Our sister site, vidanudista.com, will also undergo a similar facelift.
- Tom & Alexandra
If you own or manage a nudist club, landed or non-landed, you’re perpetually concerned about the possibility that some member may not be who they pretend to be: respectable nudists like everybody else. It can be particularly damaging to a club’s reputation when the media mentions that a sex offender was a known member of XYZ nudist club, as has happened several times in just the last year.
Many club owners think that by simply barring single men from entering they’ve solved the problem, but in reality it’s not unusual for sex offenders to be married or in a heterosexual relationship, and although the vast majority are men, not all are. Thus this type of policy, often masquerading as a “gender balancing rule”, is far from secure, and is certainly highly discriminatory against single men, who are in fact the largest component of the nudist community. Also, it’s not unusual for a man in a nudist couple to travel alone on a given day, as has happened to me. I would be refused entry in a lot of nudist venues on those occasions. To be fair, these same clubs will usually admit single men if they’re sponsored by, or guests of, established members.
Others choose the high road and admit single men if they’re members of a recognized naturist association, such as the INF or AANR. Neither is this perfect, but being a paying member of such an institution says that you’re at least half-serious and possibly understand the naturist philosophy and principles.
There is one way to screen unwanted visitors and cut-off the worst of the lot at the pass: The US sex offender database. Many governments around the world maintain databases of all convicted sex offenders, but it’s not accessible to the public. Not so in the United States! Anybody can search the entire database online for free, and get not only a mug shot, but the current address of the person. Just enter the first and last name of the candidate in a search form on the web site and bingo! (See URL below). Unfortunately, as mentioned earlier, if the aspiring member/visitor is from a foreign land, you won’t have much to go on, and you can’t really refuse somebody because of a gut feeling.
In the end, there’s no perfect method for screening new members, but if nudist clubs banded together, perhaps with the help of the associations, we could have our own database of “problematic people”, and not of just the sex offending type. Currently, there’s nothing preventing a deranged individual from running amok at club A, being kicked-out and then proceeding to do the same at club B. If club A could post the details of the incident in the aforementioned central database (via a web site, no doubt), club B and every other could prevent the troublesome individual from entering their premises.
Some of you may think that all this is greatly exaggerated and take an “everything’s just fine as it is” stance. The plain truth is incidents of an un-nudist nature do happen, and more frequently than most of us would care to admit. Is it not the duty of any community to protect its own?
Winter has engulfed the northern hemisphere. In some places, being naked outdoors hasn’t been practical (or comfortable) since early September. If you want to engage in social nudism during the next few months, your options may appear limited. Or are they really?
If you live in Europe, you could just fly down to the Canary Islands, where nudist beaches abound. If you’re in North America, then Southern Florida is only a short flight away, as are the multitude of resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean. If you feel adventurous, summer weather is to be found in the southern hemisphere: head for Brazil,Argentina or Uruguay,South Africa or Australia, among others.
If you’re not in the mood to travel or spend a wad of money, there’s probably a few options closer to home, especially if you live near a big city. Nude swim and gym or bowling nights at public sports or private indoor recreational facilities are quite common nowadays. There’s also nude activities on offer, such as nude yoga classes or even nude dining. To find-out what’s out there, just consult the web site of your local or regional nudist association.
It’s also possible that local nudists host nude private parties or socials in their own homes. To get invited to one of those events, you usually need to be an active member of a naturist group or association, or know someone who is. Of course, you can always organize your own nudist gathering in your own home or in a rented hall (we’ll have tips on that topic in our next article).
If all else fails, your home is your kingdom and it’s your absolute right to be nude there! Be nude! Enjoy winter!
From time to time we’re approached by TV producers asking us to help them find nudists willing to participate in their shows, be they reality or other. We now turn you over to Meg Barnard of ITV in the UK…
I am a researcher from ITV and we are casting for a second series of the hit TV show “Four Weddings”. We are looking for UK based couples who are getting married or renewing their vows between October 2009 and March 2010 (either in the UK or abroad).
The show follows brides-to-be who attend each others weddings, where they will score the venue, the food, the overall day and the dress. The bride with the best day will win a luxury honeymoon of their dreams!
This is a fun and entertaining show for both the bride and the viewer. We are looking for all sorts of weddings and themes, each reflecting the personal taste of each bride. There is no wedding too big or too small, and weddings that range from civil ceremonies to fairytale weddings to nudists weddings, from traditional British, to Jewish or green humanist weddings which will all help to really reflect the variety of personalities, venues, themes and overall wedding days that are out there!
I understand that this show might not be to every ones taste, but is a fantastically fun show, where viewers really feel part of the special day and it will also be a good chance for you to promote a lifestyle representing freedom, a sense of community and friendship – and where better to do this than at a wedding!
We are very experienced film makers, and as it’s the second series, we are fully aware of how to do the filming respectfully, and we are constantly in communication with the bride, groom, church and venue, so that we are as un-intrusive as possible!
Please email me at meg.barnard AT itv.com if you’re interested and I would love to talk to you further and answer any questions you might have!
By Jerry Troeger
What is keeping a lot of our young people from practicing social nudism? This question has been debated by nudists and nudist organizations such as AANR for years, with no clear answer. As any club owner or nudist organization will tell you, our future lies within the next generation. But where are they? Research has shown a striking decline in the number of younger adults entering into the social nudist lifestyle and no one seems to know exactly why.
Our own children for example, both in their later teens, were raised in the nudist lifestyle since birth. They live with us at our campground and are perfectly at ease amongst our friends and guests. Even some of their friends from school, with parental consent, come to visit. Yet neither of them consider themselves to be “nudists” or have chosen to practice nudism! They obviously are not yielding to social pressure, are not ashamed of their parents or where they live, and are both intelligent and well adjusted children. So where did we go wrong?
The answer may lie in the seemingly most unexpected of places: technology. Consider this: The “older generation”, (mid 30’s and up), still finds the need to get away from everyday stress and relax. They put away their laptops and cell phones for a few hours or days and just kick back and enjoy, often in a clothes free environment. They consider the practice of nudism to be a desirable and somewhat private way to distance themselves from the stresses of daily life…and the technology that rules it. It’s called “down time” and it is often revered as nothing less than sacred.
Our youth, on the other hand, does not desire the seemingly “idle” hours we do. For them, that’s time wasted and often boring. They have been programmed to think in terms of gigabytes and willingly immerse themselves in computer games, social websites, I-Pods or cell phones for fun. The need for a clothes-free environment just doesn’t enter into the equation. They are preoccupied with technology and may actually crave it. My wife and I often refer to teens as technological junkies, needing repeated electronic “fixes”. But no matter how you label it, our younger generation, through technology, may have forgotten how to relax in the conventional sense, finding their peace in an artificial land called cyberspace.
Can you imagine a place where the sun may shine, but you never actually feel it? They just don’t know what they are missing.
Jerry is the owner of the Bonita Nudist Resort
Jerry Troeger, owner and operator of the Bonita Nudist Resort in New York state as well as a contributing writer on this site, adds some interesting points to our previous piece The Hot Tub: Social Incubator. Over to you, Jerry…
As club owners, we agree that the hot tub is a true social incubator. We see it all the time and we agree that it is a popular meeting place.
However, there is a hitch here that you didn’t mention. Being a commercial tub as opposed to a privately owned unit, the rules change drastically. In the State of New York there are recommended time limits as to how long it is “safe” to remain in the tub, that being 20 minutes, arbitrarily. We are required to post this regulation, among others, conspicuously in the hot tub area. We are also required to monitor our guests periodically and enforce the rules when necessary. Failure to do so can result in potential health hazards and major legal liabilities for us should the unthinkable happen.
So if you want to be the most unpopular people in the campground, just tell happily socializing guests that they have been in there too long and see what happens. You will go from owner to ogre in fifteen seconds or less.
There is an alternative, however. It is called a “Conversational Tub” and it has a lower temperature limit of 100 degrees F as opposed to 104 or 105, is larger, shallower and has no water jets. Here, guests can socialize until their fingers wrinkle with no fear of management spoiling the fun. There is one in our business plan in the forseeable future. We still don’t think alcohol fits into the mix very well but at least no one will have to watch the clock. After all, isn’t this one of the reasons we get nude in the first place?
The hot tub is an ubiquitous element of the North American nudist scene. It’s the social focal point of any club where complete strangers ease into animated conversations almost without fail. Perhaps it’s the intimacy of the tub, which puts people at close proximity. Perhaps it’s also the relaxing feeling produced by the hot bubbling water. Whatever it is, if you want to make new friends, you head to the hot tub!
That said, there’s a few things to remember when using a hot tub. First and foremost, the water temperature should never be too hot or you could seriously injure yourself (even die!). Sources we consulted recommended a maximum temperature of 104 F, or 40 C. Most people will find 102 F just about right.
Pregnant women should avoid using hot tubs altogether, as it could be damaging to the fetus. Children should be discouraged from using hot tubs, as their bodies don’t adapt so well to high temperatures. If the cherub absolutely has to be included, then the recommendation is to lower the thermostat to 100 F. Of course, children should never, ever, be left unattended.
Note that keeping the water germ-free is the job of the hot tub’s water filtering system. Contrary to popular belief, normal hot tub temperatures aren’t high enough to kill germs, which would require 120 F or more. Such temperatures would also kill you, not just the microbes!
It’s also very dangerous to mix alcohol consumption and a swish in the hot tub, putting you at a much higher risk of a stroke or heart attack.
Lastly, proper etiquette is that you shower before entering the hot tub. Relax, enjoy and socialize!
The 1930’s might have been the apogee of naturism. Modern nudism began in Germany in the 1920’s and spread quickly, crossing the pond within a few years. “Nudist colony”, “nudist camps” and even “nudist cult” were common expressions used by the thirties’ press to describe the nascent movement, which had as many as a million followers in Germany, and around 300,000 in the United States. Some of the stories newspapers printed about naturism were wildly outrageous even by today’s standards. Here we’ve picked a few for your reading enjoyment…
- The January 10, 1931 edition of the Milwaukee Journal reported that nudists on the French Riviera bought and refurbished a dirigible in order to be nude away from police persecution (this was long before Cap d’Adge!).
- An August 17, 1931 article in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette explains how a French nudist cult having a colony on an island near Paris had its population cut from 75 to 50 thousand due to a cold epidemic.
- A 1932 article tells how the German government of the time tried to stop the spread of the naturist movement, ordering police to seize Berlin’s biggest nudist school. The school’s director cleverly foiled the raid by offering to follow the officers to the police station, along with 4,000 other nude “scholars”!
- The California Pacific International Exposition in San Diego in 1935 and 1936 had a nudist exhibit, where 2 million visitors paid 25 cents to peer over a fence into a “nudist corral”. Nudists at large denounced the event and it’s said that it was the main impetus for the naturist movement to go “underground”. We couldn’t find a free article about the exhibit, but it’s mentioned in this Time Magazine page.
- Even crazier than this is the related story which appeared in the San Diego Evening Independent, claiming that an organization of blind people sought to stop a repeat of the nudist exhibit at the 1936 fair, as it would corrupt young minds!
- The St Petersburg (Florida) Evening Independent of February 4, 1936, tells us of what was probably the first nude cruise, or at least the first attempt. The article refers to the old boat as a “nudist ship”, with over twenty nudists heading out of Tampa to the US Virgin islands, where they hoped to found a nudist colony. Said “nudist ship” had to return to port when its engine ran into trouble.
- A September, 1937 piece tells of a feud between nudist leaders, each seeking to attract more people to their respective conventions. Perhaps jealous that his rival had managed to assemble 390 people, the other claimed it wasn’t a nudist convention at all, as he charged some attendees wore pants.
We can’t make this stuff up!
