The Great Naked Debate is a new series that brings some of the top nudist bloggers together, offering you a different perpective in one place on a number of key naturist issues. For this first installment, the panel was asked:

While clothing optional has the advantage of being more acceptable for the novice’s first time in a nudist environment, it does have the stigma of having been, in the past, more associated with the resorts with less restrictive sexual behavior standards. Clothes-free does not mean nude all the time. Even the hardiest souls must occasionally cover-up in inclement weather or to prevent overexposure to the sun. While clothing-optional may, at first, be more inviting to newcomers, clothes-free is the option chosen by most real nudists.

Clothing Optional - I’ve been involved in so many events where people wanted to attend and were sincerely curious but not quite ready to take the plunge. I find that making events clothing optional helps people take that step in the door to give this naturist idea a chance. And there are others, such as my wife, while comfortable nude, isn’t always comfortable in every naturist situation so it gives them the freedom to participate as their own level of comfort allows.

Nude is better than either term. Clothing-centric language seems like an attempt to obfuscate what we’re really about, whereas “nude” is unambiguous, clear, and honest.

[abbreviated] Nudist Resort sounded too scary to first timers…First timers told us “‘clothing optional’, I could try that as there are clothing-optional beaches in Europe and the Caribbean.” …There is research done by TANR (trade association for nude recreation) where people who have never tried nude sunbathing like the expression “clothing-optional” better than “nudist” resorts. They feel it gives them a choice, especially women. This study was done around 7 or 8 years ago, so the expression clothes-free was not in use at that time. Click here for Tom’s complete answer.

Clothing-optional is better because it allows freedom of choice, although I certainly understand why some resorts are clothes-free because they want to keep out the gawkers. A fair compromise seems to be when resorts require at least one member of a group to be nude at all times when on the grounds, but it seems that most of the clothing optional facilities require nudity in the pool and hot tub areas anyway.

Clothes-Free all the way. Clothing-optional conveys the idea that you DON’T have to get naked. On the other hand, if everybody is nude, it’s more likely to incite newbies to do likewise. Note that “clothing-optional” is an American concept, the tendency elsewhere in the world is to require nudity or “don’t bother coming”.