Sunday, November 04, 2007

The Great Naked Debate: Nude Activism

The latest installment of The Great Naked Debate is now online at the Nudist Day blog. The subject this time is whether or not nude activism is helping or hindering the nudist cause. Are people like Stephen Gough misguided, or are they ahead of their time?

The general consensus is that nudist/naturist organizations are better served by acting to preserve existing clothes-free areas, and to lobby for additional spaces for nude recreation. The example of the success of Haulover Beach is seen to be a model for success in this area.

We are living in a time where Christianists have achieved strong influence in governments and the judiciary, so it has become increasingly difficult to convince localities to designate clothes-free areas. The Naturist Action Committee has been forced to "put out fires" in Brattleboro and Huntington Beach when legislators have tried, and mostly succeeded, in passing general anti-nudity ordinances. To its credit, the NAC proceeded to organize a legal nude swim in Huntington Beach to show that the anti-nudity law that was passed this summer was unnecessary.

Personally, I would like to see more "grass roots" organizing. If you are interested in the nude lifestyle, join your local club, landed or non-landed. Join a national organization such as the Naturist Society or AANR. I think that there are an awful lot of closet nudists out there who are fearful of being "coming out".

Taking a naked walk down the main street of your city or town will not change anything except to make the laws against nudity even tougher. Getting together in small local groups to organize swims and other nude recreational activities is the best kind of activism.

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