Women in Focus - Helen hears from Sam Hawcroft

Helen talks to H&E's very own Sam Hawcroft

Q:  What got you into naturism/nudism?
A:  I guess I got more and more into naturism after beginning my journey with H&E. I’d been interested in the naked lifestyle for some years previously, but never really had the upbringing where it was encouraged. I’d been on holiday and enjoyed discreet nudity a few times with a partner in my 20s, but that was about it. Then the H&E job came up - the previous editor was a former colleague, and I’d been proofreading the magazine for her for some time, and then when she left, she suggested I go for the editor’s job. Which I did, and I discovered more about the lifestyle as I went along - the resorts, the network of UK clubs, the issues and debates, etc. I was, for the UK naturist lifestyle at any rate, reasonably young at the time, aged about 30.

Q:  Is there a difference between the two labels?
A:  I think there is a difference between the two labels, naturism and nudism - to me the former suggests a more rounded approach to the lifestyle encompassing a love of nature and the natural environment, which I believe has to go hand in hand with a naked lifestyle. Nudism is a label that the general public might be more familiar with, but it sounds a bit more old-fashioned to me, and a bit more focused on the naked body. For some reason it has slightly ‘exhibitionist’ connotations to me!

Q:  How does it impact your life on a day-to-day basis?
A:  At the moment, I have to be honest and say naturism doesn’t impact my life much at all right now as we’re still in winter and it’s freezing outside - and not that warm inside, either! And as I have just suggested, I’m not about to whack up the heating so I can be comfortable naked at home. That’s madness, especially given the soaring energy prices. I don’t like to feel uncomfortable, so it’s nice to be wrapped up warm when it’s cold. And for me that’s the point - naturism is a way of life when it’s natural to do so, and I fear that people who want to be naked at any cost and in any weather just make us look a bit nuts. And I think for women, or for me at any rate, this 'all or nothing' approach isn’t really helpful, and I’ve come across people at events who can get rather militant about it and go around demanding why people aren’t naked. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to wear a nice dress on a night out, and I don’t like the implication that clothing is bad. It’s not. It’s often sensible and necessary. Sometimes it’s great to be naked, sometimes you don’t feel like it. And that’s OK.

Q:  What challenges do women face in naturism?
A:  Naturism in this country is still male-dominated - and I’m not sure why, but it seems that men can stand colder temperatures; in my experience at naturist events they’re always the ones who are naked when it’s chilly! And if you’re online, and want to express your naturist values, you’ll almost certainly come up against sleazeballs trying to worm their way into your DMs or making lewd comments. I really can’t be doing with the hassle, which is why I don’t shout about it that much on my personal feed. I know I should, and I hugely applaud those who do, but at the end of the day I don’t need the extra anxiety - I have well enough of that in my working life…But I would encourage women to check out the reputable events (in person and online) run by organisations like British Naturism as they generally have a better gender balance and I can guarantee that people will be overwhelmingly supportive. You really don’t know what it’s like until you’ve tried it, and if you’re with like-minded people it’s a no-brainer.

Q:  How can women help in desexualising nudity?
A:  The body image discussion is massive at the moment and I still don’t think naturism is talked about enough in terms of a way of dealing with it, for both men and women. And I feel women do have a certain responsibility to not consume the rubbish that’s constantly fed to us in the media, such as in the tabloids, or fashion and women’s magazines - you know the ones, that slate celebrities if they’ve put on a few pounds. We all get angry about these things, but people must still be buying them, otherwise there wouldn’t be an audience for them. It’s insidious. I sometimes feel that women are the worst for criticising other women!

Q:  How can we encourage body positivity and acceptance?
A:  A wider variety of bodies needs to be seen in the media, in advertising, in publications, online, etc, and there are some companies out there doing great things in this regard (Snag Tights springs to mind). It doesn’t stop the trolls, but nothing will. And I’d caution against using the term “normal” people, as it can only end up demonising people who are naturally skinny and pretty. That’s not fair either.

Q:  What drives your passion in promoting naturism?
A:  We have an uphill battle in promoting naturism when the main tool at our disposal (social media) is so against nudity in any form, and I do worry that such censorship will only get worse, but we must do our best to circumvent the barriers and get the message out there.

*Images credited to Charlie Simonds