Women's Stories

I’m sitting here on my bed in the middle of the high heat of the day keeping cool in Costa Rica. I am stuck not knowing how to share my story and then I close my eyes. Tears start to form on the inside of my eyelids and I take myself back to a world before Body Freedom International (BFI) and way back before I even had body freedom. I am both moved by where I have come from, and upset at the pain, hatred and anger that I once was. There are a couple of days that stand out the most to me. On

I was born and raised in the Middle East, from a Muslim background family. For Muslims, nudity is a giant taboo, and your life may be in danger if you were caught practicing Nudism. Islam treats nudity as a major sinful act and can be considered as breaking the family honor code - unless nakedness is necessary, such as using the bathroom or medical need. There are even restrictions on nudity (and sex) between spouses. Intentionally being nude is considered a satanic act and is treated as an adul

The first time it really hit me that I wasn't in Kansas anymore, or rather, as far from my conservative Asian roots as I could get, was when I asked my then-three-year-old daughter to choose where to sit on a Portuguese beach. She promptly plonked her bum down next to a topless sunbather, something you'd be arrested for attempting in Asia. I spent the next several minutes waiting with bated breath for someone to tell the poor lady off or to leer at her. I don't remember when I finally relaxed bu

In 1990 I left home. I started being naked at home in the evenings and sleeping naked.  Sadly the man I lived with didn't like my body shape when I put on weight and he took every opportunity to let me know.  This gave me body image issues.  My first step to Naturism was recognising it was HIS issue. I worked on my self-belief until I found the courage to divorce him in 2017, after 34 years together. After the divorce I developed a strong friendship with someone and that friend helped me re

I was lucky enough to grow up in a household where my parents were not shy about their bodies.  As far as I know, they weren't active naturists, but they often walked around the house half clothed or completely naked - more to do with getting distracted while dressing or undressing than any deliberate choice to be naked for a period of time, so they've said.  Although at the time I sometimes felt embarrassed; "What if the neighbours saw?", "What if they absent-mindedly walked out of their bedroo

My journey only really began in the Summer of 2019.  During the worst of my menopause, I was experiencing terrible hot flushes and the only way for me to find comfort was by taking my clothes off.  This was most unusual for me, having had something of a body hatred for most of my life.  I have managed to hide myself away, and my body especially, right from the time I gave birth to my son - he is now 31!  The comfort my nakedness brought me forced a reconsideration of how I feel about myself and

We are new members to BN and are really enjoying all the things that go along with our membership, the Magazine, various classes and friendly online banter.  What surprised me as a female was the ratio of girls to boys within the ranks, so I am writing this to hopefully encourage more of you girls who may be either dithering or downright scared stiff of baring all! Firstly, please don't think I have no body issues, of course I do but I don't let it stop me.  I have a belly (the middle-aged

My Naturism story started 7 years ago when my partner Muriel and I went to naturists beaches in Spain, it was a very relaxed beach and much better in the heat with no swim suit clinging to you, especially good when in the sea! It made me feel so free, body confident and happy, attractive, and younger.  We also visited various naturist camping sites and we felt all the people there were friendly.  The first few moments I felt nervous, but it just felt so good and natural and the fact that we

I got into Naturism about 8 years ago. I met a guy (just a friend) who had been a Naturist for over 30 years. He had a garden that was not overlooked and spent most of his time there naked. He also had a hot tub in a shed in his back garden that we used, but to start with I went in topless. After a few months he persuaded me to strip off in his garden, so I hid behind his shed and disrobed…..well, I could not believe how fresh and invigorating it felt! Needless to say, I went from being a s

I was 18 and had been dating this girl for a few months, not long but long enough for it to move away from just being a fling.On a lovely sunny bank holiday day we'd been to the Severnside Bird Santuary and were heading home, shortly after lunch.  Just in conversation, with no ulterior motive, I mentioned that for some while during the previous summer, I'd visited a naturist club not that far away and had been a member, was still, of their youth group.Needless to say there was a laughing respons

Roni Fine talks to naturists about body image. Going to a wedding, an interview, a party or a first date? These occasions usually involve worrying about what to wear! We want to create a good first impression. Image! It's an important thing and not just with clothes but with our whole bodies. The fashion industry has indoctrinated us with what the right look is and which size and shape we must be. Most of this is an impossible ambition and many people suffer from eating disorders and d

Janey’s StoryAfter 19 months of discomfort, upset, disbelief and seven rounds of surgery Janey finally emerged a different person. Or did she? Talking with Janey about her Colostomy* which means she now wears a Stoma Bag* was very enlightening for me and yes, I do think she is a different person but only in that she is stronger, even more determined to live her life to the full and happy to help anyone else facing similar surgery to that she endured; to prove there IS life beyond a stoma bag! Du

‘I completed the Swimathon in April as part of my local Naturist Group's regular swim session. I think I may be the only person to have done the Swimathon naked!’ writes Leann   Standing on the poolside wearing my purple Swimathon hat but no swimsuit, it occurs to me this is the opposite look to my regular public class -  where I sport a range of costumes but rarely need a hat to control my short hair (I figure it will give me a boost if I ever have to race!) – The fully uniformed lifegu

When I was a little girl, my doctor told my Mum that she dressed me in far too many clothes! As an adult, I used to be embarrassed taking all my clothes off to get into the bath! How things have changed! When my husband and I got together about 20 years ago, he loved being naked around the house. I soon enjoyed the experience myself. Hugh had always wanted to be naked outside the house. One day, whilst on holiday in Cornwall, we walked along the beach at Carlyon Bay and came to a sign which

Okay, hands up all those who were brought up to always try the food on their plate and not take one look at it and declare, “I don’t like it”? My Mum always told me to try it before deciding because I might well discover that I DO like it! Apply this to everything new you encounter and you could lead a full and interesting life! How many of you, particularly the women reading this, have never actually tried Naturism but are stubbornly declaring it is not for you and you won’t like it?! My e

This year marks a personal milestone. I will be celebrating my fortieth! Birthday? No, that has long passed! This year is my fortieth anniversary of becoming a Naturist! I did not want this celebration to pass unrecognised, so I asked my husband if we could retrace my steps and go to where I first stripped off and ran into the sea, so I could do it all over again. But as an older lady, I must admit, I did not run as fast as last time! Four decades ago, I was a staff member on a seconda

As I write this article on 23rd of March 2020, I have been a Naturist for just two months. However, it has been a life transforming two months and what follows is the story of how, in just a few short weeks Naturism has taken me on a journey from absolutely hating my own body - to the point of not even looking at myself in the mirror getting out of the bath - to a feeling of complete acceptance of myself, lumps, bumps, wobbly bits, and all. On January 14th I went on a dat

I believe that many people are private naturists. They happily bare all in the privacy of their homes but it doesn't occur to them that there is a wonderful world of social naturism waiting for them to join in. This was certainly the case for me. Richard and I were fortunate to have a 30 foot sailing boat. When we were out at sea in the sunshine the person in the shelter of the spray hood would be naked, but unless it was exceptionally warm, the helmsperson would have to be clothed to keep

I am Aussie woman who loves the outdoors - beaches and the Australian bush. I often found a secluded spot and was naked but never considered naturism as a lifestyle. Close to 2 years ago I started playing words with friends on line with an English guy. He was friendly and we chatted and some months later he shared that he was a naturist and some of the type of events he enjoyed and was helping to organise. I probably initially just thought it was nice but never explored it any more. I recal

I have always been a big girl with rock bottom body image. A shy kid and a bit of a geek who had few friends and never really fitted in, I reinvented myself at university. The first person I met on my first day at work was the man who would become my husband. We spent a day at Studland beach and I mentioned I had been there as a teenager and stumbled by accident onto the naturist section - it was clear my husband wanted to try it! He stripped off and ran down to the sea. Later, he pers

Many years ago on holiday in France we wandered down a path to the beach, and a notice informed us that "textiles" went to the right and "Naturists" to the left. "Strange", we thought and headed to the right. Later, on the inflatable bobbing around on the waves being pushed along by my husband, we realised we had strayed into the "naturist" section, shock horror! What to do? People were looking at us! So, off came the swimwear, well, we didn't want people staring at us! We came to this beac

If I can do it, so can you! I was adamant to my husband, when I first met him, NOT to even ASK me to go along to his club with him when I first found out he was a member. I told him; I would NOT be going and I meant it! Then I felt a little guilty that it might stop him from doing something he liked and of course how could I say I didn’t like it when I hadn’t even tried it? So I plucked up the courage to go along. When I found a wonderful, woodland setting and met such nice people I knew I

With two small children living in Germany I found myself on a well earned ladies night out to the local spa. Thursday was ladies night, a group of us took our costumes along only to find costumes were not allowed and it was naked only, I thoroughly enjoyed myself, not sure that I thought it was anything but normal then. Back in England I found myself home alone when my girls had gone off to Uni, flicking through the TV channels I came across a tv programme called ‘Going to Work Naked’, I fo

My first experience of public nudity was around twenty years ago when I attended a Five Rhythm dance workshop on the Isle of Mull. I was dancing on the beach to my own internal music in the pouring rain and it just felt right to throw my clothes off and dance naked before swimming in the sea. Being an extremely shy person I was amazed at how liberated I felt. However it was only ten years later when I met my partner that I realised that Naturism was a way of life for some people and that th