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The Great British Skinny Dip – 2nd-4th September 2016

Do something exhilarating…
This great event will provide lots of opportunities for people to try costume-free swimming across many varied locations, having fun, whilst also raising awareness of how many people’s buttoned-up attitude to the human body is causing them to lead potentially unhealthy lives.
The Great British Skinny Dip website is now live and is the central place for all things GBSD – including why we’re doing it, what people will get from it, lists of locations as they come on board, assistance for hosts and more. Please sign up for dedicated GBSD newsletters if you haven’t already. We’re focusing on the improvements anyone can get from being naked more often. If that changes some minds, that’s great. If it leads to more people doing Naturist things, even better. If it boosts our membership – fabulous! It does of course have a link to the BN site, landing on a special welcome page for newcomers. www.bn.org.uk/gbsdlanding
The website also includes a variety of links from a variety of sources that back up the health benefits of nudity, and the sheer – and often unexpected – joy of going without clothes. If you see something that we should include, please send it in.
We’ve also made our own short film as a ‘taster’ to the weekend – see it on the GBSD website.
Make a ‘Skinny Clip’!
Remember the Ice Bucket Challenge? Here’s an idea along those lines…next time you are skinny dipping – wherever that may be – get a video clip of it and post it on your social media pages...and nominate three people to do it. Add @GBSD2016 and #septembare. Let’s go viral…
Why are we doing it?
To raise awareness of the many health and wellbeing benefits of taking part in naked activities – particularly in relation to feelings of freedom / liberation, fun and exhilaration. To highlight and share the body confidence benefits of “letting it all hang out” in public. To balance people’s perception of what constitutes a health body – i.e. it’s okay to have wobbly bits and be bigger than most ‘celebrity’ bodies … but it’s also important to keep an eye on potential problem areas such as poor skin condition, lumps/bumps, obesity and associated issues. To raise awareness of the benefits of early detection of health issues such as cancer. To increase participation in social nudity and Naturism and boost our numbers To change reactions – especially in the media and from authorities – to the acknowledgement that nudity is a good thing and not amusing, ridiculous, suspicious, or harmful. What’s in it for me?
It doesn’t matter who you are, or whether your preferred approach to Naturism is ‘organised’ or ‘free-range’, this project has something for you:
All Naturists (whether or not you belong to BN and / or a club) A fun event and opportunity to bring your friends and share what you love about naturist activities. To spread the word about the benefits of nude activities and Naturism and to make it more acceptable to the average UK resident. To expand our naturist community and secure the future of British Naturism as an organisation. To make the life of a UK naturist more pleasant – enabling naturists to ‘come out’. To raise money for a good cause – of your choosing! Additionally, for clubs and their members An opportunity to invite new people / get new members. Engaging a new audience to boost membership and replace those that leave. National publicity for little effort An opportunity for local clubs without pools to join up together to arrange an event at a public venue. Resources:
W: www.greatbritishskinnydip.co.uk
E: skinnydip@greatbritishskinnydip.co.uk
F: www.facebook.com/greatbritishskinnydip
T: @GBSD2016
Call for locations!
Clubs – put on a GBSD open day or weekend Swims – make one of your regular sessions a GBSD one and invite newcomers Individuals – think about locations in your area that could be suitable – indoor and outdoor. Suggest them to us… or Host an event yourself – on a beach, at a lake or river, hire a pool – make a day out of it – and let us know what locations you have in mind Talk to local pools and leisure centres about the event and see if they will agree to a Naturist session

Don’t create a stir, just spread the word!

Just say the word “naked” out loud amidst a group of people and see how many turn round to listen to what you’re saying. You’ll see their ears flapping! Now say the word “Naturist.” Did that cause as much interest? Probably not,but to us they are one and the same, so why is it so different to the unconverted?
Although, thinking about it, it’s good that nakedness gets more of a reaction than Naturist, as that is exactly what we are striving for – complete blasé, which would mean complete acceptance instead of the perceived shock that some Naturists still think will occur.
Television channels often give out a warning before a programme if it contains something that “you might find offensive.” The categories are usually “violence, strong language and scenes of nudity.” Now I understand you might not want to watch somebody having their head sliced off or people ‘effing and blinding’ from the word go, but why do they suggest we’re going to find nudity offensive? Whilst most of us wouldn’t want to watch a couple copulating, there is a vast difference between unnecessary, sexual nudity and a casual glimpse of a bare body as they get out of bed, though they are usually wrapping themselves in the sheets as if they are ashamed of their body, not wishing their partner, who must have seen them the night before, to see them in the light of day!
I think we need to get people comfortable with seeing nudity in everyday situations before we can ever expect them to accept what we do as a perfectly healthy, family lifestyle. Take some time to listen to the TV adverts, instead of using them to go to the loo or put the kettle on, and you’ll hear about nudity and catch a glimpse or a suggestion of a naked person, all in a way to advertise something that has no connection with nudity except for the fact that it will draw people in. It doesn’t work at selling the item to me, as I rarely recall the product! I realised this when I tried to think of examples to quote here and realised it was only a vague memory, and I had to sit and watch ITV in the hope of catching these weak attempts of provocation on our screens. But their attempt at teasing the viewers can be to our advantage, as it is usually done quite tastefully and is widely accepted.
There’s even a range of wholesome cereal bars called “Nakd” and a range of granola breakfast cereals called “Naked”, and I deduce the reason for these namesis to show they contain only the real thing, the good bits with no unnecessary additives – a bit like Naturists being people without clothes!
In the ten years that I’ve been a Naturist I am sure there is now more on TV or written in the press about Naturism and usually in a positive way. Some of us have become braver about speaking out and sharing what was once, very much, a secret pastime.
Since I’ve been advertising Blackthorns in our local free publications we’ve used a selection of photos, but the one that is most popular with the editorial teams is that which pictures what they refer to as “the bare bums”. They love that one; a couple walking through the trees. It’s simple, but not too risqué, and they obviously think it goes down well with their readers, otherwise they wouldn’t suggest we use it. We seem to be losing the ridicule of naked people bouncing their bits up and down, as portrayed in the Carry On films, and people are more interested in finding out what we do and why we do it, and that’s a good place to start. Try to keep it simple, but not too simple – don’t say, “I go into the woods and get naked with people”, as that might worry them!
We want people to understand why we do it, and not think it rude or scary behaviour!
If we all aim to bring it into conversation at the right time with sufficient information to inform and interest people, one day it will be perfectly acceptable and you will no longer need to make up stories about where you go and what you do at weekends.
I don’t think they’re ready to share your holiday snaps just yet, but one day that will happen and it’s down to us to play a part in making it so.
This is how I explain what I do to someone who has heard I do it and shown a glimmer of interest:
“Imagine 15 acres of woodland full of trees and pretty flowers, birds and butterflies that shuts the world out and creates a little bit of paradise to calm our stressed out bodies and minds. In the centre we have a heated outdoor pool and a patio that catches the sun. We share a barbecue and each cook our evening meal together and dine as the sun goes down. We have a kiosk dispensing ice creams and cold drinks and we lounge on the lawns enjoying a drink and good company with lots of laughs and banter, and if the temperature is warm enough we shed our clothes and feel even more relaxed and comfortable!”
By the time I get to the clothes bit, they are hooked and ask if they can tag along, and when they realise we go naked they actually visualise not the naked bodies or perceived awkwardness, but the comfort and relaxing mood that I’ve painted.
That’s how to get people interested! No hard sell. No knocking what they do instead. No demands that they must do it, too. Nothing but describing the benefits.
Just say it as if it’s perfectly normal, and one day it will be!
Roni Fine

National Survey of Naturist clubs

Last autumn Diogenes Sun Club approached us with a request to circulate to our members a survey they had created to discover the attraction to particular aspects of club life.
 
We suggested that we worked together on a more in-depth survey, which would assist other clubs to develop, thereby improving facilities and attracting more members. The survey was launched at the Alton Towers BN event in November, 2014 –both online and on paper. Respondents tapped on ipads and mobiles and checked boxes with pens, ensuring opportunities for all, club members and non-club members alike. It was later advertised in the BN forum, and the link was circulated in the BN ezine email. The timing was chosen to coincide with the Diogenes ‘Way Forward Group’ investigation into facilities and fees for the future.
 
Here is an analysis of the results by survey initiator Tanis Lang – a copy of the full results is available from the office.
 

The top 10 most important facilities:
 
1 Friendliness of members
2 Sunbathing areas
3 Ease of joining
4 Tea- / coffee-making facilities
5 Camping / caravanning
6 All facilities included in the membership fee
7 Social events
8 Nude evening events / socials
9 Outdoor pool
10 Lounge / quiet area
 
Not altogether surprising when you attend BN events or venture on a Naturist getaway. Everyone offers a friendly welcome, and friendships in clubs and through BN events seem to flourish quickly, sharing a common outlook and philosophy.
 
Sunbathing is, of course, the reason many people take to Naturism, by finding themselves unexpectedly on a Naturist beach or just seeking that all-over tan!
 
Many clubs offer stringent joining processes, which is, of course, important to ensure the safety of all members, including children.
 
We are lucky that most clubs provide tea- and coffee making facilities, which would go hand in hand with socializing and our obvious caffeine addiction…
 
Members are keen to make the most of the rustic approach and are perfectly at ease camping and caravanning, rather than requiring more luxurious chalets or indoor accommodation.
 
With the continued dilemma as to where to put our money,Naturists prefer to pay up front for all facilities.
 
Social events are key to a vibrant club, and respondents would prefer to be Naturist night and day, temperature permitting. Conflict with this may be experienced from some members, who feel nude social events should be reserved for sporting activities only. Judging from the opportunities to party
at Alton Towers, Blackpool, Nudefest, etc., most BN members do not condone this way of thinking!
 
We all look forward to the warmer weather and, with a big splash to cool off or take regular exercise, we love to jump into that crystal clear outdoor pool. What better than swimming without that clingy costume?
 
Our Naturist clubs sound a perfect place to socialise, relax and enjoy our free time.....
 

The least important facilities:
 
• Volleyball
• Badminton
• Full-sized tennis court
• Miniten
• Gym
• TV room
• Inter-club sports competitions
• Lower membership fees and pay for extra facilities
 
Does this mean those completing the surveys were not very sporty and also prefer not to sit and watch TV – maybe they are the ones who just love to socialise?
 
Membership fees
 
The majority of respondents wished to pay membership fees between £100-£200 per person per year, and annual payment was preferred over monthly payment.
 
Volunteering
 
The majority of respondents were happy to volunteer a few hours a month for their club.
 
Thank you to all who took part in this survey. It has been interesting to analyse the results and consider the differences between the nationwide survey results and our own club data.

Body Confidence Not Body Beautiful: First Women In Naturism Campaign

The first Women in Naturism campaign is launching over the weekend of 6/7 June with events all around the country including a tea party in Manchester, a beach picnic in Dorset and a skinny dip in Hertfordshire. More events are planned for the rest of the summer such as the World Naked Bike Rides, Nudefest in Cornwall on 5th-12th July and Yorkshire Wildlife Park’s charity event: Bare all for Polar Bears on Friday 21st August.
British Naturism president Judith Stinchcombe explains: "Naturism in the UK is growing in popularity as people see for themselves how it contributes to wellbeing and improved body image, and we are delighted to see so many women discovering these benefits for themselves. For 2015 we want to encourage even more women to try Naturism whether that’s via an organised event, a day out in a European style spa or a skinny dip with their family and friends.
“Many people regularly send us stories of personal improvements in self-esteem, chronic illness and stress since discovering Naturism. Imagine how good it would be to have the sun and breeze on your skin and feel better, more relaxed, less self-conscious and de-stressed as a result. Poor body image is improved when you realise that almost no-one has a “perfect” body.
“With recent research for Be Real showing that almost 10 million UK women report that they 'feel depressed’ because of the way they look and the Children’s Society’s global “well-being” chart showing that appearance is the top concern for children in England with girls twice as likely to be concerned about their body than boys, we are hoping that our initiative will help build body confidence in women. Children brought up in naturism say how they grew up without the usual hang-ups about their bodies.”
This first Women in Naturism campaign also sees British Naturism encouraging more leisure venues to take a more European approach to dress code. With the demise of the much-loved and clothes-free ambiance of the Sanctuary Spa, there are few options for anyone looking to have a spa experience au naturel. Women are generally more hesitant than men when it comes to trying Naturism, but once they do, they often become the most enthusiastic Naturists, as they see the incredible benefits it brings to them and their families.
Judith concludes, “We know that women in particular can feel nervous about revealing all, but we're saying just come along, give it a go - we know you won't regret it, and it may just change your life, so what's stopping you?"
- ends -
For further information, images, interviews and event invitations, please contact:
Philippa Taylor, Grand Union PR, Philippa@grandunionpr.com, 01442 824844/07866 480700
Notes to Editors:
Journalists are invited to try a clothes-free spa experience on Monday 21st September in London and to have a go at skinny dipping at venues around the country on a mutually convenient date.
The Great British Skinny Dip is happening on 2nd – 4th September 2016 so please let us know if you would like to arrange a photo-shoot during summer 2015 and interview members of British Naturism.
For the media, there is a dedicated “Media Centre” at https://www.bn.org.uk/media, which contains useful information for those wishing to write about naturism.
British Naturism (BN) is the UK’s officially recognised Naturist organisation. It exists to support and unite Naturists around the UK and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2014, although its predecessors were in existence since the 1930s. Amongst the aims of BN are to campaign for more places to be made available for Naturism and to protect Naturists against discrimination and Victorian attitudes to the human body. https://www.bn.org.uk/campaigning/index.
It is a fact that in law, there is no offence of nudity. Various pieces of legislation and common law are often mentioned in connection with Naturism but they are rarely relevant. See Crown Prosecution Service guidance on Naturism for details: http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/l_to_o/nudity_in_public/
Naturism is on the up in the UK - British Naturism has seen an increase of around 100 extra members each month, when comparing 2015 figures with 2014. British Naturism has a packed calendar of activities for 2015 and around 9,000 members who renew each year to receive information about Naturist clubs and events all over the country and abroad. In the UK, there are over 130 sun clubs, swim clubs and holiday resorts, plus many beaches used regularly by Naturists: https://www.bn.org.uk/activities/placestogo.
The number of nude events being held, both by British Naturism and other organisations, is also increasing, so the opportunities for socially nude leisure in the UK are plentiful. A selection of events on offer to those wanting to give nude leisure a try, either occasionally or regularly, is included below and the full list is at https://www.bn.org.uk/activities/bigdaysout.
Children don’t care if they are wearing clothes or not, it’s adults who make them get dressed. Children in Naturism grow up with a better understanding of what people really look like and enjoy a relaxed, outdoor life. Families can do something together that they all enjoy. Unaccompanied children are not permitted in Naturist places, however, if accompanied by a parent or guardian they are welcomed and the community spirit that pervades ensures that a responsible watchful eye is present. Naturist places tend to have entry requirements and secure gates, making the inside a far safer environment than the outside. Mindful of the need to be aware of child safeguarding issues, however, BN have a robust child safeguarding policy and code of practice.

Announcing…the 9th BN Alton Towers Naturist Weekend

BN’s flagship event of the year is here again and booking is already open…! We’re delighted to say that, once again, the PRICES ARE THE SAME AS THEY HAVE BEEN FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS and the deposit payable is only £50 and not Alton Towers’ usual arrangement of one-half of the full amount. The full amount will be asked for 6 weeks before the event. Please make your booking as soon as you can so we can plan properly.
How much does it cost?
£285 per room for the weekend (two nights) based on two people sharing or single occupancy. Extra adults (12 years of age and over) can stay in a room for an additional £55 each for the weekend, a child (4–11 years) for £45 each for the weekend. Children up to three years old go free. Prices include bed, breakfast, VAT, entry to the Waterpark and all BN activities. All guests must book for the whole weekend: one-night stays or day visits are not possible at this event – sorry! The majority of rooms are “family” rooms designed for two adults and two children. It is possible for four adults to share a room, but rooms are made up of a double bed and bunkbeds – please bear in mind when booking.
How do I book?
A dedicated phone line for this weekend has been set up, so please phone 0871 222 1100 to make your reservation. Make it clear you are booking for the BN weekend. You will be asked for your BN membership number and that of those in your party.
Tell me more about the weekend…?
Splash Landings Hotel provides superb, upmarket accommodation for guests at top UK tourist attraction Alton Towers in Staffordshire. The theme park will be closed for annual maintenance and Alton Towers have therefore offered the hotel for this one weekend to members of British Naturism. It’s become one of the biggest and most fun weekends in the Naturist calendar! The hotel incorporates the Cariba Creek Waterpark, a restaurant, bar, coffee outlet, shop and games arcade. As usual, we’ll be putting on activities and entertainment. We plan to have a mixture of exercise and dance classes, workshops and presentations, including guest speakers, music and dancing, exhibitions, tours of Alton Towers’ gardens, quizzes, kids activities and games for everyone. There’s also plenty of opportunity to chill out in the company of like-minded people.
Can I bring my friends?
Yes. However, this is a weekend exclusively for BN members and so they must join us first. There are always people joining to be able to go and making Alton Towers their first BN event; in fact, sometimes their first Naturist event. It’s a great way to start – please spread the word.
How can I find someone to share a room with and cut the cost?
Easy. You need to register for the single person sharing service. It’s been a very popular initiative, making the weekend inexpensive and a great way to meet new people! Please call BN head office on
01604 620361 or email headoffice@bn.org.uk and ask to be added to the list. You will be asked for your credit card details and BN membership number. We will put people on the list together mand deal direct with Alton Towers to make the bookings.
For more information on the Alton Towers hotel complex, visit www.altontowers.com

Made in Devon

Back in April as our Torquay weekend attracted the 'Buff Pound' to the South West...BBC Devon paid attention. Here's what was on TV...
http://www.bn.org.uk/community/ccs_files/BBCDevon.mp4
... and radio.
http://www.bn.org.uk/community/ccs_files/BBCDevon.mp3
Well done to everyone involved!
A

The growth of internet censorship

This article was prompted by the response of Iain Duncan Smith, a senior Tory politician, to the British Naturism general election questions. His reply was so far divorced from reality that we emailed him to check that it was genuine. Somebody from his campaign office replied that it was. Was he deliberately misleading or is he just totally out of touch?
All is not gloom, the mobile operators have taken a small step in the right direction by adopting the BBFC ratings scheme. However the BBFC scheme is only partly harm based, it is influenced by popular prejudice, and the implementation by the operators is still grossly inadequate. The government has shown no inclination to fix the problems.
There is only one good reason for mandatory blocking, that the harm resulting from allowing the communication is significantly greater than the harm done by limiting freedom of expression. Anything else is censorship.
Filtering should fall into two broad categories: 1) the mandatory blocking of harmful material; and 2) the optional blocking of benign material.
It is very easy for filtering to become censorship so what are the features of good quality filtering?
it blocks harmful material, according to age;
it provides optional blocking of benign material, according to age;
it does not block beneficial material, according to age;
it uses criteria that reflect possible harm, according to age. The criteria must be evidence based, not driven by profit or myth, and they must not reinforce harmful attitudes;
objective guidance is provided so that the consumer can make informed decisions;
it is transparent so that both the provider and the consumer know what is being filtered and why; and
it is accountable so that mistakes are put right.

So how well do the filtering systems work in practice?
Filtered according to age is almost completely ignored. Suitable for a 5 year old and suitable for a 17 year old is vastly different but most filtering systems treat everyone under 18 as a child and everyone over 18 as an adult. At age 17 years and 364 days, probably sexually active and perhaps married, they are not allowed to see a female nipple (tell that to babies!) and the following day they are allowed as much hard core sado-masochistic pornography as they like. That in itself is an obvious recipe for harm. Fail.
How something is shown can make all the difference between seriously harmful and highly beneficial but filtering systems do not understand that. Fail.

Harmful material has become more difficult for children to access but not impossible. A determined teenager will find ways to circumvent filtering. Partial success.
Optional blocking. Only some systems provide options and invariably those options are so simplistic that they are not fit for purpose. Largely failed.
Does not block beneficial material. A lot is blocked. Fail.
Objective information. Little or none is provided. Fail.
Transparency to the consumer and transparency to the provider:Consumer: Some systems declare “not found” or “not available” when the real reason is censorship. Partial fail.
Provider: We have never been informed by a censor that our web site is being blocked although we know that it often is. Fail.

[*]Accountable. Filtering is provided by big business and the primary goal is profit. Public access wi-fi is heavily censored but the enormous number of providers makes contesting it impracticable. Experience shows that there is little point in complaining when the criteria used for making decisions are based on myth and cheapness. Fail.


So what changed during the last parliament whilst the Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition was in power?
The British Naturism web site is currently blocked by two of the mobile phone operators (default settings) unless the user of the device is over 18 and has opted in for pornography. That blocking is mandatory for at least one of the phone companies. Parents are not allowed to opt out on behalf of their child.
The British Naturism web site is blocked by probably most of the broadband providers unless the consumer opts in for pornography and turns off all protection for their children.
The British Naturism web site is blocked by most, perhaps all, public bodies. We have had police officers ask for documents because they were not allowed to look at our web site. Social workers are not allowed to look at our child-protection information. People write to us because they are not allowed to access our web site using the computers at their local library. Even journalists have had difficulties. How are any of them expected to do their jobs?
The British Naturism web site is blocked by most public access wi-fi. The filtering company says that it is up to the provider of the wi-fi but we can not possibly challenge every public wi-fi provider. Moreover it would be pointless because a large part of the problem is the simplistic classification schemes used by the filtering companies and the inadequate guidance that they provide.
The damage being done is not just due to over-blocking. It is also due to the misinformation that these systems promote. After all, if it were not dangerous then they would not block it, would they? There is a clear conflict of interest. The filtering providers have a profit motive in scaremongering, it helps to keep them in business.
The least prudish western countries have by far the best outcomes. For example in Denmark the teenage pregnancy rate is only about one tenth that of the USA, and the USA is probably the most prudish of any western nation. The picture is similar for all the other body-knowledge and body-attitude related indicators and for all the international comparison. Less prudish, better outcomes, often by a factor of ten or more. The same pattern is even apparent within the UK. The correlations are obvious and the causal mechanisms are well understood, but policy, driven by myth and prejudice, continues to promote failure. It is bizarre that these systems, supposedly to protect children, promote attitudes known to result in appalling outcomes for children.
We challenge anyone seeking to defend internet censorship, euphemistically called filtering, to find anything on the British Naturism web site that would harm a child, anything at all. If a parent does not like a web site then they are at liberty to install filtering. It is not acceptable that harmless and beneficial web sites are blocked for everyone simply because a few people do not like them or because the censors consider maximising profit more important than doing their job properly.
Today I am rushing to complete this article so that I can publish it. Tomorrow I will be on holiday and I may be blocked from accessing the British Naturism server by the wi-fi in the hotel. That will not just block me from publishing this article, it will also block me from accessing any of our management systems.
Bootnote:From the British Naturism members forums:

General Election

That is all there is to it really. The pages speak for themselves and we will be adding to them as the election approaches. I will just mention here that there is at least one active BN member amongst the candidates. There are probably more but will they have the courage to "come out"?

Tell Your Story!

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 there were organisations which I could join. I became a member of BN but as I didn’t live near any clubs was only Naturist in my own home and when on holiday abroad. This changed a couple of years ago when my home town of Dunoon played host to Scotland’s first national Naturist weekend. I really enjoyed being Naturist at home and earlier this year I joined the Scottish Outdoors club on Loch Lomond. I am completely open with people about being Naturist and it is hard to imagine now living any other lifestyle. All I need now is some more Naturist beaches to dance on!
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 found a local swim at Tewkesbury gave them a ring and arranged a visit, at this point I was nervous about been seen naked as I was not a 28 year old anymore, I sat in the car wondering what on earth I thought I was doing then decided just to go for it. I was met at the door by a lovely lady who told me all I needed to know, I still have some of that wow factor and wouldn’t change my Naturist lifestyle for the world.
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 had to try it. It did feel a little strange at first. I think the thought of it was worse than actually doing it and a few weeks later I was sat naked alongside others, chatting away as if it were perfectly normal, because, by then, it was! As he told me, it’s all about Body Confidence rather than Body Beautiful so don’t make excuses as to why you can’t do it. I’m so glad I cared enough about my husband to try out his world!
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 beach for the rest of the holiday - changing was so easy, no wriggling around under towels, it all made incredible sense. Back home, we discovered Studland beach and later Tewkesbury swim and Suntreckers and have really enjoyed our new lifestyle.
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 persuaded me to visit Abbey House Gardens with him, assuring me that I would not need to be naked. He got his kit off and we toured the gardens. I was surrounded by naked people, they walked round the gardens, laughing and talking, just enjoying ‘being’. I actually felt uncomfortable being clothed! Feeling very self conscious, I removed my clothes and stood for the first time, outside and completely naked! At first I felt embarrassed but in a surprisingly short time I felt comfortable. No one was staring or making fun of me, they just allowed me to enjoy a beautiful spot alongside them. We’ve made wonderful friends and I never feel less judged as when I am with fellow naturists. I wish I had tried it years ago. To any women out there who baulk at the idea of trying naturism because of body image, I would say throw off your fears and join a group of the most supportive people it has ever been my pleasure to meet.
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 recall telling him I didn't think there was much here in Aus. Of course I was wrong and about 12 months ago I started going to a nude beach and amazed myself at how liberating it felt and how comfortable I was and then about 8 months ago I went to first naturist retreat with a friend camping. I had such a good time, I felt so comfortable and started to make new friends. I have been back to other naturist retreats and events and am now hooked on the lifestyle and made some wonderful friends and it amazes me still how much how much our clothes influence our conversation and without them we can communicate with everyone at the same level. People are amazed that I have only so recently been a naturist as I am so totally comfortable in the environment. I am so pleased I chatted with my English naturist friend and if we ever meet then we will definitely share a bottle of the best Aussie red stuff naturally of course.
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 warm! One Saturday evening we returned to the Devon coast from a passage to France and anchored in a sheltered cove called Scabbacome bay.. We had supper and put our heads down for a well deserved sleep. Next morning we looked around and there on the lovely sunny beach were naked people! We soon pumped up our dingy and rowed ashore to join them. We had arrived in the world of social naturism! It transpired that these new friends were from something called Torbay Sun Club. It was over 35 years ago and we've been members ever since.
Barbara Wheeler February 2016

BN Election Process for 2015

Under the Bye-laws the Executive Committee are responsible between General Meetings for running the affairs of British Naturism. Volunteer members of the Executive Committee are elected by individual members in the period before the AGM is held. They serve a term of two years from the end of the AGM.
In 2015 the posts open for election are:
BN Directors President
Vice Chairman
Treasurer
International
Youth

[*]Regional Coordinators
Eastern
South West
Yorkshire & East Midlands



A nomination form and details of the roles and responsibilities of each of these posts are available from the office or can be downloaded from here.
A person wishing to stand for election must be a current paid-up individual member and have been so for the previous 26 consecutive months. No member is eligible for election to more than one role at a national election. A candidate must give a written undertaking that he/she has an exemplary naturist record and declare any relevant criminal record.
Candidates must obtain supporting signatures for their nomination from five other BN individual members. These signatures must be gathered by the candidate and submitted together with the nomination form and other required items. The candidate must make a personal declaration, giving a brief account of his/her private, business and social life, and specifying any involvement with other naturist or allied organisations. The candidate must also provide a current photograph and an election address of not more than 400 words - if it is, it will be cut at 400 words.
The candidate’s election address, personal declaration and photograph will be published in the summer issue of BN magazine together with those of other candidates.
Timetable for 2015:
March - nomination forms available
April – closing date for receipt by BN – 15th
June - voting papers and details of candidates published with the summer issue of BN
July – close of postal vote 31st;
August - ballot papers counted - results announced in the autumn issue of BN magazine
August - closing date for AGM motions - 12th - AGM paperwork mailed with the autumn issue of BN magazine

October AGM –11th – keep an eye out for details

Win £100 by completing our health and well-being survey!

Have you completed our potentially game-changing survey created for us by one of the UK’s most eminent social psychologists? Hundreds of you have – many thanks – but for it to be meaningful and taken to the next level of (bigger) research, we need more! It doesn’t have to be completed by BN members only, so please let your friends know. And ladies! You are extremely
under-represented in the number of current participants and we need your views!
 
We hope that all Naturists will instinctively want to help prove how good it is for you, but to give you an extra incentive we’ve decided to
hold a prize draw whereby one lucky participant (including those who have already filled it in) will win £100! So, in the words of both Ellie
Goulding and George Ezra (ask a teenager), ‘What are you waiting for?’
 
Here's what it's all about:
Dr Keon West is a social psychologist. He has a doctorate from Oxford University, he works as a lecturer at Goldsmiths, University of London, and he has published several empirical, peer-reviewed articles on social psychology.
Last summer, with the coming of a big birthday, he finally got around to trying social nudity, an item that had been on his bucket list for many years. He participated in the Brighton World Naked Bike Ride and the ZSL Streak for Tigers at London Zoo. Despite some initial trepidation, he found them to be the most wonderful experiences (as if you needed telling!). Not only were they immensely enjoyable, he also felt happier about himself and his body, and a deeper sense of well-being. He couldn’t wait to do it again, or understand why he had waited so long.
 
It seemed to him that so many more people could benefit from Naturism, if only they knew how great it was. Surprisingly though, when he looked through the scientific literature for any empirical research on the life-affirming effects of social nudity, there was nothing to be found. When he spoke to other people, they also seemed to have experienced the reduced stress, increased self-esteem and greater well-being, but there was no quantifiable data to support these anecdotes. “Well”, he thought, “I’m a social psychologist. Why don’t we just do it?”. He had already joined BN, so he approached us with an offer to carry out such a study. We were delighted to accept and agreed to participate fully.
 
As Naturists, we all know that the ‘good feelings’ are available to anyone trying Naturism, but that for many people a variety of barriers to involvement exist, and that much of their perception of who we are and what we do is negative. We also know that many people who eventually get round to it, wondered what they were worried about and wished they done it sooner. We instinctively feel that our fellow Naturists are somehow more mature, well-adjusted, and perhaps even enlightened people. Imagine how much more powerful our message would be if we could support it scientifically, if we could show that these good things really do come from our involvement in Naturism. It could be a game-changer.
 
Keon’s professional opinion is that we could be eligible for grant monies to enable us to make this a big, wide-ranging piece of work which will be taken very seriously by the outside world. In order to persuade funding bodies to help us the first step is to present some initial concrete findings. To that end he has created a survey at http://bit.ly/bnsurvey2015
 
Please complete it. The results will be the stepping stone to taking things further. Let your Naturist friends know about it too; we want as many people to complete it as possible and give us the most meaningful results. We will be polling non-Naturists for comparison and are keen also to engage in ‘causation’ study – perhaps by asking people to complete the survey both in advance of their first Naturist experience and again afterwards.
 
Our thanks to Keon – we look forward to working with him! You can read more about him at www.gold.ac.uk/psychology/staff/academicstaff/westkeon.

Didn’t your Mum tell you? Cabbage is good for you!

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 experience over the years of recruiting for Blackthorns tells me it is usually the men who are keen to become Naturists but they often have a partner lagging behind saying they won’t, or can’t, do it! It is usually ‘won’t’ rather than ‘can’t’ as everyone CAN do it, they just need to allow themselves to try it. (Gentlemen, if you recognise this scenario, now is the time to show it to your reluctant partner and ask them to read just this article, if nothing more). So, Ladies, why the reluctance to try Naturism? What are you scared of? Isn’t your man worth giving it a try? Wouldn’t you rather share the experience with him?
I know how you feel as I have not forgotten my own feelings not long after I first met my husband and found out that he was a Naturist and I hastily told him not to even ASK me to go to the club as I would NOT be doing so, and I meant it! I really did! But I soon decided it was unfair to stop him doing something he obviously enjoyed as, out of consideration to me, he was reluctant to go alone. I realised if he was considering MY feelings, why wasn’t I considering HIS? Hmm… that left me with only one option; to give it a try! I didn’t think it was offensive, perverted or anything really,
I just never had the inclination to do it and didn’t really understand why anyone would want to socialise in the nude. When I met some of his friends, who were also club members, I was even more positive that I couldn’t do it; see them naked and them see me? No way!
As Spring approached and the good weather beckoned, I did feel a little guilty that he wasn’t heading to the club to relax as he used to, so I made up my mind to at least try it, just like the dreaded cabbage on my dinner plate as a child! The first visit to the club wasn’t so bad as it was raining and rather cool so no one was naked and I didn’t feel pressured to undress. I found the woodland setting, complete with drifts of bluebells, very enticing and everyone I met seemed so normal and friendly that I had no reason not to return on a warmer day. I have to admit it still felt strange and I was unsure why they did it but one day, when a warm breeze blew across my bare skin, I realised, without even thinking about it, that it felt good. It dawned on me in that moment; THAT was why they did it and I was hooked! Yes, it still took me a few times to get used to the idea but the overall benefits outweighed the little time it took for me to feel comfortable with social nudity. My husband, ever the diplomat, explained it was about “Body Confidence” more than “Body Beautiful” (what WAS he trying to say?!) but that stuck in my mind and still makes sense today; it isn’t only for those with what we perceive to be of “perfect” body form but for every age, shape, size and condition of body that exists.
Many of us have issues and wish to lose weight and shape up but meanwhile, we are accepting of ourselves and each other and live in the real world where we appreciate we are what we are and get on with it!
So don’t look for excuses for why you can’t give it a go; I’ve found that the Naturist community is the best place to feel at ease with whatever you consider to be a disadvantage, whether it’s a weight issue (under or over), stretch marks, mastectomy, amputation, scars, skin complaints, whatever, they all pale into insignificance when you are at one with yourself and each other. Don’t believe me? Well you’ll just have to give it a go to find out and then if you still don’t believe me, please drop me a line to tell me why not; I don’t expect to hear from many, if any, of you! Trust me, any good club will help you like I do at Blackthorns and arrange for you to spend some time alone, or with another lady, in a secluded area of the club if you are apprehensive of going naked with others for the first time. I have the advantage of a lovely clearing within the wood at Blackthorns, where I will sit with them and encourage them to go topless to start with, to realise that lovely feeling of freedom and gradually build up their confidence to face the rest of the club!
Trust me, they usually end up asking themselves why they’d not done it sooner and feel quite silly to have worried so much over so little! Once it’s done it’s no big deal! Just like that cabbage, it also has a lot of health benefits! Just being in such a relaxed, friendly atmosphere is medicine in itself, relieving stress and giving us a feel-good factor which is beneficial to the whole body, particularly the heart.
So go on, show your man you care and give it a go!
Roni
problackthorns@gmail.com

Clubs - win a year’s supply of wine!

Thanks to our new friends at Naked Wines www.nakedwines.com we are launching a competition where the prize is an astonishing £480 worth of wine. After last year’s 50th Anniversary prize draw for all members, this one is for our clubs and swims. We want you to get as many non BN members from your club to join BN. All clubs that have made a significant effort will be entered into a draw for the prize, which we may split, depending on entries. We’ll take into account that clubs and swims vary in size and and look at the proportion not the actual number. Best of all, the reward scheme (see http://www.bn.org.uk/news/news/get-someone-you-know-into-membership-and-earn-a-r330 ) still applies and your club will get £10 for each person you recruit. PLEASE make sure that your recruits enter the name of the club on the joining form whether online or paper – we cannot give the reward retrospectively. Cheers! Closing date 31st October 2015.
Not a club member? You can still get £60 worth of Naked Wines! See http://www.bn.org.uk/community/topic/12714-special-%C2%A360-voucher-for-british-naturism-members/ for details.
You can also get £10 for each person you recruit

BN203 – Spring 2015

Our first issue of 2015 is, as ever, jam packed with great articles from the world of Naturism. You’ll find information – and brilliant articles - on our promotional initiatives including the very special ‘Women in Naturism’ project, our professionally created academic health and wellbeing survey, and the return of the Great British Skinny Dip.
Holidays this time focuses on Spain and her islands, with a wide range of places and locations being reported on, with plenty of great pictures. There’s the usual thought-provoking round up of our Campaigning work and a special article on our work on nudity and children. We introduce our new Official Photography team and list ALL the Big Days Out – fabulous events all around the country that you can enjoy. There’s a pictorial reminder of the fun we had at Alton Towers last year plus a lively letters page and comprehensive listings of clubs, swims, events, contacts – in fact, everything you need!
Oh, and if you’re a club member, fancy winning a year’s supply of wine?
BN Magazine is available to members only and issued four times a year as part of the annual subscription. Members can also download a full PDF of the magazine http://www.bn.org.uk/community/files/file/690-bn203. If you are not a member, you can join us and get your own copy .

Alphabet Britain

After becoming the first woman to make Partner in a London Executive Search Firm, Lucy decided it was time to do something a bit different. So she packed away her suit, exchanged it for a pair of Morris Dancing hankies and some vampire fangs and decided to write a book.
Over the past year, Lucy has been working her way through a self-penned A-Z of British Subculture - from Aristocrats, Battle Re-enactors and Circus Performers to Xtreme Sport Fanatics, Yogi's and 'Zeitgeist' Political Activists - spending a week with each group, learning about their rituals and customs and joining in at every opportunity
As part of her project, Lucy found her way into the heart of the Naturist community (N is for Naturists) at Alton Towers. She enjoyed herself thoroughly, breaking through the awkwardness barrier early on in the weekend and throwing herself into all of the activities the weekend had to offer. "I was made to feel very welcome and simply cannot evangelise enough about my experience" she said, "it has given me so much more confidence in my own skin and I cannot thank the community enough".
"I have found myself in some pretty incredible and bizarre situations", Lucy says, "but writing this book has also taught me some valuable lessons about the importance of community in an increasingly isolating society, about the unquenchable human thirst for a sense of belonging, and about the misguided trust we put in our own prejudice. It has offered me a whole new perspective on the world, the sort of perspective you only really find during the downward facing dog of a naked yoga class".
You can follow Lucy's adventure at http://alphabetbritain.com, where you will also find details of the release date for her full-length book next year.

International update: 34th INF/FNI World Congress Report:

In September I attended the INF World Congress at Drumshanbo, County Leitrim, Ireland as the BN delegate. (Please see the italics at the end of the article for an explanation of the mechanics of the congress) Overall, the congress was very useful and many important subjects were progressed with enthusiasm. From BN’s perspective there were many more positive than negative outcomes and, most importantly, ways forward were agreed. The congress covered a wide range of issues, so my apologies for jumping around. This report covers the most important issues for BN only. Probably the most important result for BN was that our motion to amend the statutes (constitution), received unanimous approval. This was: To add ‘Protecting against threats to Naturism’ to the purposes of the INF/FNI organisation, as defined by the statutes. This is important because its inclusion means that action and budget planning no longer has to be accompanied by justification as to why we should be taking the action and can concentrate on delivery.
At the previous congress two years ago in Croatia, BN were successful in getting the preparation of an INF action plan agreed. Whilst this has taken some time, the two-year ‘Working Plan’ has been produced and it contains clear actions and budgets. The plan was often referred to during congress and we also had a workshop session where separate groups progressed the subject of inappropriate censorship. Responsibilities have begun to be allocated and BN needs to do its part in stepping forward to help. I will be identifying these volunteer opportunities over the next few weeks, but some are clear already. It must be realised that the INF board are only five volunteers spread very widely. They have a part time secretary for just nine hours a week. Hence they are smaller than most federations (including BN) and they can only develop with the assistance of additional enthusiastic volunteers.
Other positive outcomes:
• BN’s proposal to explore the feasibility of a management forum to progress actions and share information will be trialled using an existing Canadian platform at no cost. It was agreed that English would be the main language.
• Hungary is to lead on compiling an agreed list of expected Naturist behaviour guidelines and they have produced a first draft. BN will input.
• The marketing strategy needs to be more ‘professional’ and clearly focused and formalised in a plan. This is to be led by the Rest of the
World CC rep, but I pledged BN assistance, so if you can help progress this, please contact me.
• A Brazilian proposal to add Spanish as a fourth official language was modified, at my suggestion, to cover key promotional and website material only. Thus it is fairly low effort, but potentially high impact.
• ‘Naturist lifestyle as a right’ to be added to the Working Plan and France will lead.
• The congress was very successful for the Irish Naturist Association. They achieved much credibility, lots of positive press and quite a few new members. Some of my press contributions were printed, but not credited. There was also an interest in developing Naturism in Northern Ireland that BN will be engaging with. The illegality of Naturism in Ireland was shown to be without basis and a serious handicap to their tourism in particular. The various reports included some interesting feedback:
• The INF’s finances are very healthy and well managed and audited (actually ‘checked’, as are BN’s). The many challenging questions asked were well answered. The budgets for each of the next two years are based on the Working Plan and were approved. This includes a modest planned ‘loss’ in 2016.
• All federations are experiencing reduced membership numbers. BN’s
membership reductions are a little less than the others. We all have the
same challenges! • France are prioritising defending Naturism in the media and heavily funding it. They asked to share experiences.
• Canada has started to phase out their printed magazine, but this is not
progressing well for them and they are reviewing it.
• The Dutch reported on their successful challenge to the basis for
categorisation of a traditional Naturist beach. This had cost them a very large amount as they had used the best lawyer for this, but it was a vital
principle, so a significant result for European Naturism. They agreed to
produce a summary in the three INF languages.
• Spain has taken four city councils to their Supreme Court over anti-Naturism byelaws (ongoing)
There was a significant disappointment:
• The Spanish motion to allocate an annual budget to create a legal fund, strongly supported by BN, was defeated. Although there was support from almost half of the delegates, this result was mainly due to the lack of
details for implementation. The INF CC asked Spain to lead the ‘Protecting
Naturism’ Working Plan action and to work to draft the detail for managing
a future legal fund. BN help will be required, so if you can help progress
this, please contact me.
Next congress:
Italy and New Zealand both proposed themselves to host the next World Congress in 2016. New Zealand had had major help from their tourist board and regional councils and had produced much excellent proposal material. INF funding implications were worked through and a satisfactory solution agreed. New Zealand won the secret ballot by161 to 40 votes. With the INF’s funding assistance this will not cost BN any more than attending a European location. Elections: INF EC, Vice-President- Secretariat:
Secret ballot: Mick Ayers (Spain) 63, Jean Peters (Luxembourg) 138.
Mick Ayers was thanked for 14 years of service on the CC/EC and received a standing ovation.
INF CC, Assessor Europe: Bernd Huijser (Netherlands) was standing down.
Secret ballot: Christophe Muller (Germany) 43, Garmt Kolhorn (Netherlands president) 158 Law Council: The existing three were all elected unanimously.
Auditors (checkers): The existing two, plus one reserve, were all elected unanimously.Background to the congress mechanics: 22 (of 30) federations were represented, and in total about 130 attended the congress. The meetings are open to any INF cardcarrying member, but only a single delegate from each federation, plus the INF committee of 5** (sometimes joined by the legal and audit teams when requested) can speak. There is simultaneous translation via microphones and earpieces between the three official languages of German, French and English. Only the 22 delegates can vote, and voting strength is based on the size of membership. BN is the fourth largest federation with 15 votes out of a total of 201 present. Apart from the Europeans, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa (new), Canada and Brazil were represented. The congress consists of two nine-hour days of reports, motions and elections and is fast-paced, lively and very challenging. It is anything but cosy, and input needs to be concise, assertive and supportable. The two main days are preceded by an afternoon where the press are invited, which is less intense and this Congress included a debate about Naturist tourism and other promotional messages. **The INF board comprises three Executive Committee (EC) members and the two other committee members make up the Central Committee (CC) of five. They manage the INF/FNI affairs between them, but some decisions can only be made by the board (EC).

BN202 Magazine

· We feature a round up of many of the fantastic events of the summer including Nudefest
· Read an in-depth interview with Laura Dodsworth, founder of the Bare Reality project
· Find out about the three new BN Members’ Holidays announced for 2015
– open for booking now
· France is our featured destination – be inspired by others’ holiday stories
· We report from the INF Congress in Ireland
Plus more features and articles, news and information from the UK and beyond, updates on BN’s work and full listings of clubs, swims and events
BN Magazine is available to members only and issued four times a year as part of the annual subscription. Members can also download a full PDF of the magazine here. If you are not a member, you can join us and get your own copy here.

YouGov poll - Stephen Gough

It is surprisingly difficult to write good opinion poll questions so it is no surprise that this poll, excellent in many ways, does have some failings. Also, the aggregation of the figures into the YouGov article, Britain: still a nation of nude prudes, has obscured some important points. More detailed figures are available from a YouGov pdf file.
Other British Naturism articles concerning Stephen Gough:
General article with links to wide range of articles, polls, and analysis Analysis of the European Court of Human Rights judgement Press release Summary
Personal nudity - slightly more people are uncomfortable with personal nudity than are comfortable with it, 50% to 42%. A very clear majority support the contention that Britain is too prudish. 65% to 24%, and for those who feel strongly about it 14% to 2%. About a quarter of the UK population have skinny dipped Which is more important, naturist's right to freedom of expression 31%, protection from harassment and distress 50%. But the premise of the question is so seriously flawed that the figures mean little. Knew of the naked rambler 64%, no prior knowledge 31%. Treatment of Stephen Gough: Too harsh 49%, about right 30%, too soft 5%. Overall, strong support for Stephen Gough, and the poll would have been even more in his favour but for some shortcomings in the questions. Only a tiny minority, 2%, strongly support any further increase in prudery.
Personal nudity
The figures are consistent with the anecdotal evidence and other polls. The patterns across gender, age, social grade and region are also consistent. Attitudes are broadly the same across the political parties and what differences there are may be due to social grade effects, but it needs a detailed look at the raw survey data to verify that.
Personal nudity - slightly more people are uncomfortable with personal nudity than are comfortable with it, 50% to 42%.
British Attitudes
"British people are too easily offended by matters relating to sex or nudity?" As with most polls it pays to look at the details rather than the headline figures in the media report. Most people will have answered a different question than was asked and the conclusion often depends how you aggregate the figures. For example the figure of 24% disagree is made up from tend to disagree 22% and only a tiny 2% strongly disagree. By comparison there were 14% strongly agree and 51% tend to agree.
The other problem is that this is actually a very complex question and it is impossible to know how many people answered a different question to the one asked! This question asks for the respondents view on their perception of the public's attitude but we know from other polls that public perception of public attitude is often very different from the actual public attitude. That makes it very difficult for somebody who actually knows what public attitudes are to answer the question. Whatever they answer it will be untruthful or misleading! As one naturist wrote:
However, I doubt if that had a major impact as the figures are consistent with the anecdotal evidence. Only a very tiny minority strongly support the prudification of society.
A very clear majority support the contention that Britain is too prudish. 65% to 24%, and for those who feel strongly about it 14% to 2%.
Experience of Skinny Dipping
The figure of 27% is consistent with the 2001 NOP and the 2011 Ipsos MORI polls. The patterns across gender, age, social grade and region are also consistent.
About a quarter of the UK population have skinny dipped
Naturist rights
This question is very seriously flawed because it starts from a false premise.
Oh dear, there are so many assumptions, mistakes, and simplifications wrapped up in those seemingly simple words that it is difficult to know where to start.
It is not just the right to freedom of expression, there are several other Human Rights also engaged. Naturism is a matter of belief for many people. That is why people who know about the subject use a capital 'N'. The wider public do indeed have a right to be protected from harassment and they have a right to be protected from justified distress, but: Naturism is not harassment and the practice of Naturism does not result in harassment. Nobody has a right to be protected from their own misapprehension, myth, and prejudice. The correct response is reassurance and education. Some consideration should be shown whilst that is carried out. As one naturist commented:
As it stands, the question is offensive and seriously biased.
Which is more important, naturist's right to freedom of expression 31%, or protection from harassment and distress 50%. But the premise of the question is so seriously flawed that the figures mean little.
Knowledge of "the naked rambler"
Knew of him 64%, no prior knowledge 31%.
Sentencing of Stephen Gough
The YouGov document has been misprinted and part of the question is missing. However enough of it remains for valid comments to be made.
It states that Steve Gough has been convicted of "Indecent Exposure" on a number of occasions. Obviously the person who wrote the questions has inadequate knowledge of both the case and the law. There is no such offence so it is unsurprising that he has never been convicted of it. Most of his time in prison has been for doing something that a judge or magistrate told him not to.
Breach of the peace - Scottish common law. In other words devised by judges, not Parliament. Contempt of Court - The judge did not agree with Mr Gough's sartorial style. s.5 Public Order Act 1986 - One conviction only, a small fine. A magistrate imposed an ASBO, having refused to even listen to the evidence regarding harm and benefit, and it is for breach of that ASBO that he remains in prison. It is not clear how much background information the respondents were given. For example were they told that Mr Gough has spent the last ten years in almost continuous solitary confinement? Did they know about the problems obtaining medical treatment? Did they know that he has been denied legal representation? Did they know that food has been withheld? Did they know that he is denied visitors and has problems obtaining writing materials? Did they know that he has won damages for his mistreatment?
The figures from this poll are very supportive of Mr Gough and if the deficiencies in this question and earlier were rectified then they would undoubtedly be even more supportive.
Treatment of Stephen Gough: Too harsh 49%, about right 30%, too soft 5%.
Concluding remarks
There is much more support for Mr Gough than police, prosecutors, magistrates, and judges assumed when making their decisions. Only a tiny minority, about 2%, have any significant problem over nudity. The public are strongly in favour of reducing prudery despite the government policy, and widespread propaganda, to increase it. I don't want to appear overly critical of YouGov. Writing good poll questions is extraordinarily difficult, but please, another time, check your facts. We are always pleased to help. This would be a good example for teaching students the difficulties of writing polls!

Single men – problem or perception?

We deplore any kind of discrimination within Naturism. In our ‘Aims’ set out in our Three Year Plan (available to download from the BN website) we state “We will welcome participation in Naturism by all without discrimination” – and that means EVERYONE regardless of race, colour, creed, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation or relationship status. All we ask is good behaviour. All BN-organised events are open to all, though at some it is a pre-requisite to be a BN member. It is easy to join.Whoever you are, it would be highly desirable if your BN membership card allowed access to all clubs and swims but sadly, this is not the case. Although clubs and swims are members of BN, they own and run themselves, making their own decisions, though they must demonstrate certain standards before their membership is approved.Equally, most clubs are run by the members in their spare time and it is not possible for them to be staffed 24 hours and therefore allow guests simply to turn up, pay a fee and enjoy the facilities for a few hours. And, so, whilst it may seem defensive, the vast majority of our clubs will offer memberships only and ask applicants to go through a process before they can join. A big plus is that the club is more likely to be a safer place as a result – and showing the steps that are taken certainly helps us when the media want to throw mud. So, is the single men issue a real problem or is it just imagined? It’s probably a bit of both. There are plenty of single men in membership of clubs, but many who clearly have been turned away because of being unaccompanied – and often before they have even been given the chance to visit and meet people face to face. Owing to our natural human instinct to want to make a fuss when we think we’ve been treated badly, is it possible that there are simply more stories around about membership refusals than acceptances? Perhaps it is this that has created the presumption that – under any circumstances – single men are unwelcome in Naturism? And in any case, what actually is the problem with men on their own? Granted,for whatever reason, there are more men than women in Naturism but why a ‘gender imbalance’ should cause any difficulties, we don’t know. Are all club members always present so that any imbalance is noticeable? And why should there be any issue if there are more men than women around? The sadly often heard phrase ‘predatory male’ shows as much prejudice and lack of understanding as we complain about from those outside Naturism. If ‘accepting anyone’ leads to hordes of single men, we certainly don’t see it at events like Nudefest for which anyone can buy a ticket and where the gender balance is less than 2:1, men to women, with no ‘vetting’ procedure at all. One of the problems is that we often only hear of issues arising third hand, with many of the people who are turned away from clubs for being on their own not letting us know so that we can take some action. We can’t guarantee success but we are always willing to try. An interesting consideration in these tough economictimes, when all organisations struggle to make ends meet, is the act of turning away a fee-paying member who may also help with the running of the club which seems to make no sense! It’s also often said that single people may well have more free time to devote to helping the club to thrive.
At any age, for men or women, being single can be a temporary state of affairs. It very often happens that a single member of a club introduces a friend or new partner after a while. How many young single men have been turned away from Naturist clubs in the past and who are now married with the families that the clubs crave? There is a sub category – the ‘singlemarrieds’ – people with a partner who has no interest in Naturism. We can’t see that there is anything wrong with that – many millions of couples around the world will be doing different things in their leisure time, but we know that some clubs and swims are hesitant about allowing such people to join. Why? An obvious strategy is for clubs and swims to recruit more women, not just turn away perfectly acceptable prospective members because of their gender. Our recruitment strategy (also available to download from the website) has lots of ideas for how more women might be encouraged to give Naturism a try – start a campaign today!
Click here for a feature article on the issue
If you have a view on this subject, whether you are a disaffected individual,
serve on a club committee, or just a member with an opinion, we’d love to
hear from you.

How DOES a lone male get acceptance?

Q1 I am a single man and cannot get accepted for membership into a Naturist club Why is this?
Reply: I’m sorry to hear of your difficulty in securing membership. There are several reasons why this might happen but I think the main one tends to be that most clubs wish to maintain a balance of gender and singles to couples, to create a comfortable mix. Clubs can easily get inundated with applications from single males and some will get through whilst others might be placed on a waiting list. However there could be a completely different reason for the club turning you down and they are allowed to decline if they regard you as unsuitable. In my 10 years experience there have been very few we’ve had to refuse. If they seem reluctant to be naked despite several visits in suitable temperatures then we suggest Naturism is not for them. Likewise if they are seeking “adult parties” or they seem to be looking for cheap thrills, then the club is not for them either. When applying to a club do try to come across as genuine and friendly and try not to get defensive from the start. I am not going against the rules of Equality; ALL applicants should be open and honest. I would hope that all clubs respond in a professional and polite manner too.
Q2 Do clubs view me, a single man, to be a threat, a nuisance, a pervert, what? I find even the possibility of them thinking that, to be offensive and unfair when they don’t know me nor give me a chance to prove myself.
Reply: Please do not take it personally; there could be various reasons you are refused and they need not be any of your suggestions. It could simply be that they have their quota for the policy they run for their club. A good club will explain their system and reasoning and keep your details on record for when they DO have a vacancy; so do ask for an explanation.
Q3 Do single females get treated the same?
Reply: Well, I have to admit single females seem to be received more readily but then there are generally very few that apply, so when they do, they could be useful to address the balance if the club already has single males. On the whole it seems to be the male that instigates being Naturist and the female is often the apprehensive one, unsure they wish to do so and lacking the confidence to give it a try. If only they would make that initial visit with their man, they would soon see the rest of us women are all pretty average and of all shapes and sizes! Few of us think we are perfect and even the ones we envy often have their own body hang ups. On the whole it’s about body confidence rather than body beautiful and whilst we all have plans to lose weight and so forth, we just get on with accepting ourselves as we are and make the most of it!
Q4 Surely with Equality laws they HAVE to treat the genders the same?
Reply: Well, yes and no: Gender IS a protected characteristic of the Equality Act 2010 but clubs ARE allowed to, for example, advertise specifically for females if they can show they are under represented by them compared to their male membership figures. This is “positive action”. Clubs would have to have figures ready to back them up and be seen to be actively attempting to attract single females hence the suggestion I made last year for clubs to hold open days for ladies, to encourage them to visit and try it out. However, Singles and Couples are not protected characteristics so it is within the law to promote or refuse people on those grounds as we are not meaning single as in a relationship status compared to a married couple: we are talking of an application for membership by a person on their own or of two people applying together.
Q5 But why won’t clubs take on virtually everyone that wants to join, don’t they need the money?
Reply: Commercially run clubs, owned by someone making their living from it might well take in almost anyone who pays their way but many Naturist clubs are like Blackthorns and own the land and the club outright and manage it for themselves, so no one is creaming huge profits from the income. They run it at rates to cover the bills and maintenance and have sufficient money for improvements. We all want the same thing: a pleasant atmosphere with facilities, at a price we can afford. We also want it to be a safe environment so everyone is there for the right reason; that way we can relax and enjoy the lifestyle. Private Members Clubs used to be able to make their own rules and whilst members needed to be selected and elected at Board level, and still are, they now have to follow the rules of Equality & Diversity, with few exceptions.
Q6 But what have they got against any number of single males becoming members? Why would it matter?
Reply: Even the single male members tell me they don’t wish it to be over-run, for want of a better word, with single men: they too enjoy the mix of ages, genders, couples, families and singles but yes, some people do have a fear, that if they let everyone in, they will be outnumbered by single men.
Q7 So why is there an imagined threat by single males, who might not even be single?
Reply: Good question, as being single doesn’t make that person any different in ways that could affect any of us. If they are a nice person it makes no difference to us that they are in a relationship, married, divorced or widowed; they are still that nice person. Many of the men that hold single membership actually have a partner who does not wish to be Naturist. I always suggest they accompany them on at least one visit, just to see what we are like and hopefully realise the reason their partner wants to join.
Another thing that goes against single males is that the typical “meerkats” found on Naturist beaches, usually bobbing up and down in the dunes, seemingly getting turned on by the sight of nudity are, I think, always male. However if you read national newspapers you’ll see that it isn’t always men that get into trouble on sex related offences. No, those who could be a threat to us and our children come in all guises; single, married, parents and of either sex. We do need to be vigilant but not paranoid.
Q8 So what should a single male do to get to be part of the Naturist community? I don’t want to become a lone male on a beach and be viewed with suspicion.
Reply: First of all, try contacting the clubs and swims and explain your circumstances; give your contact details and be open and honest. The men that contact me yet show reluctance to supplying personal information are the ones I tend to distrust and I would feel the same if it were a woman. Join BN, The Suntreckers or the Singles Outdoor Club. Attend BN events: the beach days, Abbey House Gardens open days, Alton Towers weekends, AGMs and Regional Meetings. Get involved in sports. You will become known to people. Prove yourself to be a decent person so that when clubs DO have vacancies they’ll remember you. People would rather take someone who comes recommended. If you get the opportunity to visit clubs, do so: show you want to socialise and be part of their community. It’s funny but when I ask women why they are anxious at the thought of more single males joining their clubs they almost always say it’s because they don’t know them. They tend to forget they didn’t know ANY of their friends BEFORE they had opportunity to get to know them, male or female, singles or couples!
Click here to see BN's view on the issue
NB. Any reference to the Equality Act 2010 is as I personally understand it to mean. Before taking any action with your club or business please refer to https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance-guidance for information on Equality & Diversity. The protected characteristics are: Age, Disability, Gender Reassignment, Pregnancy & Maternity, Race, Religion & Belief, Sex, Sexual Orientation and Marriage & Civil Partnership.Their “Quick start guide to positive action in recruitment & promotion” explains it in detail with reference to “positive action” with regards to a protected characteristic being under represented.

Holkham beach - saved for Naturism by BN

It’s not always easy to persuade people to join an organisation, especially one like ours where you need nothing (literally!) to be able to participate. Aside from the benefits our incredibly cheap annual membership offers and the opportunity to be part of a community – whether meeting other people face to face, or the feeling of not being alone – a crucial part of our work is to challenge threats to our lifestyle – something we do very well, as the following shows…and don’t be one of those who say ‘I never use that beach’; think of how we will act when your favourite place is taken away from you…
Photo by Andy Crawford. The sign is a long way from where it should be, so that no one notices it!
It is excellent news that there is once again Naturism at Holkham, one of the largest and most beautiful beaches in the UK. It has taken a lot of work, the intervention of lawyers – and a lot of money.
The Holkham Estate owns the dunes and the beach above mean high water. Below mean high water the beach belongs to The Crown Estate (therefore national property) and Natural England (the non-departmental public body of the UK government responsible for ensuring that England’s natural environment, is protected and improved) has a lease giving partial control until 2017.
Since time immemorial, nude sunbathing has been a feature of Holkham beach, but we believe it was in the 1950s that it was formally recognised. From the 1990s to the present, Naturism was not permitted in the
dunes, but the lack of notices resulted in most users not knowing that. Annually BN met with The Holkham Estate, sometimes even Lord Coke himself, usually at BN beach days. On occasions they mentioned some problems but told us they had resolved them. There was no mention of any problems when we met them again, with the police, in Summer 2012.
Out of the blue, in March 2013, the Holkham Estate told us that they were considering a ban on Naturism because of indecent activities in the dunes. There followed correspondence, phone calls and meetings, in which we challenged the decision, stating that problems in the dunes should be tackled in the dunes, and not that all Naturists using the beach should be made to suffer. We also queried the validity of a ban. In June 2013, they issued a press release that a ban on Naturism on the whole beach was about to start. We immediately embarked on fact finding and information gathering but by August reasonable persuasion had not worked so we brought in the lawyers.
We sent a letter, a QC prepared seven page legal master class, to The Crown Estate, as the first step in Judicial Review. We engaged one of the top firms of Human Rights solicitors…and The Crown Estate promptly lifted the ban on their part of the beach. Not long after, we heard from Natural England with an invitation to a meeting and we sat down with them to discuss the location of the nude area at Holkham and how signs would be worded. Result!
So, Naturists can once again use the beach at Holkham without having to worry, though some aspects of the present situation are less than satisfactory and the future is not certain. We’re also not back to exactly where we were before – an approximately 10 metre strip in front of the dunes still carries the ‘ban’ because it is owned by the Holkham Estate.
On a recent visit to the beach we opened conversations with beach users with two questions “Any problems?” and “What do you think of what happened last year?” Note that the questions are carefully neutral. The answers were much as expected, and there were many contradictions of what the Holkham Estate has claimed.
About half immediately said that it was unclear where the preferred area for Naturism is and more importantly where it is banned. Signs are needed on the Holkham Estate land but our requests have been refused.
A similar number of people blamed the problems on the “perverts in the dunes” and few knew about the other reasons which we have discovered since the announcement of the ban. If the dispute flairs up again we have the option of going public with the real reasons.
Several of the beach users had some knowledge of Holkham Estate enforcement action in the dunes over several years and their opinion was scathing. There was a lot of anger at the unfairness of the ban last summer and it is going to take time and persuasion to build up good relations between beach users and the Holkham Estate. We did warn the Holkham Estate that that would be the result of their actions but they ignored us.
But this is real progress and has only come about because of the work of British Naturism and its volunteers.We estimate that we have expended getting on for £10,000 on Holkham over the past 18 months. Fortunately a lot of that was in the form of donated time, and we obtained substantial discounts from the solicitors, but even so there was an appreciable cash outlay. We don’t have the war-chest to be able to fight issues like this very often and is a reason why we are always encouraging people to join us – each individual subscription really matters.
We hope you can see why.

The Bare Reality Project

Laura is a professional photographer and feminist, who is inspired by the human body and relationships. She set up Bare Reality (www.barereality.net), an art and social project to explore how women feel about their breasts. During the project she has photographed the breasts of one hundred women and captured each woman's personal experiences and their relationship with their breasts. The result is the book Bare Reality, to be published early next year.
The mission statement for the project explains the rationale:
"More than simply part of our bodies, breasts represent sexuality, motherhood and femininity. Their primary purpose is to feed our babies. At the same time, in Western culture they are considered a woman’s single most significant sexual attribute. They can be erogenous zones. Yet to others they bring disappointment, inconvenience, and even health problems."
As a feminist, Laura has long had an interest in women's stories and explains "Bare Reality is inspired by my interest in how women see their breasts versus how we see them in the media. They're just part of our bodies, they're not the most important thing about us, but they are central to some personal experiences of being a woman, from body image to breast feeding, to sexuality and health."
Laura points out that the breasts we see in the media are airbrushed images of perfection, so she wanted to find out how women actually felt about their breasts. "Over the years I felt a tension between how breasts are depicted in the media, compared to how I felt about my breasts privately, my own personal experience of them. Right now there is so much public debate about breasts, in fact there's probably never been as much debate as there is now."
She cites the examples of Vogue Creative Director Grace Coddington, whose Instagram account was suspended following the posting of a topless line drawing, and pop star Rihanna, who also suffered the ire of Instagram's censors after topless photos of the star were posted. "We also have the No More Page Three campaign and at the other end we have 'Free the Nipple'. It's like our breasts are our most public 'private parts' and you see them everywhere, in advertising, magazines and films, yet in real life they're hidden away. That dichotomy fascinates me, it intrigues me."
The hope is that the pictures and stories in the forthcoming book are both surprising and moving for readers. "I hope that it will help deconstruct some of the fantasy around breasts" she explains.
Of course, encouraging women to participate in the Bare Reality project was not simply a case of waiting for them to come forward. "I didn't want it to be a project of just my friends" says Laura "I focused on the number of one hundred as I wanted to make it fairly representative of women in the UK, so in order to find women of different ethnicities, different sexual orientations, different sizes, different places round the country, different walks of life, I had to do a lot of asking around."
Laura found that once she had found people to take part, they became quite 'evangelical' about the project and told others, so in fact she ended up with more women wanting to take part than she could accommodate. She also found herself having to go outside of her normal life to find women to bring the rich diversity to the project that is so apparent. "I went to a strip club because I wanted a stripper to take part and I wanted women from all sorts of different careers. There was a lot of asking around, but there were a lot of women who wanted to take part and it snowballed really."
Everybody who took part had their own story and Laura found herself fascinated by the interesting women she encountered. "There was a club night promoter who would often be topless at club nights, a burlesque dancer, a Buddhist nun, a vicar and social workers" says Laura "I met women who chose not to breastfeed, women who couldn't breastfeed and also sustained breastfeeders who breast fed children into toddlerhood." Of course there were elements of great sadness in some of the stories as well and Laura also met women who had suffered breast cancer, though the tales of these survivors were also imbued with inspiration and a courage that touches deeply.
The project was enriched by the diverse range of women represented, adding ethnic, cultural and sexual orientation perspectives. Laura interviewed and photographed women of different ethnicities, straight, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual, all of whom brought their own experiences and journeys to the project. None of this was achieved by chance however. "I wanted to make sure I attracted women from very different walks of life" she explains "for example I knew I wanted to speak to women with a strong faith". This particular aspect of Laura's quest proved challenging though: "Finding a nun was difficult - it took a lot of Tweeting, sharing on Facebook and ringing people up, but eventually I found a Buddhist nun willing to take part and I could never have anticipated the things she had to say."
So, out of all the wide range of women who Laura met, was there a particular story that stood out as particularly inspirational? Says Laura "I knew that I wanted to include a woman who hadn't had a reconstruction following a mastectomy. I'd seen a picture of a woman in the United States who had a beautiful tattoo over a mastectomy scar and managed to find a woman in the UK who had done the same. She was really lovely, she opened up and was honest and you can't help being moved and inspired by hearing life or death stories."
Some of the older women also fascinated Laura with their experiences and their views on breasts, which were from a previous generation. One women of 101 had escaped the Nazis - "I felt she deserved a book on her own!"
As Laura reflected and mulled over the fruits f her project she experienced her own period of change as well. “It's changed how I feel about women in general and I feel more tender about the female experience. It’s changed how I feel about myself as a women too, I've transformed my relationship with my breasts and my own body."
There is no attempt within the project to steer the reader in a particular direction or to get them to feel a certain way and Laura is keen that readers draw their own conclusions and have their own experiences of the project. This neutrality, where the reader is left to reflect and contemplate, is evidenced by a purposely brief introduction. The project sets out to confront, to inform and to enable transformation and, significantly, Laura herself ends the book as the one hundredth woman.
Beyond breasts though, Bare Reality highlights some of the key issues around body image that we see in society, and with which Naturists are only too familiar. "I would say that one of the key issues now is airbrushing" says Laura "When even models are seen as 'not good enough' for advertising unless they are airbrushed to perfection, then what hope is there for the rest of us?"
On seeing the results of the project, some people were surprised by the diversity of the women. Laura explains "If you took one hundred women off the street and asked them to take their tops off, they'd look nothing like these airbrushed fantasy 'media breasts' which is something that Naturists know of course! We're all different, we all have imperfections and we should embrace who we are."
In particular, Laura has found that the younger participants seemed to be under the most pressure to look a certain way. "They're very media savvy, but they're all aware of the barrage of airbrushed perfection they are confronted with."
Laura set out to highlight the apparent double standards that surround the perceptions of women's breasts. She is keen to emphasise that of course people find each other attractive and that breasts are indeed part of that attractiveness for many people. She stresses that "There's nothing wrong with that" but that the issue is around the way that certain presentations of breasts are more acceptable than others in our society."It's become damaging in western culture that breasts are fetishised to the extent they are. It's interesting that you can see breasts on newsagent's shelves, on TV, on films, on the Internet, but as soon as you get your breasts out in public to feed a baby, you know at some point you're going to encounter 'tuts' and disapproving glances, and there is such hypocrisy in that."
She points to other cultures where breasts are not seen purely through the lens of sexual attractiveness. "There is plenty of cross-cultural information to show that breasts are not inherently sexual, we aren't hard wired to find them sexual."
Bare Reality comes at an interesting time. Breasts are in the news at present, with the ongoing debate about 'page three', women's portrayal in the media and of course the wider discourse around body image issues and unrealistic images. So what does the future hold? Says Laura "At the moment there's so much noise about breasts, bodies and women. Look at all the stir about breast feeding 'selfies' on Facebook, look at the reaction to Scout Willis walking topless in New York, the top free movement typified by Free the Nipple. There's a reaction right now - women don't just have adorn front covers or be on page three - it would be nice if women were making the news, not just decorating it! There's some really amazing young activists out there now and campaigns like No More Page Three are bringing greater awareness to the public."
On a personal level, a particular conversation in a swimming pool changing area was particularly significant for Laura when her son noticed the breasts of an older women were, as he described them, 'saggy'. Laura explains "I had to explain the natural aging process to him, that mine would look like that and this what happens."
This led the family to make a (very sensible!) decision. "It was as a result of that conversation, along with encountering Naturists through the Bare Reality project that we decided to try Naturism so the children could be exposed to real bodies."
While not describing herself as a Naturist, Laura has experience of Naturism, having experienced nude beaches when she was younger and never had any problem with it. Working on the Bare Reality project re-kindled this interest. "Through this project I've learned more about Naturism and about the top-free movement and interviewed women who were Naturists. On the back of my son's previous comment about the older woman's 'saggy' breasts, I remembered how much I'd enjoyed being nude on a beach so we tried it as a family. Being naked on the beach on a hot day (at Studland) was lovely."
Laura admits to having 'got the giggles' at first while undressing on the beach, but enjoyed the feeling of liberation and being comfortable that Naturism gave - feelings which of course will be familiar to readers of BN Magazine! The family have also experienced social nudity in Finland and will no doubt experience it again in Austrian spas on this year's holiday. On their holiday, Laura's children were also soon at ease and enjoying the freedom of swimming without costumes. The benefits of a Naturist upbringing were further reinforced by the "refreshing" attitude to body image that Laura saw in the children of a Naturist participant in the Bare Reality project.
Like many of us in the Naturist community, Laura has found it interesting that as a society we are 'programmed' to assume that nudity equals sexuality. "The body can be sexual" she explains "but that doesn't mean that nudity always equals sex. It's interesting how fixed some people's views are - I actually find it offensive for someone to tell me my body is pornographic, because it isn't - it's all about context and intent. For someone to invest a woman's body with a sexual meaning, whether she wants it or not, is actually offensive."
Laura is adamant that the integrity of the project is paramount and for personal and political reasons she will not blur or pixellate any of the images. "The women who have taken part in the project have done so with courage and integrity" she says "This project is all about integrity and heart and the pictures will be shown complete or not all." Sadly, this stance has seen some printers refusing to even quote for printing 'a book about breasts'.
In rounding off our discussion, I ask Laura how, having done her project and experienced Naturism, she thinks Naturists can support people in their self image and relationships with their own bodies. "Oh, hugely" she offers "If people new to Naturism took the plunge and put themselves in an environment where everyone was naked, they would soon realise that we're all the same in that we're not 'perfect'. If people had that much freedom then the companies would have much less power over us because we wouldn't feel this need to spend so much money all the time to make ourselves look really perfect. What would push up bras really be for if we knew what we were really like underneath?"
This highlights a secondary, and wider, benefit from the Bare Reality project: When confronted by one hundred photographs of women's breasts, people will hopefully become more relaxed about their own bodies and more accepting and loving of themselves. These benefits are not intended just for women either - the hope is that men will also gain in that they will learn from the stories in the book and seeing a woman's point of view. "I think some men will be surprised by the diversity of the photographs in the book. Whereas we normally see breasts in a sexual objectification mode, Bare Reality does the opposite. It's a very humanising way of looking at the woman. You read these intimate, surprising and brave stories and I think that if men pick it up they're going to find it fascinating."
Having seen extracts from the book, it is certainly both moving and inspirational, the stories fascinating and full of emotion and some are windows into lives we will never have experienced. As Laura emphasised, it isn't solely a 'woman's book' - men will find the stories profoundly revealing, offering a rarely seen perspective on such an intimate subject, and the stories and photographs are presented with humanity and integrity. It will certainly be a 'must read' book for anyone with an interest in body image issues.
A 'Kickstarter' campaign (go to https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/barereality/bare-reality-100-women-and-their-breasts) has been launched and is proving really successful, with the book estimated for delivery in February 2015. Please donate if you can.
In the meantime, let us end with this quote from one of the participants: "When I bare my breasts I think I am trying to get to my soul, bare my soul. I’m trying to take everything off, and that’s as far as I can get on a physical level. It’s not in a sexual and provocative way, it’s more about feeling liberated.”
For further information see http://www.barereality.net

BN201 Magazine Autumn 2014

After the euphoria of our 50th Anniversary issue, the magazine that starts our second 50 years is now out!
BN201 is full of good stuff about Naturism in the UK and beyond.
We feature long haul holidays – to North and Central America, and the Caribbean to name a few, plus reports on hiking in Germany and the BN Members’ Holiday to El Portús. There is a round-up of many of the great Naturist events that have already taken place this summer and the story of how BN overturned the ‘ban’ on Naturism at Holkham beach. We also open the can of worms that is the ‘Single Man’ issue and look at what it’s really about… plus news on BN’s activities, listings, news stories from around the world, readers’ letters and more. BN Magazine is available to members only and issued four times a year as part of the annual subscription. Members can also download a full PDF of the magazine here. If you are not a member, you can join us and get your own copy here.
There is also a page with additional information to support the Campaigns Article.

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