It can be a surprising to hear about "meaning" in a discussion of clothing. I like the meaning of the blog title, Almost Wild. That's a good thing for nudism to be about. In spite of that, it occurs to me that it's not nudity as speech that should relate nudism to the First Amendment, but the Establishment Clause.
I feel that an ongoing impediment to overall acceptance of nudity, beyond a clandestine/private context. Is that nudists themselves buy into the taboo of nudity.
Therefore, viewing this in terms of language, it’s a language nudists themselves dare not speak except among themselves.
A subtle nuance of this is commonly citing all the benefits and reasons to be nude. As if justifying it, when in actuality, it’s a natural default state of all species on earth. It requires no justification at all.
Nudity in the context of a relaxed comfortable state; enjoying the sun or natural environment is completely self explanatory.
Until this mindset changes among nudists, they will forever speak a forbidden misunderstood and ridiculed language.
By comparison the LBGTQ+ community have been highly successful securing their rights by being loud and proud.
Strongly agree with this. Nudity is expression, clothing is expression. It's not a binary, it's a spectrum, and we're all in different places on the spectrum. Nudists like to imagine a world completely free of clothing where everyone is happy and comfortable nude, but even with the elimination of fast fashion and gendered clothing, there will always be people who prefer to wear something.
Something I've had rolling around in my head is the idea that we are our true selves when nude, and how I'm not sure that's true. When I first started wearing dresses and came out as nonbinary, there was this period where the new sense of self I felt, the comfort and power, hit me in such a way that it kind of overpowered my nudist sensibilities and I thought "oh wait, maybe THIS is who I really am." Then I attended an outdoor art event in a dress during summer and wanted to pull it off and go nude if it were possible, haha.
But where I'm at now, being nude, wearing a dress, and/or wearing masculine clothes are ALL true to who I am and all different forms of expressing who I am. I try to think that we're all kind of like that, it's more about how we choose to present ourselves when we have the freedom to do so!
Anyone who thinks nudism isn't flush with fashion isn't really thinking about it. You don't need clothing to be a fashionista.
People shave or wax their body hair and style/color what's on their head. They wear jewelry, sometimes on their nipples and genitals. Expensive sunglasses, shoes, and hats or Walmart specials or nothing. Even your choice of towels can make a statement. Some obviously work out at gyms and some obviously do not. People apply makeup and men grow a beard or not. And there's tattoos, henna and body paint.
These are all ways to conform to fashion, or to signify independence. To emphasize some parts and diminish others, or make a statement about class or attitude. We've been doing body ornamentation longer than we've been a species. Not sure why it would be considered any different than clothing.
"Nudism is, at its core, still a fight for expanded freedom of dress."
This is like saying that wanting to be able to move from one location to another is a fight for a bigger cage.
No, I think nudism isn't a fight for expanded freedom of dress, it is a fight for freedom *from* dress. It's not a fight for a different cage, it's a fight for the absence of a cage. I'm not a big fan of those who say that nudity is a form of expression. It certainly can be, but nudity for me is a choice to *not* express myself through clothing. I do not wish to express anything beyond the presence of my being by being naked. If it is a statement of anything then it is a statement that "I am."
Well done Timothy! Have enjoyed your blog and Twitter posts, back when I was on that platform, for quite some time. Very interesting, thought provoking write up. I will share it on Tumblr.
I’m a naturist that loves and respects clothes. That seems impossible to some. But I enjoy a good suit, I have several favorite T-shirts, and have more shoes than I probably need. And hats…don’t get me started! I don’t hate or shun clothing. But one of my favorite “outfits” is being nude.
There are times when each of these options is a perfect fit — for me, the occasion, the location. As much as they speak to me, I know they speak to others as well, as a type of language.
Thanks for taking the time to put the article together!
Ringrazio tutto lo staff per avermi accolto nel gruppo. Ancora non so cosa posso fare con l'abbonamento free ma a poco a poco, dopo aver scoperto il sito magari potrò passare a quello a pagamento.
What an incredible article, thank you, Timothy, for the work, thought and care you have put into it.
Clothes definitely do hold significance in almost all structural forms: gender, class, ability, sexuality, race, religion, age, etc. They can serve as a form of oppression both in the sense of bans as well as requirements.
I appreciate your lens on this. Interesting to me has been the evolution in clothing as a result of the pandemic. In some big ways, and some small ways, it seems that the requirements for some items have evolved at workplaces. Perhaps not so much in the way of the US senate. 😂 But other places have made progress.
Despite the power dynamics lately, I choose to be optimistic about naturism and that if we look at intersectional connections, we will find strength, together.
I am all for Freedom. But the part where the author claims girls are maligned by boys for the way they dress; blaming boys is feminist talking point. It is like me covering myself in honey and hanging straps of meat around my neck and walking through the woods demanding that bears do not eat me.
Thus author is obviously a feminist and a man hater.
It can be a surprising to hear about "meaning" in a discussion of clothing. I like the meaning of the blog title, Almost Wild. That's a good thing for nudism to be about. In spite of that, it occurs to me that it's not nudity as speech that should relate nudism to the First Amendment, but the Establishment Clause.
I feel that an ongoing impediment to overall acceptance of nudity, beyond a clandestine/private context. Is that nudists themselves buy into the taboo of nudity.
Therefore, viewing this in terms of language, it’s a language nudists themselves dare not speak except among themselves.
A subtle nuance of this is commonly citing all the benefits and reasons to be nude. As if justifying it, when in actuality, it’s a natural default state of all species on earth. It requires no justification at all.
Nudity in the context of a relaxed comfortable state; enjoying the sun or natural environment is completely self explanatory.
Until this mindset changes among nudists, they will forever speak a forbidden misunderstood and ridiculed language.
By comparison the LBGTQ+ community have been highly successful securing their rights by being loud and proud.
Strongly agree with this. Nudity is expression, clothing is expression. It's not a binary, it's a spectrum, and we're all in different places on the spectrum. Nudists like to imagine a world completely free of clothing where everyone is happy and comfortable nude, but even with the elimination of fast fashion and gendered clothing, there will always be people who prefer to wear something.
Something I've had rolling around in my head is the idea that we are our true selves when nude, and how I'm not sure that's true. When I first started wearing dresses and came out as nonbinary, there was this period where the new sense of self I felt, the comfort and power, hit me in such a way that it kind of overpowered my nudist sensibilities and I thought "oh wait, maybe THIS is who I really am." Then I attended an outdoor art event in a dress during summer and wanted to pull it off and go nude if it were possible, haha.
But where I'm at now, being nude, wearing a dress, and/or wearing masculine clothes are ALL true to who I am and all different forms of expressing who I am. I try to think that we're all kind of like that, it's more about how we choose to present ourselves when we have the freedom to do so!
Anyone who thinks nudism isn't flush with fashion isn't really thinking about it. You don't need clothing to be a fashionista.
People shave or wax their body hair and style/color what's on their head. They wear jewelry, sometimes on their nipples and genitals. Expensive sunglasses, shoes, and hats or Walmart specials or nothing. Even your choice of towels can make a statement. Some obviously work out at gyms and some obviously do not. People apply makeup and men grow a beard or not. And there's tattoos, henna and body paint.
These are all ways to conform to fashion, or to signify independence. To emphasize some parts and diminish others, or make a statement about class or attitude. We've been doing body ornamentation longer than we've been a species. Not sure why it would be considered any different than clothing.
"Nudism is, at its core, still a fight for expanded freedom of dress."
This is like saying that wanting to be able to move from one location to another is a fight for a bigger cage.
No, I think nudism isn't a fight for expanded freedom of dress, it is a fight for freedom *from* dress. It's not a fight for a different cage, it's a fight for the absence of a cage. I'm not a big fan of those who say that nudity is a form of expression. It certainly can be, but nudity for me is a choice to *not* express myself through clothing. I do not wish to express anything beyond the presence of my being by being naked. If it is a statement of anything then it is a statement that "I am."
Well done Timothy! Have enjoyed your blog and Twitter posts, back when I was on that platform, for quite some time. Very interesting, thought provoking write up. I will share it on Tumblr.
I’m a naturist that loves and respects clothes. That seems impossible to some. But I enjoy a good suit, I have several favorite T-shirts, and have more shoes than I probably need. And hats…don’t get me started! I don’t hate or shun clothing. But one of my favorite “outfits” is being nude.
There are times when each of these options is a perfect fit — for me, the occasion, the location. As much as they speak to me, I know they speak to others as well, as a type of language.
Thanks for taking the time to put the article together!
Ringrazio tutto lo staff per avermi accolto nel gruppo. Ancora non so cosa posso fare con l'abbonamento free ma a poco a poco, dopo aver scoperto il sito magari potrò passare a quello a pagamento.
What an incredible article, thank you, Timothy, for the work, thought and care you have put into it.
Clothes definitely do hold significance in almost all structural forms: gender, class, ability, sexuality, race, religion, age, etc. They can serve as a form of oppression both in the sense of bans as well as requirements.
I appreciate your lens on this. Interesting to me has been the evolution in clothing as a result of the pandemic. In some big ways, and some small ways, it seems that the requirements for some items have evolved at workplaces. Perhaps not so much in the way of the US senate. 😂 But other places have made progress.
Despite the power dynamics lately, I choose to be optimistic about naturism and that if we look at intersectional connections, we will find strength, together.
I am all for Freedom. But the part where the author claims girls are maligned by boys for the way they dress; blaming boys is feminist talking point. It is like me covering myself in honey and hanging straps of meat around my neck and walking through the woods demanding that bears do not eat me.
Thus author is obviously a feminist and a man hater.