I was having my morning coffee, after my workout, naked as every day, and this idea came to me: what would happen if nudity was completely legal everywhere? I mean what would happen if anybody can chose to be nude to go shopping, go to the office, or go to the beach? The first thought that came to me was that it would just be fantastic! No need to think about what to wear to go out in the morning. No need to think about what people would think if they see you nude. No need to think about where to go on holiday, as all places would be nude friendly.
But of course, for us nudists, the world would be just this: a fantastic liberated world from the constraints of clothing, a world of free choice in which we could chose to stay nude without any risk of legal retaliation. For textiles, it may be a different world, as many textiles do not understand nudity and see it as a threat. This reminds me of a scene I witnessed last holiday. I was at the nude beach, just at the limit of the textile beach. I was not the first nudist when coming from the textile side, but almost. People are used to walk on the sea side, and a couple with a 10-year old kid, textiles, was walking in the direction of the nude beach. Suddenly, the mother realizes that people ahead of them are naked. She immediately puts her hands in the front of her kid’s eye and horrified turn around! A great way to learn body shame! Nevertheless, seeing people naked in the street would surely be stressful for a lot of people.
At the beginning, this would be strange, but slowly, people will get used to it. People will stop comparing sex’s length or boobs’ size, and will mind their own business. Nudity will become one of the many options when it comes to clothing. Some will be entirely nude, others will be half nude, and others will have some jewels to enhance their body. I believe after a while people will forget about the stigma of nudity, and nudists and textiles will mix in a joyous diversity. Look today: some people are dressed with suits, some have skirts, some shorts, some colorful clothes, others dull ones, some are showing their navel, others buttoned to the top, diversity is everywhere. If nudity was legal everywhere, it will just be one of the many clothing options, and voilà. I could sleep naked, have my breakfast, take a shower and drive to the office with just my flip-flops or nothing, then back and having spent the whole day sans clothes.
You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. Those were the words of John Lennon, and I still dream of this nudist world. I would feel sorry for all the clothing optional resorts, because all resorts would become clothing optional. Actually nudity would become a non-event, as anybody could be nude anywhere. Sure there would be guys and gals who would be aroused by all those naked people, but after a while, this would disappear, and I am sure the crime rate would not rise because of non-sexual nudity everywhere. It may even decrease because of more acceptance of others. Our nudist life would take another dimension, and the world would be more at peace I’m sure.
To end up on this, if nudity was legal everywhere, I am sure I would wear some clothes some days, for weather reasons mainly, but I would stay nude as much as I can, carrying most of my activities in the buff. I would cut my wardrobe by 90% probably, will cut my spending, will cut my washing powder and electricity consumption, and will have a much fulfilled life, just by being able to live naked. I am now thinking of moving permanently into a clothing optional community, and although I am still putting some thinking into it, it will probably enter my goal bucket so I can realize my dream.
And you, what would you do if nudity was legal everywhere? I look forward to reading your thoughts.
Get Naked, Stay Naked, Live Naked and Share the Naked Love!
Photo by Simon Hajducki on Unsplash
Great post. I wonder about this all the time.
I only take one exception when you say “people will stop comparing…” – simply that I don’t don’t think that’s true. We compare all the time in the clothed world; at the grocery store, in the waiting room, at the textile beach. To me, that’s the irony. We are hard wired to “check each other out” if only to perpetuate the species. The difference would be that you would see what people really look like. NOT what they would like you to THINK they look like.
Imagine that. A world devoid of he deceptions of clothing.
Thanks for your great blog. It’s so refreshing to see such thoughtful writing about nudity.
You are spot on Dan. It’s true most people compare and this will not stop with full nudity, but as you rightly said, you will see the real people, not what they try to pretend who they are. This said, if nudity was legal, a vast majority of people will remain clothed.
Thank you very much for taking the time to comment and for your kind words.
m.
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Great blog as always. Another song that came to mind while reading this was What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong. It would be indeed. Naked Hugs. Fabien
A reblogué ceci sur Naturist Holidays in Europe.
Interesting one of the first reactions from naturists to a sudden ‘naked anywhere’ edict is that most of them would continue exactly as before and only go naked in hedged off areas! Naturists aren’t all ‘gagging for complete freedom’. Most of them wouldn’t even go nude on a beach with clear signs saying it was allowed if the rest of the beachgoers were clothed! This is clearly demonstrated on Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands where ALL beaches are clothes-optional. I’ve frequently seen people strip off but only AFTER someone takes the lead! Body confidence only extends so far as to being with other naturists for many I think.
I agree that things would slowly change…sure, but it would take a while. I’m a fairly confident naturist, but even i wouldn’t be walking down the road naked on day one. I think the ‘absolutely anywhere naturists’ are in the minority…even amongst genuine naturists in the current regime….applied to UK naturists that is.
Thanks for your comments Simon. I first thought like you… no, I would not go naked, I would look at what others do… Then, I reflected on my current nudist practice: I get naked as often as I can, when I am not sure, I ask around if anybody as anything to say against it, and when home, I normally stay naked except with friends with kids who are not exposed to nudity, and I am respectful of this. Now, I go and pick up mail naked, I wander naked in the garden where neighbors can see me, I drive naked, etc. not really concerned if people can see me. although most people will not realize I am naked it they were to see me, because it’s the one who is naked who is obsessed about being seen, IMHO.
Now, if nudity was legal everywhere, I came to the conclusion I would go out naked, go shopping naked, go sight seeing naked, etc, because nobody could do nothing against it. Yes, they could mock me, they could laugh, they could point finger, but no more than if I am dressed differently from what’s expected. Difference has always drawn attention.
So if nudity was legal, a lot of people will be shocked. But think ten years ago, when gay rights were inexistant, twenty five years ago, when apartheid was enforced in South Africa, or any other example of oppressed minority or majority. A lot of people were shocked when oppressed became free, and freedom is a constant fight for respect and harmony. Naturism is freedom, I wish nudity be legal everywhere!
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If Nudity Was Legal Everywhere by Nu et heureux – Naked and Happy
Insightful and right on the money. If nudity was legal people would be shocked. I always think of this. I also understand that some people feel that Nudity is only a sexual and sinful ideal which is further from the truth.
If only we could change the laws I don’t understand why there should be a law against being nude and why a nude person is treated like a criminal I thought a person who steals from people and kills people is a criminal why can’t we change this?
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A reblogué ceci sur Recked with Finn West.
A reblogué ceci sur Penis's Nudist Life.
It would be great if nudity were allowed everywhere but if not I would like to see more in the way of nude beaches and indoor public swimming pools where everyone is nude and no one feels out of place.I would like to see more families give the nudist lifestyle a try even if it’s only at home.TV shows need to show a lot more nudity and less violence.The main goal is that nudity is normalized and so common that the stigma is completely removed.
I like nudism
Ah… There are places where nudity is legal. Guess what? Nudists don’t go naked!
It isn’t a matter of legality. It is a matter of acceptance. Here’s an example.
The state of California does not have a law against nudity. The city of Los Angeles does not have a law against it either as long as you stay out of city parks. Every year we can have the World Naked Bike Ride right thru downtown and even have a police escort to manage traffic control. As long as we don’t behave in a lewd manner, perfectly legal. I have been on three of them so far and except for a crazy homeless lady screaming that we were going to hell, I have yet to see anything I’d interpret as a negative reaction.
But the WNBR is announced well in advance. The people who might object can hide their children, They can avoid the traffic issues this causes. The police escort tells the spectators it is legal and discourages harassment.
Do people randomly wander up and down the streets of LA nude? Heck no! An individual randomly doing this would encounter harassment. Private property owners would have the right to kick you out. People would complain. Police would respond and a variety of things might happen ranging from nothing at all to being arrested for suspicion of lewd conduct. You could walk away from it unconvicted of any crime but the hassle you’d encounter would make you think twice before you tried it again. That’s why you wouldn’t want to even sunbathe in your own back yard without very high walls or the approval of your neighbors.
Do that enough and there would soon be an ordinance against it. That’s what happened in the city parks. People were going nude on the beach, which is under Parks and Recreation jurisdiction. Other beach goers complained. Parks and Recreation enacted an ordinance.in response. The same thing is true of County of Los Angeles parks.
So, unless you have some degree of general acceptance of casual nudity – not just special event nudity – legalization by itself won’t lead to much change.
Thank you Fred for your insights and sharing your experience. I totally agree with you acceptance, beyond law, is the key to more nudity. A long battle for us who aspire to more freedom and more opportunities to just be naked, without prejudice.
“What a wonderful world it would be!”
/Louis Armstrong