As you may have read in the very first post of this blog, one of the main reasons why we started this project is to show the world that naturists are not some strange dark commune but that actually everyone could be one… Or could enjoy being one if they took the first step.
Our main example of “everyone” is of course ourselves, we write posts about naturism in general but also about our own experiences. But some of you might be thinking “Yes sure, those two are probably just the strange kids in the block…” (nah, we know you’re not thinking that about us, but we’re trying to write an introduction here). So we decided to let other naturists have a word as well.
So please sit back and get inspired!
Meanwhile we already published several interviews with people from all over the world. You can find them in the The Naturist Talks section.
Today we’re having David from Belgium
Hello David, tell us something about yourself
Even though it is not always true and – let’s be frank – an illusion, I like to consider myself as moderately forever young :-). Meaning that I, together with my wife, try not to get cornered by the inevitable facts of life. We do everything we can not to get closed in by them and to let them define our lives for us. Along that Pink Floyd-lyric ‘Tear down the wall!’ or to paraphrase His Original Purple Highness Jimi Hendrix: ‘Scuse us while we kiss the sky.’
How and at what age did you become a naturist?
Too late, one might say, but that doesn’t really matter. Can’t turn back the clock, can you? Of course I have considered it now and then, but nowadays I hardly ever look back or ask myself the ‘What if’-question. This is the way it turned out be, and the cliché ‘better late than never’ is out there for some reason.
I discovered naturism by accident. Well, not really by accident or purely coincidental, but it did just came along in a certain way. Before I had a, let’s say, neutral point of view: I knew it existed, that there were people enjoying it, and that there were very different ways of living the naked life. That was fine by me, as long as – in the outspokenly libertine approach, especially – we’re talking consenting adults in every aspect. No prejudices, let alone judgments, let them be happy.
But then, some years ago, I researched naturism for professional reasons and along the way some pieces fell together of what turned out to be a jigsaw I didn’t even realise was there. I was, so the speak, in the closet without even realising it. Strange but true.
Is naturism allowed in your country and what’s the public opinion?
The legal aspects of naturism in Belgium are out there to google, if you’re really interested. Nothing really spectacular or extremely interesting, I think. And besides that, I consider the often unwritten moral and ethical codes to be equally important, e.g. the consenting adults. Having stressed that: everyone should be free to choose whichever variation on naturism he or she prefers, but everyone is equally free NOT to. The sectarian attitude of moral superiority of a minority of naturists towards people who are not into it never ceases to annoy me. The same goes for the labels those same naturists relentlessly insist on stamping on other naturists. What does it matter if you’re a naturist, a nudist, a life styler, a nude recreationist or whatever else? That way those people do exactly that which we all reproach ‘the outside world’: labelling (us). Along other lines of prejudice but all the same of outright judgment. It’s a bit exaggerated, I know, but sometimes I put it like this: there are as many naturisms as there are naturists. We are all different, and that’s part of the beauty of it.
What do you think is the best and worst thing about naturism?
The best? Cliché again, but true: feeling absolutely free and at ease and at peace with myself. And the worst: dealing with it in a country with our kind of weather.
Do you find it easy to make naturist friends?
Well, I prefer to be careful with the word ‘friend’ because it has become devaluated so much in our world of social media. But to connect with people? Extremely easy! Far easier than on textile holidays and ditto occasions, in any case. It turned out to be absolutely true that the absence of clothes brings along a diminishing of hesitations, inhibitions and other often subconscious feelings that influence you in assessing and approaching people you haven’t met before. Something you only realise after your first naked conversation. And what’s more: I experienced as well that those conversations tend to go deeper than chit-chat more often and much quicker.
What’s the best tip you have for beginning naturists?
Please believe the word: once you have made up your mind, go for it with all your heart and without hesitating. Don’t mess around with bathrobes or beach towels, don’t tell yourself: ‘Later on, maybe tomorrow.’ No, once you’re at the resort or on the beach: just do it and bare all! That’s why you are there for after all, isn’t it? To find out if it is what you thought it would be and might like.
Anything else you’d like to share with our audience?
I’ll let you know when the best story has come along, but then again: I hope it keeps getting better, I’m even sure it will, so you’ll never know, I’m afraid. And neither will I.
Thank you so much for your participation David!
Do you also want to tell your story and experiences in naturism? Please get in touch via the CONTACT page! As long as we have people who like to contribute, we can keep The Naturist Talks running!
Picture credit: The photos in this post are coming from Google and Twitter. If you find one of yourself and you don’t want it to be on our blog, let us know and we’ll remove it.
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Probably one of the best, if not the best posting I have read about naturism.
Bruce Everett Kendall
Thanks for this comment Bruce! In fact, we are very happy to know this guy in person.
Thanks so much, Bruce.
David’s observation on “friends” was spot on. That’s been my experience also when visiting naturist beaches in the Caribbean, Portugal and Greece. May the adventure of discovery self and others continue.
Nice to read that you experienced this as well, Mike. It really is quite remarkable and different, isn’t it?
I personally.. hm ,well i wanna be nice here hah… , i dont like ..it when ppl are overly saying the “consenting adults” part .. it makes it sound like its a sex thing? Or maybe it is?
At the end of the day , consent can be about anything and anyone , and it has nothing to do if one is an adult or not or a combo or whatever.
We think that was just the point. Who doesn’t know what naturism is about, often links it with sex or puts naturist venues and swingers venues on the same line.
Well it honestly never even crossed my mind b4 i got interested in the subject it self, then later i found that ,honestly.. there is something to it.
But what i ment here is that i dont like it when ppl overy use the therm ,consenting adults, cause the first thing that comes to my mind when i hear that is sex, but it shouldnt, cause sex is sex , no matter who does it with who, if its not done under consent , then its not sex, its rape , regardless. That was kinda my point.
Exactly. And all those who are into swinging etc, go ahead, as long as nobody feels in any way morally or otherwise obliged or forced to join in and is able to make that decision for his/herself. Be it in a so-called (or not) naturist context or any other situation.