59-609: British Naturism (until 2009, Central Council for British Naturism ) is a members organisation with both individual and organisation members. It promotes naturism in the United Kingdom , and it is recognised by the International Naturist Federation as the official national naturist organisation in that country. According to non-statutory guidance issued by the Crown Prosecution Service — Naturism
118-469: A beach on the island of Rab where King Edward obtained special permission from the local government to swim naked, this event marked the beginning of nudist tourism in Croatia. In Finnish culture, nudism is considered to be a relatively normal way to live. It is not uncommon to see entire families spending time together naked. Families may be naked while bathing, in a sauna , swimming in a pool, or playing on
177-515: A beach, and it is not unusual to see children playing naked in a family yard for example. Nudity as a whole is considered less taboo than in many other countries. Marcel Kienné de Mongeot is credited with starting naturism in France in 1920. His family had suffered from tuberculosis, and he saw naturism as a cure and a continuation of the traditions of the ancient Greeks. In 1926, he started the magazine Vivre intégralement (later titled Vivre ) and
236-673: A common theme is that much of Christianity has misinterpreted the events regarding the Garden of Eden , and that God was displeased with Adam and Eve for covering their bodies with fig leaves . Naturism is usually promoted as not being sexual, but there are resorts where social nudity is practised alongside exhibitionism , voyeurism , and other alternative lifestyles like swinging . Mainstream discourse around naturism sometimes conflates sexual and non-sexual variations, though family-oriented naturism organisations try to resist this stigma. Some naturist clubs have shifted to catering to swingers, and as
295-463: A national federation of clubs, which by 1951 had 51 member clubs or groups. However, by 1953, personal and ideological differences led to the formation of the rival Federation of British Sun Clubs (FBSC). Both organisations existed until their merger in 1964 to create the Central Council for British Naturism (CCBN). By 2006, CCBN was usually referred to as 'British Naturism' but officially changed
354-703: A new venue called "The New Camp" near St Albans . This and several others were able to form the British Sun Bathers Association in 1943. Harold Booth published articles pertaining to naturism in many magazines at the turn of the century, and in 1922 the English Gymnosophical Society (EGS) was formed as a direct result of his work. It had a site in Wickford , Essex , which it used during the summer, and in winter it held meetings in London . By 1926
413-687: A part of their naturism. Naturism became a more widespread phenomenon in the 1920s in Germany, the United Kingdom, France and other European countries and spread to the United States, where it became established in the 1930s. By 1951, the various national federations united to form the International Naturist Federation. Some naturists preferred not to join clubs, and after 1945, pressure arose to designate beaches for naturist use. From
472-443: A resort in order to practise naturism. Active recruitment of younger members is being pursued by some organisations. The phenomenon varies by country, with, for example, naturism in France experiencing steady growth in a younger demographic during the 2010s. A similar trend is seen in Germany, with young people eager to depart from social norms and beauty standards. Naturism was part of a literary movement [ fr ] in
531-479: A result may be expelled from mainstream naturist organizations, whilst some naturist villages, notably Cap d'Agde , have been successfully overtaken by swingers and " libertines ". Others struggle with wanting to maintain a family image while being lax in behavior enforcements for fear of losing revenue and no longer being financially viable. Attempts have been made to legislate naturist activity, such as children's summer camps. Many films and published materials in
590-508: A school of naturism in Berlin, encouraging a mixing of the sexes, open air exercises, and a programme of "sexual hygiene". In 1929 the Berlin school hosted the first International Congress on Nudity. Helen Berriman Helen Berriman (born 13 August 1975) is a British naturist currently living in Bromley , Greater London . She works for British Naturism and H&E naturist magazine. She
649-569: A short lived society called the "Fellowship for the Naked Trust" was formed in British India . This trust had ideals and principles very similar to many later organisations. The Camp was the first naturist club to be established in the United Kingdom . It was set up by someone known only as Moonella and existed at a country house near Wickford in Essex between 1924 and 1927. It was later replaced by
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#1733085250353708-488: A simplified view of the relationship between naturism and sexuality. As of 2009 , research has begun to explore this complex relationship. The International Naturist Federation explains: Each country has its own kind of naturism, and even each club has its own special character, for we too, human beings, have each our own character which is reflected in our surroundings. The usage and definition of these terms varies geographically and historically. Naturism and nudism have
767-621: A survey by The Daily Telegraph , Germans and Austrians were most likely to have visited a nude beach (28%), followed by Norwegians (18%), Spaniards (17%), Australians (17%), and New Zealanders (16%). Of the nationalities surveyed, the Japanese (2%) were the least likely to have visited a nude beach. This result may indicate the lack of nude beaches in Japan; however, the Japanese are open with regard to family bathing nude at home and at onsens (hot springs). From Woodstock to Edinburgh , and Nambassa in
826-562: A thesis on heliotherapy , and in that year, he opened the Club gymnique de France . In 1936, the naturist movement was officially recognised. Albert and Christine Lecocq were active members of many of these clubs, but they left after disagreements, and in 1944, they founded the Club du Soleil with members in 84 cities. Four years later, they founded the Fédération Française de Naturisme [ fr ] (FFN); in 1949, they started
885-624: Is Denmark, where beach nudity is explicitly allowed on all beaches, except for two in the far west of the country. Organized naturism in Belgium began in 1924 when engineer Joseph-Paul Swenne founded the Belgian League of Heliophilous Propaganda (usually abbreviated to Hélios ) in Uccle . This was followed four years later by De Spar , founded by Jozef Geertz and hosted on the country estate of entrepreneur Oswald Johan de Schampelaere. Belgian naturism
944-656: Is a facility that specializes in providing apartments, chalets and camping pitches for visiting holidaymakers. A center is run commercially, and visitors are not members and have no say in the management. Most holiday centers expect visitors to hold an INF card (that is, to belong to an INF-affiliated organization), but some have relaxed this requirement, relying on the carrying of a trade card. Holiday centers vary in size. Larger holiday centres may have swimming pools, sports pitches, an entertainment program, kids' clubs, restaurants and supermarkets. Some holiday centres allow regular visitors to purchase their own chalets, and generations of
1003-531: Is also one half of the Naked Retro Gamers, where they publish short videos of themselves exploring older computer and console games while nude. Berriman met her husband Simon in 2015 who was already a naturist. Initially it caused friction in their relationship when she would discover him naked around their house. During the COVID-19 pandemic she was furloughed from her retail manager job and got used to
1062-497: Is known for her podcast, Women in Focus , which proclaims to be "dedicated to celebrating and empowering women through naturism". She is also credited as appearing nude on a number of television and radio shows. Berriman originally trained as an dispensing optician and progressed to retail manager before leaving the industry in March 2021. She first appeared publicly as a naturist in
1121-425: Is most frequently encountered in the contexts of bathing, swimming and using saunas, whether in single-sex groups, within the family, or with mixed-sex friends, but throughout history and in many contemporary tropical cultures, nudity is a norm at many sports events and competitions. The first known use of the word naturisme occurred in 1778. A French-speaking Belgian, Jean Baptiste Luc Planchon (1734–1781), used
1180-574: Is no single naturist ideology. Ethical or philosophical nudism has a long history, with many advocates of the benefits of enjoying nature without clothing. At the turn of the 20th century, organizations emerged to promote social nudity and to establish private campgrounds and resorts for that purpose. Since the 1960s, with the acceptance of public places for clothing-optional recreation, individuals who do not identify themselves as naturists or nudists have been able to casually participate in nude activities. Nude recreation opportunities vary widely around
1239-485: Is unknown in British naturist magazines, including H&E naturist ), but some naturists avoid using this term due to perceived negative or derogatory connotations. "Textilist" is said to be used interchangeably with "textile", but no dictionary definition to this effect exists, nor are there any equivalent examples of use in mainstream literature such as those for "textile". At naturist-organised events or venues, clothing
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#17330852503531298-415: Is used to describe the activities of persons who espouse nudity as part of their lifestyle. Whilst many naturists will restrict their activities to specially designated areas and/or places where there is a tradition of naked activity, such as nudist beaches, others may wish to enjoy nudity more widely. According to the guidance a balance is to be struck between the naturist's right to freedom of expression and
1357-678: Is usually optional. At naturist swimming pools or sunbathing places, however, complete nudity is expected (weather permitting). This rule is sometimes a source of controversy among naturists. Staff at a naturist facility are usually required to be clothed due to health and safety regulations. Facilities for naturists are classified in various ways. A landed or members' naturist club is one that owns its own facilities. Non-landed (or travel) clubs meet at various locations, such as private residences, swimming pools, hot springs, landed clubs and resorts, or rented facilities. Landed clubs can be run by members on democratic lines or by one or more owners who make
1416-539: The Wandervogel youth movement of 1896, from Steglitz , Berlin, which promoted ideas of fitness and vigour. At the same time, doctors of the Naturheilbewegung (Natural Healing Movement) were using heliotherapy, treating diseases such as tuberculosis, rheumatism, and scrofula with exposure to sunlight. Nacktkultur , a term coined in 1903 by Heinrich Pudor, connected nudity, vegetarianism and social reform, and
1475-537: The Public Order Act 1986 is unlikely to apply in cases of passive nudity. Serving police officers now have advice online and in their training manual. Using nudity for " intentional harassment, alarm or distress " remains an offence under section 4A of the Public Order Act 1986. Naturism Naturism is a lifestyle of practicing non-sexual social nudity in private and in public; the word also refers to
1534-436: The cultural movement which advocates and defends that lifestyle. Both may alternatively be called nudism . Though the two terms are broadly interchangeable, nudism emphasizes the practice of nudity, whilst naturism highlights an attitude favoring harmony with nature and respect for the environment, into which that practice is integrated. That said, naturists come from a range of philosophical and cultural backgrounds; there
1593-585: The EGS was renamed the New Gymnosophy Society and had a site at Bricket Wood , Hertfordshire which has subsequently been used by many different clubs. The oldest club still in operation is Spielplatz which was founded in 1929 by Charles Macaskie and his wife Dorothy. It consists of 12 acres (4.9 ha) located in the village of Bricket Wood , in the English county of Hertfordshire . Concurrent to this, naturism
1652-448: The beginning: Crawford and two sons of an Anglican missionary, Andrew and Kellogg Calderwood. The commune fell apart when Crawford was transferred to Ratnagiri ; he died soon after in 1894. In 1902, a series of philosophical papers was published in Germany by Dr. Heinrich Pudor under the pseudonym Heinrich Scham, who coined the term Nacktkultur . In 1906 he wrote a three-volume treatise with this term as its title, which discussed
1711-477: The benefits of nudity in co-education and advocated participating in sports while being free of cumbersome clothing. Richard Ungewitter ( Nacktheit , 1906, Nackt , 1908, etc.) proposed that combining physical fitness, sunlight, and fresh-air bathing, and then adding the nudist philosophy, contributed to mental and psychological fitness, good health, and an improved moral-life view. Major promoters of these ideas included Adolf Koch and Hans Suren. Germany published
1770-646: The direction to a remote naturist beach. In some European countries, such as Denmark, all beaches are clothing optional, and in others like Germany (and experimentally in France) there are naturist sunbathing areas in public parks (e.g., in Munich and Berlin). Beaches in some holiday destinations, such as Crete, are clothing optional except some central urban beaches. There are two centrally located clothes-optional beaches in Barcelona. Sweden allows nudity on all beaches. In
1829-432: The early 20th century, the brothers Gaston and André Durville , both physicians, studied the effects of psychology, nutrition, and environment on health and healing. They became convinced of the importance of natural foods and the natural environment on human well-being and health. They named this concept naturisme . The profound effect of clean air and sunlight on human bodies became evident to them and so nudity became
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1888-451: The environment. Many contemporary naturists and naturist organisations advocate that the practice of social nudity should not be linked with sexual activity. Some recent studies show that naturism can help grow self-esteem, and thus have a positive impact on having a well-balanced sexuality, too. For various sociocultural and historical reasons, the lay public, the media, and many contemporary naturists and their organisations have, or present,
1947-425: The first French naturist club, Sparta Club , at Garambouville, near Évreux. The court action that he initiated established that nudism was legal on private property that was fenced and screened. Drs. André and Gaston Durville bought 70 hectares (170 acres) on the Île du Levant where they established the village of Héliopolis, which was open to the public. In 1925, Dr. François Fougerat de David de Lastours wrote
2006-602: The first journal of nudism from 1902 to 1932. The wide publication of those papers, and others, contributed to an explosive worldwide growth of nudism in which nudists participated in various social, recreational, and physical fitness activities in the nude. The first organized club for nudists on a large scale, Freilichtpark (Free-Light Park), was opened near Hamburg in 1903 by Paul Zimmerman. In 1919, German doctor Kurt Huldschinsky discovered that exposure to sunlight helped to cure rickets in many children, causing sunlight to be associated with improved health. In France in
2065-451: The following month (November 2023) she launched the "Women in Focus" podcast, a monthly show which Berriman hosts and focuses on the stories of other naturist women and body acceptance . She is a writer and journalist and has a regular column in H&;E naturist magazine. Previously she also worked as a receptionist at The Naturist Foundation. Together with her husband, Simon Berriman, she
2124-409: The future of the movement. The clubs' aging memberships may have put younger people off. A rise in social conservatism , re-asserting a nudity taboo, also may have contributed to the decline. However, since tolerance for nudity in general is increasing over time, and is higher among younger generations, an alternative hypothesis is that younger naturists no longer feel they need to join a club or visit
2183-474: The idea of Simon being naked at home. Simon got her a bikini which was "a big deal" for her at the time, and after the lockdown lifted she attended a reverse life drawing class at a naturist venue and discovered that naturism was not what she thought it was. Berriman made headlines in the UK media on 30 May 2023 when she appeared totally nude on ITV1 's Good Morning Britain programme shortly before 8 am. She
2242-753: The late 19th century (see the writings of André Gide ) that also influenced the art movements of the time, specifically Henri Matisse and other Fauve painters. This movement was based on the French concept of joie de vivre , the idea of reveling freely in physical sensations and direct experiences and a spontaneous approach to life. Naturist activities can have positive psychological benefits including greater life satisfaction, more positive body image, and higher self-esteem. Social nudity leads to acceptance in spite of differences in age, body shape, fitness, and health. Christian naturism includes various members associated with most denominations . Although beliefs vary,
2301-557: The magazine Vie au Soleil , and in 1950, they opened the CHM Montalivet , the world's first naturist holiday centre, where the INF was formed. Henri Zisly was another prominent figure and primitivist in the French naturism movement who wrote on a return to lifestyles based on self-sufficiency. German naturism ( Freikörperkultur , FKK) was part of the Lebensreform movement and
2360-758: The media when she featured on the cover of H&E naturist in January 2021, which also covered her story as a new naturist. She joined British Naturism as their "Women in Naturism co-ordinator" in November 2021. She appeared in various TV and radio interviews, including making headlines by appearing fully nude on Good Morning Britain in May 2023. She was promoted within British Naturism to Women's Executive Officer in October 2023, and
2419-430: The middle decades of the 20th century were presented as documentaries of the naturist lifestyle. In fact this was largely a pretext to exploit a loophole in censorship laws restricting the exhibition of nudity. Additionally, child pornography has been distributed under the guise of naturist media. Precisely defining the distinction has proved challenging for law enforcers, as it depends on the subjective question of whether
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2478-449: The middle of the 20th century, with changing leisure patterns, commercial organisations began opening holiday resorts to attract naturists who expected the same – or better – standards of comfort and amenity offered to non-naturists. More recently, naturist holiday options have expanded to include cruises. In the early 21st century, many organised clubs saw a decline in attendance by young people, which worried many naturists about
2537-759: The name to 'British Naturism' at the 2009 AGM. In 2022 it claimed a membership of about 9,000. British Naturism has sought legal and political protection against discrimination for naturists in the United Kingdom, where an opinion poll in 2008 estimated the number of people describing themselves as naturist or nudist at 3.7 million. It also runs public facing campaigns, including Women in Naturism , which supports and encourages women to try naturist activities, Bare all for polar bears which seeks to raise money for environmental conservation and The Great British Skinny Dip , which encourages costume free swimming events to be run, not just by naturist clubs, but also public pools, spas, lidos and natural settings such as lakes. During
2596-519: The naturist village of Charco del Palo on Lanzarote , Canary Islands; Vera Playa in Spain; and Vritomartis Resort in Greece are examples. In US usage, a naturist resort can mean a holiday centre. Freikörperkultur (FKK)—literally translated as 'free body culture'—is the name for the general movement in Germany. The abbreviation is recognised outside of Germany and can be found on informal signs indicating
2655-475: The pandemic in 2020 British Naturism sought to build interest in naturism though a series of online events, including a public-facing charity event entitled " The Great British Take-off ". In 2023 they appointed Helen Berriman as Women's Officer and later that year she launched their first podcast, Women in Focus which proclaims to be "dedicated to celebrating and empowering women through naturism". In April 2018, British Naturism announced that in discussion with
2714-506: The purpose of the production is sexual. Court cases attempting to differentiate naturist publications from pornography reach back almost a century. Mpenjati beach in KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa has nude-beach status. In most European countries, nudity is not explicitly forbidden. Whether it is tolerated on beaches which are not marked as official nudist beaches varies greatly. The only country with substantially different laws
2773-458: The right of the wider public to be protected from harassment, alarm and distress. As a member of the International Naturist Federation, British Naturism adopted the 1974 Declaration Agde that states that naturism is: a way of life in harmony with nature , characterised by the practice of communal nudity with the intention of encouraging self-respect , respect for others and for the environment . British Naturism traces its origins to 1891 when
2832-447: The rules. In either case, they can determine membership criteria and the obligations of members. This usually involves sharing work necessary to maintain or develop the site. The international naturist organizations were mainly composed of representatives of landed clubs. " Nudist colony " is no longer a favored term, but can be used by naturists to address landed clubs that have rigid non-inclusive membership criteria. A holiday centre
2891-566: The same families may visit each year. Holiday centres are more tolerant of clothing than members-only clubs; total nudity is usually compulsory in the swimming pools and may be expected on the beaches, while on the football pitches, or in the restaurants in the evening, it is rare. A naturist resort is, to a European, a private property with accommodation and facilities where naturism is the norm. Centre Helio-Marin in Vendays Montalivet , France (the first naturist resort, established in 1950);
2950-467: The same meaning in the United States, but there is a clear distinction between the two terms in Great Britain. In naturist parlance, the terms " textile " or "textilist" refer to non-naturist persons, behaviours or facilities (e.g. "the textile beach starts at the flag", "they are a mixed couple – he is naturist, she is textile"). "Textile" is the predominant term used in the UK ("textilist"
3009-578: The senior officer at the police college a mutually satisfactory solution was reached, and the resultant preamble and "decision tree" for dealing with complaints about public nudity has been uploaded to the Police Training manuals. British Naturism argues that Naturism is protected as a philosophical belief under the Equality Act 2010 . The Crown Prosecution Service issued guidance in 2013 updated in 2019, which, among other things, confirms that section 5 of
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#17330852503533068-513: The southern hemisphere, communal nudity can be seen at music and counterculture festivals. The Nambassa hippie festivals held in New Zealand in the late 1970s were examples of non-sexual naturism. Of the 75,000 patrons who attended the 1979 Nambassa three-day festival, an estimated 35% of attendees spontaneously chose to remove their clothing, preferring complete or partial nudity. Some nudist festivals are held to celebrate particular days of
3127-604: The term to advocate nudism as a means of improving the hygiène de vie or healthy living. The earliest known naturist club in the western sense of the word was established in British India in 1891. The Fellowship of the Naked Trust was founded by Charles Edward Gordon Crawford, a widower who was a District and Sessions Judge for the Bombay Civil Service . The commune was based in Matheran and had just three members at
3186-402: The warmer summer months. Some regions host first-time naturists and people who have recently started to practice the naturist lifestyle. One study noted that some of these people are seasonal naturists who wear clothes during other times of the year. Nudity in social contexts has been practised in various forms by many cultures and in all time periods. In modern Western society, social nudity
3245-454: The world, from isolated places known mainly to locals through officially designated nude beaches and parks, and on to public spaces and buildings in some jurisdictions. The XIV Congress of the International Naturist Federation (INF) held at Agde, France in 1974 defined naturism as: ...a way of life in harmony with nature characterised by the practice of communal nudity with the intention of encouraging self-respect, respect for others and for
3304-710: The year, and activities may include nude bodypainting . One example is the Neptune Day Festival held in Koktebel , Crimea to depict mythological events. Another is the Festival Nudista Zipolite organized by the Federación Nudista de México (Mexican Nudist Federation) held annually since 2016 on the first weekend of February. A few camps organize activities in the nude, such as oil wrestling by camp Gymnasium. Naturism tends to be more common during
3363-612: Was also practised at the Welsh Harp in Hendon , apparently from as early as 1921. From this sprang the National Sun and Air Association which ran national advertisement campaigns, as well as running a gymnasium in Westbourne Grove , London. By 1937, membership of this society was running at over 2000. In 1943 the British Sun Bathers Association (BSBA) was formed and became recognised as
3422-476: Was influenced in equal part by French naturism and German Freikörperkultur . Belgian naturists are represented by the Federatie van Belgische Naturisten (FBN). Croatia is world-famous for naturism, which accounts for about 15% of its tourism industry. It was also the first European country to develop commercial naturist resorts. During a 1936 Adriatic cruise, King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson stopped at
3481-425: Was practised in a network of 200 members clubs. The movement gained prominence in the 1920s by offering a health-giving lifestyle with Utopian ideals. Germany published the first naturist journal from 1902 to 1932, but it became politicised by radical socialists who believed it would lead to classlessness and a breakdown of society. It eventually became associated with pacificism . In 1926, Adolf Koch established
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