A naturist or a nudist is one who loves and respects the human body and does not accept the ridiculous notion that there are some parts of our body that are evil or obscene or indecent or in any way unacceptable to be seen by polite society. That’s how I see it so is it possible for a naturist to be ashamed of his or her nudity?

But the fact is a lot of us who claim to be naturists are ashamed of our naked bodies even if we don’t admit that to ourselves. Have you ever wondered why the camera is banned in some nudist resorts? Has it occurred to you why many nudists come up with a million reasons why they are not willing to post photos of themselves naked online or if they do, they have to either conceal their genitals or their identities? Have you seen photos of naturists who hide their faces or blot them out altogether or pixellate them or make them fuzzy? Mind you, these people would have no qualms about posting photos of themselves fully clothed online. But aren’t these the very people who announce on naturist forums that nudity is natural and wholesome?

Oh, I’ve heard it all. Most of these people will tell you that they don’t want their neighbours to see them or their employers. But if nudity is so natural, why are they afraid of their neighbours or employers seeing them nude? And many of these people live in the US or in the West. You can’t give such excuses to those of us who live in oppressive countries where you go to jail if a neighbour can see you naked even in your own home. If I so much as bring a packet of Wrigley’s through the immigration in my country, I get arrested. You who live in the Land of the Free cannot give such excuses to those of us who live in countries with draconian laws. We don’t buy them.

Let’s be honest. Forget all the ridiculous excuses. Some of us are camera-shy when we are nude because we still carry the vestiges of our past shame. We still carry the belief that those who download our nude photos have an advantage over us because they have with them for all eternity evidence of our shame. If they post our photos elsewhere, we are embarrassed because others will see us nude and nudity is not natural or wholesome; it’s shameful.

I am very philosophical in my naturism. When I first decided that I could not allow myself to look upon my genitals as obscene and shameful, I decided at the same time that I really had to treat my nudity no differently from when I’m clothed.  Of course I had to observe the law and social convention of my country since I live in a society of people with clear rules and to flout them would be offensive to them and inconsiderate on my part. But I went to a naturist gathering at a naturist resort and as soon as I returned home, I was quick to tell everyone who knew me including my church and all the clergy of my nude holiday and I even posted photos taken at the holiday openly for all to see.  I don’t believe in living a secret nudist life as if nudism were immoral and criminal and I am not a closet nudist.

Many of us do not follow through our naturist philosophy to its proper conclusion. We are quick to say nudity is natural and fine but we don’t examine ourselves carefully to see if we might still be holding on to the textile worldview that was drummed into us as kids. Most of us must have come across in naturist forums and websites nudist prudes who don’t really think nudity is appropriate. These are people who are quick to call other naturists exhibitionists. Perhaps they just don’t want to admit to themselves that they are ashamed of their nudity and they haven’t really got over the discomfort they experience whenever they are nude.

These are people who will give “advice” couched in terms that seem innocuous enough but they actually betray their innate distaste for nudity. For example, I recently posted this photo in one of my naturist blogs.

A reader suggested that I might want to cross my legs. I told him I didn’t normally cross my legs when clothed so why should I do that when naked? He replied that it was different if one was clothed. But if one is naked, “it’s more tasteful” to cross the legs. Tasteful? In other words it’s distasteful when the genitals are seen?  It’s even more tasteful when one is fully clothed? We might as well be tasteful textile folks.

Half-hearted nudists are very good at hiding their discomfort for nudity. Some will say a photo is a little too “in-the-face”. In all these objections raised by them, an instant remedy is always achieved when the subject is clothed and not naked. Obviously, these prudish nudists have serious issues they need to deal with. But many of them don’t even know they have a problem. One reason why they don’t even know this is there are many nudists who would instinctively do what is “tasteful” and not too “in-the-face” when they pose for a photograph. It’s very common to see in naturist websites photos taken from the back. Sometimes I see nothing but photos of people snapped from the rear that the photos in the article become quite meaningless.  And when a frontal nude photo is taken, the subject will always place one hand strategically to conceal the genitals.

This is highly insidious to the naturist cause. Whenever we pander to the textile community or we conform to their worldview of shame even in our very own naturist websites, we are telling the world that nudity is indeed shameful and the genitals are obscene and must be concealed. Look! We even do that in our own naturist websites!

Let’s be true to what we believe in. If we really don’t feel at ease with nudity or if we really can’t get over our shame for our own bodies, let’s stop kidding ourselves and let’s admit in all sincerity that we are not yet ready to be naturists.

For me personally, I want to be true to what I believe in. If I have already decided that nudity is natural and wholesome, I cannot continue to be ashamed of my own body. I don’t want to be a hypocrite. When I don’t normally sit with my legs crossed when I’m clothed, I’m not going to sit with my legs crossed when I’m naked.

Here’s a pic of me taken two months ago with my clothes on. Notice how I normally sit. I don’t cross my legs.

There’s no difference when I’m nude.

Naturists are very good at wringing their hands and asking why O why does the world view naturism with so much disapproval? Before we even begin to ask that question, it’s only proper if we examine ourselves and see if we are true naturists in the first place or perhaps there is lurking somewhere deep in our hearts that old shame that we continue to bear for our own naked bodies. If we can’t even come to terms with our own nudity, let’s not ask why the world can’t accept nudity.