naturism as a human remedy
naturism beyond nakedness
We live in strange times. They world around us seems to be imploding under the weight of physical and social pandemics. Even now, the world is watching the ongoing invasion of a sovereign country by another because one leaders' version of history justifies it. As this has been going on we watch the response in nudist and naturist circles. The conversations still focuses on nakedness. Being naked, seeing naked bodies. Those who speak on the subject are often vilified and silenced. It forces the question, when did nudists become so single-minded that pausing the fixation on nakedness to acknowledge the suffering of others is not front of mind? When did talk about the social and political challenges of everyday life get banned from polite naturist conversation? Why is it that we cannot see naturism beyond nakedness.
For the record we at Clothes Free Life stand with the people of Ukraine in pursuing their right to self determination. Though we have never met anyone from that country, we resonate with their desire to be free to determine how they should live. That after all, is the same freedom naturists seek. Furthermore, we we know there are naturists in Ukraine whose lives have been turned upside down by recent events.
We stand against unjust wars that seek to stifle democracy. Why you may ask so you want to tackle this subject just stay in your lane. Well in answer we would quote Dr. Martin a luther King Jr.
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Dr. King remind us that if we stand by and silently watch while the freedoms of others are denied we are unwittingly denying ourselves the freedoms we want. So today, we stand with the people of Ukraine because it is the right thing to do and the naturist thing to do.
The idea of intersectional social advocacy has disappeared from naturist discourse in recent year. But it wasn’t always that way. The great naturist leaders in the past saw naturism as more than nakedness. They saw naturism as a human remedy. U.S. naturist advocate and founder of the free beaches movement, Lee Baxandall saw naturism as a human remedy for an unjust and increasingly uncivilized society.
“Naturists seek a remedy …. to civilization that has turned dangerous. Naturism is a civilized characteristic” - Lee Baxandall, Experience the Freedom of the Naturist Lifestyle
Baxandall saw naturism as a model, a mirror, to the non naturist world of the kind of interconnected we should strive for in human society. Sadly, his visionary perspective has disappeared and what remains of Baxandall’s legacy is a volleyball tournament. But his intentions are still clear.
“A naturism which separates from other vital liberation movements in society, and fixes only upon the external forms of its differentness from majoritarian values, is already a sect, a curiosity, and on its way to extinction.” Lee Baxandall
Similarly, Marc Alain Descamp naturist, philosopher and author describes naturism as a human remedy and laboratory of democracy. Descamps saw naturism as participating is a larger social project designed to bring about a richer more evolved civilization.
Naturism goes with simple, frank and natural relationships. … Naturism engenders a peaceful attitude, it considers that international problems must be settled by diplomacy and not by wars. - Marc Alain Descamp : A Naturist Society Project
Descamps, believed that in order to find the freedom to practice naturism, naturists needed to engage in the naturist social project. He understood the import of naturism beyond nakedness and the need to build social capital by speaking to broader social issues. As with Baxandall, this aspect of Descamps teaching, rarely surfaces anymore in naturist conversation.
For our part we at Clothes Free Life follow in the legacy Baxandall and Descamps. Our nu gymnosphy is intersectional, practical and philosophical approach to naturism that is driven by a naturist ethic. It owes a much to these naturist leaders. So we stand we the people of Ukraine, and with other naturists who do. We will take naturism beyond nakedness and see the opportunity of naturism as a human remedy for body acceptance, but also for human connectedness, democracy and peace. We hope those who feel the same will join us and speak out and speak up. Join us to keep the people and country of Ukraine in your thoughts and prayers, do what you can to raise your voice against the imposition of suffering and suppression of freedom of self determination.
Originally published on Feb 2/22 on clothesfreelife.com visit to read more like this
Ukraine is in the way of what Russia sees as its national defense. It wants Poland, the Baltic states, and Romania. It needs to Ukraine to get them. The Russians fight to the last man (remember Stalingrad?) and they have nukes, so it's pretty scary. I see our moment as just that, a hinge between what we've become and what we can be. Buckminster Fuller said it would be touch and go up to the moment when we choose "Utopia or oblivion." His theory was that enriching everyone through technology was the key. He was an inventor of technologies that he thought would do that. I think he was partly right. I think we need mass enlightenment, "Mahayana," the "great boat" from Buddhism. The collective unconsciousness's aha! moment. I meditate, make art, and take care of my grandkids. You have a blog, and do whatever other good things are yours. I think merely being a naturist moves the needle toward Utopia. I think you're right about intersectionality, but remember that that is a scary word for the folks on the other side.