Since I started writing these articles several readers have contacted me with comments and questions and so, in this piece, I will do my best to answer them as fully, and honestly, as I can. Some are about the practicalities of life without clothes, like this question from James in Seaford;
When at a nudist beach, what does one do about items like phones, keys, money and so on?
The answer varies from person to person but, for my essentials, I have what I call my “man-bag”. It’s a small plastic wallet that holds all those items and has a sealed top, to prevent sand or water from getting into the bag. As I have no pockets in my skin, it keeps everything safe and together.
And this one from Mary in Bexhill-on-Sea;
Putting it delicately, how do you avoid leaving any “marks” when you are sitting on your furniture?
The quick answer is that the first rule of social nudism is to always bring your own towel and sit on that. Whether I am in my own home, or visiting friends, I always have a towel to place on the chair/sofa for hygiene purposes.
I also heard from Sara in Brighton and she would like to know…
What about sweat and odour? Not that people who wear clothing don’t ever smell, but isn’t it uncomfortable to have sweat pouring down your naked body?
Another great question. The thing is, in the heat of the summer, clothes actually make you hotter and more likely to sweat. When naked, you are much less likely to perspire and, whatever sweat you may generate evaporates almost as quickly as it appears. If they shower regularly, nudists are no more likely to smell than “textiles” (a name for those people who choose to wear clothes).
Now to tackle something a little more “sensitive” with a question from Dave in Crawley…
If someone’s nude with the Mrs on the beach, don’t they ever get a bit “fruity”?
If the first rule of nudism is “Bring a towel” then the second rule is “No sexual activity in public.” The quickest way to get thrown out of most nudist resorts, or rejected at most nude beaches, is to start some sort of overt sexual activity. It’s best to retain your dignity, respect other beachgoers and wait until you get home!
Then there is the $64,000 dollar question which came in anonymously…
Surely when people are naked together at some point the blokes are gonna get turned on and we all know what will happen. What do you do then?
Well, that’s straight to the point, as it were. Firstly, being in a socially nude atmosphere is not a particularly erotic experience. You have to completely separate “nudity” from “sexuality.” Sitting round having a cuppa together, or a nice meal, is very unlikely to turn anyone on. Having said that, yes, men get erections – it happens. In general, guys try to be as discrete as possible (sitting down, crossing legs etc), the issue is ignored, and they go away on their own, often quite quickly.
And finally, from Barbara in Hurstpierpoint…
I think that I would be very conscious of my body, and its flaws, if I was naked with other people. Surely others must judge how you look?
The quickest way to become less self-conscious about your body is to go to a nudist beach, resort or event. The first thing that you will notice is that there are so many different kinds of people there, who come in all shapes and sizes, and who pride themselves on the fact that they are the least judgemental people ever.
Even the “best looking” person on the beach will know that their body has flaws, we all have them. But being naked and proud (as nudists tend to be) really helps you to bypass those feelings and accept that, despite those flaws, every person’s body is beautiful in its own way.
Paul Scott.
