History UsefulNotes / Nudism

Modern nudism has its roots in India in 1891. This first nudist club (never colony) had only three members and lasted less than a year, but inspired the roots of what would eventually grow into the Nudist movement. In the early 1900s, the book ''Nacktkultur'' was published in Germany by a doctor, who discussed the benefits of nudity in co-education and advocating nudity in athletic activities for health reasons. Two books by Richard Ungewitter (''Nacktheit'' and ''Nackt'') followed, citing nudity (alongside a healthy, athletic lifestyle) was the secret to a long and happy life. These books reached moderate success, and in 1903 the first organized nudist club, ''Freilichtpark'' (Open-Air Park), opened.

Meanwhile, in France, a similar movement was started in 1903, based on the practice of heliotherapy (the idea that light -- particularly sunlight -- has healing effects). In 1907, an organized nude swim was taking place at a prominent Roman Catholic college, and a report on the growing German naturist movement was published in a famous French cultural affairs magazine (The ''Revue des Deux Mondes''). The first official nudist club in France was founded by a nobleman in 1926, alongside the first nudist magzine, ''Vivre''. Others quickly followed, and after one victorious legal defense, nudism was found to be legal -- provided the land was fenced and screened.

Around the same time this was happening in France, the United Kingdom was discovering nudism. Unlike their French and German counterparts (who favored clubs that were open to the public), the British clubs originally were secretive and closed membership -- one had to be invited. These "sun clubs" would split up and grow over the next 30–40 years.

Around 1930, a German immigrant moved to New York and brought Nudism with him -- he organized the first Nudist event in the woods just outside New York City and founded the American League for Physical Culture. Shortly afterward, a retired minister (who was also the vice president of the ALPC) founded the first nationwide Christian nudism movement, which he later renamed the American Sunbathing Association. These early clubs prohibited alcohol in order to promote a family atmosphere. Smaller, private clubs began to spring up in the late 1930s.

In eastern Germany, a nudist beach culture quickly became mainstream in the 1960s, partly as a form of protest, and partly because bathing suits were hard to come by during the communist era. For several decades, swimming and tanning in the nude was considered normal in many German states east of the border. This part of culture is still proudly displayed in German museums about the era, and has no sexual connotations whatsoever. Nudism is also relatively well accepted in mainstream German culture -- it is not unusual to see topless or nude sunbathers in the parks in Berlin (the Tiergarten is famous for this) or Munich (the legendary [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Englischer_Garten#Sch.C3.B6nfeldwiese_and_surroundings Schönfeldwiese]] section of the Englischer Garten is internationally known for this).

In the Netherlands, virtually all beaches have a nudist section, and topless sunbathing is legal everywhere. It's very common to see women sunbathing topless in parks, on campus, or on their own balcony. Nudity is not censored on television (on most channels - the evangelical channel is an obvious exception), and most Dutch films tend to include one or two nude scenes. In the Dutch film rating system, nudity was not a factor, but in recent years this has changed.

Nowadays, the American Sunbathing Association (renamed the American Association for Nude Recreation) represents almost 300 clubs and is the United States' member association of the International Naturism Federation. It is, however, important to note that the United States lacks any legally protected clothing-optional beaches -- any "nude beaches" in the United States are either exclusively illegal but ignored by the authorities, or private property that is being donated to the cause. (If you're wondering why they might ignore skinny dippers on the beach -- [[MoneyDearBoy tourism]]. Naked tourists, particularly those from Europe, bring in a ''lot'' of money.)

Another thing that should be noted is that when it comes to UsefulNotes/TheUnitedStates, nudity is seen as a very big taboo for many people as many will view the idea of being naked the same as having sex. While it's hard to pinpoint when it started, some believe it began sometime around the 1980s. Nearly all nudity that appears on TV networks is always censored with SceneryCensor to block the private areas or complete blurring. This is also very true with certain anime, as anime like ''Franchise/DragonBall'' may occasionally feature nudity in non-sexual situations.

In many countries, there are numerous views on nudity. One good example is Japan. While it can be used in some works as {{fanservice}}, it can also be used to convey innocence and purity, as a nude child or a panty shot isn't intended to be sexual. A nude child in Japanese media is actually meant to represent a child's lack of knowledge of sexuality. Take the BathtubBonding scene in ''Anime/MyNeighborTotoro'' where the father bathes with his two preadolescent daughters. In the United States, some people see the father as a pedophile where some will go as far as calling it child porn, while it's considered completely normal in Japan. The country even has public bath houses and onsens, while the United States barely has any, if they do at all. A majority of European countries usually have the same views as Japan, having a relatively high number of nude beaches and resorts. While the United States also has nude beaches and resorts, there are far fewer than compared to Europe and Japan.

The basic tenets of modern Nudism are varied and difficult to put into words. Some people claim a difference between Nudism and Naturism -- these people suggest that Nudism is more focused on the social aspect of clothesfreedom, Naturism more focused on the health benefits. Others expand nudism to a belief in social equality, environmentalism, veganism, etc. There is also [[HomeNudist casual nudism]], where people do not belong to any nudist groups but simply enjoy hanging around their home naked.

* Nudity, in and of itself, is in no way obscene, rude or offensive. ("Nude, not lewd")

* They are Nudist ''clubs'' or ''campgrounds'', never ''colonies''. Very few nudist areas have permanent residents, and the exceptions are usually in warm climes and attract retirees.

* BeachEpisode: On a nude or topless beach

* Hollywood Nudism is split down two general tropes:
** InnocentFanserviceGirl: Nudists of the "what are clothes" variety.
** ShamelessFanserviceGirl: Nudists of the "who cares" variety.
** Neither are particularly realistic portrayals of actual nudism -- very few real life nudists actually do not understand the nudity taboo (precluding the InnocentFanserviceGirl), nor are there many that would ignore other people's opinion about their nudity (precluding the ShamelessFanserviceGirl). Variants of both -- nudists who don't really "get" what the big deal about nudity is, and nudists who outright ''reject'' clothing (''when appropriate''), are closer to actual modern nudism.
* HomeNudist: A person who practices casual nudity at home.

* NationalGeographicNudity: Nudism is directly responsible for breaking down the rules about nudity in film. Nudists fought for and earned the right to show nudity in films about nudism. In the 1950s, American filmmakers used this as a loophole to show nudity in their own films -- cue a hundred thousand "Tales from a Nudist Colony" films, some of which were actually intended as UsefulNotes/{{pornography}}.

** Modern "Nudism" movies, especially those sold online, tend to follow this trend -- most of them involve 4+ attractive nude women doing something otherwise normal, such as playing in a pool or randomly doing yoga. These have very little to do with actual nudism, as shown from the lack of average looking girls, any form of men, and the fact that [[SpotTheThread the actresses have tan lines.]] In fact, quite a few of these videos focus on petite or outright underage women, using the nudism moniker to get away with what amounts to softcore underage pornography.

* OlderThanTheyThink: [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adamites Adamites]] were a Christian sect in the 2nd through 4th centuries AD who believed in returning to the innocence of the [[Literature/TheBible Garden of Eden]], including the shedding of all clothes. Modern Christian Naturists occasionally cite the Adamites as inspiration for their beliefs.

* YourNormalIsOurTaboo: Zigzagged. Most people that aren't nudists usually see being naked, other than washing your body, as taboo and they fear the idea of anyone they don't know personally, (their lover or their kids) seeing them naked. If a non-nudist were to accidentally stumble upon a nudist beach/clothing optional beach, they would likely see the people walking around naked as very weird, while said nudists likely wouldn't see anything wrong with walking around naked. Similarly, a nudist sees nothing wrong with being in their home naked with the rest of their family, which may include their children, while a non-nudist might view it as creepy and wrong.

* In the 2023 film ''Film/SomebodyIUsedToKnow'', Ally Brenner used to be a nudist. [[spoiler: She rediscovers this part of herself over the course of the film, with a nudist resort featuring at the end if the film.]]
* In the 2012 film ''Film/{{Wanderlust}}'', Wayne Davidson is the resident nudist at the Elysium commune. An example of Naked on Arrival and a subversion of Naked Nutter, with Wayne initially distressing the main characters with his nudity before being accepted as a perfectly normal person.
* Laurie Tromette/Transonic primarily appears in the Marvel's comic series "Generation Hope" and "Young Avengers". As an example of Posthuman Nudism, her skin turned blue and patterned upon mutation and, with occasional exception, she abandoned clothing. As a shapeshifter, she has stated "I am naked, but I'm not naked-naked. My flesh becomes a costume." She also qualifies as a Shameless Fanservice Girl however she displays discomfort at being crassly objectified. A subversion of the Technicaly Naked Shapeshifter, Transonic has shapeshifting abilities, using them to hide her nipples amd genitalia, but she otherwise still appears naked.
* The ''Literature/JohnCarterOfMars'' novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs feature an entirely nudist cast. Everyone on Barsoom, including the titular human John Carter, is an example of Diamonds in the Buff, being explicitly but unremarkably nude, save for jewellery, a belt for weapons/pouches, and sometimes a cloak. See also Exposed Extraterrestrials as they are aware of clothing, but look down on it as unnatural: "Earth men, almost without exception, cover their bodies with strange, unsightly pieces of cloth, and their heads with hideous contraptions the purpose of which we have been unable to conceive" - Dejah Thoris, A Princess of Mars (1912)
* In "Million Yen Women", Minami Shirakawa is a Home Nudist, explaining to her housemates that she doesn't like anything that obstructs her. She is always shown nude with a Scenery Censor.
* Doctor Manhattan from Watchmen exhibits Posthuman Nudism, having abandoned clothing with his growing sense of disassociation with humanity. Upon reconnecting with his humanity, he is still nude whenever he is not hiding his identity in following appearances.
* Morgan Mackenzie, of the "Fate's Anvil" books by Scott Browder, doesn't start as a nudist, her magic was learnt while naked and she needs it to survive the wilderness. Later she embraces nudism when [[spoiler: she commits to a class that prevents her from wearing any clothing under any circumstances rather than selecting a class that would allow her to wear clothes again.]]

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* The ''Literature/JohnCarterOfMars'' novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs feature an entirely nudist cast. Everyone on Barsoom, including the titular human John Carter, is an example of Diamonds in the Buff, being explicitly but unremarkablly nude, save for jewellery, a belt for weapons/pouches, and sometimes a cloak. See also Exposed Extraterrestrials as they are aware of clothing, but look down on it as unnatural: "Earth men, almost without exception, cover their bodies with strange, unsightly pieces of cloth, and their heads with hideous contraptions the purpose of which we have been unable to conceive" - Dejah Thoris, A Princess of Mars (1912)

* The ''Literature/JohnCarterOfMars'' novels by Edgar Rice Buttoughs feature an entirely nudist cast. Everyone on Barsoom, including the titular human John Carter, is an example of Diamonds in the Buff, being explicitly but unremarkablly nude, save for jewellery, a belt for weapons/pouches, and sometimes a cloak. See also Exposed Extraterrestrials as they are aware of clothing, but look down on it as unnatural: "Earth men, almost without exception, cover their bodies with strange, unsightly pieces of cloth, and their heads with hideous contraptions the purpose of which we have been unable to conceive" - Dejah Thoris, A Princess of Mars (1912)
* In "Million Yen Women, Minami Shirakawa is a Home Nudist, explaining to her housemates that she doesn't like anything that obstructs her. She is always shown nude with a Scenery Censor.

* The anime "Waiting in the Summer" features Mio Kitihara, a character who comes from a nudist family and is depicted as a home nudist.

* In the 2012 film ''Film/Wanderlust'', Wayne Davidson is the resident nudist at the Elysium commune. An example of Naked on Arrival and a subversion of Naked Nutter, with Wayne initially distressing the main characters with his nudity before being accepted as a perfectly normal person.

* In the 2023 film "Somebody I Used to Know", Ally Brenner used to be a nudist. [[spoiler: She rediscovers this part of herself over the course of the film, with a nudist resort featuring at the end if the film.]]
* In the 2012 film "Wanderlust", Wayne Davidson is the resident nudist at the Elysium commune. An example of Naked on Arrival and a subversion of Naked Nutter, with Wayne initially distressing the main characters with his nudity before being accepted as a perfectly normal person.

* The John Carter of Mars novels by Edgar Rice Buttoughs featur an entirely nudist cast. Everyone on Barsoom, including the titular human John Carter, is an example of Diamonds in the Buff, being explicitly but unremarkablly nude, save for jewellery, a belt for weapons/pouches, and sometimes a cloak. See also Exposed Extraterrestrials as they are aware of clothing, but look down on it as unnatural: "Earth men, almost without exception, cover their bodies with strange, unsightly pieces of cloth, and their heads with hideous contraptions the purpose of which we have been unable to conceive" - Dejah Thoris, A Princess of Mars (1912)

In many countries, there are numerous views on nudity. One good example is Japan. While it can be used in some works as {{fanservice}}, it can also be used to convey innocence and purity, as a nude child or a panty shot isn't intended to be sexual. A nude child in Japanese media is actually meant to represent a child's lack of knowledge of sexuality. Take the BathtubBonding scene in ''Anime/MyNeighborTotoro'' where the father bathes with his two preadolescent daughters. In the United States, some people see the father as a pedophile where some will go as far as calling it child porn, while it's considered completely normal in Japan. The country even has public bath houses and onsens, while the United States barely have any, if they do at all. A majority of European countries usually have the same views as Japan, having a relatively high number of nude beaches and resorts. While the United States also has nude beaches and resorts, there are far fewer than compared to Europe and Japan.

Another thing that should be noted is that when it comes to UsefulNotes/TheUnitedStates, nudity is seen as a very big taboo for many people as many will view the idea of being naked to the same as having sex. While it's hard to pinpoint when it started, some believe it began sometime around the 1980s. Nearly all nudity that appears on TV networks is always censored with SceneryCensor to block the private areas or complete blurring. This is also very true with certain anime, as anime like ''Franchise/DragonBall'' may occasionally feature nudity in non-sexual situations.

* In the 2011 film ''Act Naturally'', two estranged stepsisters inherit their father's nudist colony.

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In many countries, there are numerous views on nudity. One good example is Japan. While it can be used in some works as {{fanservice}}, it can also be used to convey innocence and purity, as a nude child or a PantyShot isn't intended to be sexual. A nude child in Japanese media is actually meant to represent a child's lack of knowledge of sexuality. Take the BathtubBonding scene in ''Anime/MyNeighborTotoro'' where the father bathes with his two preadolescent daughters. In the United States, some people see the father as a pedophile where some will go as far as calling it child porn, while it's considered completely normal in Japan. The country even has public bath houses and onsens, while the United States barely have any, if they do at all. A majority of European countries usually have the same views as Japan, having a relatively high number of nude beaches and resorts. While the United States also has nude beaches and resorts, there are far fewer than compared to Europe and Japan.

Another thing that should be noted is that when it comes to UsefulNotes/TheUnitedStates, nudity is seen as a very big taboo for many people as many will view the idea of being naked to the same as having sex. While it's hard to pinpoint when it started, some believe it began somewhere around the 80s. Nearly all nudity that appears on TV networks is always censored by usually adding SceneryCensor to block the private areas or blurring it out completely. This is also very true with certain anime, as anime like Franchise/DragonBall may occasionally feature nudity in non-sexual situations.

In many countries, there are numerous views on nudity. One good example is Japan. While it can be used in some works as FanService, it can also be used to convey innocence and purity, as a nude child or a panty shot isn't intended to be sexual. A nude child in Japanese media is actually meant to represent a child's lack of knowledge of sexuality. Take the BathtubBonding scene in ''Anime/MyNeighborTotoro'' where the father bathes with his two preadolescent daughters. In the United States, some people see the father as a pedophile where some will go as far as calling in child porn, while it's considered completely normal in Japan. The country even has public bath houses and onsens, while The United States barely have any, if they do at all. A majority of European countries usually have the same views as Japan, having a relatively high number of nude beaches and resorts. While The United States also has nude beaches and resorts, there are far fewer than compared to Europe and Japan.

* Being naked is much more fun, and oftentimes more practical, than being clothed. It is also liberating.

** Some exceptions to the latter exist: for example, one nudist camp in the southern United States has a yearly beauty contest which has taken on a life of its own in recent years.

* ''WebComic/TheBarePit'' is based on this lifestyle entirely.

* PantyShot: Averted. Some people, on their first trip to a nudist camp, think "I'm nervous, so I'll just strip to my underwear, that's halfway - right?" Then they look at the rules and see that walking around in your underwear is prohibited - which doesn't make sense to a first-timer. Firstly it's a ''Nudist'' camp, so you ought to go all the way or not at all; and secondly, when you think about it, [[TheissTitillationTheory partly-clothed is more alluring than stark-naked]]. Think about all the lingerie porn out there. Besides - are the underwear you are wearing right ''now'' in a state that you would want to present on the street?

In eastern Germany, a nudist beach culture quickly became mainstream in the 1960's, partly as a form of protest, and partly because bathing suits were hard to come by during the communist era. For several decades, swimming and tanning in the nude was considered normal in many German states east of the border. This part of culture is still proudly displayed in German museums about the era, and has no sexual connotations whatsoever. Nudism is also relatively well accepted in mainstream German culture -- it is not unusual to see topless or nude sunbathers in the parks in Berlin (the Tiergarten is famous for this) or Munich (the legendary [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Englischer_Garten#Sch.C3.B6nfeldwiese_and_surroundings Schönfeldwiese]] section of the Englischer Garten is internationally known for this).

* BeachEpisode: On a nude beach

* WalkingSwimsuitScene: Girls and women who [[ShamelessFanserviceGirl don't wear the top half of their bikinis]] to the beach/pool.

* HomeNudist: A person who practices nudism at home.

In many countries, there are numerous views on nudity. One good example is Japan. While it can be used in some works as FanService, it can also be used to convey innocence and purity, as a nude child or a panty shot isn't intended to be sexual. A nude child in Japanese media is actually meant to represent a child's lack of knowledge of sexuality. Take the BathBonding scene in ''Anime/MyNeighborTotoro'' where the father bathes with his two preadolescent daughters. In the United States, some people see the father as a pedophile where some will go as far as calling in child porn, while it's considered completely normal in Japan. The country even has public bath houses and onsens, while The United States barely have any, if they do at all. A majority of European countries usually have the same views as Japan, having a relatively high number of nude beaches and resorts. While The United States also has nude beaches and resorts, there are far fewer than compared to Europe and Japan.