Well Mary, an interesting read.
A fascinating dive into the minutiae of a fringe behaviour.
An enjoyable read while having the first Coffee of the day.
Citizen Diversity
1 month ago
Is there material in this for another chapter in Tom Holland’s Dominion?
What is described here – ‘our bodies as expression of free speech/individualism’ – are entirely products of the Western mind post Reformation.
Lancashire Lad
1 month ago
What next, Nudist flights, to save on baggage charges?
It would have been useful in the 1980’s when various East German female ‘shot putters’ such as ‘Helga the Hun’ were producing simply unprecedented results.
I gather some recent swimming events would have benefited, and off course it would have destroyed/exposed the whole trans nonsense for what it is .
Incidentally only one woman spectator was allowed at the Ancient Olympics, and conversely at the female games (The Games of Hera) only one male spectator.
Later under the splendid Romans things were relaxed a bit!
No adequate explanation exists. At the Olympic Games the female VIP was the Priestess of Demeter, and perhaps unmarried girls/women were allowed to spectate, but not married ones!
At the Games of Hera it is more vague! Although perhaps some men were allowed to spectate certain events.
Perhaps it is worth remembering that it is estimated that the destruction of the Classical World meant the total loss of about 90% of everything written in Greek and perhaps 95-99% of everything in Latin.
We have never recovered from this catastrophe! Nor ever will.
It deters the leeches although Wine Gums are better.
John Dewhirst
1 month ago
In Germany it is said that nudist events and organisations have suffered from infiltration by lecherous immigrants and the invasive threat of mobile phones which have collectively lessened the appeal. Rising energy costs have similarly impacted on the viability of public saunas, typically where nudity prevails. The nation that played its part in promoting public nudism is seemingly reverting to textiles.
Interesting. Whereabouts do such people conceal their mobile phones?
Warren Trees
1 month ago
Is there any article, regardless of topic, these days that doesn’t need at least two references to Mr. Trump?
Martin Goodfellow
1 month ago
Another interesting, sexually-themed article from Mary. The nudist cruise sounds dreadful, especially if largely patronised by the baby-boom generation. As one of those myself, it wouldn’t appeal to me, but then I didn’t buy into the hippie movement either. The thought of being confined to a ship full of naked oldies is nightmarish, a “Ship of Fools” sailing for the horizon. No thanks.
Thanks for this summary of historical trends in nudism. When I was an exchange student in Denmark, where all beaches are clothing-optional (and slightly before that, too) I was sold on the concept. While I can leave aside being nude for most daily activities, it’s completely bonkers to wear clothes while swimming, especially at a beach on a hot day. One thing that keeps me in Vancouver, in my native Canada, is the nude beach. I’d go insane without it. It’s a redoubt against USAmerican miserablism. From Canada to the world: please support us in keeping this country free from nature and peace -hating geopolitical gangsters like Trump.
A typical nudist steps forward to show what he’s got.
Maverick Melonsmith
1 month ago
Not my thing, but good luck to them.
laurence scaduto
1 month ago
Nude beaches were, for some people, the forerunners of body positivity advocacy. Also, hospitable places for gay men.
And, oddly, volleyball players.
Roland Jeffery
1 month ago
As an Oxford undergraduate in the early 70s I used to enjoy stripping off and skinny dipping at Parson’s Pleasure. On a sunny day there would be 60 or more of us, in the water or sprawling in the grass chatting, like something out of Brideshead. Sponsored and maintained by the University—presumably to maintain Hellenist ideals—it was men-only. I guess this was to make it respectable, though I think it might have had the opposite effect. Lord Hailsham turned up one day. He was at the time Lord Chancellor and a Fellow of All Souls and inspite of his great age and severe arthritis, proved a passably good swimmer. The surrounding fence was removed in the early 90s when the area was declared a nature reserve; voles, I think.
Paul Ten
1 month ago
Heard the one about the boomer streaker who raced past? Said one lady to the other, ‘Did you see that? What on earth were they wearing?’. ‘I’m not sure’ her friend replied, ‘but whatever it was it needed ironing!’
Jerry Carroll
1 month ago
Let’s face it, Mary, it is the rare body that looks good without clothes. Many are a direct affront to the eye, far more so than the hurtful social media posts that land people behind bars in Britain.
Before entering the ‘Thermae’/Baths you were expected go to the exercise area or ‘Palaestra’ and carry out some fairly testing/violent gymnastics.
In case you had forgotten what the body of a God or Goddess looked like there were plenty of statues to remind you.
Unlike today, obesity does not seem to have been a problem. Perhaps the thought of being ‘shamed’ whilst on public display prevented that?
The great Roman epigrammatist ‘Martial’* make some amusing comments about Roman bathing habits.
*circa 38-42 AD- 102-104 AD to use Christian chronology, but really 791-795 AUC – 855-857 AUC.
Colorado UnHerd
1 month ago
The lead photo highlights a fact never more true than now, when more than 70 percent of Americans are overweight or obese: Furred and feathered species are much more beautiful than we are; aging makes the contrast even more stark. Personally, I wouldn’t want to spend money vacationing with nude humans — it’s cheaper and much easier to find beauty elsewhere — but to each his or her own.
Brendan O'Leary
1 month ago
Another supposedly boomer phenomenon that this widely-travelled boomer has never encountered, er, in the flesh.
One social media contact is an enthusiast, but she was born in the 1970s.
Mister Smith
1 month ago
Even if you offered me $10,000, I wouldn’t spend ten days stuck on a ship full of naked, out of shape, old hippies. Plus, after 2-3 days, they would all be sunburned, start to complain, criticize the food, etc.
The unchecked windiness brought on by the food would get on nerves. You couldn’t get away from it and if you complained you would be told it was just natural.
Don Lightband
1 month ago
Surprised to note MH omitting from her tour the best, perhaps most authentically ‘pagan’ naturist/nudist scene of all, that of Koktebel, way down yonder on the south coast of Crimea.
More lovely human forms than you could shake your pearls at, including a great many exquisitely small ones!
BTW, can any UK person here suggest why Anglo says “denude” instead of “benude”? Does not the de- prefix always indicate removal of some sort, denude then signifying un-nuding?
May thy bottoms be always bared in glory!
UnHerd Reader
1 month ago
Good article – but several notes:
1. Naturism arrived in Califonia in the mid-1930s (e.g. Lupin near San Jose and Elysian Fields near Lake Elsinore)
2. The first “Big Nude Boat” cruise was in 1992, organized by the “Bare Necessities” company.
3. There was nude use on a few California beaches starting around 1960, as well as on college campuses, such as Stanford and UC Berkeley. It wasn’t limited to Hippies and the “counter-culture”.
4. Naturism is still popular in England, thanks to a strong British Naturism organization. Public nudity is also legal in England (as long as it’t not intended to alarm or offend people).
Mark epperson
1 month ago
Excellent! Loved the read.
Gary Stanfield
1 month ago
I enjoyed the article!
I am not quite boomer (just a little too old), but I like nudity and have been to many clothing-optional events. I agree that the desire to be naked in groups seems to be fading, but it was never strong as folks in some of my groups pretended. Seems like most at most such gatherings were hoping someone else would remove his or her clothing.
Thomas Wagner
1 month ago
“the Nakation Of A Lifetime!”
There’s a neologism that has to die.
Well Mary, an interesting read.
A fascinating dive into the minutiae of a fringe behaviour.
An enjoyable read while having the first Coffee of the day.
Is there material in this for another chapter in Tom Holland’s Dominion?
What is described here – ‘our bodies as expression of free speech/individualism’ – are entirely products of the Western mind post Reformation.
What next, Nudist flights, to save on baggage charges?
It could take off.
Splendid
Worth looking into.
You naughty boy!
Withdrawn.
For over a thousand years the Ancient Olympic Games were performed ‘naked’- Gymnos..
Even given supposed ‘Global warming’, would that be conceivable today?
It’d certainly make male competitors ‘identifying’ as females interesting.
An ancient rumour had it that at the first Olympiad which was clothed, a woman (disguised?) actually won the sprint race!
Thereafter all events were GYMNOS*.
*Except rather obviously the ‘race in full armour.’
And is that really something one wants to see?
It would have been useful in the 1980’s when various East German female ‘shot putters’ such as ‘Helga the Hun’ were producing simply unprecedented results.
I gather some recent swimming events would have benefited, and off course it would have destroyed/exposed the whole trans nonsense for what it is .
Incidentally only one woman spectator was allowed at the Ancient Olympics, and conversely at the female games (The Games of Hera) only one male spectator.
Later under the splendid Romans things were relaxed a bit!
Why was that? The single male/female spectator?
No adequate explanation exists. At the Olympic Games the female VIP was the Priestess of Demeter, and perhaps unmarried girls/women were allowed to spectate, but not married ones!
At the Games of Hera it is more vague! Although perhaps some men were allowed to spectate certain events.
Perhaps it is worth remembering that it is estimated that the destruction of the Classical World meant the total loss of about 90% of everything written in Greek and perhaps 95-99% of everything in Latin.
We have never recovered from this catastrophe! Nor ever will.
Thanks Charles. You’re certainly helping to keep the flame alive for the remnants of what was retained.
That’s almost a Kamala word-salad.
“The Emperor has no clothes!”
“No dear. He is just practicing Freikörperkultur”.
Idealogy aside, what a pleasure it is to be on the beach without having to deal with soggy costumes and changing awkwardly under a towel.
But won’t the sand get… everywhere?
No, you use the towel to sit on.
Please refer to the BDSM—Sand Venn diagram. All very boomer, apparently.
It does seem ridiculous to put costumes on to swim
It deters the leeches although Wine Gums are better.
In Germany it is said that nudist events and organisations have suffered from infiltration by lecherous immigrants and the invasive threat of mobile phones which have collectively lessened the appeal. Rising energy costs have similarly impacted on the viability of public saunas, typically where nudity prevails. The nation that played its part in promoting public nudism is seemingly reverting to textiles.
Interesting. Whereabouts do such people conceal their mobile phones?
Is there any article, regardless of topic, these days that doesn’t need at least two references to Mr. Trump?
Another interesting, sexually-themed article from Mary. The nudist cruise sounds dreadful, especially if largely patronised by the baby-boom generation. As one of those myself, it wouldn’t appeal to me, but then I didn’t buy into the hippie movement either. The thought of being confined to a ship full of naked oldies is nightmarish, a “Ship of Fools” sailing for the horizon. No thanks.
“We sailed on the good ship Venus,
by God you should have seen us,
the figurehead was a Tart in bed,
the mast an elephant’s ……….”
Wow. Your knowledge ranges far and wide.
Thanks for this summary of historical trends in nudism. When I was an exchange student in Denmark, where all beaches are clothing-optional (and slightly before that, too) I was sold on the concept. While I can leave aside being nude for most daily activities, it’s completely bonkers to wear clothes while swimming, especially at a beach on a hot day. One thing that keeps me in Vancouver, in my native Canada, is the nude beach. I’d go insane without it. It’s a redoubt against USAmerican miserablism. From Canada to the world: please support us in keeping this country free from nature and peace -hating geopolitical gangsters like Trump.
“Keep Canada free from nature and peace…” Ummm, yeah, or indeed Yay!
Trump is the anti war guy; your PM and Parliament were applauding a Nazi when not cracking down on civil liberties. Not sure POTUS is your problem.
A typical nudist steps forward to show what he’s got.
Not my thing, but good luck to them.
Nude beaches were, for some people, the forerunners of body positivity advocacy. Also, hospitable places for gay men.
And, oddly, volleyball players.
As an Oxford undergraduate in the early 70s I used to enjoy stripping off and skinny dipping at Parson’s Pleasure. On a sunny day there would be 60 or more of us, in the water or sprawling in the grass chatting, like something out of Brideshead. Sponsored and maintained by the University—presumably to maintain Hellenist ideals—it was men-only. I guess this was to make it respectable, though I think it might have had the opposite effect. Lord Hailsham turned up one day. He was at the time Lord Chancellor and a Fellow of All Souls and inspite of his great age and severe arthritis, proved a passably good swimmer. The surrounding fence was removed in the early 90s when the area was declared a nature reserve; voles, I think.
Heard the one about the boomer streaker who raced past? Said one lady to the other, ‘Did you see that? What on earth were they wearing?’. ‘I’m not sure’ her friend replied, ‘but whatever it was it needed ironing!’
Let’s face it, Mary, it is the rare body that looks good without clothes. Many are a direct affront to the eye, far more so than the hurtful social media posts that land people behind bars in Britain.
No problem for the Romans!
Before entering the ‘Thermae’/Baths you were expected go to the exercise area or ‘Palaestra’ and carry out some fairly testing/violent gymnastics.
In case you had forgotten what the body of a God or Goddess looked like there were plenty of statues to remind you.
Unlike today, obesity does not seem to have been a problem. Perhaps the thought of being ‘shamed’ whilst on public display prevented that?
The great Roman epigrammatist ‘Martial’* make some amusing comments about Roman bathing habits.
*circa 38-42 AD- 102-104 AD to use Christian chronology, but really 791-795 AUC – 855-857 AUC.
The lead photo highlights a fact never more true than now, when more than 70 percent of Americans are overweight or obese: Furred and feathered species are much more beautiful than we are; aging makes the contrast even more stark. Personally, I wouldn’t want to spend money vacationing with nude humans — it’s cheaper and much easier to find beauty elsewhere — but to each his or her own.
Another supposedly boomer phenomenon that this widely-travelled boomer has never encountered, er, in the flesh.
One social media contact is an enthusiast, but she was born in the 1970s.
Even if you offered me $10,000, I wouldn’t spend ten days stuck on a ship full of naked, out of shape, old hippies. Plus, after 2-3 days, they would all be sunburned, start to complain, criticize the food, etc.
The unchecked windiness brought on by the food would get on nerves. You couldn’t get away from it and if you complained you would be told it was just natural.
Surprised to note MH omitting from her tour the best, perhaps most authentically ‘pagan’ naturist/nudist scene of all, that of Koktebel, way down yonder on the south coast of Crimea.
More lovely human forms than you could shake your pearls at, including a great many exquisitely small ones!
BTW, can any UK person here suggest why Anglo says “denude” instead of “benude”? Does not the de- prefix always indicate removal of some sort, denude then signifying un-nuding?
May thy bottoms be always bared in glory!
Good article – but several notes:
1. Naturism arrived in Califonia in the mid-1930s (e.g. Lupin near San Jose and Elysian Fields near Lake Elsinore)
2. The first “Big Nude Boat” cruise was in 1992, organized by the “Bare Necessities” company.
3. There was nude use on a few California beaches starting around 1960, as well as on college campuses, such as Stanford and UC Berkeley. It wasn’t limited to Hippies and the “counter-culture”.
4. Naturism is still popular in England, thanks to a strong British Naturism organization. Public nudity is also legal in England (as long as it’t not intended to alarm or offend people).
Excellent! Loved the read.
I enjoyed the article!
I am not quite boomer (just a little too old), but I like nudity and have been to many clothing-optional events. I agree that the desire to be naked in groups seems to be fading, but it was never strong as folks in some of my groups pretended. Seems like most at most such gatherings were hoping someone else would remove his or her clothing.
“the Nakation Of A Lifetime!”
There’s a neologism that has to die.