My Label and Me: I’m new to the nudist lifestyle but I’ve never felt more free

My Label and Me: I’m new to the nudist lifestyle but I’ve never felt more free

I am a nudist and proud of it.

On 8 July 2018 I had a decision to make: go to a pool party or stay home alone. I think most of us would prefer the pool party, but there was a catch – I would have to be nude.

When I was younger I desperately wanted to be nude as it would allow me to be open and free, but it was not accepted by people I knew and I therefore I didn’t have the courage to step out.

By choosing to attend the nude pool party, I made a life changing decision. I chose to be confident and believe in myself. As a result I have realised I do not care what detractors might think of me.




The Central Florida Naturists define a nudist as ‘a person who is strong, confident, open, honest and free.

‘A person who enjoys being naked as often as possible. A person who loves, respects and appreciates their bodies as well as the bodies of others.

I am a nudist and proud of it (Picture: Anthony Mair/Metro.co.uk)

‘A person who knows all bodies are beautiful, no matter what their size, shape, or gender.’

Given this awesome definition, I can’t think of a reason for clothing.

When I first attended these nudist groups, I felt the people there tended to stand out because they were so unique.

I didn’t realise what I was picking up on was the huge confidence the attendees had in themselves.

But this confidence is not manifested in egoism, in fact I discovered that many are loving individuals who look at the inner self of others.

Nudists are used to looking past your outer shell and they speak to you as if you are just another good person.

Chris has been a nudist for nearly a year (Picture: Anthony Mair/Metro.co.uk)

They look straight into your eyes. There is no gawking or inappropriate staring – if there is, those doing it are usually called to the side and coached.

We must realise that if we had all been raised nude we would become desensitised to body image.

Nudism also teaches us not to see nakedness as being correlated to being sexual. The nudism ideology goes against current societal ‘morals’ that teach us that nudity is wrong and only appropriate for sexual activity.

This is further cemented by the media and organised religion. In fact, nudity and sex have nothing to do with each other. Therefore many individuals will not see nudism as the family friendly or clean wholesome activity it is.

I have no problem with being identified as a nudist; I feel awesome for being open, free and completely confident.

It is time to accept and support our desires to live naturally when and where possible (Picture: Anthony Mair/Metro.co.uk)

My label is still very fresh. I am looking to expand nudist lifestyle, but there aren’t many fellow nudists in the area that I live.

At the minute I am committed to the long drives that are often required for me to attend events. The pool party that I mentioned before took me a few hours to get to but it was well worth the distance and effort.



Nudism today is often beset by critics who bring up various red herring topics including protecting children, promiscuity and public indecency.

However, in my experience, these are often used as defenses when someone’s real issue might be fear of the unknown, a lack of acceptance of others over how they appear, and the reluctance to engage in ‘taboo’ activities or anything with a social stigma attached.

Sadly, if they were to try it in the right supportive environment, even one time, they might suddenly find that nudism might work for them!

It is time to accept and support our desires to live naturally when and where possible.

It feels good and is healthy to be nude in one’s own home and in trusted communities and I encourage people to give it a go.

Labels Labels is an exclusive series that hears from individuals who have been labelled – whether that be by society, a job title, or a diagnosis. Throughout the project, writers will share how having these words ascribed to them shaped their identity — positively or negatively — and what the label means to them. If you would like to get involved please email jess.austin@metro.co.uk

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