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My Naturist Epiphany and Naturist Story Part 1: Challenges To Becoming A Nudie Guest site by: Wayne Brake My name is Wayne, but this is a pseudonym I feel compelled to use because motives. Not to sound glib but we do live in a very clothed, erclosed-minded society where http://59.125.224.93/MediaWiki/index.php?title=Nudist-Clothing-and-Lingerie--What-Garments-is-Inappropriate-or-too-sexyforNudists-o and naturists are persecuted, especially at work. I know for a fact that if I came out as a naturist to my family and friends they had probably try and perform some form of gymnophobia-flavored intervention / exorcism on me. *le sigh* My Naturist Epiphany I am in my mid-forties and I Have been a practicing naturist for about five years now. I say "practicing" because I Have been a naturist at heart since my early babes. Back then when my parents went away for a weekend I Had regularly whip off all my clothing and would not put em back on until I heard their car pulling back into the driveway. Reflecting on this now I comprehend how therapeutic this was. I was a skinny, shy, self conscious kid who grew up in a Catholic household that unequivocally linked nudity to sex and shame. As a result, I grew up with some pretty crippling body image issues. I couldn't even bring myself to wear short pants and t shirts in public. Even during the hottest days of summer I'd be bundled up in jeans and long-sleeved shirts, always flirting with the threat of heat prostration. It wasn't until I reached my thirties that I became vaguely comfortable in my own skin. With that came a renewed interest in naturism. I remember visiting St. Maarten back in 2003 and wrestling with an overwhelming desire to jump off the tour bus, tear off my clothes and join all of those happy-looking naked people frolicking on the strand at Orient Bay. But since all of my fellow travellers were laughing and giggling like schoolgirls I kept my internal frolicker tightly muzzled. A couple of years after I learned that there was a clothing-optional beach only a short drive away from me. One Sunday day I guided my wife and a close buddy out that way for a hike. I about knew where the bare beach was and I deliberately led them to the outskirts, keen on gaging their reaction to this. HUGE FREAKIN' ERROR, incidentally. As soon as we got within line of sight of a single naked guy standing predominately on a tall stone my friend, who has incredibly poor eyesight, took this chance to pipe up. "Wow," he said. "I've never been so happy to be blind in my whole life." Undeniably funny, yes, but it made me believe: Why do you feel so threatened by this? Do you believe he's suddenly going to run over here and begin doing gratuitous squats before you?' That is when I understood that our modern-day attitudes towards nudity are still grossly misinformed by Victorian and Puritan influences; sways which unequivocally equate nudity with sex, shame, deviance and a distinct lack of "decency." Indeed, North Americans suffer from more body terror issues compared to the typical David Cronenberg movie. Then, in 2007, I seen a friend in Vancouver. To test the waters again I asked him to take me to that world-famous naturist Mecca, Wreck Beach. He immediately reacted quite violently to my request: Oh, no! Trust me, you do not wanna go there. Not the kind of people you wanna see nude, ifyouknowwhutI'msayin'." Um, ooookay,' I thought to myself. Just how can I describe this to him? I do not wanna see other people naked, I wanna be nude. I wanna be totally immersed in the elements minus the weight of a wet, cold, clingy swimsuit. I don't want any obstacles between me, the surf, the sand and the sunlight. I simply wanna commune with Mama Nature in the only method which makes sense to me.' But given his palpable hostility I immediately dropped the issue and moved on. * Strike two* Even though my thoughts were getting more daring, I was still an extended way from taking the plunge into naturism myself. While camping at a nearby provincial park, I'd occasionally swim out into deep water, whip off my swim trunks, bob around for a bit, then put my shorts back on before heading back to shore. Mutely I desired nothing more than to wade out of the water nude and http://wiki.fos.be/w/index.php?title=Aside-From-Naturist-Clubs-How-Do-I-Meet-Local-Nudists-f along the playa in comfort, all the while focusing on my all-over George Hamilton-style suntan. Baby steps, I understand, but it felt wonderful and it only made sense if you ask me. But it'd require a few more critical experiences before I became a full-fledged, card-carrying nudist. And the impetus for this would come from an entirely unexpected source. Click here to read Part 2 of 'My Naturist Epiphany' About the writer: Wayne Brake is a naturist writer and activist. You can take a look at his naturist-friendly website 'In NatureNaturally' right here: http://innaturenaturally.tumblr.com. Young Naturists & Naturists America Tags: body image, body shame, nude beach, sexuality Category: Naturism and Naturism, Naturist Website, Social Nudity Websites About the Writer (Author Profile) Guest blogs written alone for Naturist Portal.