It’s true. The dressed are always looking for ways to be offended, like the overly religious people. Perhaps unconsciously but they do. A while ago I was out on the bicycle. Good weather for it, be it a bit warm and stuffy. At some point at a deserted side trail I decided to stop, take off the few things I had on and walk around au naturel for a little to cool off and enjoy the bit of wind on my skin. Of course at that moment two elderly people cycled past the trail and caught a glimpse of me. I saw that they saw me. Oh well.
They came back and got off their bicycles. The man said, “You don’t do that.”
Me: “Sorry, you probably mean that YOU don’t do this. I do.”
Man: “You can’t do that. People can see you. You’re not normal.”
I told him that I had the law on my side as this was not a public road. Then I asked if it bothered them that I was naked. (I wasn’t making any moves to get dressed.) Man: “Yes, it bothers us.”
Me: “Does it bother you more now you see all of me than when you happened to come by?”Man: “Yes. Of course.”
Me: “Well, then you should not have come back.” At that they both looked very confused… I doubt they understood.
Paul, You handled this encounter quite well, I think! You were yourself naked while talking with the bicyclists who rode by and saw you were naked. The fact that they didn’t continue their journey but came back to speak their mind shows that people only consider one normal when clothed. The question you asked the man and his answer tells me that he would never feel normal being naked like you were. It proves that he didn’t want to acknowledge your right to be naked if you want on a non-public road. He was probably raised clothed like I was. But I always wanted to be nude and comfortable in my own skin. I embrace the foundation statements of nudism/naturism and am sad that this man has no idea how healthy and normal being naked in the sun and fresh air feels like. In this conversation, the clothed man, I believe, is the real loser. These are my thoughts from a nudist perspective.
Interesting encounter, which I think illustrates a common phenomenon: people are confused about how they feel about many things – nudity being an example. Commonly people cannot differentiate between how they actually feel and what the media and society tell them they should feel. We are all guilty of this in one way or another.
You did the right thing not to hide and to question why they came back after just glimpsing you. This is the approach that we use on a beach. Many naturists visiting a beach, which is not 100% naturist, will find a little spot to hide away. This has the drawback that they might surprise any passing “textiles’. What we do is choose a place some distance from other people, but not hidden. The idea is that someone heading in our direction will see that we are nude and, if they are likely to be offended, can take an alternative route. In my experience, people do not normally get closer in order to increase their own offence. 🙂
Colin, I like your comment and viewpoint when on a beach which has not been officially designated a nude beach or a section that is marked by a sign that beyond a certain point a person will encounter nude bathers. You are right that when you go to a spot away from general traffic to be nude and enjoy the beach you are in no way hiding the fact that you and/or others are nude. If the clothed bathers see you they can refrain from going where you are. Well stated, my friend! I am a nudist and I will use this when I go to a non-nude beach.
Thanks Patrick.
I do believe that many naturists are not doing themselves (or us) and favours with their “hide away” mentality.
Ben detto: la nudità è normale, anormale è provarne fastidio.
Well said: nudity is normal, abnormal is try nuisance of it.