The Graying of the Naturist Movement
— and What to Do About It Now!

By G. Mussell,
President, Southern California Naturist Association
Reprinted with permission.

In the Winter 2003 issue of N (Nude and Natural) Magazine, staff writer Jim Meyer observed in “Old News” that the naturist movement in the United States and abroad is showing its age—literally. He concluded that both could be in danger once the baby boom generation departs the scene.

In my view, the “graying of naturism” is part of a worldwide “graying of every institution.” As the baby boomers, those born between 1946 and 1962, prepare for retirement over the next two decades, governmental and charitable institutions are already struggling with the question of how to survive as this population changes from donors to receivers.

Yet of equal importance, I also see several other profound social and economic changes occurring that will affect the future of naturism just as surely as the aging question. To survive, naturist organizations will need to understand how these changes will affect their favorite destination resorts, their local clubs, and naturism in general.

RECENT TRENDS IN AMERICAN CULTURE

A recent survey published by the U.S. Department of Commerce and other sources cited in the N Magazine article point to a noticeable decline in both formal membership and volunteer participation in many traditional organizations, such as churches, scouts, and service clubs. One of the reasons is the need for two incomes in a family, which results in fewer adults with the time to volunteer. Children, in turn, are less likely to join an organization if a parent isn’t home after school to encourage participation.

Among young adults, say those under 30, a shortage of discretionary income is often a given. I have observed widespread underemployment and job turnover for the twentysomethings as a result of the recent recession. I’ve also observed a lack of connection. Under the influence of television, Facebook, Twitter, and peer pressure, many youn people maintain an “I’ll try anything once” attitude, be it recreational drugs, bungee jumping—or skinny-dipping. But it’s not enough to just ski — you have to hot dog ski! "I have the need for speed" could be tattooed across their backs along with all the other body adornments that have recently crept into the culture.

This need for a rush is something that naturism has a hard time providing, and I’m not sure in this MTV world of instant gratification that anything will stick for long in any case. Kids see organizations as restrictive. It has not dawned on them that without the organized efforts provided by naturist activists, the places they now use for free could disappear—and sooner rather than later. But this may not matter to many; they will just turn to the next thrill and leave naturism behind without a second thought.

Overarching all this, of course, is the criminalization of nudist behavior. Laws against nudity, once winked at, seem to be enforced more and more by local authorities, making it more difficult to use public lands without fear of arrest. It is especially risky to be seen nude with your own children—and God forbid that you take photos commemorating a nude moment! It is well documented that many employees at Wal-Mart and other stores will not only refuse to develop your nude photos; they may sic the police on you!

Another general trend working against naturism is the loss of privacy. Crowded urban conditions often make it impossible to own even a small balcony suitable for clothes-free privacy. If you are lucky enough to own a single-family home, you’re still at risk, because many homes are so close together that you can shake your neighbor’s hand out of adjoining second-story windows.

Normally, this kind of situation would help the naturist movement because it forces people to go to a nude beach or resort to practice their lifestyle. However, much development these days is happening on or near beaches, deserts, or mountain areas traditionally used by naturists. In these new developments there is always at least one non-naturist ready to complain to local police to end the nudity. While naturists win some of these battles, we lose others, sometimes at prime sites (Bates Beach here in California comes to mind). The net result is that many people simply are avoiding the hassle of a potential citation by staying home as closet nudists (so long as they don’t take any pictures!).

Technology is contributing to this reticence. How will we restrict the use of picture phones and the like from naturist clubs and beaches? Do we ban them for the sake of privacy, and if we do will it be a turn-off for the tech-savvy young people we are trying to recruit? No devices may mean fewer guests and kids, but devices may mean fewer families. The question should not be “What do we allow?” Rather, it should be “How can we turn these inevitable developments to our advantage?”

Finally, when we look at general trends that affect naturism, the rise of body shame among teens and young adults cannot be ignored. This group may be the first ever to avoid showering after gym class (thank you, ACLU and Ed Meese!). Therefore, they have no experience whatever with social nudity, unless their parents practice it at home or take them go a club or resort. This generation has been raised to be ashamed of the nude body, except in clearly sexual contexts, and may therefore be less inclined to give skinny-dipping a try at it gets older.

There is more skin on television than ever before, but there is always pixellation to cover whatever the network or local station perceives as “private parts.” This reinforces a sense of shame about the human body while at the same time it entices viewers to try to see “something naughty.” CBS’ Survivor and MTV’s Real World are but two of many recent examples of this. Even cable has yet to allow anything but brief glimpses of male genitalia.

TRENDS IN NATURISM

Local law enforcement usually has no problem with naturists. In fact, we keep the beaches cleaner and the crime rate lower wherever we settle. But in many places in the country we are seeing the encroachment of development into nudist areas, coupled with anti-naturist hysteria whipped up by some lone politician or self-appointed community leader. This makes it difficult for us to avoid being lumped in with voyeurs, exhibitionists, and private social clubs that see nudity as foreplay.

We are our own worst enemy in this regard. Organized naturism has deliberately avoided the fact that nudity can and does attract some undesirable elements, from voyeurs who’d rather watch and masturbate to exhibitionists who love to perform in front of others. The idea that the joy of being without clothes is an end in itself is incomprehensible to these people. Both management and parents spend countless hours every year making sure their resorts are safe from such people, and we are generally successful in keeping them out of our resorts and clubs. But not always.

The good news is there are do-not-admit lists to prevent recurrences; the bad news is these lists are not always communicated quickly enough between resorts and clubs. And the further bad news is that on nude beaches and other public lands enforcement of proper behavior often depends on who is bigger—the naturist or the gawker.

Ironically, future success at establishing nude sites could be our undoing if politicians see that they can win votes by scapegoating naturists.

As noted above, many traditional organizations are in decline. Naturist groups are no exception. I see new clubs forming, feeding off the members of the older clubs as they fail. It remains to be seen whether anyone will have the time, resources, or patience to tap into and nurture the college-age crowd that is essential if a new generation of leaders is to emerge. It may be necessary for older clubs to subsidize satellite clubs of younger members, but I have yet to hear of any club with the money or courage to attempt such a venture.

My hope lies in the clubs that are focused on a specific beach, lake, or recreational location. These clubs will probably thrive because they are focused, despite limited financial depth. They are, however, vulnerable to future encroachment by land developers and local political forces. I see these site-focused clubs as providing the members that will eventually feed the specialized and super resorts.

Meanwhile, as the generation of founding naturist entrepreneurs retires, its heirs will have to make hard economic decisions to keep pace with the super clubs, or sell out. It is conceivable to me that over half of the small to mid-sized nudist sites could be gone in the next dozen years. Those that remain will have reinvented themselves into specialty markets, catering to baby boomer couples, becoming health-centered spas, sport-center resorts (volleyball and tennis come to mind), or somehow discovering a new way to attract the under-30 family or individual.

The super clubs’ memberships will grow as the smaller clubs dwindle, but it would be a mistake to think this economic bubble will not burst. First, even the super clubs have to develop their next generation of leaders, starting now. And second, in another dozen years the boomers will be dying off. Then, the lack of amenities for younger people will start to affect profits. They also will face a major rival for recreation dollars from the nude cruise industry, which gives couples the chance to travel to exotic places and experience emenities not available at any landed club. In repsonse, landed clubs may then be tempted to attract and keep its members by adopting more titilating party themes that are not in the naturist tradition. Ironically the quest for the almightly dollar might kill the naturist movement that has spent 75 years denying it was anything but a wholesome family experience.

SOME SUGGESTIONS

Every naturist club, resort, and national organization needs to ask itself two basic questions: a) does our mission statement accurately convey why we exist today and what we hope to achieve tomorrow?; and b) To accomplish our mission, what are we providing that cannot be found elsewhere, and to whom to we wish to provide it? The answers to these questions will dictate our future as a movement in America, perhaps even in the world.

Let’s assume the common answer is not “forget the next generation,” but instead is something like “provide a healthy naturist environment to current and future members.” These are some specific suggestions I wish to put into the conversation.

1) The naturist movement needs to expand its membership base, period. Don’t ignore any age bracket, but realize that long-term success is measured by attracting the 25-40 bracket.

2) Realize that even with all our efforts, most of the under-25 crowd will stay away for another decade as the pressure of growing up, moving out and earning a living take precedence. Some will trickle back, bringing friends, if clubs and resorts provide something for them to do. But they are most likely to return via nude beaches and other public lands, because that is what they can afford.

3) Smaller, struggling resorts should specialize. While some may prefer to cater to aging boomers, others should focus on younger families and youth.

4) It is a mistake to try to appeal to today’s kids by presenting naturism as a “summer camp without clothes.” That is too structured. Clubs need to create separate events and activities that are attractive to under-30 groups.

5) “Clothing-optional” should be considered over “nudity required.” Having grown up in a CO resort (except for the pool and Jacuzzi) I saw the positive effects of this approach. It attracts more first-timers—especially women and families.

6) Resorts should offer massage and other health spa amenities to compete with non-naturist spas.

7) Better and faster inter-club and inter-resort communication is needed. This is critical when one discovers a predator on site. We must have the courage to get past our fear of litigation and do the right thing for members, guests and, of course, their children.

8) Adjust membership pricing to focus on under-30 families and singles. At SCNA, we charge families the same rate as couples; in other words, kids under 18 get in free to any event their parents want to bring them to. We also charge singles three-fourths the price of couples to give them a financial incentive to bring someone along. It works! Give younger people a special discount just to show up, have them pay a special rate “by the event,” or offer a daily discount each month. If you focus on thirtysomethings with families, be sure the kids enjoy the experience and feel safe. If the kids are comfortable, rest assured the parents will be back!

As I noted in my interview with N, every naturist should find his future replacement—and over 30 doesn’t count! This is critical. Think of the future. We need to get off our complacent butts. Otherwise naturism, a movement that has offered so much to us, will die in another two or three generations. Our descendents deserve better.