TresSugar

No Sex, Just Nudity in French "Naturist" Community

Colleen Barrett — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 08:00:38 PST

Just because Europe's largest nudist community eschews clothing doesn't mean it has lost its sense of propriety. Nude sunbathing may be a-OK, but sex on the beach is where it draws the line in the sand.

Residents of the Village Naturiste in Cap d'Agde, France, are fed up with being Europe's number-one destination for public sex. Fingers are being pointed at Italians, who are largely the reason the community's Winter population of 300 swells to 40,000 in the Summer.

At first I had no sympathy for these "naturists." What else do you expect when your town is synonymous with nudity? But locals report witnessing orgies, voyeurism, genitals "waved in people's faces," and public acts of S&M. And all of Cap d'Agde is suffering while only members of Village Naturiste (five percent of the town's population) are nudists.

A local politician is writing to the state prosecutor, demanding public decency laws be upheld. A Swiss town banned hiking in the buff last year, but grocery shopping without clothes wasn't its town's pastime. Maybe this is just what happens when you start a nudist colony? An unfortunate byproduct of getting your way, like smog in LA. Or do these people deserve nudity without the sex?

Restaurant Drops "Naked" Promo to Appease Town Council

CitizenSugar — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 10:00:52 PDT

Would you run naked down to the dock and jump in for a free "Skinny Dip" sandwich? If that sounds like a fair price for a free lunch, the town council of Greenville, ME, advises you to think again.

The town's Black Frog Restaurant stopped its promotion offering a sliced prime rib on a baguette for free (regularly $10.95) to diners willing to run naked into Moosehead Lake. The reason? The town council (perhaps in cahoots with the local police department, who'd been responding to complaints about nudity, a misdemeanor in their community) was holding the restaurant's liquor license renewal hostage. The local police chief said that he would most certainly recommend any business lose its license that promoted an ongoing campaign to encourage illegality.

The restaurant has (sadly? That depends, I suppose . . . ) ended its promotion, stating that "au jus" wins out over "au naturel."

Source

Eco-Nudists Go Naked to Save the Planet & Paltrow's Fur Furor

CitizenSugar — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:46:39 PDT

Want to help the planet? Then what are you doing sitting there all dressed and everything? The newest wave in eco-activism is all natural, sans a stitch of clothing. Gwyneth Paltrow may be wishing she'd followed that example after her deal with Italian designer Tod's and resulting ad showing her wearing fox fur and fur-lined boots has earned her heat from animal rights groups.

Gwyneth has been known for her embrace of holistic practices, yoga, vegetarian husband, and pal and vegan designer, Stella McCartney - but this campaign stands to erase that cred. The director of Respect for Animals, said: "Gwyneth Paltrow should be ashamed. I can only assume that Paltrow either is ignorant of the facts or lacks human decency and compassion." Friends have even said that Gwyneth's decision will flay her close friendship with Stella McCartney.

If Gwyneth wants to get back on track, maybe she can embrace the naked eco-movement? To see the story and a cheeky protest,

Not satisfied with the casual sun-bathing reputation of nudists, Econudes.org have embraced the naked as the ultimate way to erase your carbon footprint. After all, clothes (and everything that goes into making and transporting them) are a major cause of climate change. Take those off, and the planet might be happier. It's apparently an ancient practice dating all the way back to the 70s when nudism was defined as "a way of life in harmony with nature, characterised by self-respect, respect for others and for the environment."

If warming skepticism is more your schtick, you can shuck your socks for that too, sort of. A renegade group called Nudists Opposing Winter actually like the warmer weather because, well, it's nicer to be nude. The founder "Pantsless James" says, "we actively support pro-global warming places and companies. No longer will nudists be forced into the fetish of clothes wearing. It frees up everybody to go clothing-free, the way God intended."

Silliness aside, is nudity a good way to bring attention to the strain on the planet we wear on our backs everyday? Is Gwyneth's endorsement deal a slap to animals? Should we all just go-go naked?

Source

What Do You Think About: Naked Gyms?

FitSugar — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 12:30:00 PDT

Okay, now I've heard of Naked Yoga, but a Naked Gym? Now that's news to me.

Well, in the Netherlands, the gym called Fitworld welcomed nudists to come to "Naked Sunday," where they could pedal, run and lift wearing only their birthday suits. During the rest of the week, patrons would continue their clothed workout.

Now, we all know the Netherlands has a reputation for its relaxed sexual attitude. This seems a little extreme for me, even if the nudist are following the rules and putting down towels before they sit on anything!!!!

What do you think?

Nudists Worry About the Wrinkling of the Naked Movement

Annie Scudder — Mon, 02 May 2011 11:37:26 PDT

Annual pantsless subway rides are popular with 20-somethings today, but young people seem reluctant to fully commit to the nudist movement. In a report on the state of the nudist resort industry today, the Wall Street Journal explains clientele overwhelmingly includes graying, wrinkling baby boomers.

Membership to national nudist groups, including the Naturist Society, have been dropping or flat for years. In order to add younger bodies to their ranks, nudists hold reverse-strip poker nights (you start with your clothes off), 5K races, and music festivals like Nudestock, although organizers should call it Nudechella, if they really want to ditch the baby boomer image. Hoping to attract new members, the newly established Young Nudist and Naturists of America will also host a naked dinner party in an NYC loft.

The main problem facing nudist clubs, according to the article, is that they feel like retirement homes. But if they can reinvent themselves to appeal to younger people, would you consider embracing the freedom that comes with wearing no clothes at nudist resorts?

Jennifer Aniston Talks to Marie Claire Australia About Her "Protector" Justin

PopSugar — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:39:44 PDT

Jennifer Aniston covers the May issue of Marie Claire Australia with a photo that was recycled from an older Elle shoot. However, Jen's interview with the publication is all new. She chatted up her and boyfriend Justin Theroux's movie Wanderlust, which opens in Australia on April 25. Jen and Justin are currently hanging out together around their LA home base and were also recently spotted on a dinner date with Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson. Inside the magazine, the 43-year-old actress dished on her love life with Justin, going topless, and finally letting her guard down. Here's more from the interview with Jennifer Aniston in Marie Claire Australia:

On her relationship with boyfriend Justin Theroux: "He's a protector, for sure. He's just a good human being, and so funny."
On her topless scene for Wanderlust: "There are always nerves when you shoot a scene like that. But the adrenaline takes you through it and then you have the girls come in and cover you up immediately. I got very comfortable with seeing nude people, pretty much immediately. It was bizarre to know that these were actually nudists - because there's a nudist colony in Clarkesville - and how comfortable they are being nude."
On not wanting to be so guarded: "I've really made a conscious effort to not wall myself up like that again. I built those walls pretty high in the past. I think you miss out on a lot of stuff when you're so protected and isolated."

Video: Jessica Simpson on Bikinis While Pregnant - "I've Become a Nudist"

Karli Bulnes — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 12:45:45 PST

Jessica Simpson says being pregnant has helped her feel more comfortable in a bikini, joking that she's "become a nudist." The expectant star boldly posed nude for the April cover of Elle magazine. Hear more from her revealing interview in PopSugar Rush.

Get Naked: Naturally or Never?

TresSugar — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:31:42 PST

Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd join a nudist colony in their new movie Wanderlust, out Friday. But while the movie portrays the group's naked members as young, sexual hippies, real nudist groups are full of baby boomers. As we see with Jennifer and Paul's characters in the trailer, younger generations may have some trepidations about taking it all off in a group of people. I'd wager none of us are never nudes, but we all have our limits. Maybe skinny-dipping is cool while walking around a locker room is not. So tell us: when does getting naked come naturally and when will it never come?

Would You Ever Stay With a Nudist?

Elka Karl — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 11:20:05 PDT

If you're interested in really getting to know your hosts, you may want to consider a stay with a nudist. That's exactly what two German students did when they stayed with a nudist host through CouchSurfing, a social networking website that lets visitors stay at their homes free of charge. As recounted in the New York Times article "You’re Not a Stranger When You Leave," German students Daniel Ruf and Patrick Palme stayed with New York nudist Robert Redmond, who has been a nudist since he was 23 years old. Happy to have place to stay, the two students seemed unfazed by their host's lack of clothing, noting "It’s Bob’s home. He can do whatever he wants."

While most of CouchSurfing's hosts are not nudists, Redmond belongs to the site's Clothing Optional group, which provides nudists with options for staying gratis, and clothes-free, with hosts.

Although, I've never willingly stayed with a nudist, in college I found out quite by accident that one of our housemates was a part-time nudist. Every time I returned to our house unexpectedly, I'd find him lounging on our sofa with a science-fiction novel, without a stitch of clothing on him. After the third time this happened, my other housemates and I asked him to keep his goods covered or to find other housing - he found other housing. I hate to think of myself as a prude, but I'm pretty strict when it comes to our home. I like my guests to take their shoes off, but to keep their pants on, thank you very much!

How to Partake in National Nude Recreation Week

Tara Block — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 02:00:22 PDT

While most Americans celebrated the independence of our country on Monday, some people celebrated freedom from clothing. The Fourth of July marked the start of National Nude Recreation Week. A spokesperson for the American Association for Nude Recreation says, "If people would only try it once, I think they’ll see the joys of being naked outdoors." Plus, trying out the nudist lifestyle is a fun way to celebrate and accept your body.

If you want to test the naked waters but aren't quite ready to take it all off and jump into a national nudist group like The Naturist Society, there are many ways to get involved. Here are some ways you can strip for National Nude Recreation Week whether you're new to nude living or a pro.

Nude Newbie: Take baby steps into nude recreation by baring all in your home and backyard. Do everyday activities like gardening, cooking, getting ready for work, and watching TV to see how it feels.

Strip-Down Swimmer: If you've made it past being naked by yourself in the comforts of home, venture out a bit by skinny-dipping with your significant other or best gal pals in a lake, hot tub, or swimming pool. You can do these activities at night if you're not quite ready for baring all in the sunlight, and hot tub bubbles hide everything!

Au Naturel Novice: The next nudist step is to find a nude beach where you can get some sun without the tan lines! Not ready for tossing the bikini bottoms off? Try out bare bathing by just going topless your first time.

Full-Frontal Flasher: If you're lovin' being nude at the beach, now's the time you can look into joining a nude club or resort to try out naked activities with other like-minded nudists. There are even nakations like The Big Nude Boat, a nine-day nude cruise!