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“Is It Hopeless?”: The Struggle to Build a Real Naturist Community Online

Byournaturistlife
Naturist Community Online - A woman standing nude next to a tree with signs indicating an adults-only nudist area and restroom facilities.

We recently received a comment in response to our blog on “Male Dominated Online Naturism – What Can We Do?” that was very honest and made us think about the naturist community online. It said:

“In 2025 this does seem hopeless though, despite the well meaning voices here (including yours ofc) there is such a dearth of genuine community making. For every ‘good post’ there are a million others that obscure it. Our wider culture doesn’t really seem to promote respectful behaviour when dressed!”

And honestly? We felt that. Thank you Danny!

There’s a raw truth in those words that hits deeper than most criticisms. Because they’re not wrong. It does often feel hopeless.

So we thought it was worth digging into why it feels this hard, and what we’re actually up against.

The Digital Landscape Wasn’t Built for Community

Let’s start with the obvious: social media does not reward respectful, thoughtful, or nuanced content. It rewards speed, outrage, skin, and shock value. The algorithm is designed to elevate the content that gets the most clicks. Not the content that creates the most understanding.

So when you post something meaningful, about real body acceptance, or the joy of shared nudity without sexual overtones, it’s like whispering in a wind tunnel. Meanwhile, influencers using nudity to sell a lifestyle (or sell themselves) dominate the feed.

The result? Genuinely naturist voices feel drowned out or ignored, while superficial or sexualized content gets celebrated. It’s not just discouraging; it can feel demoralizing.

We Live in a Culture That Doesn’t Teach Respect

The commenter nailed it: if we can’t promote respectful behavior when people are dressed, what hope is there for spaces where they’re not?

We’re up against a cultural baseline that already commodifies bodies, especially women’s, and objectifies people at every turn. Advertising, entertainment, even everyday fashion: it’s all rooted in performative sexuality. So when someone encounters nudity online, their cultural lens is already warped. They’re not seeing people… they’re seeing product.

Naturism, with its core values of body acceptance and non-sexual social nudity, doesn’t stand a chance in that kind of environment without serious effort. It has to actively fight against the lens through which people are taught to view nudity.

The Disappearing Voices of Women and Marginalized Folks

Let’s be honest. Many women have simply opted out. They’ve left online naturist spaces because the emotional labor is exhausting. Having to constantly monitor how your body is perceived. Having to filter messages that start respectful and turn creepy. Having to justify your presence, your nudity, your boundaries. And marginalized groups feel the same way.

And when those voices go silent, the space becomes even more male-dominated. Not because women aren’t interested in naturism, but because they’ve had to prioritize their mental health and safety.

We’ve seen this pattern over and over. Women post once or twice, are met with voyeuristic replies or thinly veiled sexual compliments, and then vanish. Who can blame them?

Even Our Own Visibility Is Skewed

Here’s something we’ve noticed that we wrestle with: when Corin is the lead image on our blog post, we get five times the views compared to when I am the lead image.

It’s not that Corin is doing anything provocative or different. It’s that the culture has conditioned people to pay more attention to images of women, especially nude women, regardless of context. That can be a deeply uncomfortable reality.

So we ask ourselves, are we playing into the same trap by using Corin’s image to increase visibility? Or are we using the tools of the current system to spread a message that challenges the system itself?

The truth is complicated. We don’t love the dynamic, but we’re also trying to reach people. We’re careful with the images we use. We choose them thoughtfully, respectfully. And we keep our integrity intact. That matters.

We may not be able to control how people see us, but we can control how we present ourselves and why. And when our goal is to model what respectful, ethical naturism looks like in a world that so often gets it wrong, that choice has power.

The Danger of Disappearing Behind Walls

In response to the toxicity of public platforms, many naturists move to private, member-only spaces. It’s a natural reaction to burnout, censorship, and harassment. But when our only solution is retreat, we risk losing something vital: our visibility.

When naturism lives only behind paywalls or password-protected forums, the public sees less of us. They see fewer respectful conversations about bodies. Fewer examples of non-sexual nudity. Fewer chances to encounter a different way of thinking.

We understand the desire for safety. Truly, we do. But when we retreat into our digital enclaves, we sometimes forget that we’re building echo chambers. Spaces where everyone agrees, where conflict is low, and where we stop challenging ourselves to change perceptions.

In some ways, it feels like we’re going backward. Back to secrecy. Back to coded language. Back to invisibility.

If naturism is to grow into a living, breathing cultural force, not just a private club for the converted, we must find ways to stay present in public, even when it’s hard. Not recklessly, not naively… but intentionally.

We’re Not Just Promoting Naturism. We’re Resisting a Culture

Here’s the truth: we’re not just writing about naturism. We’re resisting cultural decay.

Every post that affirms non-sexual nudity, every blog that lifts up ethical naturism, is an act of quiet rebellion. We’re trying to build something honest in a space that doesn’t value honesty. We’re trying to promote respect in a world that profits off disrespect.

It’s not a level playing field. We’re constantly pushing back against forces that reduce the naked body to clickbait, and that see any vulnerability as an opportunity to exploit. That’s what makes the work feel so heavy. And that’s what makes the feeling of hopelessness so real.

We cannot do it alone. We need every voice.

But Hopeless Doesn’t Mean Helpless

And yet, here we are.Still writing. Still showing up. Still sharing. Still answering DMs from confused newcomers with patience and compassion. Still trying to lift up other voices we admire, even if they only have a few followers.

Because hopelessness is a feeling, not a fact.

When we started this journey with our website, we didn’t do it because we thought we’d win the internet. We did it because we believed in the value of what naturism could offer: self-acceptance, honesty, comfort, and connection. And we believed that even one person encountering that message, really encountering it, was worth all the effort.

So to the commenter who wrote that… thank you Danny. You’re not alone in your frustration. But if you’re still commenting, still reading, still engaging with the small flames of sincerity that haven’t gone out, then maybe that’s the beginning of community after all.

To the Quiet Builders of the Naturist Community Online

If you’re one of the quiet builders, one of the people posting respectfully, supporting others, modeling good behavior in the shadows, please don’t give up.

You may not see the impact. But you are part of a foundation. And even if it feels hopeless some days, we still believe there’s something worth building here.

And we’re building it with you.

We hope you enjoy our human experiences in naturism. Please share, like, leave a comment and subscribe to get notified when we post something new.

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16 Comments

  1. This may be off-topic, but another issue ai have noticed vis-à-vis nudists is the absence of humor. I am uncertain why that is (and perhaps it is my unique observation) but it appears that despite the nudity, nudists are some if the most repressed people I’ve met.

    I recently completed my second novel on an ongoing series and the protagonist is a casual nudist. I gave her a very dry, sardonic sense of humor. I also allowed other characters the freedom to be “funny” as well. ( keeping in mind that funny is subjective.)

    Am I out to lunch on this, or is it a thing? From what I’ve seen, I don’t know why anyone eould want to be a nudist today. It’s nothing like it was in the 1970s.

    Yes, I’m old.

    Anyway, regards!

    Maddie

    Reply

    1. Oh, you’re not out to lunch. You’re at the all-you-can-eat buffet of repressed naked feelings, and baby, welcome to the sauna of awkward silences.

      You’re absolutely right… for a bunch of people who claim to be “free,” some nudists act like laughing might cause spontaneous nipple shame. It’s like a lot of folks stripped off their clothes but forgot to unclench.

      I mean, have you ever seen a more serious group of genitals than in the average nudist club photo? Everyone’s standing around like they just lost their last towel and their sense of humor in a tragic lawn chair accident.

      Your sardonic nudist protagonist sounds like the hero we need. Give that woman a dry martini and let her roast everyone who thinks “fun” means an hour-long lecture on ethical sunscreen.

      And yeah, you’re right. It ain’t the 70s anymore. Back then it was “Peace, Love, and Genitals.” Now it’s more “Please don’t smile too much, it might be mistaken for sexual energy, and we don’t allow that here.” But hey, back then you didn’t have to worry about someone live-streaming your nude beach picnic to X. Welcome to the modern age, where naturism meets Wi-Fi and occasionally forgets to laugh.

      But we’re still trying. Some of us are out here making jokes, shaking things up in some of our less serious articles, and reminding everyone that being naked doesn’t mean you have to act like you’re at a funeral for joy.

      So no, you’re not too old, you’re just too awesome.

      We will continue to attempt humor. One dry joke at a time. Naked. Obviously. 😃😁

      Reply

    2. I aagree wholeheartedly, where has the humour gone. This is meant to be a fun thing to do. A few more smiles would help.

      Can you ppoint me to where I can find your book, sounds like my kind of thing.

      Reply

  2. A very touching and inciteful commentary on the state of life today. Unlike others in the world of naturism, you are staying true to your values and not selling out.

    Thank you for being the perceptive voice of reason.

    I will continue to stand naked on the sidelines, staying respectful to men and women alike as I do fully clothed.

    Nick D

    Reply

  4. A wonderful thought provoking blog Kevin. Sometimes it feels like you only preaching to the converted and just pissing into the abyss. In my opinion there is a naturist community online but it is small and undefined, mainly people worldwide that you will never meet but with whom you agree with their core principles.

    Keep doing what you are doing Corin and Kevin.

    Reply

  5. Sometimes it seems like a daunting task to do what you do, but all important work can seem daunting. What you are doing is not only helping to progress nudity as a free and proper lifestyle, but reassuring struggling nudists/naturists at a time when the respect doesn’t come regardless of being nude or clothed. So keep writing, whether you see it or not, you are helping a lot of people out there.

    Reply

  6. I think that this blog, and others like it, have more postive responses than we think. Negativity stands out more because people are looking for it more than anything positive. MANY times my attention has been grabbed by a headline, deliberately worded to lead the reader that something scandalous has occurred and/or someone has gotten what they deserved. This blog presents naturism as it is, and the nude human body as it should be – wholesome and beautiful. The people that matter have been positively influenced.

    Reply

  7. Hi Kevin & Corin! I find words of wisdom and truth in your last two block posts. Probably the most important posts for a long long time.

    We cannot just give up in a world where visibility and representation matter. That is, we all need to stick out our necks and become visible. It has taken far too long for me to realize this necessity in the modern world. And the privacy of clubs did not set a good example or role model in this regard. I’m still at the transitional stage (on blueksy). Changing how we view the (male and female) body will require all of us – and putting us out on the line of fire, till all unnatural curiosity about bodies has been overcome and weird interactions become unnecessary.

    Remember the sociological fact that every marginalized or “minority” group had to fight for acceptance and trust, and they had to insist on the relevance of their beliefs to overcome stubborn ways of thinking among the majority. And tgey all faced unique kinds of resistance and hurdles. Whether it was the womens’ rights or blacks‘ rights movement, indigenous people, environmentalists, gay activists, gender minorities, …

    If it is on us to call the world to more civil behavior in online and offline spaces, so be it. The world needs all of us and all of our voices and faces, precisely because the world is in despair.

    Continue. Please. I need you. Your voice. Your pics. Others may need you even more than I do. More than we can know of. Only because many are not at the stage of replying yet (and becoming visible or audible), do we not hear or see them. They may change their ways silently. Stay in the background, but question current dominant lifestyles and norms. But that is how it starts. We shall cry out till we get a reply.

    Matt

    Reply

    1. Thanks Matt for the kind words. We respect that not everyone can be visible even though we believe it to be a very important part of our life in naturism. But not everyone is an advocate.

      If we truly believe in our hearts that we are not doing anything wrong. That naturism is an important part of our lives. That being honest is important. That it could benefit so many people. Why should we hide who we are? No matter what someone else thinks or believes. We don’t fear losing friends. We don’t fear losing family members. And we don’t fear career change. When you get past all the fears… that’s where freedom truly is.

      Reply

  8. Another really excellent article, and you (and the commenters so far) cover all the issues.
    – the online space, if unmoderated and with no qualified membership, is a cesspit. Nothing new there. Unmoderated spaces allow people (mostly men) to catfish, troll, abuse, and worse.
    – and as a result, of course, women will be the first to leave, or fail to join. All women know the reality of living with the potential for male violence, and online is no different.
    – your line ‘Every post that affirms non-sexual nudity, every blog that lifts up ethical naturism, is an act of quiet rebellion.’ is spot on. I think your site, and presence on BlueSky, is indeed a statement of defiance in the face of (alas) the worst in human nature that is released without consequences on the internet.
    – however, before the internet, people wishing to join a society of like minded individuals had to front up in person, with an identity, and often with references. In the 80s, nudist clubs and associations (and most other clubs and associations) didn’t just let the world in, they checked bona-fides, they moderated behaviour, they expelled those who showed themselves to be inimical to the ethos of the organisation. I’m afraid that’s necessary online as well.
    I’m not sure if you know of barelyclubhouse.net, a naturist site based in the UK. The founders of this website and online community decided upfront to require each prospective member to be vetted and/or recommended by existing members, and it seems to work very well. I’m not sure of the M/F balance, but there are certainly a lot of MF couples there, and as far as I can tell, the negative behaviour that puts so many off isn’t there.
    That’s enough, I think. But, keep up your quiet rebellion.

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much Chris. Interesting comments. We were discussing the other day about what an online naturist community would look like to us. One of key things in our debate was verification of who you are including vetting. We did it previously with a MEWE Couples group we had and it worked.

      In real-world naturist spaces, there’s no hiding. We show up as we are. Bodies, faces, stories, and all. That openness is part of what makes naturism feel so liberating, equalizing, and genuine. So why should online naturist communities be any different?

      The truth is: they shouldn’t.

      If we’re serious about creating a digital space that reflects the values of authentic naturism, we have to be just as serious about accountability, visibility, and trust.

      Reply


  9. I don’t have much to add. You say it all and you say it well.

    I thought the same after reading your blog on male domination. And because I had nothing to add, I kept quiet.

    I could have kept quiet again. But then you would not know about this man that was nodding all the time while reading. So I decided to just write to tell you that you are not alone. I support you. Many do. I try to contribute to the fight for acceptance, like you do, but in my own way. And I hope that many do.

    Keep up the good work!

    Hugo

    Reply

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