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Why Are We Hiding? Are We Sending the Wrong Message to the Next Generation?

Byournaturistlife

This tension between naturism and anonymity is becoming one of the biggest challenges facing the lifestyle today.

Naturism and Anonymity. A man and a woman posing nude for a selfie while lounging outdoors, surrounded by greenery. The man is wearing sunglasses and holding a cigarette, while the woman is casually using her phone, partially covered by a towel.

We’ve been naturists for a while now, and we believe this is one of naturisms biggest challenges.

Why are so many people comfortable baring their bodies, but not their faces?

Scroll through social media, any naturist group photo, or club event page and you’ll notice the trend… bodies proudly free, but heads cropped, faces blurred, or expressions hidden behind emojis. Sometimes, it’s entire club websites filled with faceless torsos and anonymous limbs, as if being seen is more dangerous than being naked.

And look, we get it. Fear of judgment is real. But we also have to ask a harder question… and not just for ourselves, but for naturism as a whole:

What are we teaching the next generation about this lifestyle if the people who already believe in it are too afraid to be seen?

The Mixed Message of Hidden Faces

Naturism is supposed to be about acceptance, authenticity, and body freedom. It’s about saying, “This is me… no shame, no cover-up.”

But if someone in their 20s or 30s stumbles across our online spaces and sees rows of headless sunbathers, what do you think they’re hearing?

It says:

“I’m ashamed of this, even though I practice it.”

“I want to be here, but I don’t want anyone to know.”

“This isn’t something you can live openly.”

It’s not exactly a warm invitation.

And younger generations? They’ve grown up in a world that values openness. They’ve watched people come out, speak up, show off their weird hobbies and awkward talents. All without apology. Hiding your identity now isn’t seen as modest. It’s seen as a red flag.

We keep saying naturism is about being real… but to them, it might just look like another thing you have to keep secret.

A naked couple sitting together on a boat in front of a scenic island backdrop, enjoying drinks and sunlight.

“But I Could Lose My Job…”

We hear this one a lot, and to be fair, it’s not paranoia. It’s a valid fear in a world that still struggles to separate simple nudity from sexuality. Some workplaces have morality clauses. Some industries are extremely image-sensitive. And unfortunately, there are still people out there who don’t understand naturism, and don’t want to.

So let’s be clear: We’re not dismissing the risk. And we’re definitely not suggesting anyone jeopardize their livelihood or safety just to post a photo.

But here’s what we are saying: Let’s stop pretending that every single person blurring their face is doing it out of necessity. Because they’re not.

Some are. But many are just doing it out of habit. Or because they’ve watched others do it. Or because they’ve never actually asked themselves what the real consequence would be… or if there’s a way to be visible without being reckless.

Sometimes, “I could lose my job” really means, “I’m scared of being judged.” And sometimes, that judgment doesn’t even come.

We’ve met teachers, therapists, health care workers, and government employees who all show their faces in naturist spaces and have never once faced consequences. They didn’t lose their jobs. They didn’t get dragged through HR. They didn’t become tabloid headlines.

Now, that doesn’t mean you won’t face challenges… everyone’s situation is different. And some have seen the consequences.

But we also think we need to stop speaking in absolutes. Because if everyone believes it’s impossible to be out, then no one ever is… and naturism remains invisible, unsupported, and misunderstood.

So maybe it’s time we started asking better questions: What are the real consequences in my life and am I sure they’re as bad as I think? Is there a way I can support naturism without nudity just by sharing my voice, or my name, or my face? If I have the privilege of being in a safe position, what responsibility do I have to help change the narrative?

Because let’s be honest: if everyone who could speak up keeps choosing not to… then the ones who hate naturism keep defining it.

And that’s not a future we want to hand to the next generation.

The Disappearing Next Generation

Naturist clubs everywhere are wondering: “Why aren’t young people coming? Why aren’t they joining?”

Well… maybe they don’t want to join something that looks like it’s in witness protection.

If our clubs and communities look more like secret societies than inclusive, welcoming movements, we can’t blame the next generation for hesitating. They want connection. Meaning. Truth. They want to know they can bring their whole selves to the table… faces and all.

And if we’re not offering that, why would they bother?

A couple enjoying a sunny day at the beach, posing for a selfie in the water, with smiles and relaxed expressions.

What Are We Really Afraid Of?

Here’s something we’ve always found a bit ironic: the people most worried about being “found out” are sometimes totally comfortable sharing their naked bodies… as long as you can’t see their face.

So it begs the question: If someone you know figured it out and recognized you… is the real issue that they saw your naked body? Or that they realized you’re a naturist?

Because honestly, we all have bodies. Yours is not the first or last your neighbor, boss, or great-aunt Helen has ever seen. Even if it feels that way. The discomfort isn’t about nudity. It’s about being different.

What we’re hiding isn’t skin. It’s identity.

So here’s a thought experiment: What if you never posted a nude photo at all… just your face, and simply said, “I support naturism”?

No full-body shots.

No “strategically placed” towels.

Just your actual, human face, paired with your real belief… on Facebook… on Instagram… on every platform that doesn’t allow nudity.

Would that feel safer? Or scarier?

Because maybe it’s not nudity we’re afraid of.

Maybe it’s being seen for what we believe.

Changing the Picture

Just imagine it: thousands of people… different ages, different backgrounds… showing just their faces across social media and saying, “I support naturism.”

No nudity required.

It would be a game-changer.

Instead of endless rows of blurred faces and anonymous flesh, the public would see something totally different:”I’m a parent. A teacher. A nurse. A neighbor. A business owner. I believe in body respect, choice, and freedom from shame.”

That image? Way more powerful than another blurry groin in the woods.

And way more likely to bring younger folks in… because they’re not looking for a place to hide.

They’re looking for something real.

A couple happily posing together on a beach, both fully nude, standing near a rock with a sailboat in the background and clear blue skies.

If You Believe in This, Show Up for It

We’re not here to guilt anyone. But we are here to challenge the idea that silence equals safety.

If you believe in this philosophy… in body acceptance, in freedom from shame, in respecting every kind of human… then maybe it’s time to ask: Why am I still hiding from it?

Not everyone can show their face. We know that. But if you can… maybe it’s time to. Because the future of naturism isn’t going to appear by magic.

It’s built by the people who show up.

If We Want Naturism to Grow…

If we want naturism to actually grow and thrive for future generations, then we have to be the ones who take up the challenge.

Not the mythical “younger crowd.” Not someone braver down the road. Us. Right now!

Because if we keep hiding and if we keep making naturism look like something that must be hidden, we’re not just playing it safe. We’re handing the mic to every voice out there saying naturism is wrong, indecent, or shameful.

And if they’re the only ones being seen and heard, we’re not just invisible… we’re losing!

We still remember the first time we showed our faces publicly. It was terrifying… and also kind of freeing. People connected with us more. They trusted us more. And no… the sky didn’t fall.

It just became easier to talk about something we already loved. We no longer had to lie or hide.

Because now we weren’t just two naturists. We were Kevin and Corin.

And we were finally seen.

A smiling couple posing for a selfie outdoors, the woman playfully sticking out her tongue, both relaxed and embracing a naturist lifestyle.

Final Thought

We all want naturism to grow. We want clubs that thrive. Communities that welcome new generations. A movement that doesn’t just survive… but inspires.

But we can’t do that from the shadows. So if you’re someone who can be seen… maybe now’s the time.

And if you’re someone who truly can’t be visible online… we get it. Not everyone has the same freedom, and sometimes the risk is real. But that doesn’t mean you’re powerless. You can still step up. You can still show up.

Get involved at your local club. Volunteer with your regional or national naturist organization. Help plan events. Be a friendly face at the gate. Hand out towels. These things matter. There are so many ways to be a proud naturist… and they don’t all involve social media or presence online. We don’t need everyone to post nudes with their face. But we do need real people, with real passion, doing real things. That’s what makes naturism grow. That’s how we change the narrative.

We created our website to try to do our part. We try to stay active across social media. We try to “be a voice” to be open about who we are and what naturism means to us. And how it has made us happier and better people.

Let your face say what your body already knows: “I’m here. I’m real. And I believe in this.”

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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40 Comments

  1. Hi Corin and Kevin. We’re Canadian nudists and we look forward to reading your great articles!

    Reply

      1. We’re looking for more nudist friendly places near Toronto. Any suggestions?

  4. We fully accept Naturism with a “Capital N.” Our 3/4 acre lot in our small AZ city about 1/2 fenced, 1/4 tree lined, and much the rest blocked in other ways. We have posted signs to let people know! 😉😁🧓👴

    Reply

  5. As always, you raise interesting and cogent points! Unfortunately, we live in societies where casual, non-sexual nudity is frequently (albeit erroneously) stigmatized. Until such nudity becomes normalized and more widely accepted, many people will continue to feel the need to refrain from acknowledging their love of nudism to the general community…especially on internet-related platforms. It’s easier for them to be comfortable among other nudists than among the judgmental populations. Hopefully, society’s attitudes will evolve sooner rather than later, making casual nudity a non-issue. Thanks for doing your part to make this happen.

    Reply

    1. See, that’s the problem. It’s a “Catch 22” situation. Naturists hide because of the stigma held by society. But that stigma won’t be broken unless naturists come out of hiding.

      Reply

    2. Thank you. We really appreciate your thoughtful comment and your support. We definitely share your hope that attitudes evolve. But we also think it’s important to acknowledge that society has always sexualized and punished bodies in different ways. Especially when it comes to class, race, gender, and power. We don’t actually expect non-sexual nudity to ever be fully “normalized” in the broader culture. Not because it shouldn’t be, but because it would require society to confront a lot more than just bare skin.

      That’s why we focus on helping people live it anyway. Not waiting for permission. Not needing society to catch up. Just doing it… with integrity, safety, and joy… in the spaces we do have. That’s the heart of naturism for us.

      Reply

    1. Totally fair to prefer tea! But to extend the metaphor… we weren’t just talking about coffee vs. tea. We were inviting people to step into the café, sit at the table, maybe chat with others… even if they never order a drink at all. There are so many ways to be visible in naturism, and not one of them requires posting a nude photo.

      Reply

  7. I vacillate between being *very* careful and being fully out there. I suspect that being discovered nude wouldn’t be a horrible thing unless it is used as blackmail bait. So yeah, sigh …, I’m still on the fence.

    Reply

  8. It is always such a pleasure to read your essays. Straight and to the point. This one especially rings true.

    Reply

  9. Another cogent and well-reasoned post. Earlier this year, I “came out” on social media with photos and comments. It was fantastic! I didn’t receive a lot of feedback, but what I did receive was all positive. Being retired, employment isn’t an issue for me, but I know it is for some people. I hope naturism/nudism gets to a point where it’s not an uncomfortable issue for anyone.

    Reply

  10. Hello Kevin and Corin, I’m newly into naturism, although I had been reading about it for a long time.
    I’m from Nigeria and I really enjoy your articles.

    Reply

  12. The only thing I can say is that many Christians do not separate nudism and sexuality. I keep my enjoyment of naturism private; I’ve stated in past replies that my wife will sometimes join me at naturist events, and does not at all object to my being nude around the house (so long as we’re not expecting company). But she is adamant that my enjoyment of naturism not be made public. Friends and family members would stop associating with us. As a Christian who is more than a CINO (Christian in name only) but who still makes more than his fair share of mstakes, I certainly will not engage in behavior which I believe should not be done. I will not refuse to associate with anyone. There are quite a number of Christians like me who enjoy naturism but do not reveal it. In the Bible, in Romans, chapter 14, it says that those who are strong in their faith should respect those with weak faith. It does not say that as a mature believer, one must completely give up something that challenges a weak brother or sister; it says to not make a show of it in such a way as that which would cause a brother or sister with weak faith to have a spiritual crisis.
    Let’s make one thing perfectly clear: The Bible does not condemn nonsexual nudity. In I Samuel 19:24, we see that King Saul “…lay down naked all night, and prophesied…” therefore, nudity was common among prophets. No one condemned Saul for being naked; they just wondered if he was now a prophet.
    When Jesus was baptized, He was nude. The Bible doesn’t say that, but a study of Jewish customs would reveal that people were baptized nude. In Genesis 1:31, God said that what He made was very good. Two nude people were present. But God also said that strong Christians must be mindful of those who aren’t.

    Reply

    1. This is a really interesting comment, Jeff. It’s an issue that I’ve discussed many times with other Christians and Pastors. I’m not sure that Kevin would appreciate an ongoing discussion about it here, but I’m happy to give you a contact email if you wish to have a further chat – just let me know. Cheers!

      Reply

      1. I notice that you are often judged by people outside your Christian circle: “He is Christian and a naturist. How can that be?”

      2. I notice that you are often judged by people outside your Christian circle: “He is Christian and a naturist. How can that be?”

  13. This is something that I have been saying for ages. I don’t like it when people hide their faces. I never have, I even use my real name. I understand why some people feel the need to hide away but I don’t like it.

    Reply

  14. Great article. I have no issues with showing my face but you’ve set out a tot of good points for why naturism is stalled among the younger generation. Although there are many positive aspects. The Sydney Skinny in (obviously) Sydney has more women than men participants as it’s a safe space for women to swim withhout feeling objectified. The Spencer Tunick photoshoot in Brisbane, which I attended, had 5,500 participants – most of which (my guess) were younger than 40 – I’m 64.Love your work, keep it up – John

    Reply

    1. This is a great site for people with similar interests in naturism and life. Thank you again and keep up the great work!

      Reply

    2. Interesting comment, John, and I’m not sure if you realise, but you’re actually onto something there! And it’s something that I’ve been pondering over the last couple of years. You mentioned the Sydney Skinny and Spencer Tunic’s photoshoots. I could add the World Naked Bike Rides and the various Burning Man events around the world – Australia has Burning Seed and Blazing Swan. New Zealand has Kiwiburn. None of these events are labelled as “nudist” or “naturist” events. Women feel comfortable taking part because they are obviously run with safety in mind – some are even clothing-optional. In fact, the Sydney Skinny even states that you don’t have to be a nudist to take part – the only time you are naked is actually in the water.

      As for young folks, today’s generation are not interested in following philosophies – being an “ist” or belonging to any “ism”. And they’re certainly not the least bit interested in forking out up to $400 to join a naturist club full of mostly old people – especially when they can go skinny dipping anywhere (here in NZ anyway) and clubs don’t cater for their interests. As Kevin mentioned, openness and inclusivity are buzzwords among today’s youth and part of their culture – they are not ashamed to express their individuality and weirdness.

      Reply

  15. We made the decision back around 2007 or 2008 and just come out and tell everyone. friends’, family old school classmates and business associates. We also have nude photos of ourselves on several social media sites and such with our faces clearly visible. That said some of the photos have been discovered by those we have told we are nudists. Most have been very complimentary of them. Yes, there have been a few that felt we have gone too far and are now far less friendly towards us. The reality is that these photos represent who and what we are plus our love for each other and our love for a nude life.

    We are proud nudists living in Oklahoma and members @OaklakeTrails C/O resort.

    T & K

    Reply

    1. Kudos to you for your outlook and your lifestyle. You are a couple that can show how a nude lifestyle can open up an entire to way to look at things.

      Reply

  16. Some great points in this piece Kevin. There’s a couple of things I might mention, though . . .

    “Scroll through social media, any naturist group photo, or club event page and you’ll notice the trend… bodies proudly free, but heads cropped, faces blurred, or expressions hidden behind emojis. Sometimes, it’s entire club websites filled with faceless torsos and anonymous limbs, as if being seen is more dangerous than being naked.”

    On social media that is often true, but torso photos – particularly ones where the focus is on genitalia – are frowned on here in NZ, and you won’t find headless pics on any club website or even page, nor do we allow pics with silly emojis over the face. We’ve all seen those silly pics of a beautiful beach scene with random legs in the bottom of frame that attempt to say, “Here I am, naked on a beach”, as though we need the bare legs as evidence! I personally find such pics ridiculous – but, hey – that’s just me.

    “But here’s what we are saying: Let’s stop pretending that every single person blurring their face is doing it out of necessity. Because they’re not. Some are. But many are just doing it out of habit. Or because they’ve watched others do it. Or because they’ve never actually asked themselves what the real consequence would be… or if there’s a way to be visible without being reckless.”

    Here’s another “because”: From what I’ve found, the majority of torso-only shots are certainly done with sexual motives. They want to show off what God has endowed them with in order to attract sexual attention but with the obvious need to hide their identity. That is rife on social media. It’s not naturism, but it pervades many naturist social media sites.

    But you certainly nailed it with saying, “If our clubs and communities look more like secret societies than inclusive, welcoming movements, we can’t blame the next generation for hesitating.” Exactly! The clubs (and in fact the NZ Naturist Federation that supports them) send out totally mix messages. They try to preach that being naked is normal, natural, inoffensive and acceptable, yet they hide behind tall hedges, locked gates, and require prospective new members to undergo the Spanish Inquisition before being allowed in! It’s ridiculous!

    Reply

    1. Thank you for this wonderful comment. It adds so much depth to the conversation. We really appreciate you bringing in the New Zealand perspective, especially how your local clubs take a more intentional approach to images and avoid the silliness of emoji faces or cropped genital shots. It seems to be more common here. We couldn’t agree more that sexualized faceless posts are not naturism, and they damage the public’s understanding of what we’re about. And yes… your line about clubs hiding behind fences while preaching openness is true. We have an article drafted about this as well. Thank you again!

      Reply

  18. Thank you very much for that great article!
    Love the way you always hit the nail on the head. You’re totally right we need more people to live an open naturist live!
    And it is right, you don’t have to show your private parts, if you appear in social media.
    Just be a person, saying you’re part of our lifestyle.

    Reply

  19. This afternoon very interesting and thought provoking article. I took up naturist about 4 years ago. I enjoy it and wife supports me . My porch, which is 4 feet off ground is set up for total privacy. Mind you, we are in a park home in a village within an rv resort, and nudity is not permitted. But this florida, hot, and I enjoy it. Unfortunately any clubs or gathering spots are at least 2 hrs away. But I do talk about the benefits of being naked.

    Reply

  20. This post was great an totally true, true great job guys, and keep it up, supporting naturism

    Reply

  22. OK you guys: you’ve pushed me over the edge. And I thank you for it!

    I am relatively new to naturism, just over a year. I have been hesitant about how much my identity would be connected to naturism or nudism. For anything online, I use an alternate email address and incognito windows so my online activity won’t be connected to the rest of my online profile.

    But as you point out, “why?”. I guess I don’t want nudist-related ads popping up when I’m showing someone my search results for the latest football news. But at this point, my whole family knows, and I’m itchin’ to tell my friends anyway, so sounds like it would be a good conversation starter!

    I too really dislike photos where naked peoples’ faces are blurred out. I want to see *you* enjoying nature naturally, not just your beheaded body posing. I even “stick it to them” by never “liking” those photos – my personal protest. When I’m on the Naturist Hub, in that safe, moderated online community, I feel perfectly comfortable sharing photos of my naked adventures. Basically, if I don’t trust a site enough to show my face, I don’t post there.

    And if one of my nude pictures leaks out into the unknowing world – what am I afraid of? I really don’t care if people I know see me naked – that’s my body, move on. I guess my fear is the explosion of exposing this new “hobby” faster than my carefully-curated coming out. So in your thought experiment, I guess I would be just as scared posting just my face, simply stating that I’m a naturist. I haven’t even gotten fully comfortable using that label myself. I’m just someone who really enjoys home nudism and social nudity – WNBR, naked runs, nude beaches, nudist clubs, nudist festivals – OK, maybe I fit the label!

    So you’ve pushed me over the edge. I’m writing these comments in a fully-trackable browser window (have at it, Google!) and giving you my “real” email address! No more hiding, incognito, from whatever my fears were.

    Thank you, Kevin and Corin!!

    Reply
  23. Pingback: Unmasked: Body Confidence and Anonymity in Naturism

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