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Sexy? Babe? Beautiful Body? …I’m Honestly Not Sure How to Feel

Byournaturistlife
Naturism and body comments. A nude woman standing by the water, captured in black and white, with long hair and a serene expression, surrounded by foliage.

You know what three phrases I’ve probably heard more than my own name?

Not ‘Mom,’ not ‘Honey,’ and apparently not even ‘Corin’… which, last I checked, is literally my name.

It’s “sexy,” “babe,” and “beautiful body.”

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From the time I was a teenager… long before I even understood what those words really meant, men have been hurling them my way like confetti at a parade I never signed up for. If you’re female and visible, apparently “sexy,” “babe,” or “sexy body” are the highest honors society thinks it can bestow on you.

I’ve heard them on the street, at work, shouted from cars, whispered in bars, and now typed in comment sections. In the age of social media, they come in every flavor: ALL CAPS, stretched with extra letters, paired with a winky-face emoji, or my personal favorite… “sexy body” said as if that’s all I am.

And every time, I find myself pausing. Do I smile? Do I cringe? Do I type back “thank you” or send an “eyeroll” emoji? Honestly, I don’t always know how to feel.

So let’s talk about naturism and body comments.

When “Sexy,” “Babe,” and “Beautiful Body” Feel Hollow

The problem isn’t that those words are always bad. The problem is that after decades of hearing them on repeat, they stop carrying much weight.

Sometimes they feel flattering. Sometimes they feel lazy. And when it’s “beautiful body” or “sexy body,” they feel like my entire existence has been reduced down to one piece of me.

Here’s what those words actually say to me now:

  • I noticed your body before I noticed you.
  • I couldn’t think of anything more original.
  • I might paste this under ten other women’s photos today.
  • (And if I said “sexy body,” I’m making it clear that’s the only thing I saw.)

So when the notifications pop up… “sexy,” “babe,” “beautiful body,” rinse and repeat… it doesn’t feel personal anymore. It feels like background noise.

A close-up selfie of a woman with long blonde hair and sunglasses, smiling against a light blue wall.

It’s Not Just Me

I’ve talked to plenty of other women about this, naturists and non-naturists alike, and the response is almost always the same: “sexy” and “babe” aren’t the compliments men think they are.

Yes, there are women who like them. Yes, there are women who openly invite them. But for many of us, they feel flat. Empty. Or confusing, because you’re not sure if you’re supposed to take it as praise, or just proof that someone didn’t think past the first word that came to mind.

That’s the messy middle I find myself in.

And yes, I know what some people are already thinking: “Well, you post nude photos. What do you expect?”

I expect respect. Maybe some originality.

Yes, there are nude photos of me online. Yes, I chose to share them to demonstrate our life in naturism. But that choice doesn’t erase my humanity. Sharing my naturist life doesn’t make me a mannequin for lazy compliments. It doesn’t mean every tired “sexy body” comment suddenly becomes meaningful.

If anything, it makes thoughtful compliments matter more. Because naturism isn’t about performance… it’s about honesty. If you only see nudity as an invitation to throw out the same old “sexy” or “babe,” you’ve missed the entire point of why I’m here in the first place.

In Naturist Spaces

Here’s where it gets even trickier.

Naturism is about being comfortable in your own skin, not performing for someone else’s. It’s about community, freedom, respect.

But post a photo of yourself reading a book on the beach? Someone calls you “sexy.”

Drying off after a swim? “Beautiful body.”

Carrying groceries into your cabin? “Sexy body babe.” (Efficiency points for combining them, I guess.)

And I’m left wondering: do I take this as a compliment… or as proof that the whole point of naturism went right over their heads?

A person posing on a rocky beach, wearing sunglasses and sandals, with the ocean and sky in the background.

Context Matters Even More

Here’s the part that complicates everything: when the exact same words come from someone you know, they can feel completely different.

When Kevin calls me “sexy” or says I have a “beautiful body,” it doesn’t make me pause in confusion. It makes me smile. Sometimes it even makes me feel better on days when I don’t feel either of those things. Why? Because it’s coming from someone who knows me… my mind, my heart, my quirks… not just the way I look in a snapshot.

That’s what separates intimacy from laziness. In a relationship, “sexy” or “beautiful body” comes layered with love, history, and connection. From a stranger, those same words feel stripped of all of that. They flatten me down to nothing more than skin.

And that’s the dividing line I believe naturism tries to hold: compliments should build connection, not reduce people.

If You Must Compliment, Try This Instead

If you want to say something nice, something that makes me pause with a smile instead of with suspicion… then notice something more.

“You look happy here.“

“That beach looks peaceful.”

“Love the light in this shot.”

Those words feel human. They notice the moment, not just the skin.

They tell me you actually saw me.

A woman sitting outdoors on a bench, wearing sunglasses and smiling, with a purple fabric draped behind her. The background features greenery and a building.

The Honest Truth

So where does that leave me with “sexy,” “babe,” and “beautiful body”?

The truth is, I’m still not sure how to feel. Some days I shrug them off. Some days I feel irritated. And some days, I just feel tired of them altogether.

Maybe that’s why those words feel so unsettled in me. It’s not that I don’t enjoy compliments… I do. It’s that I want them to mean something. I want them to see me, not just my body.

Because here’s the truth: “sexy,” “babe,” “beautiful body”… they’re the spam folder of compliments. Overused, impersonal, and instantly forgettable.

For every woman who appreciates it, there are many more who find it lazy, irritating, or exhausting. So you never know how the woman on the other end will take it.

And because you can’t predict which reaction you’ll get, maybe those shouldn’t be your go-to lines. Words like “sexy” and “babe” have been shouted, typed, and overused to the point of meaninglessness. They’re past their prime. It’s probably time to retire them to the same dusty shelf as “hubba hubba”, “hey good lookin”, “DA Bomb”, “Baby got back”, and “toots!”

And while we’re at it, let’s toss “bae” onto that same dusty shelf. It went from trendy to cringey in about three years flat. If you’re still saying it in 2025, even autocorrect is judging you.

Naturism is about people, not parts. About connection, not consumption. If the best thing you can say to a naturist is “sexy body babe,” then you’re not paying attention. You’re just proving you see skin, not a person.

And honestly? That tells me a lot more about you than it ever will about me.

PS: I want to add a comment I received yesterday from a fellow traveler (MisterMorningstar) on Bluesky:

“I’ve had strangers try to define me with a word. Sometimes they’ve been successful. Other times, not so much. Some comments can sting, while others make me want to paint the sky with them. I try to hang out with the sky-painters.”

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30 Comments

  1. I love how natural you are in all of your pictures. You look so happy and confident in who you are and the lifestyle you live. I am a beginner naturist. Although I have enjoyed time without clothing both in my home and on vacations I would love to live as a naturist full time. I never feel more alive than when I am without clothing. I just wish my wife would join me in this lifestyle. Although not opposed to me being nude she never shares in doing so herself. I would love to share the freedom and comfort doing daily chores and activities offers while being completely without clothes.

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  2. Very interesting to read the articles you have written and then the comments after… Very ummm thought provoking…Thanking you.

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  3. I really liked to hear your perspective on this article. Woman often get these kind of comments from unthinking men. They are morons because they say such things openly. They are creepy, I”m a guy and even I feel angry when I hear comments like that said to a woman. It objectify them. I try to let them know it is not cool to say that, but it sometimes goes in one ear and out the other for them. Total blindness to a woman’s perspective about such comments. I could see why it can make anyone mad to hear comments like that a lot.
    Keep up the good work, maybe after seeing articles like this, it may some day open their eyes to what you feel as a woman about such comments and they will keep their comments to themselves.
    I’m from the US, Boston, but have grandparents and cousins who still live in Canada. I get comments about my accent all the time when I talk to someone not from this area. So I may talk a little funny but I’m sincere about my feelings and try to speak clearly without being confused with my perspective on things. And no, I didn’t vote for Trump.

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  4. I enjoy the posts you and Kevin share. Thank you both! Also, that photo of you looking over your shoulder is wonderful. Love the shoulder length hair, it’s perfect for you.

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  5. Thanks for these insights.
    First of all I must admit that I really like looking, not staring, at women, because I am a hetero man.
    But I would never compliment a “foreign” woman that I e.g. see at nude beaches, on the street or wherever. I would simply fear not to find the right words .

    Let me tell you this:
    The other day I was at a nude beach and saw a woman with one amputated breast.
    This is where I really was close to compliment her. But I was again afraid not to hit the right tone, even though she would really have deserved to be complimented.
    I mentioned that encounter to my wife upon return.

    When I do make comments or even compliments online, I would really like to encourage women to be proud of themselves.

    The photos you are sharing here are very aesthetic, sensual and express the body positiveness and unique atmsophere we are looking for when going to nude beaches.

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    1. If you ever are in that situation again try “Hi, beautiful day out here, isn’t it?” (Sometimes the kindest thing is to treat her exactly like anyone else, without commentary about scars at all.)

      That may spark a conversation for a while. If not… no issue.

      You can affirm her as a whole person if you do want to say something meaningful after a conversation with “I admire your confidence. It’s really inspiring to see.” (This validates her, not her chest.)

      Just a couple ideas.

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  6. This is a good topic for discussion that has often come up in various naturist circles that I’m involved in. The point is this – it doesn’t matter what anyone’s body looks like. In naturist places everyone is welcome. Body looks are unimportant. So why comment on them at all? It’s a form of judgement – you’re judging one body in comparison to another. Whether you’re judgment is positive or negative doesn’t matter – it’s still judgement. If you tell someone their body is beautiful, then by default you’re implying that the body you’re comparing it to isn’t beautiful – or at least it’s less beautiful. That’s not what naturism is about.

    My only other comment is that I wish you’d both write these pieces without Chat GPT (or whatever other app you might be using). They would be much more meaningful in your own words and avoiding the Americanisms.

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    1. Thanks for your comment. We do use tools like MS Word, ChatGPT, Copilot, Grammarly, spellcheck, and Google search in the same way some use a dictionary or thesaurus. They’re helpers. The stories and perspectives are all ours. Honestly, if you saw our first drafts in Word with all the red and green squiggly lines, you’d understand why. Our spelling and grammar are so atrocious that even the software gives us the side-eye.

      As for the Americanisms… guilty as charged. Living here in southern Manitoba, near the US border, and working with American clients every day, it sneaks into how we think, write and talk. We are certainly not immune to American culture. I guess we could prove our Canadianness by ending every sentence with “Eh?” and saying “sorry” after every opinion… but since about half our readers are American, we think we would just confuse everybody. 😉

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    2. You reminded me also that I grew up on a farm in southern Saskatchewan just two miles from the U.S. border. We only had three TV stations. Two American and CBC. Our family also went shopping in the States all the time. Minot was closer than Regina, with better prices to boot.

      Later… in my 20s… after moving away from Saskatchewan, I traveled a lot across Canada for many years. One of the things I actually tried to lose were the “redneckisms” of growing up there. It’s no surprise to me that some US phrasing sneaks into how I write or speak. I will try to watch for them in the future.

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      1. Well OMG! You totally had me fooled. I thought you were in the U.K. for some reason.

        I always use a spell checker when writing because I’m a clumsy typist and often hit incorrect or extraneous keys – so, yes, I also suffer from squiggly red line syndrome! MS Word has a reasonable spellchecker on board, although you do have to teach it a lot of words not in its database.

        My biggest issue with chat GPT is that it tends to sterilise my writing and, although the material is my own and makes it technically perfect and readable, it takes my own vis vitae out of it and makes it kind of bland and generic. That’s how I picked up your use of chat GPT on this post. Apart from leaving the “u” out of colour, and saying “mom” instead of “mum”, the writing style, punctuation and grammar style, etc, is identical with Kevin’s, even though Corin was the writer of this piece.

        I don’t have anything against America per se, but as I’ve got older I’ve started to resent the influence of American culture on our own unique culture. It permeates every aspect of life – not to mention the adoption of commercial opportunities with retail outlets adopting American “special days” like Black Friday, Tech Monday, Halloween and Valentines. I won’t be surprised if we start celebrating American Thanksgiving and July 4th before long!

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        1. I (Kevin) am horrible for color, labor, and center. And it’s Mom here in Canada.

          The way we work together is, she does her writing on her tablet and sends it to me. I put it into Word and then through the tools. I then add the article to WordPress and Substack. Corin does a final review and then we publish. Many times we combine sections of articles. So in essence, it’s one voice and style.

          It saves any marital battles! 😊😁

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  7. I try to compliment my wife on her “beautiful body” in hopes of improving her own self image. She wants to hide her body, even at home.

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  8. I can truthfully say that I have never called any girl or woman, “Sexy!” or “Babe!” or anything similar, except my wife. I was always afraid that it would convey a message that I didn’t intend; it sounded like a put-down. I tell my granddaughters that they are pretty – they’re 10, 8, and 7. This is a great article, because we SHOULD try to consider how our words come across. A LOT of pain has resulted from miscommunications.

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  9. When I see other nudists/naturists I instantly think “beautiful.” To me, and I’ve said this for years, the human body is a beautiful work of art. Each and everyone is different. Those of us that choose not to cover it up, decorate it with clothing, or accessories, are the best people. And frankly I admire them. I’m proud I’ve been accepted in to this very exclusive club. It’s Beautiful!

    I reserve the other words you mentioned in this post for my wife. While they may very apply to you and many others, to me they are words I use to show my appreciation to the lady the married me so many years ago. Because even as the years continue to pass, we do look like we used to, she is even more sexy, beautiful, my baby, my babe, and the love of my life.

    But Corin you’re a beautiful human being! As is Kevin, and all the other nudists/naturists on this planet!

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  10. I have been a huge fan of you and Kevin for ages now and I don’t think I’ve ever said those words apart from when you were wearing your wedding dress and you did look beautiful.

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  11. Wanna know what I think when I see your pictures? “So cool that there are women out there that are not afraid to embrace nudity, not fear it.” I believe you are helping other women realize that it is OK to at least dip their toe into Naturism, and that the world will not stop spinning when they do. You and Kevin keep up the great articles and great work.

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  12. What I would say to someone like yourself who I am impressed with is that You are an Awesome Natural Beauty, and you yourself as I read and see your adventures are Gloorious out in Nature. If I allow myself to sit thinking sexual thoughts I am certain I could find them but that is not how I take Naturism unless invited to do otherwise. Maybe that’s me, been a nudist since childhood and now at age 67 still hiking these beautiful mountains naked. Thanks for sharing your adventures and some inner thoughts, it brings a little extra Joy to my day! ~ Rich E in Tennessee

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  13. Corin, I would love to meet you sometime in order to enjoy your kindness, insights, and wisdom in person. And, don’t forget to bring Kevin. 😁

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  14. I don’t handle complements well, and I know that. Part of me thinks they are given just be be polite/nice. I’ve had to learn how to respond positively to them. So this was a good read for me. And when I compliment someone, I try to be specific in a non-threatening way. “Nice shoes!” always seems to work.

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  15. Hello Corin, I was embarrassed to read your feelings regarding comments you have received to photos you have published. I confess I have had such thoughts when seeing your photos online. Having read your post and considered the photos included I enjoyed the head and shoulders close up and the coquettish over shoulder smile the best. Those photos let me see what I think is the ‘real’ you as if we had met and were interacting face to face, this is particularly nice as, I’m sure, we will never actually meet.
    I hope you continue to share your lifestyle despite the uncalled for comments some of us respond with.
    Best wishes

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  16. I want to thank you for insight to how others feel. I’m a male and a lifelong nudist. I’m guilty of a form of this. While I’ve never said Beautiful Body, I often tell women they are beautiful. I don’t do this to objectify them and often it’s not their body or body parts that inspire me to tell them they are beautiful. Sometimes it is, but most times it’s their personality, their smile, their demeaner, the way they carry themselves. Perhaps I am lazy and should take the time to articulate more. I’ll start here. You have a beautiful mind and a very unique way of communicating to other what nudism/naturism is all about. Thank you. You also have a contagious smile. Thank you for this space.

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  17. Thank you for your insight and sharing. I appreciate your thoughts. I love to her the ladies side so I can chose my words and actions to show appreciation to ladies for who they are.

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  19. You have a great smile and a nice deposition I hope that I can meet you someday. You look like you’re friendly and kind and you would be very easy to talk to.

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