You are right: "public nudity sits well outside of the Overton window frame." With exceptions, as you note.
I don't see the situation improving all that much in an increasingly conservative world, especially in the United States and Canada. The U.K., on the other hand, is way ahead and their Overton window frame is much broader -- for now.
But naturists will always be a minority seen as an odd fringe group by many. Still, I'm with you: we should push the boundaries and raise awareness with the hope that we will make more gains.
It's certainly interesting that when a person complains about seeing someone naked and that they were "offended", that the offence is more than likely due to context rather than being horrified by the appearance of the naked human form. As you say, a person passing me while hiking naked on a forest trail may have no problem with my nakedness - perhaps even stopping for a friendly chat. But that same person could well claim to be offended if they met me shopping naked in a supermarket.
It is definitely important to push the boundaries and gently stretching that sphere of acceptance - the Overton Window.. But it's a fine balance between pushing to reshape and pushing that causes a damaging backlash. It's an ongoing process, as you mentioned toward the end - push forward three to gain one, then push for three again to achieve another, and on we go. Changing attitudes and expanding the window is slow, but certainly achievable if enough are motivated.
Context is often everything. I can be a lone nude male in a sea of textiles during the Bay to Breakers for 3 hours and never get a discouraging word from participants or spectators. It is expected and accepted as just another costume. I can't imagine walking around the Embarcadero naked on any other day without someone getting tweaked and the cops showing up. People doing stuff like that is why the city council passed their anti-nudity ordinance but left a loophole for permitted events.
It is okay to be nude in many areas if you have an excuse. My theory is that if we seize every "Overton widow" we can get, the public will become desensitized and the window will expand. Most nudists are extremely reluctant to seize those windows.
I believe that the naturism organisations around the world are missing an opportunity to open the window further, by pushing the environmental benefits of naturism in appropriate climates and highlighting the increasing environmental costs of fast fashion.
+To make that "bad" Putin mad we are not using textiles and the A/C is off. The backyard is only partially shaded, but good enough that so far we did not get arrested.
+I completely agree with the conclusions of the article, specifically that people behaving outside the established window contribute greatly to the necessary progress of the society.
+I am European and if I cannot go nude to protect myself from being arrested I wore speedos. Always.
+While the article is correct in all reasoning and conclusions, it can also be used for an explanation why the nudist parks do not experience an exponential growth as one would expect if compared to progress the sex industry has made. To understand what I mean, substitute the people reading the paper nude in different scenarios with people engaged in making love, and substitute general public with today's supposedly open minded nudists. You have the answer.
Jerry, Thanks for your comments. I think one reason that nudist parks don't experience growth is due to the way they are often run, which can be out of date with the needs of many younger people in today's society. The often restrictive membership requirements mean that for many young singles or young families, the nudist park model just doesn't suit.
Some parks definitely have serious problems with attracting and keeping young people.
There's the "I have to pay HOW MUCH just to take my clothes off?" issue. Parks have to make money to stay in business but today's young people do not have the resources their parents do - or even what young people had ten years ago.
There's the "I have to drive HOW FAR to get there?" problem. It's not just mileage it is also time in traffic.Same affordability issues as above but with added inconvenience. I live in the 2nd largest population center in the US and still have a hundred mile round trip in LA freeway traffic to the nearest club. There just isn't the density of customers to support more at current land values. Some clubs in the area have folded.
Plus once you get there, the rules are put in place to keep older people comfortable and the entertainment is often old people's entertainment. It keeps the existing clientele happy but doesn't make it look very interesting for youngsters. Olive Dell has this figured out but I can't say this for all clubs.
I think the American model for nudism needs to shift more to non-landed clubs in large population centers, renting facilities for events and using member homes for smaller parties if it wants to grow.
Yes, you are absolutely right., I did not visit Olive Dell in 35? years, my 3rd wife loved the place. We lived in Tucson and gas was 79 C. I am now going as much as possible to Florida clubs in winter time, but those also price themselves out of existence, even for camping with no hook ups.
Adding what I call "old fashioned" attitudes and I can see the writing on the wall. The best driving force that keeps the clubs alive is the liberal driven criminality. I am very afraid to visit a nude beach without that gate controlling who comes in. Another positive for nudist camps is that people bred like rats and liberals destroyed all border control so millions more are coming. Invariably our Western Ontario beaches on Lake St Clair are closed as soon as the warm weather arrives for the fecal bacteria count is too high. Every child statistics say brings 18 mg of feces supplying the bacteria. Nudist camps are much cleaner.
Just as everyone I have been to x number of house parties, very few people have the facilities to really handle it. Large home hot tub takes 6. Toronto has rented pool, pool is missing the sun, the beach and again in overpopulated city the parking is the issue.
I really feel that we lived in the best time. I experienced the "Make love not war" culture enhanced by mild drugs and the sexual awakening at Woodstock festival followed by memberships in the Family synergy, Elysium fields, Sandstone to name a few. Our children will hate us, soon and for a good reason. The suffering they will face people did not grasp, yet. Children have no future. Menial low paying jobs, suffering, hunger and wars, most work will be done by robots and their barely literate companions at work will not offer much mental stimulation.
You are right: "public nudity sits well outside of the Overton window frame." With exceptions, as you note.
I don't see the situation improving all that much in an increasingly conservative world, especially in the United States and Canada. The U.K., on the other hand, is way ahead and their Overton window frame is much broader -- for now.
But naturists will always be a minority seen as an odd fringe group by many. Still, I'm with you: we should push the boundaries and raise awareness with the hope that we will make more gains.
Cheers
It's certainly interesting that when a person complains about seeing someone naked and that they were "offended", that the offence is more than likely due to context rather than being horrified by the appearance of the naked human form. As you say, a person passing me while hiking naked on a forest trail may have no problem with my nakedness - perhaps even stopping for a friendly chat. But that same person could well claim to be offended if they met me shopping naked in a supermarket.
It is definitely important to push the boundaries and gently stretching that sphere of acceptance - the Overton Window.. But it's a fine balance between pushing to reshape and pushing that causes a damaging backlash. It's an ongoing process, as you mentioned toward the end - push forward three to gain one, then push for three again to achieve another, and on we go. Changing attitudes and expanding the window is slow, but certainly achievable if enough are motivated.
Context is often everything. I can be a lone nude male in a sea of textiles during the Bay to Breakers for 3 hours and never get a discouraging word from participants or spectators. It is expected and accepted as just another costume. I can't imagine walking around the Embarcadero naked on any other day without someone getting tweaked and the cops showing up. People doing stuff like that is why the city council passed their anti-nudity ordinance but left a loophole for permitted events.
It is okay to be nude in many areas if you have an excuse. My theory is that if we seize every "Overton widow" we can get, the public will become desensitized and the window will expand. Most nudists are extremely reluctant to seize those windows.
I believe that the naturism organisations around the world are missing an opportunity to open the window further, by pushing the environmental benefits of naturism in appropriate climates and highlighting the increasing environmental costs of fast fashion.
+To make that "bad" Putin mad we are not using textiles and the A/C is off. The backyard is only partially shaded, but good enough that so far we did not get arrested.
+I completely agree with the conclusions of the article, specifically that people behaving outside the established window contribute greatly to the necessary progress of the society.
+I am European and if I cannot go nude to protect myself from being arrested I wore speedos. Always.
+While the article is correct in all reasoning and conclusions, it can also be used for an explanation why the nudist parks do not experience an exponential growth as one would expect if compared to progress the sex industry has made. To understand what I mean, substitute the people reading the paper nude in different scenarios with people engaged in making love, and substitute general public with today's supposedly open minded nudists. You have the answer.
Jerry
Jerry, Thanks for your comments. I think one reason that nudist parks don't experience growth is due to the way they are often run, which can be out of date with the needs of many younger people in today's society. The often restrictive membership requirements mean that for many young singles or young families, the nudist park model just doesn't suit.
Some parks definitely have serious problems with attracting and keeping young people.
There's the "I have to pay HOW MUCH just to take my clothes off?" issue. Parks have to make money to stay in business but today's young people do not have the resources their parents do - or even what young people had ten years ago.
There's the "I have to drive HOW FAR to get there?" problem. It's not just mileage it is also time in traffic.Same affordability issues as above but with added inconvenience. I live in the 2nd largest population center in the US and still have a hundred mile round trip in LA freeway traffic to the nearest club. There just isn't the density of customers to support more at current land values. Some clubs in the area have folded.
Plus once you get there, the rules are put in place to keep older people comfortable and the entertainment is often old people's entertainment. It keeps the existing clientele happy but doesn't make it look very interesting for youngsters. Olive Dell has this figured out but I can't say this for all clubs.
I think the American model for nudism needs to shift more to non-landed clubs in large population centers, renting facilities for events and using member homes for smaller parties if it wants to grow.
Yes, you are absolutely right., I did not visit Olive Dell in 35? years, my 3rd wife loved the place. We lived in Tucson and gas was 79 C. I am now going as much as possible to Florida clubs in winter time, but those also price themselves out of existence, even for camping with no hook ups.
Adding what I call "old fashioned" attitudes and I can see the writing on the wall. The best driving force that keeps the clubs alive is the liberal driven criminality. I am very afraid to visit a nude beach without that gate controlling who comes in. Another positive for nudist camps is that people bred like rats and liberals destroyed all border control so millions more are coming. Invariably our Western Ontario beaches on Lake St Clair are closed as soon as the warm weather arrives for the fecal bacteria count is too high. Every child statistics say brings 18 mg of feces supplying the bacteria. Nudist camps are much cleaner.
Just as everyone I have been to x number of house parties, very few people have the facilities to really handle it. Large home hot tub takes 6. Toronto has rented pool, pool is missing the sun, the beach and again in overpopulated city the parking is the issue.
I really feel that we lived in the best time. I experienced the "Make love not war" culture enhanced by mild drugs and the sexual awakening at Woodstock festival followed by memberships in the Family synergy, Elysium fields, Sandstone to name a few. Our children will hate us, soon and for a good reason. The suffering they will face people did not grasp, yet. Children have no future. Menial low paying jobs, suffering, hunger and wars, most work will be done by robots and their barely literate companions at work will not offer much mental stimulation.
agree