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See also Clothes free movement.

See also Naturism for comparison. Nudism is the practice of going nude or unclothed in social and usually mixed gender groups, specifically in cultures where this is not the norm. It sometimes occurs furtively in secluded places in countries where appearing naked in public is illegal, but enjoys widespread acceptance in other areas of the world. Those who practice nudism are called nudists or naturists.

In Europe, and particularly in France, "nudist" and "naturist" don't have the same signification; nudism is the simple pratice of nudity in public, mainly on the beach, while Naturism is much more (such as common activities) and often implies a philosophical or ethical basis. Naturists don't always want to be called nudists.

Naturists reject views that being naked with other people is morally wrong, sexual per se, or pornographic, arguing that nudism is a natural state. They argue that being nude is to be in your purest form, as everyone was born nude.

Activities can be indoors and outdoors. Typical activities are relaxation, sunbathing and sports, but some nudists prefer also to be nude while working, etc., whenever the temperature and the social situation allows it (including when one is alone). A nude party (not to be confused with a sex party) may be public (e.g. Starkers Nightclub) or private. For those who choose to live permanently with other nudists, see nudist colony.

File:Praia Tambaba-Joao-Pessoa-Paraiba.jpg

Tambaba: naturist beach in Brazil

General

Nudists believe that the human body is not inherently shameful, rather that it is something to be cherished. In the traditional view, the nudist is defined as a person who seeks out organized social settings for the practice of the nudist philosophy. This usually takes the form of membership in a landed or nonlanded nudist club with a well defined system of conduct and social structure. It is touted as a predictable environment and purports to offer the participants a safety factor that comes with enclosed facilities that permit nudism to exist lawfully without the threat of legal action or observation by outsiders seeking to view them for prurient purposes.

Conversely, the naturist is sometimes traditionally defined as an individual who prefers to seek a more natural setting for their clothing optional activities - such as the beach, lake, woods or mountains. They seldom consider their clothing optional activity to be a remarkable thing, but rather simply a part of their normal lifestyle. Some political contention exists between the traditional nudist and the naturist within the national organizations that represent clothing optional recreation for lobbying purposes; the former seeking a status quo while the later pushes for expansion of beaches and other outdoor facilities and their designation for clothing optional use.

Nudism is not equivalent to exhibitionism. It is described by followers as people who enjoy being nude and who are not primarily interested in seeing others naked (strictly, voyeurism) or being seen naked by others. All kinds of people are attracted for all kinds of reasons. Many naturists are convinced that increased exposure to the natural environment, made easier through nudity, can result in numerous health benefits. Sunlight has been shown to be beneficial in some skin conditions and is required by the body to make vitamin D. However, with the increased awareness of skin cancer, wearing of sunblock/sun protection lotions is now part of the nudist culture and is one of their frequently discussed topics. Whereas nudist parents do not require their children to put on clothes before going outside at a nudist club or beach, most do require them to put on sunscreen lotion. Overall, naturists often claim that they are more relaxed and in a better state of mind when they shed their clothes.

Being around like-minded people can make interpersonal interactions, such as meeting new friends, easier and many nudist organizations are really just social clubs. Some of these clubs have stricter entrance requirements than some traditional up-scale 'country clubs', including references, a sponsoring member, a trial membership, committee approval, and due to fears about sex offenders, criminal background checks (though this is normally only done on male applicants). At the other end of the spectrum is 'unorganized' naturism in which there is nothing to join, no one to pay, and only civil, common and criminal law to serve as rules of etiquette. Many people get their first exposure to the naturist movement through this kind of informal nudism (e.g. a clothing optional beach, a friend's place in the woods, a party on the shore; skinny dipping).

Strong nudist movements exist in Germany (called FKK or Freikörperkultur - Free Body Culture), France and the Netherlands, and smaller such organizations exist in many other nations. Social nudity is practiced in many cultures, especially in the context of social bathing, sometimes with mixed sexes.