Helen talks to Di Barton
Di Barton is 61 years old from Merseyside and has been embracing naturism for the last 4 years.
Q: What got you into naturism?
A: I've always been intrigued and had a fascination with the lifestyle. I remember as a young girl watching any TV shows with articles about naked people and thinking. "Oh, I wish I was confident enough to try that", but up to the age of 40, I was so painfully shy, I wasn't even confident with my family, never mind strangers.
Fast forward to 4 years ago. I had always sunbathed topless due to a hatred of white bits. I noticed a neighbour at the back had replaced a damaged fence panel with a taller one and I realised that I could no longer be seen by the houses behind me. So everything came off. YAY! No more white tan lines anywhere. I couldn't believe how good it felt to have the breeze all over, and it was so freeing. My late husband was much older than me and was a total prude, but he was disabled and could not get into the garden, so whenever I could, I was naked in the garden. Then I started to not bother getting dressed after a shower if he was in bed. I was hooked. Within a week I had surfed the net and found British Naturism. I joined it a few months later. I made a Twitter account and found hundreds of other naturists, some of whom became good friends and I have met quite a few now. Last year 2021, sadly my husband passed away. A few weeks later, my good friend asked if I'd like to go to a BN Skinny dip at Lytham St Annes. Any excuse for a beach I said yes. On the drive up I was so nervous but nothing prepared me for how good it felt! The best part is NO ONE laughed or made comments about all my flabby bits. Just nice, friendly people and so accepting. A couple of days later we did a walk in Yorkshire and I walked partly nude and had a skinny dip in a waterfall, Another first and so wonderful. I have booked for Nudefest this year and have also booked a solo holiday to Vera Playa in September. Gladly I have now reached the age where I no longer care what people think of my body.
Q: Is there a difference between Naturism and Nudism?
A: I don't think there is a difference per se, but I consider myself a naturist. I put that down to the fact that I prefer to me naked outside in nature. I'm a fair weather naturist. So if the weather is good, I'll be nude, I'm quite happy to be dressed indoors during the winter but my dream is to live somewhere hot enough to be naked 24/7.
Q: How does it impact your daily life?
A: I don't really think about 'Being naked'. I sleep nude, then get up and walk around until I've had a shower. If I'm not going out, it could take me a few hours to get dressed. I open the blinds and no longer care if the neighbours see me.
After John, my husband passed away, I trained to be a massage therapist, and now work from home. I do offer naturist massages and this usually involves me being nude too. Less mess with oil. I don't advertise the naturist side but I do have the symbol on my cards and flyers etc. so it's a case of "If you know, then you know." I even have the symbol tattooed on my thigh.
Q: What challenges do women face in naturism?
A: I think women do have a tougher time partly because there are so few of us compared to men. We have to put up with the pervy men who think that just because you enjoy being naked, you must be "Up for it". Also the media still even in 2022 think that a female nipple is disgusting but a mans' is perfectly fine. Then there is the Body image brigade who want us all to look like Barbie. Unrealistic and plastic. A "Normal" body is frowned upon.
At the beach, we have to endure the meerkats in the dunes with their big lenses trying to get a flash of flesh. It's no wonder more women are dubious about trying it.
Q: How can we encourage more women to try it?
A: All we can do is make a presence on social media to show that it's perfectly normal and nothing to be scared of. The naturist community is genuinely the best in the world. We should all be able to sit in our gardens without fear of being reported. I think every person in the world should try a day of living nude. If you don't like it, that's fine, at least you tried but I honestly think most will carry on because it is such a great feeling.
Q: How can we help to desexualise nudity?
A: Not easy, especially now with everyone having a camera on their phones and 24/7 internet access. Along with the trolls who find it so easy to sit in their bedrooms and insult and hurt people they don't know and will never meet. A naked body isn't that sexy to be honest. It is the personality that adds to the sexiness. You could have the body of a God or Goddess but the personality of a peanut.
Q: How can we encourage body positivity and acceptance?
A: People need to learn that a naked body looks slimmer and leaner without clothes. Women on social media are bombarded with young models advertising products aimed at middle aged women. We all struggle with back fat bulges from bra straps or muffin tops from jeans and skirts, but take those clothes away, and everything settles into its natural place and evens out. I know personally, I feel better nude. We all have lumps, bumps, stretch marks and scars but we need to convince people it's NORMAL.
Q: What drives your passion in promoting naturism?
A: I would love every woman to feel safe and accepted with or without clothes, especially without. Yes there are cranks and perverts but luckily they are in a minority. I am a 61 year old woman with a normal body, It has its flabby bits and I have so far 29 tattoos which means I'm noticeable if you meet me. I am comfortable sitting with a total stranger chatting and both of us are naked, because before a word is spoken, you already both know you have so much in common.
Q: Is your family supportive?
A: So far only my brother knows. My parents both died over 18 years ago. He is perfectly fine with it and I think he would join in if we went somewhere together. My sister doesn't know because I know she would not be understanding. My oldest niece found out last night when she googled "Events at Thorney Lakes", when I told her I was going camping in July... She was cool with it. Most of my friends know and we talk openly about it, but they think I'm mad and would not join in. I'm very open to chatting with strangers about it. I recently had a good conversation with the young girl who did my symbol tattoo. She asked about it and I explained all about the lifestyle.
