Student and Naturism debutant, Saoirse, shares her story…
Going to a Naturist event for the first time? Yeah… people definitely had opinions.
“You’re going to be naked… around strangers?”
“That sounds really cool, I couldn't do that though. I’m not quite there yet.”
“Yeah, that sounds like you.”
Truthfully? I’ve always been pretty okay with my body. The nudity didn’t worry me as much as meeting loads of new people. Mark was the only person I knew, and I’d never been to a festival before — or camping since I was a teenager doing DofE.
What made this first time different was that I wasn’t just going for me. I was going as part of TheNakedTruth social media campaign — and doing it all on camera, to share with other students like me.
Why? Because I don’t think naked bodies are something we should be ashamed of or have stigmatised.
Young people definitely have a lot of pressure on them regarding body image — particularly from social media and how often we see “perfect bodies” being shown to us online. It affects our confidence, our mental health, and the way we see our own bodies.
I wanted to do something that wasn’t just talk. I wanted to show what real body acceptance could look like.
And honestly? It wasn’t scary like my friends had imagined.
Yes, I was slightly nervous the night before. More so about the new aspect of everything, and being unsure about what I was going to be doing at the festival. But shortly after I arrived, those worries faded. Everyone was really friendly and easy to talk to. It wasn’t about how you looked — it was about being free, feeling comfortable, and connecting with people. I loved the yoga and fitness sessions, but the best bit? The waterpark. Hands down.
That’s when it really hit me. Like yeah, I’d done my research on Naturism and had seen quite a few videos of naked people in fields. But naked in a waterpark? That was when the surreal aspect of it hit. It was really interesting, especially when I spoke to the (clothed) people working there who were unfazed by all the naked people surrounding them. It really makes you realise just how normal it is. It felt really carefree - everyone was being themselves and no one cared what anyone looked like. The slides were also pretty fun!
What I’ve learned, especially from speaking to so many other Naturists, is:
Stepping out of your comfort zone will always feel uncomfortable at first.
But it’s usually the things which are difficult that end up being the most rewarding.
I want other young people to feel what I felt:
Not judged. Not compared. Not ashamed. Just accepted.
This was my first step, and I’m really glad I took it.
Saoirse
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