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Turkish Bath Harrogate - BN fights the threat to clothes-optional sessions

British Naturism received the news last week that Turkish Baths Harrogate were considering dropping single-sex sessions from its timetable. We understand there are seventeen such sessions each month and clothes-optional, as you would expect in such a facility. They’ve been running for years. Harrogate Borough Council, which runs the baths, said that mixed sessions would reflect “equality and balance”.
It sounded to us as if an uneducated opinion about the simple human form was at work and not evidence-based research or a move to deal with a problem or respond to demands from customers. It was also suggested that the move showed the Bath’s desire to be ‘inclusive’. How can stopping certain customers from using the facilities overnight, be ‘inclusive’? It’s the opposite
Turkish Baths Harrogate launched an online survey to gauge the demand for single-sex sessions and further representations were made - including one from British Naturism - and they seem to have had the effect of delaying the decision.
Yesterday, British Naturism spoke to The Guardian about it - you can read it here. It was also talked about at 1.40pm on the Jeremy Vine BBC Radio 2 show - with most callers being in favour of keeping the clothes-optional sessions.
We have received further media approaches this morning and we’ll keep you posted when articles appear or interviews are broadcast. One is scheduled for Sky News at 1:30pm today.
 
Thanks to member Malcolm Shifrin for the image which comes from his book/website on Victorian Turkish Baths
victorianturkishbath.org

Online Events Showcase: Laughter Yoga

Are you free tomorrow night and in need of a 'de-stress'?  Perhaps you would like to try something new to you.  Laughter Yoga is a completely different experience from a traditional yoga session.  This is a ‘let it all go’ class.  What is it all about?  Leave your inhibitions and stress at your front door, and be prepared to 'ho ho ho' and 'ha ha ha' with some free dancing, and actually force some laughter.  
Apparently your body doesn't know the difference from spontaneous laughter to 'pretend' laughter, but the bonus is that the release of laughter helps to relieve stress and relax your body.  
Did you know that we run over 100 online events every month? You can find details of them all on our events website. Choose from fitness classes and community sessions. The latter are free to BN members and members of other international Naturist federations. Not a member? Join here!)

World Naked Gardening Day

A global event that takes place on Saturday 1st May and so if you are green-fingered (or even if you are not...) take the opportunity to get those essential gardening jobs done wearing sturdy boots, thornproof gloves...and nothing else!
If gardening is not your thing, keep an eye out for the return of British Naturism's The Great British Take-Off on Saturday 22nd May. Launched during the first lockdown last year, it captured the imagination of the public and the media and led to a huge amount of publicity for,  and interest in, Naturism. It's a great opportunity for anyone who has thought about Naturism to give it a try ... all the details coming soon...

Online Events Showcase: Groov X Stix

Join Jooles for Groov X Stix tomorrow night as she leads you to bash out rhythms and beats with fun and fast routines set to music incorporating  your own ‘sticks’.  These can be drum sticks or anything that comes to hand, such as wooden spoons! Work up a sweat and beat out the stress!
Did you know that we run over 100 online events every month? You can find details of them all on our events website. Choose from fitness classes and community sessions. The latter are free to BN members and members of other international Naturist federations. (Not a member? Join here!)

Online Events Showcase: Ballet Barre

Feel like trying something a bit different on Monday lunchtime?  All you need is a chair to join in Sarah’s ballet barre session, no ballet shoes are required. It's a super 40 minute ballet class giving you all the basic ballet moves taken at the barre. You will be bending into your plies, pointing into your tendus, circling those rond a jambes and, everyones favourite, feeling the length of your legs with your grands battements!  All the moves are taught so that you have good posture, strength, correct breathing and poise. Everyone is welcome!
Did you know that we run over 100 online events every month? You can find details of them all on our events website. Choose from fitness classes and community sessions. The latter are free to BN members and members of other international Naturist federations. (Not a member? Join here!)

Online Events Showcase: Earth Meditation

Catherine guides you through 40 minutes of mindfulness meditation, freeing your mind and connecting with your body.  This is an immersive session of meditation on a journey of calm, relaxed imagery in nature and inner earth, with a focus on the significance of nature. A perfect gentle wake up to a Sunday morning.
Did you know that we run over 100 online events every month? You can find details of them all on our events website. Choose from fitness classes and community sessions. The latter are free to BN members and members of other international Naturist federations. (Not a member? Join here!)

Online Events Showcase: Power Yoga

Power Yoga is a combination of Asanas (yoga postures) and Pranyama (breathing exercises), which will help you to bring balance and peace to your body and mind and to synchronise your breath. You will flow through yoga postures, warming the body and allowing your mind to reconnect to your body and find inner peace. Georgia’s 45 minute session is for the more advanced yogis. By the end of the class you will feel totally stretched and energised.  This session is a wonderful wake up to the weekend!
Did you know that we run over 100 online events every month? You can find details of them all on our events website. Choose from fitness classes and community sessions. The latter are free to BN members and members of other international Naturist federations. (Not a member? Join here!)

Thank you Sunfolk volunteers!

Last weekend it was great to see a team of British Naturism volunteers readying Sunfolk for the season ahead.
A few months ago, our Forum Live session created an overwhelming response from people willing to help and it was great to see the power of volunteering come to life.
We had to take a pragmatic approach to the situation and create a covid-secure environment for it all to happen but it was well worth it – the main focus was on re-instating the beautiful sun-walk around the perimeter of the site as well other grounds work and painting too.
Thanks to all who volunteered to make the site even better for when we open.
If you are interested in volunteering opportunities with BN - check out our volunteer pages
British Naturism: Sunfolk near St Albans opens on May 17th until October and booking camping and day visits is open.

Parlez-vous Naturism?

It's the gift that keeps on giving...
Recently we've brought you two pieces of news relating to BN's Women in Naturism co-ordinator, Donna Price, and her appearance on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour. Firstly, there was the interview itself and then how other BBC stations around the world published an article about it, translating Donna's words into a variety of languages.
Now, a rather good six-minute recording is available on the BBC's Learning English website which uses a discussion about Naturism as a teaching aid. It also includes clips of Donna's interview.
https://www.bbc.co.uk//learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-210415
It's also good to see the simple, factual way they describe Naturists - 'people who think not wearing clothes outdoors is a healthy way to live, and it makes them feel good.'
Well, we seem to have convinced the BBC - who's next?
 
Photo by Ivan Shilov on Unsplash

Online Events Showcase: The Big Quiz

Once a week you have a chance to join British Naturism's virtual Big Quiz. It is a fabulous opportunity to meet old and new friends as you test out your knowledge.  Experience plenty of banter and fun as virtual teams come together to do their best to score the highest points. It's a great way to divert the mind from the weekly stresses and have fun, just before heading to the Naked Pub.
Did you know that we run over 100 online events every month? You can find details of them all on our events website. Choose from fitness classes and community sessions. The latter are free to BN members and members of other international Naturist federations. (Not a member? Join here!)

The Forum Live - visiting Max's Garden

Going abroad this summer? No, me neither. That needn't stop you taking a Naturist holiday in this green and pleasant (and hopefully hot and sunny) land.
Next Monday (26 April), my guests on the Forum Live will be Michael and Fiona Discombe (pictured below), managers of Max's Garden, a Naturist retreat and campsite in West Sussex. I'll be chatting to them about their Naturist life and finding out more about what Max's Garden and the area has to offer the Naturist holidaymaker - including a picture slideshow - plus their plans for the future.
Look forward to seeing you - reserve your place here
 

Online Events Showcase: Group Fitness

Group Fitness - Thursday 1pm BST
Are lunchtime workouts for you?  British Naturism’s personal trainer, Roy, puts you through your paces for 40 minutes.  If you are not familiar with bootcamps and circuit training, don’t worry!  Roy explains each set of exercises and then you are off, on three rounds designed to re-introduce you to every muscle in your body, with lots of short breaks to grab a drink and catch your breath!  
The class is for medium to high ability but you are encouraged to work at your own pace, and you will improve if you take the classes regularly. The only person judging you is yourself.  If you are serious about your exercise, this may be the class for you!
Sign up here!
Did you know that we run over 100 online events every month? You can find details of them all on our events website. Choose from fitness classes and community sessions. The latter are free to BN members and members of other international Naturist federations. (Not a member? Join here!)

Online Events Showcase: Groove X Gold

Did you know that we run over 100 online events every month? You can find details of them all on our events website. Choose from fitness classes and community sessions. The latter are free to BN members and members of other international Naturist federations. (Not a member? Join here!)
Over the next few weeks, we're going to pick a class or session every day and bring you the details to inspire you to take part! Each session we showcase will take place the following day, giving you time to clear your diary and sign up.
Groove X Gold - Wednesday 4pm BST
Do you feel like doing something fun that will help gently tweak your body so that you are ready for your clothes free Summer? Groove X Gold, hosted by Jooles, is a low intensity, low impact, fun session of routines ideal for those who may be out of the habit of exercise and don't want to put any stress on their body. Why not join Jooles tomorrow and start to groove into Summer?
Sign up here

Don't miss out - become a member of British Naturism!

The buds are blooming, the days are already feeling much longer, and warmer weather is surely on its way. Spring is always particularly welcome among Naturists, and at British Naturism we’re making plans to ensure a vintage nude year ahead. 
But if you are not a member, we'll be doing it without you! 
So, we thought we’d post this reminder of what’s waiting for you when you join British Naturism, and all for less than £4 a month.
 
A thriving community: More and more people are discovering Naturism, and despite the lack of live events last year, BN continues to grow. Dive back in and add your voice to our forum, or come to one of our many online events.  
A packed calendar: With events around the country, both large and small, our live events are the highlight of many a Naturist year. They are coming back and will be better than ever  
A vibrant magazine: Stay up-to-date with the Naturist world with our quarterly magazine, a glossy journal that’s packed with ideas, trip reports and ideas for clothes-free living.  
A stronger voice for all Naturists
We’ve made huge strides in raising the profile and legitimacy of Naturism in recent years, and every single membership really does make a difference. The bigger we are, the more people take notice of our values – with our voice increasingly listened to where it really matters, in places like the UK Parliament and the College of Policing. 
Simply being a BN member means you lend strength to our shared cause – and make a real difference.
If you have a moment, check out goodtimes.bn.org.uk for more reminders of what you’re missing.
Check out all the benefits of joining and sign up now!
We’d love to have you on board.

Naturist London seeks new swim venue

Naturist London, a group that meets once a week for a costume-free swim in Central London, celebrates its 10th birthday next year, but may be doing so without a place to swim.
Initially created by British Naturism in 2012 to meet the demand for a regular skinny-dipping session in the capital - and to catch London up with facilities that are hosted in other European cities - the Naturist London Sunday Swim was subsequently run by a team of volunteers and quickly became the most popular Naturist swim in the country, with up to 100 swimmers gathering for an hour on a Sunday lunchtime. When another group decided to give up their slot hire was extended to two hours which enabled even more people to enjoy it.
The swim is open to anyone who fancies swimming without a costume - not just committed naturists. In addition to the regulars from London itself, it has been a go-to venue for visitors to the city from around the UK and overseas who have exercised and socialised the way nature intended in central London’s largest indoor swimming pool. It’s also provided a great opportunity for newcomers to literally dip a toe into nude swimming.
It is a crushing blow, therefore, that the University of London has decided not to reopen EnergyBase, its sports facility within the Student Central building on Malet Street, following the year-long closure during the pandemic. Their plan is to convert the building to provide additional teaching and study space for next door Birkbeck University. It will not only be a loss to Naturists but to all Londoners. Designed in 1939 and completed in 1952, the historic pool has a royal box used by Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, when watching swimming galas, and was used by the Beatles for a photoshoot in 1963. 
Colin from Naturist London said:
‘We know from our social media that a great many people were looking forward to swimming with us again as soon as lock-down restrictions were relaxed. This sad news, coming just as an end was in sight, will cause widespread disappointment. So, if you have a swimming pool, we have plenty of swimmers eager to use it! And not necessarily on a Sunday.’
Andrew Welch, spokesman for British Naturism, said:
‘Interest in social nudity is growing fast in the UK. Taboos around the naked human body are eroding and people are beginning to acknowledge the health and well-being benefits of spending time without clothes, especially in the company of others, with more and more wanting to give it a try and experience the exhilarating feelings for themselves.
 
For further information and access to interviewees, please contact andrew.welch@bn.org.uk

The Forum Live - interviewing Gary and Noreen Kennedy

As we announced recently, Gary and Noreen Kennedy jointly took on the role of Director without Portfolio. Next Monday (19th April) you will get the chance to get to know them better as they become our guests for the evening on The Forum Live.
We'll learn how they came to Naturism and the work that they have been] doing to create a bigger and more active community in Northern Ireland, plus their ambitions for their time as Directors for British Naturism.
Reserve you place now...
 

The Forum Live Debate: Using Social Media for Naturism

Our The Forum Live Debate session makes its monthly appearance next week (Monday 12th) and the topic for you all to discuss is social media.
British Naturism informs, challenges, communicates and promotes using Facebook, Twitter and Instagram - are you following us? Or are there other platforms that you prefer? Do you talk freely about Naturism or do you keep it to yourself? Which groups are you part of? Is your club or swim making good use of it? Which are the key accounts that all Naturists should be following (apart from BN, of course!). Have you fallen foul of censorship of simple nudity? How can we all work together to make talking online about our wonderful world easier?
If you are not a social media user don't stay away - come and find out what it's all about and how to get started. 
Reserve your place now...

Much more than just 'British' Naturism...

Back in January, we brought you the news of an appearance by British Naturism's Women in Naturism co-ordinator, Donna Price on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour programme. It was a great success and led to a welter of publicity, positively raising the profile of all the great things that can be gained from a clothes-free lifestyle.
We're pleased to say that it didn't end there! The good people at the BBC World Service picked it up and sent it around the world and were successful in getting it reproduced (and translated) in some uncharted waters for nude recreation!
Here's a few links:
Traditional Chinese
https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/trad/uk-56540739
 
Telugu
https://www.bbc.com/telugu/international-56540126
 
Nepali
https://www.bbc.com/nepali/news-56535625
 
Uzbek
https://www.bbc.com/uzbek/world-56586240

Our new campaign: Big-up BN!

British Naturism membership is growing - help us to keep it rising!
 
The pandemic made the last year a tough one – but BN members still had something to smile about. Collectively, we came together as a community and determined to make the most of a difficult situation. 
We were quick to roll out our range of online events when the first lockdown hit, and the positivity we all find in Naturism soon grabbed the attention of a media that was eager to find upbeat stories during hard times. 
So great was the attention in fact, that we enjoyed an influx of new members – including a fair number from overseas. And with so much to do online as a BN member, we also had fewer people deciding to let their subscriptions lapse. As a result, we have the highest number of members we’ve had since 2014! 
Whether you’re brand new to BN or have been part of our community for years, we’re glad and grateful to have you as a member. But we don’t want to stop growing – and you can help us keep the momentum going. 
The more of us there are, the more we can do 
We may be enjoying a surge in membership, but there are still thousands of active Naturists in the UK who aren’t members of British Naturism. 
Will you big-up BN and see if they’d like to join our wonderful community? 
When BN membership grows, the benefits extend to everyone who enjoys living clothes-free: 
More financial resources mean more services for our members, AND to fund the important campaigning work we do on behalf of all Naturists – in the UK and beyond. With more volunteers, we can work towards our shared goals more effectively. A stronger community has a louder voice – leading to a greater ability to open doors and to demonstrate that Naturists need to be listened to  So, here’s a challenge for each and every member. During 2021, we’d like you to think about the Naturists you know and, if they aren’t members already, encourage them to join us. (They can do that here - https://www.bn.org.uk/membershipinfo/)
There’s no need to persuade them to give Naturism a try – these are people who already know how wonderful it is to spend time naked. And for less than £4 a month, they could be enjoying it even more, while helping to make our lifestyle more commonplace than ever. 
Big-up BN and see what happens! People often respond well to personal recommendations.
So please, tell them about all the good things we do for all Naturists in the UK and how much you get out of being a member!
You can also point them towards the web page we’ve set up at goodtimes.bn.org.uk, where they can see all they need to know about British Naturism today and send a link to our Guide to Naturism

From the Boardroom

Here’s the news on what’s been happening at management level within British Naturism.

Arrivals and Departures
We have been able to confirm Gary and Noreen Kennedy in the role of Non-Executive Director, a position they will occupy on a job-share basis. 
On the debit side, Phil Hughes has confirmed that he has stepped down from the role of Finance Director, a decision forced on him for family reasons. Phil’s contribution to British Naturism during his time as finance director has been immense; he oversaw and streamlined many of the functions of the organisation as a limited company, making sure it operated in a highly competent and professional manner. His work culminated in concluding BN’s acquisition of Sunfolk. Phil had a deserved reputation for reliable, sound thinking and common sense, yet his experience and expertise did not stand in the way of his warmly welcoming new members of the EC and helping them establish themselves. The organisation owes a huge debt of gratitude to him.
Also stepping down from his role is Andy Wyman, who has for many years acted as coordinator for BN’s Holiday Advice service. Andy’s activities in this capacity led to his being awarded a Certificate of Merit in 2018, and we will miss his friendly, reassuring and highly organised approach to oversight of the service – as well as his good humour. 
2021 Elections
Elections to the Board are designed to take place in two- yearly cycles with not more than half of the Director posts falling vacant in any one year. In 2021, elections for the posts of President and Vice-chair (posts currently occupied by Mark Bass and Jon Williams respectively) and Finance Director are due. The role of Finance Director is currently vacant – the work has been ably covered for the last few months by Paul Martin, but Paul has made clear that he is not in a position to take on the role longer-term. British Naturism is therefore on the lookout for somebody to take on what is a key role within the organisation. Please do make contact if this is of interest to you.
Elections for three regional coordinator posts are also due: those for South-west, Yorkshire and East Midlands, and Eastern regions.
The elected posts represent just a small proportion of the many opportunities that exist for members to become more closely involved in the operation of BN. You can read more about volunteering on the BN website. The Board has been working closely with our volunteering officer, John Gelder, who has been working hard on creating the set of roles that are needed, and their descriptions and presenting them to members.
Strategy
Work in various working parties has been continuing. The working group on British Naturism’s relationship with its clubs, led by Jon Williams, has completed its work. We’ll have more to say about this soon.
Following a motion adopted at the AGM, another working group led by Edwin Kilby, and including all the regional coordinators, has been looking at regional structures within British Naturism. This work remains at an early stage and a consultation about what, if any, reforms should be made is foreseen in due course.
Sunfolk
After a difficult winter for everyone, we’re pushing ahead with our plans to re-open the Sunfolk site for summer 2021. We’re hoping to open the site (COVID permitting!) on 29 April and to remain open for day visits and overnight stays until early October.
You can book your visit now at www.sunfolk.bn.org.uk.
We’ve been doing some more work to maintain the site over the winter, but we’ve also been working on our longer-term development plan. We submitted a detailed proposal to the local authority for approval in late February and hope that this will be approved over the summer to allow us to start work on our ‘master plan’ when the site closes in October. 
Political Matters
One of the larger undertakings completed this winter has been our involvement with the Law Commission’s review of Hate Crime law, with the aim of securing protection for Naturists under new legislation. 
Events
Unfortunately, the impact of COVID continues to be felt, and the usual programme of winter and early spring events, including those at Bournemouth and Blackpool, has had to be abandoned this year. The Gathering, planned for April at a new venue on the Isle of Bute, has been postponed to the autumn. Nudefest, our biggest live event, is planned for 5-12 July at Thorney Lakes in Somerset and at the time of writing was already 83% booked. It’s no surprise that tickets are selling quickly for this popular festival, albeit that at this stage capacity has been reduced due to the continuing necessity to plan for a Covid-secure event. You can book with confidence: if, unfortunately, the event has to be cancelled again you are guaranteed either a full refund or a rollover to next year – your choice.
The programme of online events continues and is as popular as ever. They are now divided into community events, which are free to British Naturism and international members, and fitness events which are open to everyone on payment of a small fee. 
Check out events, both live and online on our dedicated events info and booking site.
Forum Live debate and Ask the Executive
The regular Forum Live online event which takes place on Monday evenings at 7.30 has been consistently popular since its launch last spring. Usually, it features interviews with guests followed by an opportunity for questions from the floor, and this format will continue most Mondays. But we’ve now set aside one session each month for the Forum Live Debate, at which topics of interest to the Naturist community can be discussed by participants in greater depth. We also host a quarterly ‘Ask the Executive’ event during which you can fire questions at members of the Executive Committee. 
International Matters
The biennial meeting of the INF World Congress, already postponed from October last year to March, has been further postponed to October 2021 owing to the pandemic. It’s due to take place in Slovenia. The current office-holders including the President have had their terms extended on a “maintenance” basis. We very much hope the event can proceed in October.
The annual meeting of the European arm of the INF, due to be held in February in Belgrade, was cancelled. All being well, the Serbian federation will host this event next year.
The Northampton office
The sale of the Northampton office has been agreed and at the time of writing we are waiting for contracts to be exchanged.

Monthly meetings of the Executive Committee (EC)
For as long as any of us can remember, the EC has been meeting quarterly on Sundays. EC members have been travelling long distances to Northampton to meet for a day, in some cases necessitating staying overnight. The Directors had been experimenting with videoconferencing even before the pandemic struck. But the need to avoid physical contact during lockdown made using Zoom, or a similar platform, for EC meetings essential. Experience of holding lengthy video meetings soon highlighted the limitations, however – it’s easy to become tired, lose concentration and risk eye-strain. 
So the EC has decided to experiment with a new pattern involving monthly meetings lasting two hours or less on weekday evenings. A few such meetings have been held, and feedback is that it is convenient for all participants and the business is covered efficiently. The probability is that the new pattern is here to stay - and promises to be greener and more convenient; at the same time reducing travel and hotel expenses. We hope it will also make it easier for new volunteers to take up active roles within the EC. The intention is that once it is safe to do so the EC will aim to meet physically once a year – the first such meeting is planned to be held at Sunfolk in October.
Annual report for 2020
This is the time of year when work needs to start on preparing the Annual Report for 2020. According to our bye-laws it must be published and presented three months ahead of the Annual General Meeting due to be held in October, so EC members and staff are working hard to produce their contributions in good time.

Events - looking promising...

The opportunity to host live events in 2021 is starting to look promising and we are looking forward to bringing back our community face to face as live events return!
We have lots of opportunities including Nudefest, Windermereand NKD festival plus a whole host of local events, days out and family meet-ups, plus camping at Sunfolk too. Our Autumn hotel breaks are on sale too...
With foreign travel restricted, demand is at an all-time high with many events well on the way to sell-out.
Keep an eye on the BN Events Website as we will be launching new events regularly.
Book with confidence - we will only run events if they are safe, fun and good value - all our events are secured by our CV-19 guarantee with 100% money back if an event has to be cancelled or postponed.
 

 

Say No To Hate - British Naturism works with the Law Commission

The reputation of British Naturism for protecting Naturists by working with Parliament means that we have a voice that is well-respected, and over the past year we have focussed on the long- anticipated review of Hate Crime legislation. Hate Crime law is currently scattered across a number of Acts, meaning that it is inconsistent, difficult to apply, and often fails to discourage acts of hatred. British Naturism’s work with the Law Commission through the pre-consultation phase has caused us to be major stakeholders. In the consultation paper released in September, the Law Commission recommended that legislation be drawn together into a single Hate Crime Act, citing our contributions 45 times to support the proposal. The purpose of the proposal is to discourage acts of hatred by making it clear what constitutes Hate Crime.
Naturists occasionally encounter abuse because of our lifestyle, and over the last few years there have been growing examples of Naturists being targeted. The objective of Hate Crime legislation is that minority groups should not be targeted on the basis of their identity in a way that forces them to change or conceal their identity. Given that many people choose to conceal their Naturism for
fear of reprisal, we are well placed to offer insight into the consequences of acts of hatred against a community.
Protected Characteristics
In practice, Hate Crime law works by defining certain protected characteristics, such as race and sexual orientation, so that an offence motivated by hatred against the protected characteristic would be classed as a Hate Crime and subject to more severe sentence.
A difficulty for us is that while Naturism might be protected as a philosophical belief under the Equality Act, definitions are different under Hate Crime so that Religion is protected but belief is not. A change in the protected characteristics that gained protection for Naturism would change the landscape in many respects. Official recognition as part of a protected characteristic, rather than simply a hobby or quirk will reinforce our reputation as a respectable community, helping us book venues for events and normalising Naturism. More importantly it will change the perception of the public and give people pause for thought before harassing Naturists. Central to the definition of a protected characteristic is that it should be a feature that defines our identity. Along with other groups, we have urged the Law Commission to expand the categories of protected characteristics in the belief that no minority group should be persecuted on the basis of their identity.
The work has led to the possibility of two characteristics being added to the list that would have a critical impact on the standing of Naturism:
Philosophical Belief
Belief is already considered a protected characteristic under the Equality Act and although no one would argue that Naturism is a religion, it has all of the hallmarks of a philosophy. Naturism has a weighty influence over the lives of many of us and guides how we conduct ourselves. Although Naturists are most easily identified by lack of clothing, our core value is respect; respect for ourselves and respect for others. Our philosophy is comparable to other beliefs and the opinion of independent counsel is that we comfortably meet the test for belief under the Equality Act. Even more important is that the Law Commission themselves have used Naturism as one of two examples of a belief that might be protected under Hate Crime law - the other being Humanism. The fact that British Naturism is being recognised as a key stakeholder in legal consultations and used as the model of a creditable community shows the value of the decades of campaigning by British Naturism.
Alternative Subcultures
The second proposed characteristic is Alternative Subculture, a group of people with shared characteristics, often identified by a shared style of dress. In many ways, it would be easier to gain protection for Naturism as an Alternative Subculture as this category does not rely on guessing the motivation behind our choices. The casual observer identifies Naturists by our dress code, namely wearing nothing at all, and it is our dress code that draws abuse, rather than our principles of respect. The most common targets of criminal activity amongst Naturists are nude hikers who can fall victim to shouted abuse, threats, and in some cases violence or dog attacks. It is worth recognising that the police treat such incidents more seriously when they can also be considered to be homophobic, because sexual orientation is a protected characteristic. The different treatments of identical incidents, depending on whether a characteristic is protected, demonstrates why more equal protection of minority groups is important. There are other major players in advancing the calls for protection of Alternative Subcultures. The murder of Sophie Lancaster in 2007 based on her appearance as a Goth has led many police forces to unofficially consider hostility against Alternative Cultures, such as Goths, as Hate Crime. Although Naturists have never encountered hostility of that severity, we do encounter it more frequently and have been able to contribute our experience so that both the prevalence and severity of hate incidents are covered by the contributions of British Naturism and the Sophie Lancaster Foundation.
Whether the two new categories are voted into law by Parliament remains to be seen, but both have a strong chance, and as advocates we advance the profile and acceptance of Naturism.
Communications and 'Stirring Up' Offences
Ideally, legislation would prevent Hate Crime, rather than punishing it retrospectively. Although controlling people’s behaviour is neither possible nor desirable, restricting activities that promote or glamorise physical attacks is feasible and is the purpose in redefining Communications and Stirring Up Offences. Minority groups receive threats and abuse far more often than they are the victims of violence and verbal assault still has consequences. Threats cause people to live in fear or conceal their identity, something that we as Naturists should not have to endure. Issuing threats would be described as a Communications Offence, and we have argued that threats should be classed as Hate Crime when motivated by hostility against a protected characteristic. Greater benefit could be gained by redefining Stirring Up Offences, which are instances where individuals have incited hostility or violence against others. Often, the instigator is not involved in resultant violence, relying on others to do the dirty work, meaning that the instigator is insulated from sanction. However, the consequences of Stirring Up are severe; if an individual can incite a mob, that group can cause far more damage than the single instigator could alone. Naturists have encountered the consequences of Stirring Up when the spreading of misinformation online has provoked attacks against Naturist events or clubs. Improvement in legislation that would oppose the online coordination of abuse of minorities is where we stand to make the greatest gains. Although Stirring Up Offences already exist, they are extremely inconsistent. Stirring Up against race or religion are defined by different criteria, while other protected characteristics are not protected from Stirring Up under the current law. We have lobbied for greater consistency in the definition of Stirring Up offences and that all protected characteristics should gain similar benefit. Consistent law will allow everybody; the police, the courts and the general public, to know where they stand and cause the number of hate incidents to fall.
Anti-Social Media
The area we will benefit most from consolidation of Communication and Stirring Up Offences legislation is through our treatment on social media. Social media dominates the news media these days and, while it is quick to censor healthy nudity, it places few restrictions on propagation of violence, threats and abuse. Those who have reported harassment through social media will know that complaints are normally ignored unless there are clear legal implications. Most abusive behaviour is allowed and only hate speech is restricted, so gaining a protected status for Naturism may limit widespread abuse campaigns against us. The Hate Crime review is not the only way we have been working to influence social media, we also engaged with the Facebook Oversight Board to overturn the removal of images of female nipples as part of a breast cancer awareness campaign. Although these actions will not change the approaches of social media platforms overnight, by continually standing up for our rights we move the culture in the right direction.
So Why Are We Doing This?
The advantages of protecting of Naturists from Hate Crime, should be clear. However, the impact of this work spreads much further. British Naturism is an organisation built on respect; we believe that everybody should have freedom to dress how they want and live as they wish, as long as it does not have a negative effect on others. The right to respect is something we all desire and our success would benefit and protect many vulnerable and minority groups. The status of British Naturism means that we have the opportunity to
do good and we are receiving calls for aid on other projects. We are assisting the Law Commission in devising the early stages of a consultation on the sharing of intimate images without the consent. The large number of nude photographs that we handle means that we have unparalleled insight into managing consent and our approach to respecting the choice of individuals is recognised as a gold standard that others might aspire to. A leading internet company also asked us for advice and praised our safeguarding policy, asking also if they could show it to other organisations as a standard to aim for. Our interest here is partly in avoiding overreach that might restrict the freedom to be naked, but our ability to improve conditions for others should not be overlooked. Having the ability to work for the benefit of all means that we have the responsibility to do so, and that is why British Naturism will continue to campaign.
Mark Bass - President, British Naturism
 

The Forum Live - interviewing Claudia Kellersch

I'm delighted to announce that our guest on next week's The Forum Live (29 March) will be Claudia Kellersch.
German-born life-long naturist is just as comfortable mingling with Latin American naturist leaders at ELAN [clanud.org] meetings in Brazil and Ecuador as mingling with Asian naturists in Thailand, but her favourite naturist places have been wilderness areas all over, loving New Zealand and Canada.
Having served the Naturist Action Committee from 1997 to 2007, the Naturist Education Foundation from 2007 to 2017, and on the board of the Western Region of American Association of Nude Recreation from 2018 to 2021, [aanrwest.org] she is no stranger to working for progress in Naturist circles. 
In 2018, she also served as the first official delegate of the Mexican Federation, FedNudMex.org, to the INF world congress, having attended the INF congress in New Zealand and an earlier congress. She loves spending time at her favourite naturist beach, Zipolite in Oaxaca, Mexico and with the Mexican naturist movement. 
She continues to serve on B.E.A.C.H.E.S. FOUNDATION Institute's board of governors [beachesfoundation.org], since 2005 to the present, dedicating herself to naturist beaches. Being out in the public as a voice for everyone with #IamTheFaceOfNaturism is important to her. Her recent work includes organizing endless outdoor naturist events in southern California, where she lives with her family on the border with Mexico, going to the local naturist beach, hot springs, hiking and camping naked with her local club.
These days, Claudia chats daily with many naturist friends in private, dedicated online groups such as Telegram and MeWe, in all different countries and time zones sharing ideas and planning the future of naturism, especially introducing and empowering women, families and young adults.
It promises to be a fascinating talk. Come and join us!
 
 

 

I couldn't wait to tell my friends !

As we drove out of the Naturist club and the gate shut behind us I was surprised to find myself feeling, well, sad. After all, it was only an experiment, something new to try and explore. As we drove back home my husband and I exchanged frequent looks, and our grins could not be any wider. Did we really just do that? Yes, it was a bit scary at first. But we had done it and we were hooked. Naturism had found me.
So, why did I decide to go to a Naturist club in the first place? My husband had seen a TV programme about it and suggested that I might be interested in watching it. So I did. Then he asked me if I wanted to give it a try. I thought about it and realised that I did; to try something new that we had never tried before, maybe get an all-over tan, but most of all the chance to feel at one with nature, and the possibility of shedding the shame about being naked instilled into me by two generations of women. I wanted to see if I could do it. And yes, I could!
The next step? Telling people.
I couldn’t wait. I was still on a high from our visit when my friends came round the next weekend. So, on Friday evening, glass of wine in hand I told my three best friends where we had gone that week.
The reaction from the first friend was, “Well done you.” She was interested in giving it a go herself. Unfortunately life and covid have prevented that from happening so far but it’s still on the cards. Her only concern about doing it was to do so with our boys. She is worried about how their seeing her naked will affect them.
The second friend was somewhat more negative; no problem with me doing it however she was absolutely adamant that it was something she would never be able to do herself. She was unhappy with her self-image and found comfort in covering herself up. Making comments about needing to lose weight and tone up, nothing could convince her that she did not need to change herself to give it a go.
The third friend couldn’t believe it. “What? Not even wearing a bikini?” Like the second friend she was dead against ever giving Naturism a try herself.
Despite these three different reactions nothing changed in our friendship. I wasn’t suddenly the pariah or the weirdo (well, no more than before!)
A year later, when my friends would come around to visit, my husband wouldn’t bother to get dressed. My friends have got used to it and there were frequent jokes from both sides. It has become so normal to them that they only comment if he is actually wearing something.
The second friend continued to be adamant that she was never going to try Naturism until one evening she was flicking through a pile of BN magazines. Having seen the normal bodies in the issues, she realised that you don’t have be perfect to enjoy what you were born with. I took my chance and asked if she was reconsidering it, and she said she’d sleep on it. The next morning was gloriously sunny and she agreed to join us for a day visit to to Heritage, the club where we are now members. After a nervous start she was sunbathing on the lawn, clothes in a pile next to her, telling me, ‘Oh Nettie, this is amazing. Thank you for bringing me here.’ When we got home she couldn’t wait to go back again, and the following week after another day visit she signed up and joined the club herself. Talk about once the bug bites you..!
Our next-door neighbour had often seen us loading up the car with the tent and had asked where we were off to. Initially we were elusive, saying it was a campsitebut not giving any specifics. We were worried about telling them in case they reacted badly. If a friend thinks being a Naturist is wrong then you lose a friend. Living next-door to someone who feels like that is a bigger issue to deal with.
But eventually we told her. Her reaction was the typical, ‘You are so brave, I could never do that,’ - whilst in the same breath mentioning about her going topless sunbathing in Spain.
Perhaps the most interesting response I have had was from one of the mums from school. Our youngest and her eldest are best friends and one day in the local park, whilst the boys were off playing, we were talking about anxiety and differentways of dealing with it. I said to her that I had a little secret and told her that we were Naturists. I explained how it feels when the gates shut behind you and all the everyday worries disappear, the sensation of sun on your skin and wind sweeping all worries from your mind. I tried to describe to her the freedom and wholeness I feel when visiting our club.
Her reaction was one of curiosity. One of her first questions was whether it was something that we had been doing all our lives. She was quite surprised to find out that we were fairly new to it. She asked if I had ever had a bad reaction from telling someone, to which I told her that I hadn’t. And she asked about suncream. As we left she told me not to be surprised if she had more questions the next time we met.
My first visit to a Naturist club was the first step to discovering a new me, one who does not look for something new to be unhappy about every time I look in the mirror, the me that does not try on ten different outfits before choosing one and is still unhappy, the me that looks out more than look in.
Aneta
 

FREE Yoga Session to celebrate 52 Weeks of Lockdown Yoga

This Thursday (25th Match) at 7.30pm we celebrate 52 weeks of online events, that's 12 months and  over 1320 sessions!
To celebrate Georgia is inviting you to a free Naked Yoga session with 52 sun salutations
The session is open to all members but you must have done some yoga before - although not necessarily with Georgia - it is going to be an intense session lasting around 1h 30 mins and not suitable for beginners.
Find out more and book your place here! (Log-in required) 
Namaste!

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