| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
DrSmith
New Member
|
 Posted - 11/21/2008 : 08:24:01 AM
|
Dear All,
our study on the relationship between naturism, sexuality and sexual wellbeing was published in august 2008 in the academic journal "health and place." if you are interested in reading it you can email me for a pdf copy; drglennsmith@btinternet.com
all the best
Glenn
|
Country:
| Posts: 5 |
|
|
n/a
deleted
|
Posted - 12/03/2008 : 10:47:49 PM
|
A direct link to the article itself would be nice.
I looked up the "Health and Place" website, then glanced through the abstracts to try and find this article. According to the website, the journal is published four times a year ... in March, June, September, and December. There is no mention of an issue in August 2008.
Reading through the abstracts for all issues in 2008, as well as the upcoming March 2009 issue, I don't see any article about naturism.
Could you clear this up? Thanks ...
|
|
Country:
| Posts: 254 |
 |
|
|
DrSmith
New Member
|
Posted - 01/13/2009 : 12:58:33 PM
|
...to obtain the article from health and place you have to buy it. the article was published online during august 2008. it is published online first and then published in the paper journal later. the paper journal version comes out in june 2009. all this information is on the internet if you simply google the title. if you wish to have a copy just email me. hope this helps, best wishes, Glenn
|
|
Country:
| Posts: 5 |
|
|
|
JCP
Forum Member
|
Posted - 06/21/2013 : 4:11:51 PM
|
Dear Dr, Smith,
I would be grateful if you could send me a copy,
All the best,
JCP
|
|
Country: United Kingdom
| Posts: 57 |
|
|
|
nudesunguy
Forum Member
|
Posted - 06/22/2013 : 11:11:08 AM
|
I couldn't find the study, but I found this synopsis online:
What some interviewees had to say in open-ended private conversations with Smith and King led them to conclude that “sexuality has an impact on the practice and experience of social nudity.” There were four conclusions, three of which are directed at naturist organizations and the fourth toward public policy makers.
1. Although many naturists found naturist environments places where they could discover and enjoy unexplored areas of their sexuality such as seeing others nude, these feelings were often perceived as socially deviant, meaning they were controlled or consciously or unconsciously repressed. Instead of being a social and liberating experience, these perceptions often made social nudity an isolating, repressive, and anxiety-provoking one.
2. Naturism’s asexual approach may limit social nudity’s educational potential in expanding the experience and understanding of sexual feelings beyond the genitals. Furthermore, it may make those who enjoy the eroticism of social nudity to feel deviant. Such individuals may feel uneasy, guilty, defensive, and marginalized within naturism, in much the same way as popular culture often pathologizes and marginalizes naturism itself.
3. Contrary to what many naturists may say, naturist settings do “induce or legitimize sexual feelings.” This refers equally to the proximity of other nude people as much as to the feeling of warm sun or cool water on one’s body. Smith and King concluded from the interviews that organized naturism’s reluctance to “openly acknowledge and effectively manage the sexual character of social nudity” may contribute to many women’s fears and discomfort about naturist settings. Denying human sexuality doesn’t make it go away and if it’s denied or ignored, women aren’t going to feel safe.
4. Instead of thinking about social nudity in the narrow focus of minimizing risks, public officials should consider the potential benefits of social nudity on sexual wellbeing. Legislators’ overemphasis on pathological behavior that occasionally occurs and organized naturism’s denial of the sexual reality of humans limits any exploration of the potential for social nudity to enhance sexual wellbeing.
Still, Smith and King do come to a positive conclusion by saying, “Naturist environments potentially offer a unique space in which people can explore the breadth of their sexual feelings in ways that are frank but no-exploitive. Such opportunities may provide a welcome addition to the current programme of promotion of sexual wellbeing and breath new life into naturism.”
Discuss.
|
|
Country:
| Posts: 593 |
|
|
|
JCP
Forum Member
|
Posted - 06/22/2013 : 6:42:43 PM
|
Thank you for posting the synopsis, it makes for interesting reading. I believe there is a correlation between Naturism and sexual expression. I don't believe it is unhealthy. I wouldn't argue for open acts of sexual intimacy but intimacy in the open in a secluded spot, or a recognised spot that families could avoid, why not. If you do get spotted by a child, what's wrong with "what are they doing Daddy?" "They're mating sweetheart, that's how you were started". The difference between a Naturist and a textile can be measured in as small a denomination as a thong, so the only thing that differentiates a textile from a Naturist in aesthetic terms is a willingness or desire to display our sexual organs; I hope there is a greater spiritual division or more mature mind and body link.
For thousands of years extended families lived in a shared space, multiple families lived in a shared space. No one had to learn about sex it was part of every day lives. The more we complicate our lives with taboo the more sexual deviance seems to pervade. Put Nature back into Naturism.
The report mentions benifits for sexual wellbeing. A well being doesn't start by getting their kit off, it starts in the mind. I do believe Naturism as an ideology could be benifitial in everything from sexual comfort to mental health.
Naturists lent textiles the world - it's a shame they won't give it back
|
|
Country: United Kingdom
| Posts: 57 |
|
|
|
NaturistDoc
Forum Member
|
Posted - 06/30/2013 : 2:11:56 PM
|
First of all, I find it unconscionable that Elsevier, in this day and age, still finds it reasonable to charge $31.50 for electronic access to a 5 year old article in a somewhat obscure journal. (I contacted the library at Oregon Health and Science University. They do not subscribe to H&P because "no one has requested it".) But I digress.
Some of Smith and King's conclusions in nudesunguy's helpful post will likely elicit a "Well, duh!" response from experienced naturists. But they seem to want things both ways, chiding naturist organization on one hand for denying human sexuality (which they don't quite) and on the other for failing to "effectively manage the sexual character of social nudity", whatever that means. It bothers me that they choose the vaguely pejorative psychological terms "suppression" or "repression" to describe how naturists handle their own sexual feelings in the context of social nudity. After all, by their definitions we 'suppress' or 'repress' our sexuality at work or at the dinner table or a thousand other social settings; why would a naturist resort necessarily be any different? Instead of "suppression" or "repression", I prefer a term like "compartmentalization", by which I suppose I mean "Of course I'm a sexual being, but it's not my primary focus in this setting." Maybe it's just a semantic distinction, but semantics are a big deal.
That said, the wholesome image promoted by some naturist organizations is no doubt a bit disingenuous, and probably does promote considerable uneasiness in inexperienced naturists who suddenly find out that they DO experience sexual feelings at a nudist resort, just like they occasionally do at work or the dinner table. Point taken. I suspect the squeaky-clean portrayal is a painfully deliberate effort to reassure the world at large that we're not all a bunch of perverted sex fiends.
Nudity is a complicated issue, and it would be naive to expect those complications to disappear at the gates of a nudist resort.
|
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 1054 |
|
|
|
JCP
Forum Member
|
Posted - 06/30/2013 : 2:28:31 PM
|
Hi NaturistDoc.
I thought comming to this forum would help me understand but instead it confuses me more :-} Thank you for your comments. I find it ironic that as Naturists we are expected to ignore our sexual side and yet pages and pages of comments are devoted to how we exhibit our sexual organs through grooming, colouring, shaving, have jewellery on or not. Plainly, or as I see it, 'we' want people to acknowledge our potential as sexual beings but at the same time deny that we are or that it has a place. I think it is an outdated tradition. What is important is how we behave regardless of our state of sexual arousal, not the sexual arousal. I guess that is my understanding of the reports conclusion. I beleive their is innocent sexual expression and perverted sexual expression. I would like Naturism to support innocent expression and stand against perversion. I don't beleive hiding from it solves anything and certainly makes Naturism less relevant in this century. I would have been far less likely to be abused if I had known the difference as a child rather than not even knowing either side existed.
|
|
Country: United Kingdom
| Posts: 57 |
|
|
|
NaturistDoc
Forum Member
|
Posted - 07/01/2013 : 02:01:42 AM
|
I disagree with your assertion that 'we are expected to ignore our sexual side' ... not that we could, even if we wanted to. The point is that nudity is not necessarily sexual, but can be enjoyable and (perhaps) beneficial in itself.
Your childhood experience was unfortunate, and no doubt contributes to your current "confusion". Kudos for making the effort to try and sort things out.
|
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 1054 |
|
|
|
JCP
Forum Member
|
Posted - 07/01/2013 : 06:33:41 AM
|
My confusion comes from the double standard, not from childhood experience. Thank you for the kudos but it is unnecessary. I have very strong beliefs about the subject that are born from personal experience and extensive study. Unfortunately it is difficult to gauge your response as it is delivered in a flat way but it could be interpreted as a little patronising. Having a history of abuse hasn't rendered me confused and unable to formulate an opinion. The opposite is true.
I am writing two novels at the moment that use Naturism as a background force for positive interaction in adolescents lives and this forum is changing the nature of them because of the attitudes/opinions expressed. I have asked for direct feedback on my my books through Naturist Organisations, this Forum, on the internet through blogs and via Google + and received zip. As my books have a theme of sexual development and abuse so my research follows a similar course.
There is a very real situation I am aware of at the moment involving a Naturist families desire to keep a long tradition alive in teenage children. One of the children in the family is open to Naturism but current attitudes mean they could not be involved because they would be seen as a threat to etiquette, spend ninety percent of their time sat down, under a towel or going wrinkly in a pool and where's the fun in that. I see the confused messages of this site reflected in their struggle so I assume it is repeated over and over, helping the decline of Naturism in the young. This isn't the information I was hoping to find, it flies in the face of my beliefs. In my opinion Naturism is waiting to come out of the dark ages and into a renaissance and it's a little darker that I had hoped, certainly in the USA. The experiences of adolescents are also reflected in a decreasing scale through all ages.
I am not talking about Naturism in general, I am talking about it in a specific area and finding it lacking as I believe the conclusion of the report does.
|
|
Country: United Kingdom
| Posts: 57 |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Nudist-Resorts.Org Discussion Forum Bulletin Board Nudism Clothing Optional Resort Naturism Nude Beaches |
© 2002-2020 SUN |
|
|
|
naturism and sexuality study
