So, nudism/naturism is partly about body acceptance, yes? No matter the size or shape, we naturists accept everyone without judgment.
I also know in my heart that the body is simply a vessel that carries the spirit, an innately sexless consciousness-center that incarnates in various material forms suited to its ever-growing awareness. (OK, I know not everybody will agree with me on this point, but it is my belief.) It’s what’s inside that is the most important.
In short, we stress that body image — and the textiles that we use to create that image — is not so important. We truly look beyond the surface.
Sooo, with almost a month to go before I pose nude — for three hours — in front of fully clothed artists, why am I suddenly so concerned about my body image — to the point of dieting, and exercising? Yes, I have put on some weight around the mid-section, but my g/f still says I’m skinny. But I’m not as skinny as I used to be . . . and yadda yadda yadda . . .
There’s nothing you can say that will make me not want to look my best in front of those artists. I WILL diet, I WILL work out . . . even though I know that my shape is really not important to those folks, that they will happily draw sketches of me no matter how I look. Indeed, the point of the artist workshops is to experience body diversity and to reflect it in art.
In truth, while I am a naturist, I still have a lot to learn. Regular readers know that I am fairly new to it all. Despite what I have learned and experienced, I still want to have sex appeal. I don’t think that’s a hangup, is it? I mean, I see elderly women — in their 70s and 80s — holding small mirrors to their faces while they touch up their lipstick in the waiting room of the doctor’s office.
I don’t plan to age gracefully. A facelift is in the cards, and perhaps other body modifications.
A gentleman once called me an enigma. He was right. I am a study in contrasts . . . which is why I may be a good candidate for artists.
And a good candidate for nudism/naturism.
Meanwhile, I’ve barely eaten today . . . I’m hungry, but I starve myself in the name of superficial beauty. I truly can see why some girls become anorexic . . .
Jillian
Jillian Page 
What I love about being amongst naturists is that the obsession with any current unobtainable ideals of beauty do not seem to exist. Everyone is comfortable in their own skin and accepts everyone else for who and what they are. I should know as I continued to visit all through my transition and nobody gave a damn…
I am loosing some weight for health reasons and find our low calorie fast on two non consecutive days not only slowly reduces my weight but with the body getting to function properly and burn up rather than constantly store reserves i feel cleansed and more alert.
Sure you will look great.
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It’s not really all that complicated, and a common phenomenon among nudists, especially women. When in the ‘nudist world’, ie, among other nudists/naturists, the ‘norm’ is to not be overly concerned about appearances.
But when back in the real world, that’s exactly where you are, along with all the social conventions and feelings that entails. Especially appearance!
While embracing the naturist lifestyle can and does change a lot of our inner feelings and attitudes, even in the outside world, nonetheless that’s the world we’re in and we tend to adapt accordingly.
Among textiles you’re judged by appearance first; you know it and respond much as any other Textile would. It’s normal, don’t worry about it. Living in two worlds isn’t always easy, but it’s tolerable if you can escape into naturism once in awhile and RELAX!
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Please be careful re: weight loss & starving… You are already a slim gal, and you need (at this age of 22) lol.. , some weight to protect your bones from osteo… Remember that. ok? Also, you NEED enough protein, vitamins and minerals for everything to work well, to stay healthy, & to be alert.. Just be careful ok? ok ok.. I’m shutting up now… Diet and exercise if you want, but do it smartly. Variety.. and.. smaller portions… hugggggggzzzzz
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I had similar reservations before participating in Fully Disclothed recently, should I try and loose the odd pound or three, excercise more, eat less?
I think it is perfectly normal to have doubts/reservations about our appearences clothed or naked. It is to what degree we decide to let our looks effect our lives. My body tells a story, it is where I am today in 2013, I may not have an adonis physique but it is one I’m happy to show the world in naturists resorts, beachs etc.
Earlier in my life I would have been too ‘uptight’ to pose naked, so for me appearing nude reflects a more relaxed attitude.
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I was told by art students that they prefer to draw bodies with a little flesh on them as it’s boring to draw straight lines.
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Lotsa curves, you bet, and even more when you get, to the Junction.
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I don’t think they will let me wear a petticoat . . .
Welcome aboard, Stockwell . . .
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Nah – It’s not a paradox at all. As I understand it, a naturist gathering isn’t about looking at bodies – what you see and what gets seen is simply a natural side effect – but going to pose as a nude model is a completely different kettle of fish. Absolutely everyone else is there for the sole purpose of studying *your* body. Of course you’re going to be feeling just a teeny bit more self conscious at the one event than at the other. I wonder… Would it actually make any significant difference to how you feel about it if all the artists were naked as well?
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Dave, I suggested to the event organizer that the artists might consider being naked as well, but it is not going to happen. So, it will be just me. No worries.
Jillian
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Posing means exposing yourself in a different way than getting naked in a public place among fellow naturists. In the second case you know what they see is just a person who happens to be nude. You don’t need to worry about your “imperfect” body, because nobody else will.
Art students, on the other hand, just see a naked body. They of course have to identify what makes that particular body interesting, which usualle means our flaws. But they “scan” a body in a professional, unpersonal way (just like a doctor). This isn’t the kind of judgement we suffer in our everyday clothed life, where image is so important. Concentrated in their work, I don’t think they will mind your weight.
Having said that, I perfectly understand your concerns, and I doubt I would be brave enough to pose if I was given the opportunity.
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societies influence of textile driven world is something we are exposed to our entire life and while we can make conscious efforts to know its true falsehoods, the reactions and the subconscious pollution is already done and will require much re-programming.
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just imagine all of them naked/nude/clothesless …. as if you were giving a speech…. hope it was fun…. aloha….
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Thanks. I haven’t actually done the session yet — that happens in a couple of weeks.
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ALOHA…. hope it WILL be fun….. ;o}
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Sorry to comment so late but this article was just brought to my attention.
There are three issues here:
1) Just because you have logically decided to follow naturist values doesn’t mean your emotional side is on board. The emotional side is much more powerful and more difficult to manage. Just look at anyone with a phobia. Plus you are still living in the textile world with all of its negative influences. You are constantly being re-infected with those concepts of intolerance.
2) As others have pointed out, you are not going into a naturist situation. The others will be dressed which creates a voyeur-exhibitionist relationship. I’m not suggesting that the people involved have those labels as per the clinical definitions. It’s just that a nude person in front of dressed people may feel somewhat exhibitionistic and perceive them as voyeuristic. I think it is particularly true here where the objective is for them to look at you and capture your likeness.
3) Being a naturist doesn’t mean you stop taking care of yourself and trying to be your best. The “respect for self” part of naturism should lead you in that direction. The problem is when it becomes an unnatural obsession that focuses not on you but on what others think.
Someone once suggested that it would be easy for me to be a stripper since I was so comfortable being nude. That is the typical misunderstanding: that naturism is about being nude. Context is everything. Just because I’ve had sex with several people in my life doesn’t mean I would be comfortable being a prostitute either. I’m not suggesting that what you are doing is like that. I’m just pointing out that many factors impact how we feel – motives, intentions, context, etc… Simple logical facts are almost never the whole story.
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Thank you so much for this. You make many good points.
Cheers
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alooooooHA…. nicely said…..
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Well said. Humans are rarely uncoplicated…
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