Children in Naturism [podcast]

When it comes to naturism and naturist families, we need to discuss the elephant in the room; we need to talk about naturist children.

Who is really sexualizing children? Is it the textile community forcing toddlers into bikini tops, cults demanding their women cover up for modesty’s sake, or natural parents who believe a child’s body is never sexual, no matter the context? Even if you take the hard-line approach, “I don’t want my kids seeing that,” you must admit you cannot censor what they see forever. The question isn’t whether your children will be exposed to nudity but when and in what form.

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Perhaps I am reaching here. Most parents do not consciously consider the norms of their society. Parents want nothing but to protect their children from harm. But in America, where nudity always = sex, the idea of naked children hanging around naked adults is sure to raise red flags. In contrast, the human body is deemed innocent in many European nations like Spain, France, and Germany. The sight of nude children doesn’t raise alarm bells, and in fact, teaching children to be comfortable and confident about their bodies leads to fewer instances of abuse, not more.

I would never suggest stripping children of their choice to wear or not wear clothing. Feelings of modesty differ from person to person. But body shame is a learned habit, and families raised in a clothing-free environment are more often happy and healthy.

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Translation from above: Young children often prefer to be completely naked because they feel more comfortable. They are not ashamed. As they grow up, they no longer want us to see them nude, and it is normal. Sometimes, parents do not understand this change and ignore it. But it is important to respect the modesty of others.

Growing up, I wanted nothing more than to strip down to my skin at home, but I knew my parents would never allow it. I could only dream of being raised in a nudist household! But the clothes came off whenever they went out, which was often. Still, I feared I would be locked in a padded room if anyone found out, and I spent much of my life struggling with body shame.

When we tell our kids never to look, never to show, never to discuss the parts of themselves we deem sexual, we are giving predators the means to commit abuse. Pedophiles operate in secret, and shame is the primary tool they use to hide their crimes. The textile society is complicit in this regard, in teaching the youngest victims in our society that the abuse committed against them should never be discussed because the subject surrounding the crime (their bodies) is, in all circumstances, taboo.

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This isn’t merely fancy rhetoric. I was sexually abused by a close male relative at a tender young age. He did it in plain sight, in front of other family members, but no action was taken against him because the topic of his groping me was too shameful for discussion. I eventually came around to realizing how damaging shame can be, and it’s the very reason I embrace the naked life today.

We do not want to groom children; we want to create a world where grooming is far less likely, if not impossible. Nudism is a philosophy based on openness and honesty. It is a lifestyle focused on combating objectification and sexualization. Predators cannot thrive under the light of day. When we separate nudity from sex, we help separate children from abuse.

In the podcast below (my first!), I discuss my personal experience with sex abuse, growing up in a textile world, and the harmful power of shame.

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