Many women around the world have a difficult time with body acceptance and with nudity in general. We now live in a world where women and teenage girls (and increasingly believe it or not also men) killing themselves from horrible eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia because they cannot accept their bodies. Given what women and young girls see, hear, and have held up as standards of what it means to be beautiful and who society as a whole holds up as standards of beauty, it is no small wonder that most women would be reluctant to participate in naturism before really finding out what naturism is about.

For most women the only thing standing between them and regaining a positive self image and the self esteem that they have lost over the years is simply this: the things we women tell ourselves. Things like… Well maybe if I was in better shape or I am just too fat, it is these little put downs that we all from time to time silently tell ourselves especially when we are talking about our bodies and nudity. While naturism is not an overnight antidote to this, and to the larger issue of societal pressure for women and girls to look a certain way to be considered beautiful and be accepted naturism does, can, and will help.

Naturism is not just some lifestyle as some believe; it is a way of life, a way of living. It can be and is a wonderful awakening for a woman and is probably one of the most liberating things in her life she will ever experience. For many women who are involved in naturism one of the things they want most is to help other women deal with the issues they have surrounding nudity and their bodies so that they too will able to allow themselves to know the freedom there is when you break free from the shackles of body shame, as well as the many health benefits (both physical and mental) that naturism can bring in a relaxing, safe, and family friendly environment.

So maybe at this point you are seriously interested or at least willing to be open minded enough to considering giving naturism a try, but there are a thousand questions running through your mind that you want answered before doing so. Well, here are some of the most common questions and answers to those questions many women have about naturism.

Do I Have To Have A Perfect Body? My Figure, To Say The Least, Is Less Than Perfect. Will I Feel Out Of Place?

The perfect body does not exist. 99.99% of us don't have that "perfect" body. About one figure in twenty seen at a naturist park is exemplary; the rest will be like people everywhere. Actually, a person's physical proportions mean less in naturist parks than elsewhere. Many naturists (both male and female) will never take any prizes for physical beauty. Ladies who are disturbed by the thought that they might be less than ideal in this regard should put aside their concerns. Remember we are all of different shapes and sizes and the shape of our bodies is unimportant. Your imperfections are normal and should not be a source of anxiety. Naturists feel comfortable about their body and forget about their imperfections because it's not something that matters a great deal to us.

What If I Am Having My Period?

Again, this is a natural occurrence and is part of normal and healthy function of a woman's body. If a woman is comfortable with one, a tampon is the simplest method of dealing with that time of month, however a pad could be used also. If a woman prefers she can wear shorts or bikini bottoms. A woman should use whatever she will feel most comfortable for her personally.

I Heard That Naturist Groups Are Just People Who Get Together For Orgies. Is This True?

Actually, no. This is probably the most common misunderstanding about naturism there is. Naturists believe it is our cultural heritage of body shame that leads to an unhealthy obsession with sex. Naturists believe sex is a normal, healthy part of life, but one that should be enjoyed by consenting adults in private and behind closed doors so to speak. Naturists believe clothes-optional beaches, resorts, or social gatherings are inappropriate places for sexual activity. They recognise that while nude is not lewd, public sex is offensive to many people, and is almost always illegal.

Am I Likely To Be Improperly Approached / Hit On At One Of Your Event?

Hopefully this will never happen. If such a thing does occur, please do not hesitate to let one of the Heartland Naturists officers know right away. The offending individual will be ejected from the event and their membership would be revoked if they are a member. (Same thing would happen if it is a guest at one of our events.).

Will My / Our Children Be Shocked By Their First Sight Of Naturists?

No. Children are natural naturists and usually take to it with a minimum of adjustment.

Why Do People Like To Swim Without A Bathing Suit? What's The Big Deal Anyway?

The freedom of swimming clothes-free is wonderful. Once you try skinny-dipping, you'll never want to swim with a suit on again.

Why Do Women Choose Nude Recreation?

Because it is fun… Most women love it once they try it and they find the real joy of actually being a woman once they allow themselves the freedom of experiencing naturism in a social setting! Not to mention the relaxation, stress relief, positive body image, body acceptance, and self-esteem they quickly learn to feel from nude recreation. Most women today have fond memories of going skinny dipping or in a spa or hot tub when we were young and innocent, so it's really not all that new. Naturism is becoming very popular and there are a great many wonderful reasons for women choosing nude recreation in today's world, including the many health benefits it offers. There are naturist facilities where you can recapture that innocence, landed clubs as well as travel clubs, beautiful resorts, spas, hot springs, beaches, retreats, bed and breakfast inns, campgrounds, luxury ocean cruises, and even entire nude cities in the world today, where you will meet a wide variety of really wonderful and friendly people diverse in ages as well as professions.

How Are Women Naturists Different?

Naturist women are not very different from other women, other than having a greater deal of self-esteem and confidence and feeling more comfortable and relaxed about their body and appearance. We allow ourselves the freedom to relax, enjoy life, have fun, and on the average we are happier than most other women, but other than that we are the same! In our day to day lives we are really not different at all. We are representative of the general public and are from every profession, every age and body type. Some of us are Republicans, some are Democrats, and some vote Independent. Some of us are married, some are single, some have strong religious convictions and virtually every denomination is represented. All these diversities come together sharing a common philosophy to raise the level of understanding and perception of ourselves through clothing-optional living.

Source: heartlandnaturists.com

Here is a collection of interviews with women who explain in their own words why they are naturists: