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incorporate it into their daily lives. When Ernie decided the naturist lifestyle was for him, he says he knew he had to tell his kids. With his children gathered in the living room one day, Ernie walked in naked and sat down. "I said, 'There's going to be some changes around here,'" says Ernie. The kids were surprised and a few of them say they still don't understand why their parents are naturists. "Some of the kids think I've gone off the deep end and some think I'm still in a mid-life crises," he says.
Jamie, the Coopers' 24-year-old daughter, says she was initially shocked, but has since gotten used to the idea. Her parents invited her and her siblings to join them at Lake Edun and try the naturist lifestyle, but Jamie says she wasn't interested. "I'm not comfortable with doing things like that, partly because I've been raised that you always stay dressed unless you're in the shower or at the doctor's office," she says.
Now that she has learned not to view nudity as sexual, Stephanie questions her past parenting approaches. "I wonder how much harm we did do the kids
by enforcing the modesty thing," she says. If she could do it over, Stephanie says she would not insist that the bathroom door stay closed or place such an emphasis on privacy.
Lake Edun, like many naturist resorts, is actually a family place, and children are welcome to attend with their parents.
burn, psychology and human sexuality professor, agrees."I think naturism may even contribute to healthy attitudes toward one's body and sexuality in adulthood," he says.
Nicky Hoffman from The Naturist Society points out research, including a 1988 study by R.J. Lewis and L.H. Janda and a 1979 study by M.D. Story, shows that children who have grown up in a naturist home are better adjusted and less likely to have problems with eating disorders or promiscuity as teens. Red-
Even our founding fathers?
George Franck and his wife Heather, 22, decided to raise their children, Austin, 5 and Brianna, 21 months, in the naturist lifestyle. The Francks attend the Heartland Naturists' monthly nude swims and visit Lake Edun whenever they can. George says he spent time with relatives in a rural area as a child, where nudity was accepted and nothing to be ashamed of. As a result, he says he thinks he is more secure about his appearance. In contrast, George says his brother and sister, who did not spend as much time in the rural area with the relatives, grew up with much different body images. "My brother and sister are both very worried about how they look, my sister to the point of thinking she needs to diet all the time, although she's very fit," George says. "Her confidence and self-image are based on how others view her, not how she views herself."
At Lake Edun, clothing is optional for children until age 18. Hoffman says adolescents, even those raised in the naturist lifestyle, tend to lose interest or avoid participating while their bodies are changing. However, she says they typically come back to naturism when they have children of their own and want to raise them in that lifestyle.
Body image and health
Redburn acknowledges that while nudity may make some people feel inadequate about their bodies, it may also prevent it. "People who are comfortable being nudists seem to be more comfortable with sexuality in general," he says.
- Benjamin Franklin took daily naked "air baths."
While encouraging a positive body image is one reason the Francks have chosen to raise their children as naturists, George emphasizes the connection between body acceptance and a healthy lifestyle. While George admits he has a beer belly, he believes naturism aids
- Presidents John Quincy Adams, Theodore Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson all enjoyed skinny dipping.
- Source: www.clothesfree.com
- President John Quincy Adams took a nude swim every morning in the Potomac River. Anne Royall became the first female journalist to interview a president when she followed Adams to the river and sat on his clothes until he agreed to an interview with her.
self-acceptance of features such as large ears, excessive body hair and even skin color. "Accept what you can't change and work on the things you can, but don't obsess over it," he says.
The Naturist Society actually offers workshops around the country about eating right and exercising, Hoffman says. "We believe that people should be healthy, but everybody's 'healthy' is different," she says.
When George's wife, Heather first attended a nude swim hosted by the Heartland Naturists, she fell victim to a common misconception: naturists are all beautiful people with model-type bodies. "I was scared to death and about ready to cry," Heather, a curvy blonde, says of her first experience at a nude swim. "I thought that everyone was going to be thin and prettier. I wondered, why someone who is not very fit would go into a place completely nude and not feel ashamed of themselves?" But once Heather entered the pool area, she says she was surprised at how nice everyone was. Strangers introduced themselves and chatted with the couple. "They weren't staring at me or checking me out," says Heather. Once Heather finally realized that naturism wasn't what she thought, she says she started feeling better about herself. She noticed she had better self-esteem about her body and didn't worry as much about what other people thought of her.
Stephanie Cooper learned this lesson as well. "My legs are like roadmaps, and not once has anyone said anything
about my varicose veins," she says.
In addition to the positive body image that comes with naturism, being nude just feels good. Hoffman says she's heard everything from the feeling of freedom to how nice it is not to get sand in your bathing suit. "Swimming with no clothes on just felt nice," says Heather Franck, referring to her first experience at the nude swim.
Try it
Along with the hesitance of society in the U.S. to see nudity as anything other than sinful, naturist clubs and resorts are still scarce in some areas. Nebraska doesn't have any, so naturists from Omaha and Lincoln make the drive to Lake Edun or Heartland Naturist events on a fairly regular basis. Both organizations also draw visitors from Iowa and Missouri.
To attend Lake Edun, a "landed" naturist club, (meaning it actually has its own property) all prospective naturists need to do is just show up. Although Lake Edun is a membership-based club, unannounced visitors are welcome. But all visitors are asked to present identification for security purposes. New naturists may want to first attend Lake Edun on visitor weekends, with an optional clothing rule, until they decide to stay. Ernie says this is to prevent gawking, and also because clothed people tend to feel uncomfortable being the only ones not in the nude.
The Heartland Naturists are a nonlanded organization, but the group holds several events throughout the year, including bowling, dinners, and a run/walk/jog, in addition to their monthly nude swims in Lenexa. George Franck says those who want to attend a Heartland Naturist event should send an e-mail to hnclub@kcsky.net.
Heartland Cove at Smithville Lake in Smithville; Mo., is not an officially recognized naturist beach, but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has so far tolerated its use as such, says George Franck. Other area naturist organizations include Prairie Haven, about 25 miles south of Topeka, and Shady Lane near Hutchinson.
Kit Leffler/Jayplay photographer
Naturists prefer their nomenclature over the term "nudists." They say the lifestyle has nothing to do with sexuality or perversion but rather it provides them with a better self-image.
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A warning, though: Green says some organizations that call themselves naturist or nudist clubs may be involved in drugs or sexual activities, which are not in alignment with naturism. A good bet would be to seek out a group affiliated either with The Naturist Society or the International Naturists Association, says Green.
Before attending a naturist event, Stephanie Cooper recommends doing some research into the organization. Those new to naturism might want to find out if an organization is clothing-optional or clothes-free. Some groups are open only to couples and families, while others allow singles.
And, Ernie acknowledges that naturism isn't for everyone. "I think there are people who have so many hang-ups that they just can't do it," he says. "Society has so deeply engrained that into us."
If you do decide to visit a naturist organization, bring a towel. Hoffman says this is one of the most important rules of naturist etiquette - no one wants to sit on a lawn chair that your exposed genitals have touched. You may feel uncomfortable for the first five minutes until you realize no one is looking at you.