You are currently viewing What is nudism? My life without clothes.

What is nudism? My life without clothes.

What is nudism?

Nudism is the practice of social & personal nudity as a natural lifestyle, focusing on body acceptance, freedom and connecting with nature. Some nudists practice nudism in private at home, while others practice nudism socially. Nudism has many core principles and philosophy associated with it.

Core Principles & Philosophy of nudism

  • Body Positivity: Celebrates the human body in all its forms, viewing it as natural and worthy of respect, not shame.
  • Health & Wellness: Believes that nudity offers physical and mental health benefits, fostering body image and self-acceptance.
  • Freedom & Authenticity: Promotes personal freedom by removing clothing as a barrier, allowing for more honest interactions.
  • Non-Sexual: Emphasizes that nudity in nudist settings is non-sexual and focuses on wholesome, non-voyeuristic appreciation. 

What does nudism mean to me?

I believe nudity in general is not inherently sexual, simply being nude is a natural form. The human body should be celebrated not be hidden behind restricting, uncomfortable clothing that doesn’t allow the skin to breathe properly. I see nudism as a way of promoting body positivity, a way of being your true natural self. Most importantly, I find being nude far more comfortable than clothing and allows me the freedom to be myself.

How does society view nudity?

Society forces us to believe that all nudity is sexual, even when one isn’t committing a sex act. Society is prudish at best when it comes to bare skin, or any form of nudity especially when private areas are exposed. Society views topless women as sexual as well but topless men are not sexual which I find very goofy and backwards thinking.

If you ask anybody who follows social norms they believe you should only be naked for two reasons: Having sex and taking a shower. I disagree with that entirely.

How did I get involved in nudism?

When I was a teenager I used to try to cover up my body to hide my “shame” from the world. I believed that I was ugly or unattractive and since I stutter that made my confidence sink even lower.

Even though I hated clothing, covering up didn’t fix anything or make me feel better about myself. I finally decided to do the entire opposite and started going nude at home in the privacy of my room at my parents house. I eventually started exploring going naked by roaming the house naked while everybody was asleep and even snuck outdoors entirely nude to feel the air on my entire body.

Once I felt the outdoor air brush against my naked body I knew that nudity was something I enjoyed. At first I didn’t know there were others like me who enjoyed being nude. I thought maybe I was an outcast, or that I was simply weird for not wanting to wear clothing.

It wasn’t until I researched Nudism that I knew I wasn’t an outcast, that there are others like me who enjoy simply living life without clothing.

After I moved out of my parents house I continued my lifestyle as a nudist. I practiced nudism in my own home with my partner at the time. Over the years I grew the desire to be naked more and in more places. I started looking for places outdoors that were private and not visited often by textiles where I would strip off my clothes just to feel the sun and breeze on my naked body.

Nude on a public trail

I started sharing my nude photos online in the 90s to try to meet other nudists and find other like minded folks. A lot of folks frowned at me for sharing photos of myself entirely nude online and claimed I was just seeking attention. I persisted though and kept sharing and had many profiles where I had shared nudity. Some of these profiles are gone and have been replaced with new ones over the years.

Nude with my four wheeler in my yard.

At one point I met a few people from the Camelot Nudist Club in Iowa that has now since disbanded. I joined them at skinny dip events, house parties and more. My friend Rob joined me at the skinny dip event & we had an amazing time.

Finally in 2021 I visited my first nudist resort in Illinois called Blue Lake. This was my first experience at a nudist resort and I had an amazing time at the resort. I have been back to this resort every year since I first started going there and made some cool friends there.

Blue Lake Resort

Relationships

I’ve had a few long term relationships and all my girlfriends including my last one who was a nudist hates the fact that I openly share photos of myself nude online. I would say every one of my past partners has told me “There is no reason to share nudity online” or “You share nudity for attention”.

I could see how somebody would think I share photos of myself nude for attention online but that simply is not the case.

All of my relationships have ended the same way, with my partner leaving me because I choose nudism over their opinion of what nudism actually is. I accept that people have their own opinions but I don’t stop and worry about others opinions of me. The right people will accept me while the wrong people will turn me away.

Why do I share nudity?

I have many reasons why I share nudity of myself online, there is no one simple easy answer. When I am nude I simply feel whole like this is me, unfiltered, unashamed, and is simply the best version of myself. A nude photo of myself is simply just another photo of me, I don’t see my nude photos as a “nude photo”. These photos are just photos of me, in my natural form, uninhibited, not being sexual. These photos are “just me” in my normal form.

Me in my shop ~ 2025

Conclusion

I don’t believe nudity is inherently sexual, nudity is natural, non-sexual state of being. I enjoy being nude for not only comfort, but because I feel my skin needs to breathe and not be restricted by clothing 24/7.

If you enjoyed this article please leave a comment below and tell me your thoughts!

Check out my other social media profiles at All My Links.


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This Post Has 6 Comments

  1. Ken

    This is awesome Matt. There is nothing like living nude. I appreciate how you have promoted a pure version.

    1. Matt Crawford

      Ty for the kind words. I try to promote nudism in it’s pure form if I can help it.

  2. neoVieNu

    Being a nudist and revealing one’s true identity is not easy. I deeply believe what you have mentioned in this article, but sadly, there are still some barriers if you want to work or live harmoniously with conservatives. Sex is also a part of our true self that should not be misjudged. There is nothing more important than who you are now, and the energy from you is so positive.

    1. Matt Crawford

      You are correct, there are many people who can’t afford to reveal their true identity due to work or other social norms. Personally, I enjoy nudism so much however that I don’t care who knows that I’m a nudist, nor do I care who sees me nude. At the present moment mostly everybody I know in real life has seen me nude or has the opportunity to see me nude if they just looked me up.

  3. Manolo

    If for you is normal to shared your naked body, why you don’t share your erection also? It’s normal and natural.

    1. Matt Crawford

      Many people frown on erections including AANR. I don’t share that type of content to the public.

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Matt Crawford

I live in Iowa and have a ton of hobbies and interests. I'm also a huge geek and interested in photography, computers, gaming, etc. Read more about me on the About Me page.