People who aren’t familiar with or actively practicing a nudist lifestyle often seem to have the idea that being naked = being sexy.

These people have obviously not seen the Good Naked vs. Bad Naked episode of Seinfeld.

These nudists are taking to Reddit to (sometimes) dispel the notion that the lifestyle is about s^x or sexiness, and to confess how often they notice other people’e arousal.

Read on – but if you’re looking for something hot… well, you’ll see.

11. “Like a sundial”

I went to Black’s Beach once. The beach was totally empty, except for a couple a hundred feet or so away from me. I put a towel down and dropped my clothes. The sun felt wonderful. The breeze felt wonderful. I felt like this was a grand and wonderful thing being naked in a public area.

And then.

Joe Schmo laid a towel down, not ten feet away – the beach was still empty. He could have set up anywhere. Ten feet away. Out of the corner of my eye I saw that he had a f*cking sundial.

I got dressed, got out of Dodge and have never returned to a clothing optional beach again.

Fucking weirdos.

EDIT: For clarification, I am a male. Also, Black’s is an incredible beach for surfing and beautiful views. But damn, a full bone on a public beach was a little overwhelming.

10. It’s just understood.

A lot of clothing optional places request that you calm yourself down as soon as possible, i.e. take a swim until it shrinks.

9. Oh man that’s rough.

I went to a topless beach in Cyprus, there were a lot of Swedes and Germans there.

I spent a lot of time standing in the water.

Mind you I had just been in Afghanistan for 7 months…

8. Not allowed.

As you may have seen by some of my photo submissions, I go to a nudist gathering, or technically a gathering at a nudist resort, the Nudes-a-poppin festival hosted by The Ponderosa Sun Club.

It has been going for 30+ years and is one of the biggest adult gatherings in the United States. Since it is a nudist camp, spectators can be nude. It has a nude pageant, oil wrestling and a wet tshirt contest.

Since cameras are allowed (for the event only) it’s optional. They’re just not allowed, nor have I seen one occur.

We stay there for the weekend, before the show, where it is normal camp rules..and no, nothing of the sort.

It was the place that introduced me to nudism, and they are some really laid back people. Any arousal is frowned upon, and never occur.

7. Creepers are all the same.

I worked at a clothing optional beach (park ranger).

You don’t even think about it when you’re around it a lot. It’s not a sexual thing. The people who went for sexual kicks (and there were plenty of hopeful pervs) were usually disappointed that there weren’t a lot of hot chicks for them to gawk at, and they almost never got naked themselves, so no arousal visible.

We would sometimes catch dudes, but they tended to hide in the bushes and peep like true skeezers, so even then you couldn’t really see much.

6. That’s quite an experience for 13.

Finally! A time to share my nudist story.

So I decided to go for a snorkel down a beach in Portugal, was happily swimming for say 20 minutes, head down, looking for fish. I finally stop and pop my head up to see how far I’ve swam. Pretty far, as it turned out. I’d swam on to a nudist part of the coast! It was quite a shock to 13 y/o me. Most of the people looked like classic nudists; not that sexy, just ordinary(and probably above average on the hairiness scale) However, there was a couple straight up having sex. So yeah. He had one.

To top this whole story off, the beach was called bolleecks or something like that (not sure how it was spelt) but it sure as hell sounded like bollocks. The non nudest part is actually my favorite beach in the world. They rent kayaks and there are these caves you can get into. Lovely sand, too. EDIT; Kudos to /u/Rashilda ,twas this beach

5. They’ve got a plan for that.

Are they common?

The idea that men at nudist resorts have a great deal of trouble avoiding this kind of thing is a myth.

One nudist said, “They’re quite rare, even for first timers.”

Another nudist said, “I haven’t seen one in two decades.”

According to The American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR):

Q: Do males get visibly excited?

A: Not often. Nudist clubs are far less sexually charged than places where bikinis, thongs, or other provocative clothing, are worn. On the rare occasion where this occurs, simply don a towel, turn over, or take a quick dip in the pool.

How do people react?

According to Scarlett Schmitt, co-owner of the family-owned Ponderosa Sun Club in Roselawn, Indiana, “The camp does have ways to deal with those situations. If a man becomes aroused or is staring at others, most of the time he’s given a chance to control himself or stop gawking. On the second offense, he’s asked to leave. This happens a handful of times a summer.” This is the official policy of the Ponderosa Sun Club:

A public show of arousal is not acceptable. 99% of men do not experience this problem. If you happen to be in that 1%, we suggest that you cover up with a towel or take a discreet cold shower until it subsides.
SOURCE

4. No one makes a big deal about it.

The ‘arousal at a nudist gathering’ has come up (ha) surprisingly often lately.

Anyway – nudists know that arousal happens, so don’t make a big deal about it. Every place that I’ve heard of, from camp grounds to beaches, require people to carry a towel with them at all times for hygiene reasons (at least in the US, don’t know how it is outside).

Therefore, if you start getting a little excited, just wrap your towel around yourself and wait for it to subside. If it’s not happening, just go to the bathroom or whatever and take care of yourself. People expect it to happen now and then, and nobody will make a big deal about it if you don’t.

Source: parents were nudists.

3. Don’t use your imagination…

People who ask this have never been to a nudist resort. It’s the whole nudity=sexuality illusion.

People don’t look like pr0n naked. They look awkward.

Go to any shopping mall. Now imagine every single person there naked. Men, women, all ages, all body shapes, including old people and kids.

Now give 20% of them some surgery scars, birthmarks, moles, sagging bits, cellulite, and asymmetrical body parts.

Imagine people who look like that all grinning and having a good time like anyone sees at any resort.

Add a few slapping noises as you realize nude volleyball is less sexy and more awkward.

Not very sexy.

I am not saying this is gross or wrong, it just is. Trust me, arousal is rare. Very rare.

How many people get aroused in the locker room?

You think gay men who change in the locker room go around hard?

Nope.

2. Pr0n has ruined everything.

I went to a clothing optional beach last summer with my wife and a couple of her friends. The ratio of old/fat people that you don’t want to see naked, and the really fit & attractive people whom you do want to see naked is easily around 10:1. Thus, arousal isn’t really an issue.

Besides…I’ve seen so many naked women on the internet, I’m pretty much desensitized to it now anyways.

Also, there’s generally a lot more fully nude men than women. The women are really only there so they can tan topless.

1. A teen boy’s heaven.

I’ll chime in here.

When I was about 13, my parents took me on a vacation to Cancun. They did some internet searching for great snorkeling beaches, and we ended up in Tulum (sp?).

Turns out this was a clothing optional beach. Mom was uncomfortable, Dad said eff it, and I was in heaven.

The only people who were nude were gorgeous women, I sh^t you not.

I’d say I’m about due for another visit.

I have to admit, I’m curious what it might be like to just not have to pick out clothes. Maybe I’ll check it out someday.

Have you ever been to a nudist resort? If so, we’d love to hear your two cents on the matter.