A Quest for Freedom: Nude Recreation Week
July is a patriotic month in America, and with it unavoidably comes the usual rhetoric about “freedom” and “liberty.” But when confronted with such blathering, many of us are forced to ask ourselves: Are we actually free? Are we truly enjoying the sumptuous fruits of liberty that our forefathers and foremothers sought when they came to the New World in the first place? Can we just take off our pants whenever, and it’s cool? Is that freedom? What is life? Et cetera. While our state and national leaders may have plenty to say about the art of living free and the “American Way,” some among us are nevertheless confronted with the thought that perhaps we aren’t really as “free” as we might hope.
But despair not, closet hedonist! Amidst the war machine, the odor of sanctity and the Puritanical constrictions that seek to dominate our lives, there is an escape route! Shed your threads, cast them into the bushes, and run free, naked as the day you were born! For next week is “Nude Recreation Week,” a week for American nudists to unite in scantily-clad celebration of their way of life, and a chance for non-nudists to gain an education on just how much fun they might be missing. Sponsored by the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR), the week of July 10 – July 16 is perhaps the one week of the year when you can just “let it all hang out” and have an excuse for doing so.
Now, you probably used to laugh at the idea of nude beaches, nude resorts and spas, and, well…at nudism, generally. You might even be laughing now as you read this. You’d drive past Hippie Hollow on Lake Travis, chuckle heartily, and keep driving down Highway 620, shaking your head in self-satisfaction. But nudism, it seems, is slowly becoming more mainstream in our culture. Slowly, mind you. But it seems to be happening. The business concept of nude recreation in particular is picking up steam, and the industry is gaining more and more consumers each year. In April 2005, the Wall Street Journal reported that nude vacationing is one of the fastest growing segments of the entire travel industry. It seems that, for many people, the stigma long attached to nudism may actually be dissolving.
Austin itself is a cultural hub for America’s for nude leisure industry. Not only are there several nudist organizations here in Austin and the surrounding Hill Country area, but our city also plays host to several companies specializing in nudist travel packages – clothing-optional ocean cruises, trips to nudist resorts across the globe, and vacations to world-famous nudist spas.
Let’s be honest here for a second. Everyone likes to be nude. It’s just a question of whether we mind being nude around a large group of naked people with whom we may not be acquainted. While we may not know much at all about the culture of nude recreation, we have to admit that we’re curious. So, just to add some spice to our daily lives, we’ll be showing up to our respective jobs next week sans pantalones.
Won’t you join us, Austin?
For further information on nude recreation, see the following links:
The Naturist Society
American Association for Nude Recreation – Southwest Region
Hill Country Nudists
Austin-based travel company Bare Necessities
Texas Nude Recreation
*Images courtesy of American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR).
