organizations supporting naked freedom

(note: some of these are naturist- or nudist-oriented and discuss issues within that context)

see other progressive links for sites about other body-related concerns

The Naturist Society (TNS) has been a leader in promoting body acceptance and nude recreation for more than 20 years. "Officially, The Naturist Society was formed in 1980. Unofficially, however, it goes back much further, to the American "free beach" movement of the 1970s and, earlier still, to a back-to-nature ethos that emerged in Europe during the industrial revolution." "From the beginning, The Naturist Society was dedicated to a form of naturism that focused on grassroots activism and member participation. The choice of the word "naturist" in the name is telling. The term was widely used in Europe to denote family-friendly, body-friendly places, activities, and attitudes and, at the same time, it was free of the negative connotations "nudist" had acquired over the years."

The Naturist Society is also the home of Nude & Natural (N) magazine, arguably the most respected English-language magazine of its kind. Keep up to date on international issues with N magazine. "Starting out as Clothed with the Sun (1980-1989), and evolving into the magazine you see today, Nude & Natural is the leading publication on naturism in the United States and the authority on socially responsible and adventurous social nudity."

TNS’s non-profit political adjunct—the Naturist Action Committee (NAC)—and their educational adjunct—the Naturist Education Foundation (NEF)—have played effective roles in maintaining and increasing clothing-optional opportunities on appropriate public lands.

International Naturists Association (INA) / Clothesfree.com

Nackt und aktiv [Naked & Active] - German Group

What means INTEGRAL NACKTIV? Nacktiv is a combination of the German word naked=nackt and active=aktiv. In English may be it could be: Naketive. Integral means, that nakedness should not be something hidden, something you must be ashamed of: we integrate our nakedness in every-day-live. We are not only naked at home, but also in many outdoor-activities, such like biking, jogging, walking, riding and so on.

In Germany, England, Spain and many other countries naked walking and cycling in the countryside becomes more and more famous. In our books we give detailed informations about naked activities especially in Germany and about our own and others experiences.

Our first book »Das NacktAktivBuch« will be available in March or April 2005. It gives a lot of informations (in German) and about 145 fotos showing men and women in naked outdoor-activities.

The Freedom to Be Yourself (TFTBY or FTBY)

Focused on "the human racial view of public nakedness" and "human race activism". Information written by founder Vincent Bethell can be found at the Human Race Activism site. TFTBY and its supporters established Stop Segregation.

Stop Segregation

Supporters of the Freedom to Be Yourself (TFTBY or FTBY) organized a grassroots for "the planning of mass naked protests in public". This is one of the best ways currently that organizers are coming together for actions across the globe. The original goals for this group are described at the Human Race Activism site:

"The planning of mass naked protests in public. No leaders, no campaign. It is up to you, it will only happen if you want it to. Equal participation for every body. Freedom for Every BODY: The Human Race" (-Bethell)

Start or join a discussion by sending an email to stopsegregation-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. More information can be viewed at the group's web site at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stopsegregation/

(Note: While this forum was formed by supporters of TFTBY, the group represents a diverse ideological often outside of "the human racial view of public nakedness")

go-bare

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/go-bare/

To promote the benefits and practice of 'naturism', with an emphasis on 'free-range' clothes-freedom, the Freedom to be Yourself and to support Steve Gough aka Naked Rambler currently on remand in Inverness prison.

It is hoped this new forum will bring together all freedom-lovers, naturists, clothes-free advocates, or whatever people wish to be known as, as a primary UK forum for all things n u d e and natural. It is 'UK focused' as many of the UK subscribers actually get together 'in person' - it is not just a talking shop - but we hope those around the world who have shown interest in stopsegregation, URN and support for Steve's walk, and the various other events this year, will continue to follow developments and contribute, if not in person, in spirit!

photo courtesy of TERA. Topfree Equal Rights Association (TERA) The Topfree Equal Rights Association (TERA) helps women who encounter legal difficulty going without tops in public places in Canada and informs the public on this issue. It also helps women in the USA.

Artists Against War / Artists for Peace / Work Less Party

www.ArtistsForPeace.ca
www.ArtistsAgainstWar.org

"Artists Against War is a collective of like-minded individuals working for positivity and creativity, and speaking out for peace in a world quickly moving towards war."

"What we have to offer you is art in body, shape, and soul -- art of the mind, art of the spirit, art of the movement."

This group have organized four successful naked bike rides in Vancouver, B.C. in 2003 and have also staged some other naked protests.

Baring Witness

"By risking with our nakedness - our charm and beauty and vulnerability - in service of peace we are exposing the flesh all humans share. We are casting off the old dominant paradigm of aggression and restoring the power of the feminine to its rightful place as the protector of life. It is time for women to deter the men in their lives from violent acts, as nurturers, as guardians of our families and as voices of reason."

Bare Witness

"Naked protest for Peace"

The Body Freedom Collaborative(BFC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the integration and acceptance of non-sexual social nudity in a variety of public and private settings.

Yahoo! discussion group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bodyfreedom3/

The X-plicit Players

"The X-plicit Players are a psychedelic performance group based in Berkeley, California. Since 1992 we've been performing "interactive theater" around the US (and recently, in Canada) -- We deal intimately and palpably with Body in many forms, beginning with our own flesh bodies, and the bodies of our willing audience members -- We cultivate alternative functions of touch, alternative experiences of Body -- We use language, voices, instruments of sound and music, paintings, and videos to reach and move our audiences and each other -- We fight to stay naked and free on the streets and in the parks of our town, experiencing Body in the social realm; experiencing the social body of Berkeley -- Our performance is both a forum where we share the results of our Body studies, and a laboratory where we advance them together."

International Naturist Federation (INF)

World-wide, the International Naturist Federation (INF) defends the interests of organised naturism, which is practised by people in their hundreds of thousands, as well as those of the millions of non-organised, but practising naturists. Through the national federations the INF is present in 30 states across the world. Moreover, in the countries where naturism is only just coming off the ground, it has correspondents. The INF strives to achieve official recognition of "people's right to functional nudity in a natural environment and in natural conditions".

Federation of Canadian Naturists (FCN)

The Federation of Canadian Naturists (FCN) is Canada's national nudist organization. Along with La Fédération Québécoise de Naturisme the FCN represents and promotes the naturist lifestyle as wholesome, healthy, and enjoyable.

The FCN publishes a quarterly magazine called Going Natural, a series of brochures, and a Canadian Guide. We give seminars, media interviews, and run naturism booths at various major exhibitions. We have affiliations with many Canadian nudist clubs, and close links with other naturist organizations. And we represent Canadian naturism at the congresses of the International Naturist Federation. Their purpose:

1. to provide for naturists an autonomous Canadian organization which shall not be a subjucated part of any other organization.
2. to foster belief in the essential wholesomeness of the human body and the health of mind and spirit which grows in those accustomed to see and respect the human body as created.
3. to promote optimum health through complete contact of the body with the natural agents of sun, air and water accompanied by a holistic approach to enlightened nutrition, physical activity, mental stimulation and social interaction in an environment kept as free as possible from the pollutants and stressful components of modern society.
4. to establish a greater understanding of the ecology of our environment and of the place, role and responsibilities of the human species within this ecology.
5. to share the enjoyment of naturist living with individuals and groups of like interest and together provide a united voice for the expression and extension of social naturism.
6. to assist sincere naturist groups in their acquisition of land and facilities for the practice of naturist living.

BeachFront U.S.A. is a nudist activist organization, the oldest in the United States, founded in 1973. It is "dedicated to challenging the state's right to enforce statutory dress-codes at inappropriate places, such as our ocean beaches, where people go expressly to be free from the demands of garmentry," to quote the banner of its newsletter, The Free Beach News.

BeachFront U.S.A. (BFUSA) is the third national nudist organization in the United States, after the American Association for Nude Recreation, Inc. (AANR) and The Naturist Society, Inc. (TNS).

Headquartered at Moreno Valley, California, BFUSA is much smaller than these organization, with a membership which has varied from 360 to just under 100. But BeachFront exists for a different, and more specific, purpose.

Whereas AANR and TNS seem to be content to monitor incipient anti-nudist legislation and respond accordingly – by lobbying, for example, in state legislatures – BFUSA takes an opposite approach. We believe that nudist rights – the right to be let alone – already exist in the federal Constitution's Bill of Rights. Therefore, our emphasis is on offensive, as opposed to defensive, legal action. We exist to initiate aggressive lawsuits designed to force state and federal courts to come face to face with the question of the right of the state to establish dress-codes and enforce compliance with them by police action. We believe dress codes are obsolete vestiges of a time when church (or synagogue or mosque or temple) and state worked in tandem to regulate almost every aspect of people's lives.

Free Bodies

FREE BODIES is an organisation based on one principle:
* that public nudity should not be a crime.

FREE BODIES has one goal:
* the decriminalisation of public nudity throughout the world.

[Group is based in Australia and is hosted by Freedom International].

The Naturist Journal is a continuously updated news and information website for the Naturist community. The site features news stories from around the world and answers questions about the lifestyle for its readership.

Young Adult Naturists

Promoting Clothes-Free Recreation and Living Among Young Adults

NAVEL (Nudists Advocating Vegetarianism & Ecological Lifestyles) Australia

An activist group for Australians aged 13 - 35

[comment: I'm not sure what kind of public activism is going on here, but any positive movement in that direction is encouraged].

Society for Barefoot Living

TO PROVIDE A FRIENDLY FORUM to share experiences, thoughts, feelings, and tips on bare feet and barefootin'; to provide a "support group" for members encouraging and helping one another to get along in a shod world.

TO PROVIDE A VEHICLE whereby members can schedule get-togethers to meet and go barefoot with other members to have fun. (It's nicest to go barefoot with others who are also barefoot knowing they are feeling the same things you are.)

TO PROMOTE BAREFOOT ACCEPTANCE worldwide and to work towards regaining the freedom our parents and grandparents had to go barefoot anywhere. We do this for ourselves and our children.

Internationally Inc. Associated also with Internaturally catalog, Travel Naturally magazine (formerly Naturally magazine), Internaturally Travelers. Their catalog is a good place to find books, magazines, and videos.

American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR)

"The American Association for Nude Recreation has been serving the needs of North American nudists and their families since 1931. A roster of more than 240 private clubs, resorts, and RV campgrounds, as well as nearly 50,000 individual members, makes AANR the oldest, largest, and one of the most respected nudist organizations."

[comment: AANR is not generally known to support public nude activism, in fact it has opposed it in some ways. AANR is better known for protecting the interests of clubs. They have many members because by default many clubs pass on AANR fees and membership to new members. To their credit though they have tried to fight against some potentially damaging legislation in the USA].

The American Nudist Research Library (ANRL)

The American Nudist Research Library (ANRL) was established to preserve the history of the social nudist movement in North America, and throughout the world. It's a repository of material rather than a circulating library. The library is enjoyed most by individuals and groups who treasure on-going nudist activities and who wish to participate in a sincere effort to preserve the unique history of the movement.

TFTBY Support Network [Joey Blue removed this group, no longer in operation, last message received 30 Nov 2003]

General discussions about public nudity-related topics. This Yahoo E-group is moderated by Joey Blue of Philadelphia, PA. Many people who subscribe to Stop Segregation also belong to this group. More information can be viewed at the group's web site at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tftby-supportnetwork/

(Note: Depite this group being called TFTBY Support Network, it is rare that the group actually focuses on "the human racial view of public nakedness" that TFTBY focuses on. Confused? TFTBY Support Network formed to have more general discussion about public nudity that has sometimes been discouraged in the TFTBY's Stop Segregation discussion group)