Colonialism and indigenous naturism were opposite forces during the colonial period. It is an often forgetten fact that the majority of the world lived and continue to love in tropical climates. Nakedness in society was normative for many of those cultures up until the Middle Ages and the birth of colonialism. Native people who previously practiced an indigenous form of naturism were forced by their Puritan colonizers to wear clothing. Their naked native bodies were considered offensive and inappropriate.This has both cultural and physical harm. 1Therapy, Nudity & Joy
In tropical climates the harm done by the clothes of western civilization to natives accustomed to nakedness is one of the blackest wrongs charged to our colonizing and missionary activities. It is only too well established that the South Sea Islanders, once a strong and healthy race, have suffered frightful inroads from disease since being dressed. 2 Among the Nudists – Early Naturism
The presence and place of BIPOC in naturism is a long standing question for the naturist community In 1990s people were asking the same question as there were in the 1960s
Web sites like clothes free life continue to challenge the status quo for the future of naturism working to normalize naturism for everyone and insisting that bare black bodies count.
References
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