Lee Baxandall

Biography

Lee Baxandall (1935-2008) was born in 1935 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He was a publisher, writer, literary critic, poet, and playwright. He had a masters degree in English, from the University of Wisconsin Madison, and pursued a doctoral degree there. Baxandall interests specialized in Marxism and aesthetics.¹ In 1975 He founded the Free the Free Beach Committee to protest a proposed ban on nudity at a clothing optional beach in Cape Cod.

“Only a regressive local clique in Cape Cod has caused the shamefaced proposed ban there. The great number of people who skinny-dip have the right to have their recreational needs met by the Park Service, just as much as other minorities- say, snowmobilers or hikers-have their needs served.” ²

Nude recreation initiatives

Baxandall was instrumental in the formation of several naturist organizations and initiatives, including the Naturist Education Foundation, ³ Naturist Society, and Free Beaches movement. He inspired the formation of many others, like Gay Naturist International (GNI) and International Men Enjoying Naturism.

Along with Eugene Callen (who died in 1978) Baxandall developed nationwide events to make steady inroads on the American public’s view of beach nudity. In August 7, 1976 the designated the day as National Nude Beach Day and later National Nude Weekend. The protest evolved in a naturist organization Baxandall founded called the Naturist Society in 1980. Its inaugural publication of the Naturist Society was Clothed with the Sun. In 1992 TNS expanded the Weekend to a seven day Nude Recreation Week. ⁴

Lee Baxandall the “Father of the Free Beach Movement,” was the catalyst behind the organization and formation of several naturist organizations including the South Florida Free Beaches Association. His love of skinny dipping and work to provide public access to beaches for clothing optional and nude recreation inspired others to like Shirley Mason to pursue clothing optional status for Haulover beach in Miami Florida. Mason also cites Baxandall as her inspiration for the creation of the B.E.A.C.H.E.S. Foundation (Beach Education Advocates for Culture, Health, Environment and Safety Foundation Institute). ⁵

Naturist vision

Baxandall despite his advocacy for nude recreational opportunities defined naturism as much more than naked activities. He saw naturism as a way to addressed some of the things that had gone wrong in modern civilization.

“Naturists seek a remedy …. to civilization that has turned dangerous. Naturism is a civilized characteristic” Lee Baxandall ⁶

For Baxandall naturism, and nude recreational activity gave people the opportunity to reconnect with their humanity and restore by communing with nature. This view was very much in line with the origins of modern naturism and indigenous and cultural naturism practices. Baxandall saw naturism as more than just getting naked but as a social and civic movement.

“Naturism is an antidote to urban crowding .. it restores us to ourselves to a human being” -Lee Baxandall ⁷

Baxandall’s vision for naturism was non discriminatory, non misogynistic, non sexual, egalitarian community that advocated for access to nude recreation opportunities for everyone.

Lee Baxandall moved U.S. naturism from merely a casual naked experience, to a civic movement raising awareness and changing laws and policies for the benefit of the public through understanding the body and expanding freedom of expression. Naturally, Carl and Vicki Hild ⁸

Publications

As leader of the The Naturist Society Baxandall published a magazine Clothed in the Sun, and encouraged the formation of SIG special interest groups. Baxandall’s Green Mountain Quarterly #4, the skinny dipper issue, became the template for Clothed With The Sun magazine, which became the current Naturist Society magazine Nude & Natural. ⁹

Books

Lee Baxandall Shirley Mason from the Naturist Society

Baxandall authored several books including the World Guide to Nude Beaches & Resorts, and a movie The Beginners Guide to Skinny Dipping. In the 1980s, Baxandall was prescient in alerting Naturists to targeting of nudists and Naturists by the emerging Christian religious right organizations as part of their anti pornography crusade.¹⁰

LGBTQ advocacy

Baxandall was also an advocate for the participation of members of the LGBTQIA community in naturism. He encouraged men from the Naturist Society Gay & Lesbian SIG to participate as models for a photography workshop at the 1983 East Coast Naturist Gathering to serve as a counterpoint, “the end of active-passive, male-female, hegemony of the patriarchy in nude imaging.” to the usual tendency female models in nude photography.(Clothed With The Sun 3.3) ¹¹ Baxandall also encouraged creation of a network within The Naturist Society called Gay & Lesbian Naturists. A magazine called The Event was published from 1981-1990. The magazine was renamed Naturally in 1990 ¹²

Legacy

Lee Baxandall died in 2008 due to complications from a long-term battle with Parkinson’s Disease and his vision for naturism impacted and influenced many people up to his death in 2008. ¹³ Baxandall’s legacy in naturism is profound if not timeless. An annual indoor volleyball tournament played in Canada is named in his honor. There is a bridge named him over the Indian Trails Boulevard ¹⁴ Baxandall’s papers and research are housed in Special Collections Library at New York University. ¹⁶

Lee probably never had any idea just how many people’s lives he touched – folks who never knew him. His recogni-tion and incorporation as a Massage SIG of the late David Linton’s “Stroking Community Network” led to an accep-tance of sensual non-sexual holistic nude touch ‘way ahead of his time. Lee and I even got to laugh at the irony of “body (non)acceptance” as his body shook with tremors on my massage table at Eastover one year – our days of running in the sun on Cape Cod long over, we could nonetheless still appreciate how far his Naturist journey had taken each of us into healthier attitudes and ways of being. Phinny had it right – I’ll be among the many who’ll miss Lee’s presence. – Laurene Bradford ¹⁷

The best tribute any Naturist could give Lee Baxandall would be to think: “What would Lee do?” and then act accordingly. With his considerable theatrical back-ground, Lee knowingly brought the Opera/MusicalTheatre SIG to the ENG every year he could, overcoming any obstacles, ami-cably solving any problems. That’s what Lee did. Leonard J. Lehrman Founder/Director, The Opera/ Musical Theatre Special Interest Group of The Naturist Society ¹⁸

External resources

Camp Naturist