Naked swimming

See also: Naturist swimming

Naked swimming is as old as human history. Human beings swam naked without the need for bathing costumes for most of history. ¹ Nude Swimming in School – Paul LeValley :Nude & Natural 37.1 (Fall 2017) The prevalence of naked swimming varies from culture to culture. Ancient cultures practiced social nudity and as such naked swimming. ²Therapy, Nudity & Joy, Aileen Goodson, Ph.D.. In Europe naked swimming

 

Naked swimming also described as skinny dip or chunky dunk or causal situations is a common naturist activity.

International Naturist Swimming Gala

Many European naturists regularly participate in naturist swimming or other non naturist opportunities to swim clothes free. Americans despite having male nude swimming as a norm in schools, discontinued that practice since in the early 1960s. The advent swimwear fashion added to the impetus to wear a bathing costume while swimming. ³ The Evolution of the Bathing Suit

 

It was once normal and required for men to swim naked in public swimming at venues like the YMCA and schools. In fact it’s been less than fifty years since the requirement to swim naked was removed. ⁴Until Fairly Recently, The YMCA Actually Required Swimmers To Be Nude

People who didn’t experience boys swimming naked in the YMCA and in many physical education programs in the public schools in the US find it hard to believe that this was done.⁵ Frank Answers About Swimming Naked

American high school and junior high school swimming in many states had policies that followed APHA guidelines. The guideline were published every three years, and from 1926 until 1962 every edition recommended nude swimming. In other states, all boys and girls bathed in clothes. The 1937 Administration of Health and Physical Recreation training manual stated, “Nude bathing for boys is practiced universally, in a few schools girls may swim nude and this is the most sanitary method.”⁶Nude Swimming

Though the requirement applied only to boys and men ⁷When boys swam nakedWhen boys swam naked the reason given was the swim suits of the dates made of wool were a public health problem. They also created problems for the filtration systems of the first indoor pools.

At indoor pools used exclusively by men nude bathing should be required,” says a document published by the American Public Health Association in 1926. “At indoor pools used exclusively by women bathing suits should be of the simplest type.”
XXI.Suits,TowelsandCaps
A. At indoor pools used exclusively by men, nude bathing should be required. ⁸ SWIMMING POOLS AND OTHER PUBLIC BATHING PLACES STANDARDS FOR DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPMENT, AND OPERATION 1926

Though not everyone appreciated the requirement ⁹A Brief, Humiliating History Of Swimming In Gym Class naturists have always questioned the point of wearing a swimming costume. ¹⁰Why Society Is Better Off Swimming Nude Without Bathing Suits

 

Boys and girls participated in swim meets without any negative effects on female participants or spectators.  Some teenage school boys never saw past the titillating novel aspect of being naked among their peers. ¹¹A Sprout Among the Green Giants: Tales of Naked Swimming at my Public High School This provides another rational for the promotion of non-sexual nudity practiced by naturists.

 

 

References

• 1
  Nude Swimming in School – Paul LeValley :Nude & Natural 37.1 (Fall 2017)
• 2
  Therapy, Nudity & Joy, Aileen Goodson, Ph.D.
• 3
  The Evolution of the Bathing Suit
• 4
  Until Fairly Recently, The YMCA Actually Required Swimmers To Be Nude
• 5
  Frank Answers About Swimming Naked
• 6
  Nude Swimming
• 7
  When boys swam nakedWhen boys swam naked
• 8
  SWIMMING POOLS AND OTHER PUBLIC BATHING PLACES STANDARDS FOR DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPMENT, AND OPERATION 1926
• 9
  A Brief, Humiliating History Of Swimming In Gym Class
• 10
  Why Society Is Better Off Swimming Nude Without Bathing Suits
• 11
  A Sprout Among the Green Giants: Tales of Naked Swimming at my Public High School