racism in naturism

Racism in naturism has a history like all social interactions. While historically naturists have promoted a naturist ideal of egalitarianism and equality, it has not always been so in practice. Naturists and nudists have not always loved up to the ideal of inclusiveness they often promote.

white washed history

One way that racism has presented itself in naturism is the Eurocentric history that is usually shared. Modern organized naturism started in Europe in 1920’s Germany. Anthropologists point out that a form of cultural nudity or indigenous naturism was practiced in pre-colonial African societies and other indigenous cultures. A historical review will show indigenous naturism predates modern naturism. ¹

They are the Great Naked Peoples, on all continents: America (Amazonia, Fuegians), Africa (Nilotes, Pygmies, Boshimans, Karamajongs), Asia (Adaman, Jains, Nagas), Australia (Aruntas, Aborigines), Polynesia (Maoris) . These are peoples who live in a perfect natural insertion, saving their resources, without any waste in a real ecology, in harmony with their nature. ²

By the International Naturist Federation definition of naturism, it is clear these social nudity practices were a form of naturism.

A way of life in harmony with nature, characterized by the practice of communal nudity, with the intention of encouraging respect for oneself, respect for others and for the environment. ³

Racism was woven into to the fabric naturism from its earliest days. Several of Europeans mainly Germans who instrumental in launching the naturist movement were also eugenicists. Early proponents and writers about naturism like Richard Ungewitter and Heinrich Pudor who promoted the concepts of Nacktkultur and Freikörperkultur (FKK; free body culture) believe the white European body to be the ideal of human beauty. ⁴

racism among the nudists

Maurice Parmelee in his study of nudism in America noted that one of the characteristics of the American style naturism was the presence of decidedly not egalitarian discriminatory views towards black people.

“While a classicist upholding the physical ideals of white beauty and the supremacy of Western civilization, he also believed that racial prejudice, by keeping people segregated, stood in the way of a nudist social revolution, which was unfortunate because “the racial traits which may at first seem offensive and ugly will soon be ignored under gymnosophic usage.” 28 For nudist egalitarianism to work, Parmelee concluded “it is of great importance . . . that race prejudice disappear entirely, or be reduced to the lowest possible minimum.” 29 This, of course, was the catch: nudism could undo centuries of racism by exposing the fallacy that there was only one type of beautiful body—the white body. The problem was that centuries of racism fostered deeply held prejudices, prevented people with racially different bodies from growing “accustomed to seeing each other nude as well as clothed,” and reinforced the white body as a universal standard of natural beauty. 30 No wonder Parmelee made a point of saying that “race prejudice is, in fact, a serious problem for gymnosophy.” 31”

— ⁵

the golden age of naturism and the negro problem

In United States of America during the late forties into the sixties (an era referred to as the golden age of nudism ⁶ blacks and other people of color were routinely excluded from naturist/nudist communities. ⁷ Despite the presence of avid, visible African American naturists during this period little was ever made of their presence in the white naturist circles. African American naturists like E.J. Samuels resisted the separate but equal solution solution to the participation of African Americans in naturist/nudist clubs and the naturist way of life.⁸

Black naturist pioneers persevere

The move to an inclusive integrated nudist community was sparked by the efforts of an African American nudist EJ Samuels. In 1944 the American nudist magazine Sunshine and Health invited Samuels to pen a series of articles about his black nudist experience. In his writing including On Negro Nudism, Samuels countered the idea of separate black nudist groups and magazines by pointing out the infeasible economics of both. ⁹

Later black naturist pioneers like Judge Matthew Bullock, persevered in nudism despite being discriminated against on multiple occasions. Bullock understood this had an impact on the presence of blacks in nudism.

“I suspect that various traditional subterranean attitudes also discourage interracial nudism, including Black women’s traditional vulnerability at the hands of White men, White men’s traditional envy of the supposed virility of Black men, and Black men’s and White women’s shared sense of oppression by White men. Moreover~ not only has nudism not reached out to encourage participation by Black people, but it was not that long ago that Blacks were actually excluded, as my own experience indicates”
white naturist advocate to ask if Race is the question – what is the answer?

Questions remain

Mark Storey, naturist historian advocate asked if Race is the question – what is the answer?

NATURISM IS FOR “every body,” as the saying goes, and its offer of freedom, health, and social equality are inherently available to any and all. Yet naturism in North America remains blindingly white. – Mark Storey Nude & Natural 25.3 ¹⁰

The past and present give clear evidence that racism still exists among naturists, ¹¹ despite the efforts of some to suggest naturists ar post racial. History reveals that in many parts of the world including the United States naturism was not seen as something for black people. ¹²

The racial prejudices of many nudists caused clubs to defy and resist antidiscrimination laws. In 1966, Sunshine Park in Mays Landing, New Jersey, which had been founded by Rev. Ilsley Boone in 1937 and had served as the national headquarters of the movement for decades, refused to admit an African American woman, her female companion, and her two daughters. ¹³

References

1
Aileen Goodson’s Therapy, Nudity & Joy
2
Nudity and Naturism Marc Alain Descamps
3
THE OFFICIAL INF-FNI DEFINITION OF NATURISM
4
Land of the Free: A brief history of early American nudists. By Sarah Schrank
5
Free and Natural: Nudity and the American Cult of the Body (Nature and Culture in America) by Sarah Schrank
6
The History of US Nudism
7
The Negro controversy
8
on negro nudism
9
Land of the Free: A brief history of early American nudists. By Sarah Schrank
10
Race the question– Mark Storey Nude & Natural 25.3
11
Nudist camp rules exposed as a clear case of naked racism
12
Naked: A Cultural History of American Nudism
13
Naked: A Cultural History of American Nudism