Hi Travelers,
Stigma by definition is “a mark of disgrace marking a person as inferior; a stain or reproach as on one's reputation.” Stigma is why so many who have been abused remain silent until a movement gains momentum providing a safety net to come forward and remove that stain and restore self-esteem.
The LGBTQ and #MeToo movements are powerful reminders of the understanding and accepting nature the public has for those who have been unjustly treated and who subsequently publicly acknowledge their status.
Which is why Naturists/Nudists are encouraged more so today than ever before to share their stories with coworkers, neighbors, and acquaintances without fear of shunning or reprisal. And the American Association for Nude Recreation works to do so publicly through social media and editorial coverage in forums such as The Traveler.
Here’s a question to ponder: Would you be accepting if someone in your workplace or neighborhood shared they were a nudist? Or would your opinion of them become tainted? Would you be able to share their story with impartiality? Before answering, please take a look at the following…
The Nudists’ Bill of Rights
As law-abiding citizens who are friends of nudism, including many members of the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR), we proudly affirm that we have and are entitled to exercise the following rights. These are self-evident and based on the Constitutions of the United States and Canada, the laws of those countries, and their court rulings.
- Nudists have the right to hold their values and beliefs.
- Nudists have the right to petition and be heard by their governments.
- Nudists have the right to responsibly enjoy nudity within their homes and on private property.
- Nudists have the right to exercise decision-making in the upbringing of their families in a manner consistent with their beliefs and without interference from others.
- Nudists have the right to assemble in the nude within appropriate settings.
- Nudists have the right to decisions about what constitutes acceptable nudity to be made free from considerations of age, gender, marital status, religious beliefs, ethnic origin, or sexual orientation.
- Nudists have the right to responsibly enjoy being nude within appropriate locations on public lands.
- Nudists have the right to be free from adverse actions by their employers as a result of their lawful enjoyment of nudity when away from work.
- Nudists have the right to experience accurate, life-affirming portrayals of the human body in all its stages as depicted in the performing arts, the fine arts, literature, and human history.
- Nudists have the right to be treated as law-abiding citizens.
Interestingly enough, the original United States Bill of Rights were crafted and added by our patriotic forefathers between September 1789 and December 1791 to serve as corrective deficiencies in our Constitution.
The Nudist Bill of Rights cited above serves to remind all that deficiencies in tolerance to accept those who believe that the human form in its natural state should be celebrated, and not concealed, goes against some of the very freedoms this great nation was founded upon.
For those who are completely new to the idea, it’s important to understand that naturism’s principles are to value body acceptance, comfort and freedom through nudity, and is actually an act of bravery. Nudists do not seek to foist their beliefs on others, simply to be accepted to enjoy their personal freedoms.
Lots to ponder, yes?
Naturally yours,