Are you Textile or Naturist?

In naturist speak, textile or textilist is a non-naturist person, non-naturist behavior or non-naturist facilities, e.g. the textile beach starts at the flag, or they are a mixed couple – he’s naturist, she’s textile. What are you?

A generalized RL definition of naturism, or nudism, is a cultural and political movement practicing, advocating and defending social nudity, most but not all of which takes place on private property. The term may also refer to a lifestyle based on personal, family and/or social nudism.

According to the XIV Congress of the International Naturist Federation (Agde, France, 1974), naturism is:

a way of life in harmony with nature characterized by the practice of communal nudity with the intention of encouraging self-respect and respect for others and for the environment.

As in real life, naturism or nudism is a ‘thing’ in Second Life. 

It would appear that there are some fundamental differences between nudism and naturism.  Nudism is the act of being naked, while naturism is a lifestyle which at various times embraced nature, environment, respect for others, self-respect, crafts, healthy eating, vegetarianism, teetotalism, non-smoking, yoga, physical exercise and pacifism as well as nudity.  Therefore it goes without saying that it’s nudism that is practiced in SL.

For Second Life residents interested in social nudity there are a number of clothes free beaches to choose from and in my opinion one of the most beautiful nudist beaches currently available in Second Life can be found on Kaiya Islands – Turtle Coast. 

The Turtle Coast is a friendly and welcoming nudist community.  Perfect weather, white sandy beaches, palm trees, the splashing of waterfalls in the distance...  Or sandstone and palm trees, Balinese huts, romantic hideaways, a grotto and a waterfall complete the perfect jungle setting. Fancy a dip? The water in the Lagoon is balmy (unless it’s frozen over as an ice rink in winter) it’s ideal for swimming or just letting your cares float away.  

Kaiya Manbi is the creator and owner of Kaiya Islands which incorporates the nudist Turtle Beach.  I asked her why she chose to include a nudist beach in her region. She said “In SL everyone is gorgeous, and deep down inside, all everyone wants to do here is take their clothes off and show their bods, so I figured that’s what I should make, a nude beach, and it happened.

I felt that as soon as one person wears clothing, even if it’s just a bikini, or flip flops, it makes others feel a little self-conscious, and they end up putting something on and in no time, half the beach would be clothed.  I felt in order to get everyone to really relax in their nudity, not allow clothing at all.

Everyone comes to the beach for different reasons, some come just to hang out and chat, some come to meet people, some to fall in love, and some, just to get their rocks off. I think it’s important to respect each person’s individual line that they draw.  If members do that, then the beach works.  Because of the group join fees, we have kept our members a little more above the average game player in SL, and as a result we tend to get a very respectful crowd most of the time.”

Kaiya continued “Don’t be scared to take your clothes off, let your personality shine through your avi and have fun! Oh, and remember behind every cartoon avi in SL is a real person, sitting alone at his/her computer, full of their own life issues, pain and experience.  Be gentle, be respectful and be nice. And as Dory from "Finding Nemo" would say, just keep swimming..."

All you textilist's out there, it's time to shed your clothing and let your inner nudist out.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Turtle%20Beach/52/121/21