Nudists will trade their birthday suits for business suits when they visit congressional offices June 8-10. In fact, wearing business attire is part of a core message.

“We want lawmakers to know that members of the American Association for Nude Recreation enjoy their pastime within appropriate settings,” says AANR Executive Director Erich Schuttauf, a Florida lawyer who will join people representing every geographic region of the country in making visits to representatives and senators.

Other messages that the group will convey include the stability of the nude recreation market in an otherwise turbulent economy. “Even if you’ve lost a job or the shirt off your back in the stock market, it costs very little to enjoy your private backyard au naturel. Or to visit a legally-sanctioned nude beach or a nearby club affiliated with our Association. These clubs and beaches bring jobs as well as tourist dollars to local communities,” explains Schuttauf.

AANR members also hope to increase the number of locations for enjoying nude recreation on public lands. Several polls taken of the traveling public indicate that nearly 20% of all persons in North America enjoy skinny-dipping and nude sunbathing. Yet these activities are eco-friendly and make little impact on stressed resources.

While this year marks the most significant Washington, D.C., effort to date, AANR has been making such visits for about 10 years. “The composition of Congress is ever-changing. Besides,” says Schuttauf, “we never tire of answering questions about what we love to do.”