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The Alltogether

Help Get A Nude Beach

October 2nd, 2009

Years ago, there was a nude zone on the Maryland portion of the Assateague National Seashore. For the past four years AANR and AANR-East volunteers have designated a day to help clean up the beach at Assateague. This annual event shows how much nudists care about this wonderful beach area, earning the respect of beach officials and local residents in the process.

AANR and AANR-East have been diligently working to restore a nude beach on the Assateague National Seashore. Now is the time that you can help most. The seashore is revising its General Management Plan (GMP) and is taking comments from the public. If enough people write an e-mail or letter requesting a nude beach, officials will consider it in the plan.

Please send a polite message right now to ASIS_GMP@nps.gov. Tell them who you are and why nudity is important to you. If you’re from Virginia or Maryland, be sure to include that information in your e-mail, but all are invited to write because we all pay federal taxes.

While an e-mail is the most immediate way to contact officials, you can also share your comments by sending a letter to:

Assateague Island GMP Team

7206 National Seashore Lane

Berlin, MD 21811

Let’s really pour on the messages so that AANR’s credible voice of reason for nude recreation can be heard.

Posted in AANR Alerts. 1 Comment »

Breaking News at Bagby Hot Springs

September 25th, 2009

This afternoon we were delighted to receive good news from your AANR-Northwest GAT Team. An agreement has been reached with officials of the United States Forest Service overseeing Bagby Hot Springs that restores the long-accepted policy allowing nudity.

According to the team, Bagby officials acknowledge that, in the long term, there are some details which need to be worked out clarifying conditions where nudity is permitted. In the interim, however, they have agreed to return matters to “status quo.” Put another way, nudity may be enjoyed under the same conditions as it has been for the past 18 years.

We have received assurances that verbiage confirming this decision will soon appear on the official Bagby Hot Springs site which may be accessed by clicking here.

For now, please join me in thanking the Forest Service for its assistance and your AANR-Northwest Government Affairs Team for their hard work!

Posted in News. No Comments »

Article Uncovers Appeal of Nude Recreation

September 22nd, 2009

The author of an article, “Bare Necessities,” in the Greenwich (Connecticut) Citizen sets out to discover more about the nudist lifestyle and its appeal after discovering friends have been going on nude vacations for over 30 years.

The piece covers many aspects of nude recreation, including the Nakation term, mention of AANR, statistics from a USA Today poll about nude vacations and very positive things said about nude recreation in general.

Click here to read.

Posted in Nude Attitudes. No Comments »

Assateague Cleanup a Success

September 21st, 2009

The AANR contingent helps clean up the beach.

The AANR contingent helps clean up the beach.

A message from Ray Simpson…

The Maryland Government Affairs Team took part in and completed another successful beach cleanup along the Maryland shore line of Assateague Island, after which everyone enjoyed the Coastal Day Festival. As team leader I thank everyone who took part and worked so hard to reinforce to the national and state park services that AANR is the credible of reason for nude recreation.

Posted in News. No Comments »

Wild Horses Shouldn’t Keep You Away!

September 18th, 2009

ahorses

For over four years AANR has been working to re-establish a nude beach section on the Maryland end of Assateague National Seashore. On behalf of our members who enjoy skinny-dipping in a safe and positive environment, AANR has lobbied legislators and Federal and State officials, funded a test case, and created an outreach program that includes members, clubs, and interested individuals through social networking sites like Facebook.

We now have an opportunity to share with officials of the National Park Service the message that nudists will continue to be positive stewards of the environment and good partners if they will help us create a designated section for nude bathing at Assateague.

The National Park Service Assateague National Seashore officials are in the process of developing a general management plan for the barrier island for the next 20 years and are soliciting public input in the process.

Public meetings are scheduled for September 21^st, 22^nd and 23^rd at three locations in Maryland near Assateague Island. All meetings are scheduled from 4:00pm to 7:00pm.

If you are interested in participating in one or more of these meetings, either as part of the audience or to convey positive messages about nude recreation as an official use at Assateague (Maryland), please contact the AANR East Government Affairs Chair, Audrey Weber, at 703-244-6615 or governmentaffairschair@aanr-east.com

Posted in Nude Attitudes. 1 Comment »

Update on Bagby Hot Springs

September 15th, 2009

September 14th, 2009

In discussions today with Gary Larsen, Forest Supervisor for Mt. Hood National Forest, he reiterated his desire to work with AANR to clarify USFS policy as it relates to nude use at Bagby Hot Springs, which is part of the Mt. Hood National Forest. Mr. Larsen stated it is not his intention to ban nude use at the hot springs; however, he feels there needs to be more clarity of USFS policy in the Bagby Hot Springs area.

Unfortunately, one of the key players for USFS will be absent for the coming week so matters will be in limbo for at least a little while longer. At AANR’s request and in a show of good faith, the Forest Service has updated its Web site striking the anti-nudity statement previously posted and instead has stated in part ”Mt. Hood National Forest is currently conducting discussions with naturist advocates to clarify Forest Service policy at Bagby Hot Springs. Clarification is expected within two weeks.”

We at AANR deeply appreciate the professional approach taken by Mr. Larsen. Although the final outcome is uncertain, to date we have universally found Mr. Larsen to be open and frank in his discussions with us. We hope that this spirit of cooperation will see all parties through to a resolution that successfully addresses the concerns of all the parties and restores nude use to Bagby.

The USFS update in its entirety can be seen by clicking here.

Posted in News. 3 Comments »

Nudist Values

September 14th, 2009

Written by Ted Hadley, owner of Cypress Cove Nudist Resort & Spa. Reprinted with permission from the Cypress Knee.

There have been some unsettling developments in the nudist community of late. Two of Florida’s largest nudist clubs, Caliente and Paradise Lakes, have voluntarily withdrawn from AANR (the American Association for Nude Recreation). In both cases, AANR had recently suspended the club’s charter due to advertising practices which were perceived to “sexualize the nudist experience.”

Every club has its own culture and values, usually representative of the owners or management. I think most nudist clubs tend to be family oriented, though some do have more of an emphasis on “adult fun.” There may be a place for both. There’s certainly a market for both, as Caliente and Paradise Lakes have proven. However, AANR has always pushed family oriented nudist values and I believe they are right to fight for them.

The truth is, AANR works tirelessly (mostly behind the scenes) against legislation which could erode our right to enjoy social nudity. They must be able to make the argument that organized nudism is absolutely natural, wholesome and harmless to the community. Sexualizing nude recreation illegitimizes that argument.

The other day, I was looking at the VitaNuda website (www.vitanuda.com), and I found some wording that intrigued me. It almost perfectly reflects my personal feelings about nudism and thus, by extension, the values of Cypress Cove as a nudist club. They say:

“Nudists are people who enjoy being nude in appropriate settings. The motivation of a nudist should be pure and non-sexual. It is about simplicity, fun and true relaxation.

“Some people make the mistake of lumping nudists together with a less than wholesome crowd. Exhibitionists are NOT nudists, they are motivated to show their skin for sexual reasons. Voyeurs are NOT nudists, they just want to see skin for sexual reasons. Swingers are NOT nudists, they are motivated by sexual conquest. Strippers are NOT nudists, they are making money selling their skin. Nudists enjoy nudism for the simplicity and sense of freedom it brings them.”

So how does that apply to Cypress Cove? In every possible way. Our culture, values and rules are based solidly on these very simple principles; nudism should be pure and non-sexual. If you choose to visit Cypress Cove, you are accepting these core principles and agreeing to abide by them.

We have great fun at our dances, but suggestive attire and/or dancing are not welcome. We appreciate a tender moment between two adults in love, but public displays of affection should be discreet and innocent. Adventures in the bedroom should always be kept private. Discussions of swinging and recruiting are definitely not welcome here.

Our goal is to maintain a safe, non-threatening, and non-sexual environment where our guests can truly feel comfortable. A little “adult fun” may be harmless in a private setting, but it’s just not appropriate at Cypress Cove. That’s not who we are.

If you agree, we hope to see you by the pool!

To read more about Cypress Cove, click here.

Posted in Nude Attitudes. 2 Comments »

AANR Makes NYT Travel Blog

September 11th, 2009

newnyt The American Association for Nude Recreation is featured in this week’s New York Times travel blog, In Transit. The article is written by Michele Higgins who wrote last year’s three-page spread, “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Worries,” that appeared in the print edition of the Sunday Travel section.

This week’s article, “Shedding Inhibitions (and Clothes),” gives the results of the Ypartnership/Yankelovich 2009 National Travel Monitor which showed that 10 percent of respondents viewed a “resort that offers a nude recreation experience” was “extremely/very desirable.”

Click here to watch a slideshow and read the entire article.

Posted in Nude Attitudes. No Comments »

San Onofre Update

September 10th, 2009

In ongoing discussions with the California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Parks has advised AANR of its intention to begin citing individuals for being nude at San Onofre based on CCR section 4322 regulating nudity within California State Parks. These citations may be either an infraction or a misdemeanor. It must be noted that the California Appellate Court has ordered the prior order issued by Orange County Superior Court Judge Sheila Fell to enforce Cahill reversed and that a new order be issued.

It is important that individuals be aware that a misdemeanor citation can often have long-term consequences and to make their decisions regarding recreating at San Onofre accordingly.

California Parks is stressing that this change in managing nudity in its parks is being limited to San Onofre. Individuals who are aware of any actions that differ from this should report this information to the AANR office at 800/Try-Nude immediately so we can address this with California Parks.

AANR continues to have ongoing discussions with high-level representatives of California Parks to look for long-term answers to protect our rights to reasonable access to public lands for nude recreation in the California Parks system.

The AANR Government Affairs Team

Posted in AANR Alerts. 4 Comments »

“Nude Recreation is Fun”

September 4th, 2009

Don’t miss AANR Executive Director Erich Schuttauf’s Q&A with Christopher Elliott , “Nude recreation is fun,” covering a variety of subjects ranging from Nakations to principles and standards to The AANR World Record Skinny-Dip. Elliott is considered by many to be one of the world’s leading travel experts. He is the reader advocate for National Geographic Traveler magazine and writes a nationally syndicated column that appears in 50 newspapers and websites.

The original photo that accompanied the piece was of a group of nudists skinny-dipping that Elliott admits he had to remove on order from his standards and ethics committee in the comments section below the article. Yet the Q&A is well written and respectful of nude recreation and is refreshingly free of puns about the nudist lifestyle that sometimes accompany such articles.

Elliott also writes a travel column for MSNBC.com. Watch this space for a link to his column following up on his interview with Erich Schuttauf that will appear on MSNBC.com in a few weeks.

Read “Nude Recreation is fun” here.

Posted in Nude Attitudes. No Comments »