The Naturist Society (TNS) is a national naturist organization based in
Oshkosh, WisconsinOshkosh is a city in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, United States, located where the Fox River enters Lake Winnebago. The population was 62,916 at the 2000 census; it had a metropolitan area of 159,972 people. The city is located adjacent to and partially within the Town of Oshkosh.-History:Oshkosh...
, USA. It publishes a quarterly periodical called
Nude & NaturalNude & Natural: The Magazine Of Naturist Living or simply Magazine is a quarterly 100+ page naturist magazine published by The Naturist Society in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and distributed throughout the United States and internationally...
which documents and coordinates naturist activities and provides information about issues related to
naturismNaturism or nudism is a cultural and political movement advocating and defending social nudity in private and in public. It may also refer to a lifestyle based on personal, family and/or social nudism....
. The Naturist Society was established by
Lee BaxandallLee R. Baxandall was an American writer, translator, editor, and activist, first known for his New Left engagement with cultural topics and then as a leader of the naturist movement.-Career:...
in 1980. Baxandall was the Society president for a number of years and still holds a revered position as founder. He formulated the initial TNS motto: "Body acceptance is the goal, nude recreation is the way." This statement incorporates the belief that the human body is not intrinsically offensive and that the practice of social nudity can be affirming, not degrading.
The TNS Naturist Network includes both private nudist resorts and naturist social clubs that agree to TNS principles and standards. The TNS-accepted nudist resorts are virtually identical to those chartered by the
American Association for Nude RecreationThe American Association for Nude Recreation is a nudist organization in the United States. Founded in 1931, the organization advocates nudity and nude recreation in appropriate settings. The AANR charters approximately 259 independent U.S. nudist resorts and parks...
, and the TNS membership card is usually accorded equal status with the AANR membership card at resorts.
In the 1990s TNS established two nonprofit adjunct organizations, governed by a board of directors elected by the TNS membership: The Naturist Action Committee
(NAC), its political and legislative lobbying adjunct, and the Naturist Education Foundation
(NEF)
TNS advocates for the acceptance of skinny-dipping and nude sunbathing at designed clothing-optional public beaches. A
2006 Roper Pollcommissioned by NEF showed that 74% of Americans accept this idea.
TNS' Green Naturally statement from its website further indicates the organization's orientation: "Naturism is about much more than clothing-optional recreation. It's a natural way of living. And recognizing our interdependency with Nature, we as naturists can affirm the goodness of being and appearing fully human while acknowledging our need to tread wisely and kindly on the Earth. To this end TNS wishes to cultivate a heightened respect for Nature."
TNS organizes several annual gatherings in various regions of North America, such as The Western Naturist Gathering and the Eastern Naturist Gathering (the largest such event, held in Massachusetts since 1997). The gatherings feature workshops and seminars on many topics, especially those that relate to body health and ongoing legal issues.
TNS also provides support for various
Special Interest GroupsIn technical fields, a Special Interest Group is a community with a particular interest in a specific technical area. Members of a SIG cooperate to effect or to produce solutions within their particular field, and often meet regularly, particularly at conferences.-Computing SIGs:SIGs exist for...
(SIGs) for TNS members who wish to share hobbies or other interests with fellow naturists, such as the
amateur radioAmateur radio, often called ham radio, is both a hobby and a service in which participants, called "hams," use various types of radio communications equipment to communicate with other radio amateurs for public service, recreation and self-training....
SIG.
Publications
See also
- The American Association for Nude Recreation
The American Association for Nude Recreation is a nudist organization in the United States. Founded in 1931, the organization advocates nudity and nude recreation in appropriate settings. The AANR charters approximately 259 independent U.S. nudist resorts and parks...
(AANR)
- Clothes free movement
- Gymnophobia
Gymnophobia is a fear of nudity. Gymnophobics experience anxiety from nudity, even if they realize their fear is irrational. They may worry about seeing others naked or being seen naked, or both. Their fear may stem from a general anxiety about sexuality, from a fear that they are physically...
- List of public outdoor clothes free places
- Public nudity
Public nudity or nude in public refers to nudity not in an entirely private context. It refers to a person appearing nude in a public place or to be seen from a public place...
- Skinny dipping
Nude swimming is swimming naked, i.e. without any swimsuit. Skin diving is both used as a synonym and for free diving.- Etymology :...
- American Nudist Research Library
The American Nudist Research Library is the first and believed to be the largest nudist/naturist library in North America. The American Nudist Research Library is located in Kissimmee, Florida. Kissimmee is also the location of the headquarters of the American Association for Nude Recreation...
External links