I recently read a group message from one of the sim owners/staff which was gently reminding group members that, on a nude beach, nude meant nude. Sadly, it seemed that more and more visitors to the sim were keeping their swimwear firmly on.

A sign in Croatia spells it out clearly. No swimming costumes, no cameras.

I have to say that, since that group message was posted, I’ve noticed exactly the same thing recently at one or two places. I’m not going to get drawn into naming where I’ve noticed this growing desire to remain clothed, but just let me say that I’ve found it increasingly frustrating.

When Sweden Naturist was open, Evacaroline was quite militant about the wearing of clothes. If online, she would, without a moment’s hesitation, eject swimwear using avatars from Sweden. In real life, the beach at Arnaoutchot (France) is equally firmly guarded, with visitors expected to strip off at entrances to the beach manned by ‘guards’, so as to best to protect the naked purity of the beach. Otherwise, more and more ‘textile’ visitors would come and in time erode the very notion of it being naturist. To maintain its reputation as a naturist beach, it is thus firmly guarded to remain fully naturist.

I’m also of the opinion that in some locations, notably in the United States, the use of the term ‘nude beach’ is sometimes applied to what we in Europe would call a ‘topless’ or CO -clothing optional- beach. So not really nude, boys and girls. Right?

I understand that we, the naturist community, have some beautiful, stunning facilities at our disposal in SL and that you, the non-naturist might want to visit and avail of the lovely facilities at our disposal. I understand that we, the naturist community, have a reputation for being a friendly, outgoing, tolerant bunch who make friends easily and that you might make some good friends in naturist sims. I understand we, the SL naturist community, have a very few beaches for our chosen lifestyle in the context of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of ‘textile’ beaches (i.e. swimsuits are worn). These are all traits that mirror RL. Out there in the real world there are a very few naturist beaches in the context of the sandy stretches around the world as a whole. Out there, we -naturists- maintain a reputation as a friendly bunch.

So please, I implore you, if you’re going to visit our beaches, please play by our rules and leave the bikinis and speedoes in your inventory. Otherwise, to protect the purity of the beaches we enjoy as a community, you may find that sim owners and staff may just begin to be a little more militant, as Evacaroline was, in ejecting those who remain clothed. And if you think that’s an over-reaction, ask yourself if you would want us -naturists- turning up, genitals displayed, in PG sims.

Ella.