College Naturism 

BARE-buns campus runs at midnight. Fraternity initiations. Good old-fashioned streaking.

'Gettin' nekkid' is often the rebellious act of choice on college campuses, as it has been for decades. Yet anyone who's been to a nudist park or naturist gathering lately can tell that by and large, Generation X just doesn't seem to be taking that next step to body acceptance and social nude recreation.

Coed Naked Firefighting? Sure. But removed from a context of titillation and sexuality, the interest wanes. This generation may be ready for nudity but maybe not for naturism. Or so it seems. And if you think about the fact that the majority in this age group have spent most of their conscious lives immersed in a relentlessly clothing- and image-obsessed, MTV-fueled culture, in which breast implants and liposuction are everyday procedures, pumped-up athletes are the role models and supermodels are superstars, well... what can we expect?

In another way it seems strange, though. Many aspects of naturist philosophy appear to coincide with the values of a typically idealistic youth culture. Concern for the environment and the "natural" world. tolerance and respect for diversity. Freedom and equality. What's more, at its best naturism lacks the insincerity and general artificiality of which youth in general is inherently suspicious. This may help explain in part why there is such a strong youth naturist culture in Europe--but then, why not here in America?

The groups featured in the following article raise hopes. The key players, all in their twenties, started their own groups "by and for young naturists" because they got involved with existing naturist groups and felt just plain left out. Appreciative, but left out. They are diverse in personality, background, goals and philosophies as all naturists are, but they all started from the same place--they knew there had to be others who, like them, just didn't know where to go to enjoy this hip new form of recreation they had discovered.

Even now, they want to know if there are others like them out there in the naturist world, what they're doing, how they're doing it. Each has a strong desire to network nationally with other younger naturists, either through traditional means or through the new modes of communication like 'zines and the Internet. these groups are asking, Where are you, Gen X, and what can we do to find you?

The reason it's so important we answer that question should be pretty clear. After all, what will happen to the future of naturism if we, its practitioners don't cultivate a new generation? What's more, with the political challenges naturists are facing today, can we really afford to have the next generation of lawmakers as ignorant about and fearful of naturism as the present one seems to be? Or to have those who practice naturism not get involved enough to help defend it?

In our own effort to reach this elusive group, TNS has begun offering a discounted rate of $30 a year for students who provide proof of enrollment in an acceptable university, college or tech school. Besides that, we too would like to learn what other Gen X naturists are up to. Drop us a line.