The Naturist Vibe
Join Gabby and Dan as they talk about Ethical Naturism and their own experiences in the nudist/naturist world.
The Naturist Vibe
Challenging Social Norms - Part 2
Gabby and Dan explore why it’s so important to question the harmful social norms that often show up in naturism. They talk about how these outdated ideas can limit growth, create unnecessary barriers, and keep people from experiencing the true freedom that naturism offers. From breaking stereotypes to encouraging more inclusive spaces, this episode highlights the powerful benefits of challenging the status quo and embracing a naturist lifestyle that is ethical, welcoming, and authentic.
Includes messages from Gabby and Dan
Welcome back to the NAS vibe. This is part two of challenging social norms.
091625_213129_Tr2:Exactly. And we have rules, and there's societal rules about things like politics and other topics that people know not to bring up because they can be controversial.
091625_213129_Tr1:But you know what though, Dan, here's my thing on that. If I bring up the color of my skin or something that bothers me, that actually, directly, impacts, a protected class, right? why is it now considered political? it doesn't have to be political. It's only political in your mind. I'm directly talking about how do we be decent human beings towards each other and Like why suddenly me saying don't be racist
091625_213129_Tr2:Well that
091625_213129_Tr1:now me being political. it's not even that deep. It's about being. Good human beings towards each other. How can we do that without affecting us in ways that are just so deep
091625_213129_Tr2:that one is more about people using the phrase, don't be political, to avoid what they feel is an uncomfortable topic. Because it's challenging them. It's challenging them and their behavior, which anybody looking at it from the outside would say that's wrong behavior. And that's not political at all. That has nothing to do with politics or anything of the sort. that's just them saying, don't be political, because they don't want to be challenged of the things that they're doing, which they know is fundamentally wrong in that environment.
091625_213129_Tr1:In the environment. And. I'm a big believer if you can't do it in a nature space, you ain't doing it. Outside of this, I'm sorry, and I might be wrong. It may not be everyone, as I said, I live in the gray area. many things can be true at the same time. But when I see someone do that so adamantly it makes me believe that this is something that they avoid. Even in the textile world,
091625_213129_Tr2:Right. Exactly. But I think it's probably time to move on to our next point.
091625_213129_Tr1:The last thought I wanna take this. We got to focus less on labels and more on behavior. We just talked about that. And are people practicing consent, respect, and inclusion.
091625_213129_Tr2:The way we show up in our connections with others matters. If you haven't learned how to build healthy relationships, your patterns will reflect that and you'll end up carrying those behaviors into every community you join.
091625_213129_Tr1:I remember how difficult it was growing up to maintain even while enduring abuse. I knew deep down that I was the only one who had the power to move myself out of victimhood and into survivor mode, and eventually into simply just living. If I hadn't come to that realization after my last relationship, Dan, which was extremely abusive, I would've continued to fall into the same cycles carrying that pain into every space I entered. Holding yourself accountable for the patterns and behaviors that keep you in negative dynamics is not victim blaming. It is the most freeing experience you can give yourself. It's about recognizing your own power to break the cycle. That's why ethical nature is resonates so deeply with me. It's, it creates a tone and a space where that kind of self-reflection is not only possible, but e courage and what I love about. This season of my life is the simplicity of just living. Beautiful things are unfolding and incredible people are finding their way into my world. Dan, you included, Life isn't perfect, but when you quiet the noise and lean into your passions and your heart, you begin to see how wonderful things can truly be, and that's why Simply Living means so much to me.
091625_213129_Tr2:And all of this connects to the bigger question, how do we make nature as more mainstream?
091625_213129_Tr1:Making natures mainstream doesn't mean everyone has to get naked. It's about creating spaces where people can move at their own pace, and that's why clothing optional is key. Forcing nudity, especially when someone isn't swimming or in a hot tub, isn't natures, it's actually plain weird. I think it's a little bit borderline perverted.
091625_213129_Tr2:Yeah. part of what we're trying to do when it comes to making natures mainstream is it's making it acceptable. It's not making it universal. So we're trying to get to a point where people understand naturism and are able to look at this way of life and see that it is a valid way of life, that it actually is something that people and that there's nothing wrong with it. So it's about being accepted. And allowed to have this way of life without feeling like people are going to judge us or believe us to be, strange, weird people that live, in cabins in the woods separated from the rest of the world.
091625_213129_Tr1:I don't even think living off the grid naked in the woods is weird. I don't think it's just for everyone. And that's why I think it's important to allow people to move at their pace and do nature is they feel is fit.
091625_213129_Tr2:We have this lofty goal of creating not only a safe place for Naturists to be and to socialize and to be accepted, but it's also to create an environment where people who are not ISTs can see that naturalism is a valid and legitimate way of life. And to basically, without putting too much of a punt on it, to be exposed to people.
091625_213129_Tr1:And what I love as we're spreading this message, we have people in our lives and people that we've met that we'll. will consider themselves, allies to naturalism. They're not quite comfortable themselves yet or maybe ever to go fully nude, but they support because they love and agree with the messaging behind ethical naturism. And that is, to me, a key part of making Naturism more mainstream is to connect with those who may not know didley about naturism, but they know a lot about body autonomy, body freedom, body acceptance, body positivity. And if we're creating spaces for that, you'll be surprised how many people in the textile world or wow, that is. Really amazing and I wanna go and maybe one day I will get nude. Maybe it's not right now, but I wanna, support this message too, because that messaging those words, they're alive in both the worlds.
091625_213129_Tr2:I think this message will resonate with a lot of people, in part because people struggle with body issues. You hear the message that especially young girls hear when they're told, What's important is what's on the inside, not what's on the outside. And I hate that message with a passion because basically what that message is saying is, yeah, you're right, the outside sucks. that
091625_213129_Tr1:is exactly what I think when I hear that.
091625_213129_Tr2:Yeah. And so this idea that what's on the inside is what's important to the outside is not important. That's a really bad message to be giving to people. And here we are, we're coming along and saying, you know what? No, you as a whole person, it's all important. And it's all acceptable. Your body image, the one that you were given to you by society, telling you that the way that you look is somehow wrong or unacceptable, that's what's the problem. So what we're doing is we're telling it's not a
091625_213129_Tr1:either, Dan, if you want to fix something that you're not happy with, That is about body freedom and body autonomy. My body, my choice, if I don't like it, I can fix it and you should be telling me that I shouldn't. And that to me,
091625_213129_Tr2:but that's different from people coming to you and saying. This part of your body is wrong When you yourself look at that and go, no, it's not right. Yeah. And you should be empower. You should be empowered to be able to say, no, it's not. This idea that your image of yourself is shaped by what society tells you it should look like. Instead of you saying to yourself, no, I'm happy with this. Or in some cases maybe there's something about yourself that you're not happy with and you don't wanna change it. That's your bodily autonomy part where you have the ability to go and make that change. But the point here simply is that anybody saying to you, unsolicited society coming along and saying to you. That part of you, the size of you, the look of you, the color of you, whatever is unacceptable. That's
091625_213129_Tr1:right? So
091625_213129_Tr2:we're coming along and saying, no, all of those messages, they're wrong. Right? You should be able to be happy with yourself as you are or however you want to show up, because that's you, that's your identity. That's your autonomy. And I think that message resonates with a lot of people who grew up being judged and told that their body was wrong.
091625_213129_Tr1:What I think is most important as well in making Naturism more mainstream is honest storytelling. Naturalism, like we've been talking about this whole entire time, is in all glitter and gold. And the real connection comes through vulnerability. Not perfect pr friendly stories. I think it's okay to talk about hard truths. I think it's okay to be extra vulnerable no matter what gender you are, and I think it's okay. To call people out, even on platforms that you have, if you have a large Nats platform, call out these hard truths. It's not enough to just say, naturalism is not, this nature is not that. But it's true. There are things that happen that are stereotypical that the mainstream world, believes is all of naturalism. Yeah, it does happen, right? People who use nature as spaces for the wrong reasons that happens, call it out. It's not fair to keep ignoring it and then let these bad seeds fester and then you expect to, dismantle and these, dismantle these misconceptions. It's not so easy when you're doing it by just reiterating the same stories that you know, it's not sexual, but yes, it's not sexual. We get that. But there are people who do use it for sexual reasons. So how do you stop that? Or how do you tell people that, not everybody is like this, right? Instead of just trying to shift your focus away from it, highlight it and say it's wrong.
091625_213129_Tr2:Yeah, it's interesting. There's another podcast out there, which a lot of people are familiar with, that talks about naturalism. Nudism for all the right reasons. And a lot of the various podcasts that are out there do try to focus on the positive aspects, right? And what we're trying to do here is we're trying to say, yeah, you're right. There are a lot of positive aspects to naturalism, but how do we protect naturism? How do we protect this way of life? And part of it is to call out those bad behaviors, those things that don't align with what Naturists are.
091625_213129_Tr1:Yeah. And I think we need to continue to have newer voices, fresh voices. And we do see that a lot right now on social media. A lot of fresh voices coming in and owning their platform and spreading naturism. But I would love to see more voices that not just call out what is wrong by saying, this is not what Naturism is, but also call it out and. Tell their stories like, yes, it's wrong, but did you have an experience with this? Like, talk about it. Get honest, get vulnerable.
091625_213129_Tr2:What we're talking about is that we want to protect what naturalism is we're trying to say, yeah, you can be more than one thing. You can be these other things. But when you come into the NAS world, you're expected to act and behave appropriately in that world. And very much the same way that if you're going to a grocery store, you're not gonna act like a naturist. You're gonna act like a person who's going grocery shopping. Yeah. Right? And so time and place is a very important thing for people to keep in mind.
091625_213129_Tr1:That part, that part is so important. Some people don't understand context.
091625_213129_Tr2:Yeah.
091625_213129_Tr1:Yeah. And when you're an a, context is definitely key. I think we need to start crafting more messages that reach both natures and curious allies. And we can do that by not hiding behind cookie cutter narratives and start talking about the real human side of nature is where honesty and emotion meet freedom and inclusion.
091625_213129_Tr2:So do you have any final thoughts from today's episode?
091625_213129_Tr1:For me, naturalism is about challenging the stories we've been told and daring to create new ones and one's rooted in truth, respect, and freedom.
091625_213129_Tr2:And it's about accountability. If we want naturalism to evolve, we have to keep questioning ourselves as much as the world around us.
091625_213129_Tr1:Yeah, totally agree. Don't forget to check out our other project, RRK Underground, where we are bringing these values to life through music, art, and culture. And if you're in Jersey City this October, join us for our concert featuring B Scars. It's going to be a night of Afrobeats community and ethical naturism in action.
091625_213129_Tr2:And that is the natures vibe.
091625_213129_Tr1:buying.
