Friday, February 29, 2008

The Aging of Naturism

Is there nobody young involved in naturism any more?

I just got the latest copy of "N" magazine, and on the cover is an older lady, greying hair. Inside are stories, and photos, mostly people in their upper 40s and up.

I remember the first copy of "N" I got, when it was "Clothed With the Sun". There was a 20-something woman on the front cover. Well, that was over 20 years ago, and it seems that the people we knew as naturists when we were in our 20s and 30s are the same ones still involved today.

There aren't any 20s and 30s involved. Or are there? We belong to a social group in our part of the country that meets at peoples homes (okay, a travel club). The group is in our age group. There are some upper 30's in the group, but most are, you guessed it, upper 40s and up.

We visited a few landed clubs last summer. No young couples there, just middle to upper ages.

Is it just our part of the world (we live in Texas)? Are there younger couples/singles going to Haulover? Blacks Beach? Wreck Beach? Sandy Hook?

What about places like Playa del Carmen in Mexico? Sorobon Beach in Bonaire, Orient in Sint Maarten?

Actually, I think I just answered my question. The 40s and up have money, and they don't want to sit at a rustic park anymore. They are willing to spend big bucks to go to resorts where they are able to relax in style.

So that means that the clubs we went to as younger couples are not our cup of tea anymore, and guess what, they are going out of business, or changing their tune.

Two landed clubs in our area closed. One has rebranded itself as an adult alternative camp. Another is going through some controversial growing pains, and one more is not sure what it is going to be. Crowds are down. The clubs have not kept up with the times.

Our generation is not content to just sit and sun. We want to have activities, whether its visiting with friends, having something to drink (we're talking adult beverages here), or even flirting.

We want fine dining. We want people in our social circles.

Are the days gone where a CEO and a grunt can sit naked in a hot tub as equals? (Something I witnessed back in the late 80s).

What bodes the future of Naturism?