Naturism, Nudism and Gymnosophy for the BARE-ly Curious

What’s the difference between being seen and being consumed? In this episode of Bare-ly Curious, Naomi Gale asks whether more naturist spaces, where bodies are visible, ordinary and not for sale, could change the landscape when it comes to paying to see the body (in formats such as Only Fans).We go back to gymnosophy, the “wisdom of nakedness”, and Maurice Parmelee’s 1927 book The New Gymnosophy, including his claim that nudism lets men and women “see each other as they really are”. We also look at the darker side of his thinking: his body standards and the eugenic roots of early nudism.Then to OnlyFans: who earns what, why creators join, and what need it might be meeting. Keon West’s research at Goldsmiths shows naturism improving body image, self-esteem and life satisfaction. Annebella Pollen’s history shows how naturist magazines blurred into erotica.Finally, ethical porn. Why it’s a neighbour to naturism but not a relative, and three questions for keeping naturism in its own lane.Sources: Annebella Pollen, Nudism in a Cold Climate and “Life in the buff” (Aeon). Keon West, “Naked and Unashamed” (Journal of Happiness Studies). Maurice Parmelee, The New Gymnosophy (1927).Photography: naomigalephotography.co.ukEnjoyed this? Please leave a review and subscribe wherever you listen.

If naturism is about being naked, why do clothes matter so much? In this episode of BARE-ly Curious I look at the long-running split between completists, who say total nudity is non-negotiable, and moderates, who make room for clothing when the situation calls for it. Then I bring it back to a question the rules rarely ask: where do children's choices fit?I start with where my own naturism journey stands right now. It's ten degrees and raining on the Isle of Skye, so it's saunas and cold loch dips, with plans for spring nudism across Europe in the van. I also share where my MA in Irish mythology and folklore is taking me, towards the naked body in narrative. We look at the story of Mis, who is won over by a man lying bare rather than one carrying weapons, and at the Sheela-na-gig carvings set into church walls.From there we get into the history, drawing on Annebella Pollen's Nudism in a Cold Climate:Completists vs moderates, and why history sided with the moderatesC.E. Norwood's case for clothing within nudismThe burlesque link: why partial covering sexualises the body and matter-of-fact nakedness doesn't (with Andrea Friedman on the striptease)Health & Efficiency magazine and the "nudist bible" lineageThe 1930s "happy mean"Loincloths as practical everyday dress across culturesThe eugenics undercurrent in early nudism, and why we need to be critical rather than nostalgicVulva sunning: what the evidence says, and a gentler way to do itFinally, I share what happened at a French nudist camp when my children were shamed for wearing bikini bottoms on the water slides. I talk about my conversation with a lifelong completist, and about management who wouldn't commit either way, despite a policy that says no child can be told to remove clothing. I ask what bodily autonomy means for children in naturist spaces today, and why nuance might be what opens naturism and gymnosophy up to a new generation. 00:00 Welcome to Bare-ly Curious 00:57 Naturism plans: Isle of Skye, saunas and van life across Europe 03:20 Myth and the naked body: Mis and the Sheela-na-gig 06:43 Children, choice and the gap in the rules 07:52 The dress debate: completists vs moderates 10:14 The burlesque link: why covering sexualises 12:26 Health & Efficiency and total nudity 13:46 The "happy mean" 16:05 Loincloth culture 18:18 The eugenics undercurrent 20:42 Vulva sunning 22:45 When two camps collide 24:08 The pool slide: my children, a completist and camp management 32:36 Closing thoughtsEnjoyed this episode? Leave a five-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. A comment earns extra points. You can also find me on Beehiiv.

In this first episode of Barely Curious, Naomi Gale explains why she's launching a new podcast about naturism, nudism and gymnosophy, and what a life-changing ten days at a nudist camp had to do with it. She breaks down the real difference between nudism and naturism, traces naturism's roots back to the 1920s wellness movement, and introduces gymnosophy: a little-known term she believes deserves a comeback. Drawing on Annebella Pollen's "Nudism in a Cold Climate" and her own decade of work in pelvic and somatic health, Naomi looks at why society still treats nudity as either a joke or a taboo, and why she thinks that needs to change. She also shares personal experiences of being shamed for going topless on UK beaches, and reflects on body image, body dysmorphia, and what it means to reclaim a more honest relationship with the body.