Having covered the “nuts and bolts” of starting and maintaining a non-landed club, there are a few other important considerations to note — most importantly, communicating what the club is all about and ensuring that it is perceived as welcoming yet safe, ensuring that everyone is comfortable with what for many people will be something completely new.
A dedicated website is the best way to lay out the club’s philosophy and rules governing behavior, as well as listing events and soliciting donations, but even simple brochures can convey that critical information to those who may be unfamiliar with naturism. Adhering to naturist principles is essential to avoid misconceptions about what takes place at club-sanctioned events.
The International Naturist Federation has provided a helpful definition of naturism as “a way of life in harmony with nature, characterized by the practice of communal nudity with the intention of encouraging self-respect, respect for others, and for the environment”. With that as a starting point, clubs can elaborate to let people understand the practical application of that philosophy.
“Communal nudity” or “social nudity” needs more specific details for those unfamiliar with the terms. Swingers’ groups and cults may engage in communal nudity, but that is not true naturism as practiced by INF, the Naturist Society Foundation, the American Association of Nude Recreation, and naturist clubs, which espouse “family-friendly” nudism. Clubs will need to emphasize that the group engages in non-sexual nudity.
Naturist New Hampshire puts it this way:
“We are family-friendly, supportive, non-threatening, and non-judgmental.
If you are looking for sexual encounters, please look elsewhere.”
This does not deny that people are sexual beings, but asserts up front that, while there is a time and place for such intimacy, it is not appropriate in public during naturist events.