A nude beach (British English: naturist or nudist beach) is a beach where users are legally at liberty to be nude. Sometimes the terms clothing-optional beach or free beach are used. Nude bathing is one of the most common forms of nudity in public. As beaches are usually on public lands, any member of the public is entitled to use the facilities without membership of any movement or subscription to any philosophy. The use of the beach facilities is normally anonymous. Unlike a naturist resort or facility, there is normally no membership or vetting requirement for the use of a nude beach. The use of nude beach facilities are usually casual, not requiring pre-booking. Nude beaches may be official (legally-sanctioned), unofficial (tolerated by residents and law enforcement), or illegal.
A nude beach should not be confused with a topfree beach or topless beach, where upper body clothing is not required for women or men, although a swimming costume covering the genital area is required for both men and women.
Nude beaches first became popular in the 1950s along the French coast[1] and have since spread around the world, though they are still few and far between. Some nude beaches are part of a larger nude area, such as the Cap d'Agde area. Most beaches in Denmark[2] and all beaches in Norway are clothing optional.
Nude beaches tend to be segregated or isolated physically from the non-nude areas. In other instances people maintain a comfortable space between beach users. Signage is often used to warn beach users about what to encounter and/or to segregate different areas on the beach. This accommodates people who are not comfortable with nudity (see gymnophobia). This also accommodates beach users who do not like to be watched too much, especially by clothed individuals (see voyeurism).
On an officially sanctioned nude beach beach goers of both sexes have an option to remove their clothing without fearing legal prosecution or official harassment.
Clothes free organizations such as the Naturist Action Committee have lobbied against laws banning nude swimming and sunbathing.
Motivation
People visit a nude beach for any of a number of reasons. These range from people who see no reason to wear clothing when taking part in water activities or sunning, or who enjoy being nude or partially nude (see naturism and nudism). Some people visit a nude beach because they enjoy looking at people who are nude, or because of curiosity. Some people sunbathe on a nude beach to get a more even suntan, and to eliminate tan lines.
Types of nude beaches
Most nude beaches had become accepted after many years of use as nude beaches. Many are "unmanaged" beach areas that have been adopted by the local users in an effort to maintain the beach's "quality". Others' right to existence has been recognized as such by the appropriate local authority, and are termed "official" (although not necessarily legitimate).
There are several categories of nude beaches:
- Beaches where nudity may be compulsory, subject to weather conditions. This is common in dedicated nudist resorts.
- Beaches where nudity is encouraged but not mandatory. This is more common when the beach is part of a private resort or other private property. On such beaches most people go nude but not all.
- Clothing is optional (i.e., nudity is permitted but not required) All beaches in Denmark and Norway are clothing optional. The most popular U.S. clothing optional beach may be Haulover Beach in Miami-Dade County, which has a clothing optional section officially designated by Miami-Dade County, with lifeguards and concessions. On such beaches there may be a mixture of nude, clothed and everything in between. For some clothed people the clothing-optional status only makes them less reluctant to expose themselves briefly when changing clothes.
- Unofficially sanctioned public nude beaches - places where nudity is tolerated by the "authorities", mostly by turning a blind eye, or not enforcing the local laws.
- Illegal nude beaches - which may result in requests to cover up, uncomfortable glares, a fine or arrest. Places where people dare to go nude, but try to keep a low profile because they could well get in trouble.
Legal position
Most beaches around the world, including nude beaches, are on public lands. That means that though private resorts and hotels that adjoin a beach may enclose their property behind fences with controlled access, most countries do not allow private ownership of the actual beach area. Thus, while a resort can control access and set clothing standards on its property, these standards would not necessarily apply to the beach itself, which remains subject to local laws or customs, and public access to the beach itself usually remains unrestricted. This applies, for example, to the islands in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Florida. On the Seven Mile Beach in Negril, Jamaica, for example, though the beach is lined with private resorts with fences down to the sand/waterline, the beach itself is open to the public. Though actual clothing standards vary from resort to resort, the beach area is officially designated as "topfree", and public access is unrestricted.
The International Naturist Federation has developed a code of conduct, or etiquette, for use by member organizations. The INF nude beach etiquette requires the avoidance of all forms of sexual harassment and sexual activity, such as masturbation or sexual intercourse. Predatory behavior is not permitted, nor is unauthorized photography. [3] In general, the standards call for the respecting of the privacy of other visitors. Staring is frowned upon by rule and social pressure.[4]
However, unlike nudist resorts and hotels, which can enforce standards of conduct on their properties promptly and effectively, most nude beach are on public lands making the enforcement of standards of nude beach etiquette a more personal matter, subject to the deterrence of local laws. The standards of conduct take different forms in different countries. Other than the fact that people using a nude beach expect to find naked people on the beach, most other local laws and customs continue to apply. One should note especially that nude beaches are usually family beaches with children being present.
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