![]() ![]() I have run into a few transphobic people on and offline," she says. Although she says "mostly everyone" has been accepting, she has still encountered some prejudice. She's on hormone replacement therapy and is hoping to get gender affirming surgery, but since insurance often considers it optional, for now it's too expensive. "I educate other women of color about naturism and help them explore it," she says.Īs a trans woman, Sheila is also navigating what it's like to be a minority in the naturist community. Instead of letting that feeling edge her out of the lifestyle, she's working to make it more inclusive. Serenity has called the dearth of varied racial representation in the naturist community "daunting at times." "I've traveled to beautiful countries like England, Croatia, and Australia where naturist communities are widely popular, but I still saw low numbers of women of color, if any at all," she says. "I never knew how boobs can get in the way when trying to play!"ĭiversity and the changing face of naturism.Īlthough naturism celebrates acceptance, it's not as diverse as some would like. "My first time playing pool without a top was interesting," she says. "It's a chance to be wild and forget all the artificial day-to-day things that people fill their lives with." But one of her other favorite parts of naturism is that she can engage in recreational activities with people who hold the same feelings about how restrictive clothing can be. "For me, it's about being able to connect with nature in a way that is impossible while bound in material," Sheila M., 31, a naturist in Northampton, Mass., tells SELF. (Especially because in general, women's labia are perfect just the way they are.)Īnother essential part of naturism is bonding with the environment. Given that American teenagers are more frequently asking for their labia to be trimmed, this message is more crucial than ever. That alleviates a lot of body shame and anxiety," she says. "You see that they come in all shapes and sizes and can be as unique as a person’s face. ![]() Growing up as a naturist, she was able to appreciate how broad the private-part spectrum is. People don’t see those parts on actual average bodies, so they can have a lot of anxiety," says Felicity. "A lot of the is about female breasts and genitals. "I wasn’t so influenced by this culture that says if you don’t have a certain body type, you shouldn’t be taking off your clothes." "I saw the human body in so many different forms," she says. That's largely because Felicity realized how beneficial nudity had been to her growing up when she and her family attended the Rock Lodge Nudist Club in northern New Jersey. That emphasis on healthy self-image is a cornerstone of YNA's philosophy. "The sense of empowerment makes it all worth it for me," she says. No labels, no facade, no judgments, just openness and embracing your true self." She currently has 10 sessions per week with men and women around the world, usually talking about self-love and how to foster positive body image. "There is nothing more vulnerable then being completely present with a friend or stranger in the nude. So, Naked Skype was born," Serenity explains. Then, they got to talking about where this deeply ingrained negative reaction to nudity comes from. "At first she was uncomfortable and embarrassed for me even,, and covered her eyes," says Serenity. She stumbled upon the idea when she answered a friend's Skype call while in the nude. Serenity offers Naked Skype Sessions for $30 an hour, or a package deal of $120 for five sessions.
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