What does Advocacy mean to you? Oxford defines it as “public support for or recommendation of a particular cause or policy.” This is at the heart of why your government affairs team (GAT) reviews so many bills each day.
We support and strive to protect your right to be nude and feel safe whether you are in a resort, on public lands, in a private home or a friend’s nudist get together.
This month we are focused on Women in Nude Recreation. I gave Andee Rodgers a supply of our NCSL pins from the 2014 Minnesota show, since the theme of our pin that year was “Feel The Freedom”. I was happy I had a supply, and I was thrilled when the message resonated with Women In Nude Recreation’s biggest cheerleader.
Andee and Tom took their show on the road these last two months and for all I know they are still traveling as this is published. The advocacy theme resonates with nudists. The call to fellow nudists to embrace wholesome nudism is harder to accept to those who have been most exploited by nudity in this society and women in nude recreation is the group most impacted by taking back their comfort with nudity.
We see that in GAT, that is often the first thing we are questioned about, how do women feel about nudity. It is usually an attempt to challenge our assertion nudity is for all people. I understand that it is easier to men to feel comfortable being nude in public, we were exposed to it earlier in life, at least in my generation, by nudity at gym classes and for some YMCA nude swimming lessons.
We are moving to make nudity just that, nudity is not sexual. The Women In Nude Recreation effort brings that message of advocacy to other women and men who support the effort. That is a cause we should all support.