Author: Tim Mullins

• Margie Cantlon – Former AANR Vice-President, Former AANR Trustee, Former Owner of Sun Meadow Resort
• Heather Cheney – AANR Trustee
• Sandra Cordell – AANR Trustee
• Bob Dixon – AANR Trustee
• Patty Faber – Past AANR Vice-President, Owner of Shangri La Resort
• Shirley Gauthier – AANR Hall of Fame, Former GAT member
• Joan Harris – AANR Trustee
• Ronna Krozy – AANR PR Chair, Past AANR Trustee
• Jim Lahey – AANR Legislation Chair, AANR-NW Secretary/Treasurer
• Karen Lahey – AANR Hall of Fame, AANR Trustee, AANR Membership Marketing Committee Chair, Past AANR-NW President
• David Landman – Former Owner of De Ana Springs Resort
• David Levine – AANR Secretary/Treasurer , AANR Education Foundation Secretary Treasurer
• Mike Parker – AANR Hall of Fame, Former AANR Secretary/Treasurer, Former AANR Trustee
• Sharon Parker – AANR-NW Nominations Chair
• Richard Quigley – AANR Trustee
• Bob Roche – AANR Hall of Fame, AANR – East President,  Owner of White Tail Resort
• Wayne & Suzanne Schell – Owners of Laguna Del Sol & Mira Vista
• Peter Sewall – General Manager of Cypress Cove Resort
• Nancy Solvin  – AANR Hall of Fame, Past AANR Trustee, Owner of Bare Necessities Tours

 

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.

Here we are just two months after our ‘What does AANR do for me’ debut in the January Bulletin with a chance to reflect on what that membership means for us. I’m so glad I found AANR when I was researching nude sunbathing options way back in the 20th Century. I looked at the brochures, read the Bulletin, and saw their stance on nude use of public lands. I decided I should join so I could support an organization supporting my right to be nude.

 

My membership means I support with my dollars everyone’s right to nude use. With the Government Affairs Team I saw an organization focused on proactive efforts to make sure we know when trouble is on the horizon. Now as the GAT Chair I’m active in making sure we alert members to issues as we encounter them, and working with the rest of the team to formulate our response to what these challenges are, and how to act in support of our use of these lands.

One thing we get asked is about sex and what ‘really happens’ at our gatherings. The separation of sexual and non-sexual nudity is one of the hardest things for non-nudists to accept. Just this week I read an article in the Planet Nude newsletter from ‘Nudist Jeff’ that covers this very well.  https://www.planetnude.co/p/desexualize-nudity-doesnt-mean-what?r=31b4gx&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

The point he was making is don’t change your view on nudity, broaden it.

The importance of this is legislators jump to conclusions when they hear nude recreation. I’m sure some of you have had to tell friends ‘No, we just are comfortable hanging out nude with our friends” Once we got over our own inhibitions about being nude, we moved on and formed a community, I wish we could let others understand it’s no different from any group they join, we just do it nude! Whether it’s a nude swim or nude bowling night, we enjoy our friend’s company and socialize just like any other community.

And that is what AANR taught me, it’s okay to look different, whether it’s clothes, hair, scars, disabilities, or any other personal difference, when we strip down and just be ourselves we are among friends, we are all nudists and should be accepting of each other as we should be of ourselves.

February in an election year. Back in December we saw an increase in bill prefiling in States that allow that, now we see what the rest of the states are doing. All signs point to a banner year for bills we need to fight.

We ended up hiring lobbyists to fight in some of the more critical battles in late 2023, now we need to replenish our funds for the battles sure to come this year. We just finished a GAT fund raiser that offered a balcony room on the Big Nude Boat as the prize in the fundraiser. Thanks to Nancy Solvin and the Bare Necessities Crew for the generous donation to the cause.

Your volunteer team members also deserve a big Thank You for their on-going efforts. In-person team members and everyday nudists armed with talking points are an effective tool when public testimony is requested. Your emails and texts to comment on proposed legislation is important. Many times it is the quantity of responses that gets the attention of lawmakers. Where you live is important also. When we were fighting in Seattle for nude use, we needed our Washington and specifically our Seattle members comments on the record to make a difference. We care about laws everywhere and it is great having members in each locale when these challenges arise.

We are fortunate to have so many people who rise to the occasions when the calls to go out for action. Our friends who are not AANR members are also important. Fellow nudists who show up, or write, or email, add to the numbers. Imagine if they were members and their dues were helping us pay for the on-going costs of due diligence in scouting out these challenges.

It’s you, the AANR members who make this happen. Your forwarding information to us of your concerns, as well as the bill analysis software we use to find these bills, are important to protecting your nude use areas. I’m looking forward to a busy year ahead as we see what new legislation awaits the nudist communities.

Advocacy was the word most often mentioned when I am asked what does AANR do for me. Your GAT team can’t be effective in advocating for nudists if we aren’t aware of the challenges to nude use of public lands and the acceptance of nudist parks and resorts througout North America.

This issue of the Bulletin is dedicated to highlighting the things we have done, are doing, and will continue to do. A handful of dedicated AANR members like yourself are the ones spearheading this challenged to stay aware of potential attacks on our ability to relax nude and to have the freedom from harassment when we are nude.

We must review hundreds of bills each year that are introduced in local, State, Provincial, and national legislative bodies where nudity is mentioned. We have to review the language of these proposals daily to see if they may impact us. This is not an easy task, and it is challenging to keep doing it year after year. It’s much easier to just think we are safe in our venues, but the truth is we are not safe.

Politicians have long looked to enemies to boost their credibility as a champion of a perceived popular cause. This last year they have spent a lot of effort to redefine perceived dangers as protecting children.

We’ve made it through another year, and it is time to reflect on what a year it’s been. To thank those who have done so much to protect our nudists rights and stop the onslaught of attacks on those hard-fought rights to be free to be nude.

Coal in the stockings of many legislators is warranted this year, but I’d like to focus more on the effort of the many team members here who have done so much for you and nudists in general. First, we must thank our AANR office for funding the bill tracking service that helped us identify those attacks on our right to be nude. Second is Bob Morton who was awarded the Government Affairs Memorial Award for his outstanding efforts to review and share his insights to the affected states and members who will be impacted by bad legislation. Kudos to the Regional Chairs in general for their efforts within each region to alert us and their members to those bills.

To John Hunter for his ongoing efforts at the Federal level and the Eastern Region to educate us on the true meaning of language introduced in bills within Federal and State legislation. John’s questions of others shows a desire to understand others points of view as well as impart his to others.

Jonathan Duffield in Florida weathered many storm clouds that affected the region and have potential impact beyond his area of concern. His assistance in advising other chairs on what has worked for Florida provides insights for others to use.

Fred Roessler for his help in promoting and continuing youth camps and making sure another generation of nudists are protected and feel safe to have fun in the buff as they grow to adulthood. Fred can also be counted on to provide insights on his regions concerns.

AANR-Northwest now has Steve Nolen, who with Dave Smith, and Mike Parker and a management team that is strong in its support for Government Affairs and nudists rights are strong members of the monthly GAT Chat.

AANR-West’s Steven Schubert has taken over now and is proving to be a sharp eye when it comes to pending legislation. I look forward to his work in the years ahead.

AANR-SW contributors Gary Spangler, President Mitch London, and Chair Bob Morton have been strong advocates for the team.

November is when we focus on our Veterans and dedicate this issue of the Bulletin to them. I have a lot of them in my family and among my fiends. A few years ago, my wife and I were lucky enough to be in England on November 11^th, which is celebrated there still as Armistice Day.

They observe a moment of silence at the eleventh minute of the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month still. The purpose of this is to remember not only the veterans but the sacrifice to save freedom of all who fought and supported that effort.

Each of us in a society have a responsibility to support the safety of all of us within that society. We fought wars to protect the right of people to exercise freedom of choice. From the veterans of wars to those who protect that way of life for us daily.

Our efforts to protect our freedom to assemble as we see fit falls into that same social fabric. The veterans fought to protect a way of life that they want for themselves and their families. Today’s veterans and active-duty personnel are doing the same thing protecting our rights to live in a society that allows us to celebrate our individuality and our desire to support a common good.

How does this relate to nudists and nudist movement? Well, we fight for the life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I’m happiest when I can be free to be nude and feel safe in whatever environment I am in. I think the small efforts we make to protect our ability to be nude and safe is a small part of what makes this society great.

Your GAT team appreciates your support for our on-going efforts to monitor legislation that may impact that freedom.

Last October I reported on the renaming of the Alonzo Stevens Jr Government Affairs Award, to the AANR Government Affairs Memorial Award. The reasoning was the number of Government Affairs Team members we have lost deserve a memorial as did Alonzo.  This year the award was presented with the new name for the first time.

The winner of this year’s AANR Government Affairs Memorial Award is a man who has been so effective in government affairs for so long that he actually won the Alonzo Stevens award a few years. This year’s winner is Bob Morton.

This last year we shifted our bill analysis software company to State Net. When we initiated the shift Bob told us the learning curve would be steep and compared it to getting our information from a fire hose after having received it from a drinking fountain up to that point.  Truer words were never spoken. Bob proved himself up to the challenge and has excelled at tutoring the team members in the State Net system. I’d like to add Bob has also schooled State Net in the deficiency in their system and what we would like to see improved as we use them in the future. At the same time Bob has tracked hundreds of bills on his own and distributed his notes for us to share with all of you.

My weekly updates this past year have often contained Bob’s notes on bills of concern to nudists in many states. Many calls for action were initiated based on Bob’s analysis. In some cases we were effective in blocking bills, in others we changed wording, while others we simply just ended up letting our point of view be known.

One thing Bob can’t tolerate is inaction on items of concern. His enthusiasm and angst are well known to me and other members of the GAT team. Bob demands a lot of himself and cajoles action from others. His dedication to protecting and expanding nudists rights to be free to practice a family friendly nudist lifestyle is documented in personal battles and court cases when he felt the need to affect change. I’d like to thank John Hunter for nominating Bob for this honor.

I am proud to announce that your GAT team just completed the report for the annual convention. It runs 28 pages and is available in the members area of the AANR.com website for those that are interested in what we do for you year-round. As you’ll see, the team has been busy protecting against incursions on our nudist lifestyle. Please help us in spreading the word of what your GAT team does for you.

AANR’s GAT team is here for you. We have reviewed literally hundreds of bills from every state and province in the US and Canada to stay alert on what your legislators are trying to author on your behalf. We need you involved locally so when bills are introduced we can contact your legislators with local constituents to voice our support or opposition to bills.

Lately it seems nudists have been under attack along with other groups politicians see as fringe or alternative lifestyle advocates. We have partnered with other groups like World Naked Bike Rides (WNBR) across the continent and Free The Nipple efforts to voice our support for their efforts to normalize nudity.

AANR- West sponsors booths, or provides other monetary support for community events or WNBRs within their region. The annual California Parks And Recreation Show (CPRS) moves throughout California each year and GAT and AANR-West have participated for so long we are known for are support of public lands, and advocating for expanding nude use of those lands. Our long-term effort has paid off since those lower-level employees who were there talking to us twenty years ago have moved up in their respective organizations and know we are responsible stewards of public land.

 

The other regions also support local efforts within their area. These vary by region and the political atmosphere within each state. This year’s political climate in various states has made this a challenge knowing when we can provide support and when we need to hold back. That challenge is ongoing as we move into the 2024 political campaigns. We will continue our effort to advocate nudity is normal in life and simply having an unclothed body is not an invitation to sexual activity. AANR is committed to keeping nudity family friendly wherever our members congregate.

This month we are celebrating our non-landed clubs. I joined AANR before I knew there were differences in memberships between landed and non-landed, my wife and I joined as individuals in 1994 direct with ASA. Before AANR there was the American Sunbathing Association, ASA, but as we moved toward the new millennium, we changed our name in 1995 to the American Association for Nude Recreation. Actions speak louder than loungers, and a lot of us were hiking, camping, swimming, and doing other activities. The name change reflects that reality.

While public lands are nice, we couldn’t always be active nude in places where we weren’t worried we might be in violation of some local laws. It wasn’t as easy to research local places to hang out nude back then.  We found the landed clubs and through the Bulletin we found out about travel clubs.

We were lucky to be living in Sacramento by then and found two local travel clubs who did a lot of activities together. Members open their homes to swims, potlucks, theme parties, and game nights. As a group we would venture out to local spots that members had visited for years without interference with nude use.

We still belong to Northern California Exposure, an AANR Affiliated club, and River Dippers with a TNS affiliation. We cosponsor nude swims at area indoor swim clubs during the colder months and have partnered in the past with a local landed club for group events that allow our members to visit the resort for reduced use fees and enjoy the experience of a clothes free resort.

The non-landed clubs offer a judgement free opportunity to newbies to try nude wholesome activities with like-minded people. The house parties in private homes are many times the first-time people interact with others in a social clothes free environment. It’s not often we have someone who accepts an invitation to join the party who doesn’t find nudists to be warm welcoming safe friendly people.

The local clubs are the backbone of non-threatening introductions to nude recreation for many who can’t find a safe spot on public lands or afford a membership at a landed club.