Stripped - Virtual Nudism Undressed (Commissioned by the Looking Glass Magazine)

There is a growing interest in nudism, or naturism in Second Life, with 60 nudist groups alone
devoted to the lifestyle and 37 nudist destinations in-world for those who enjoy social nudity. The
largest nudist group has 4,070 members who have all paid 350L to join. So, what motivates
people to walk around virtually naked? Well, in a virtual world you do not have to settle for what
Mother Nature gave you but can choose to look like Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt if you wish to.
There is liberation in losing the inhibitions tied to carrying a few extra pounds or not being as well
endowed as you think you should be. In creating an avatar there is a safety and security in
anonymity. By losing your clothes, social barriers are broken down and status is irrelevant – there
is an opportunity to meet people on an equal level in a scenario where, by virtue of the essence of
naturist philosophy, open-mindedness is the norm.

But, how does virtual nudism differ from real life nudism? There are two nudist camps in Second
Life. The highly sexualized, almost debauched environments of some nude beaches lend
themselves to sexual liaisons taking place by providing free sex areas. The virtual sex industry is
booming, and nudism is on its cusp. Nudists may log on hoping to meet like minded individuals
who share their beliefs, but it is not very long before many are diverted into an entirely different
environment altogether. By pushing a couple of buttons, it is possible to end up on a nude beach,
flirting and having sex with any number of people, within minutes, if you desire it. The availability
of sex in Second Life has pervaded a cultural and political movement, a lifestyle that has little or
nothing to do with sex – and has gone to great lengths to distance itself from it. Change can be
healthy, but has virtual sex corrupted traditional nudism in-world and set the movement back
decades? Or is it just different?

Why does virtual nudism have a far greater emphasis on the erotic? In-world, many people may
not be nudists in real life and associate it with eroticism instead. The environment can play a role
too, the rules and the culture of a place can set the tone, if the environment is one that
encourages an “anything goes” approach – people will expect sex to be on the menu, and nudity
to be a prelude to closing the deal. Nudism, in essence becomes pixel porn and cartoon foreplay.
Is virtual nudism male dominated eroticism, or do some traditional nudist philosophies prevail in a
virtual world? The female owner of the busiest naturist resorts in Second Life, Kaiya Manbi, stays
true to traditional nudist beliefs despite not being one in real life, which is something she
considers an irrelevance. On her island, sex is off limits, clothing is banned and she has a
member’s only area. Criticism has been leveled at her with people calling her a “fascist” and “not
a true naturist” because of the strict rules she refuses to negotiate on – but people are flocking to
her island in droves and are loving the fact that they can walk around naked without enduring
harassment from sex obsessed avatars. Kaiya has observed that for women, her naturist resort,
takes on a totally different meaning. Women find the safety of the environment to be sensual,
seductive but not being on the menu invigorating and find the freedom thrilling.

Much like anywhere else, nudism in a virtual world will always attract people lured by a sense of
the erotic who are seeking sexual intimacy but, really the only reason why virtual nudity is highly
sexual is because many people are logging on to explore their fantasies in a safe environment, not
necessarily to abide by naturist philosophy, they want to be stimulated in a different way. But for
those who wish to seek out places where they can relax without fending off unwanted admirers,
there are now places in-world they can go and, perhaps in time virtual nudism will evolve and
catch up with the rest of the world.

© 2008 Josephina Bonetto