Tony Macinnes, a 70-year-old former military man from Lancashire, spent five years as a closet naturist before finally finding the courage to go public. Now, he spends around 80% of his time undressed and urges others to consider the lifestyle.
A Secret Pastime
For years, Tony dreamed of taking his clothes off and going outside, but his partner at the time was against it. 'I thought about it for years, but my partner at the time wasn’t interested. In fact, she was quite against it,' he explains. So, whenever he was home alone, he would strip down and enjoy the naked solitude.
'If there was nobody else around, I would take my clothes off whenever I could get away with it,' he recalls. 'I knew there was nothing wrong with it. Contrary to what people think, naturists aren’t weirdos.'
Naturism is a popular, if sometimes secretive, pastime. An Ipsos survey commissioned by British Naturism found that 14% of UK adults aged 16 to 75 describe themselves as naturists or nudists. However, to ward off peeping Toms, many naturist clubs do not advertise themselves from the roadside.
Coming Out
Tony’s turning point came 18 months ago when his relationship ended. A Facebook friend mentored him into becoming a social naturist. 'They told me about clubs, where people could eat, drink, shop and live in the nude all the time,' he tells Metro from his Lancashire home – in the nude. 'I said I would love to do it, and she told me how easy it was. So I just walked along to Studland Naturist Beach in Dorset. I was a tiny bit nervous, but I put my towel down, stripped off and just got on with it. Since then, I’ve never looked back.'
He also warned his neighbours that they might see him pottering around outside in the nude. 'They were fine with it. “No problem”, they said. Now, I tend to be very open about it.'
Now, he and his partner, Pam, 74, split their time between Devon and Lancashire, attending as many naturist events as they can. Pam only discovered the lifestyle when she met Tony a year ago but has taken to it 'like a duck to water.' Tony says, 'The way she describes it is that she ripped off the plaster. She basically joined me at the first naturist event and she’s never looked back. She enjoyed it. If she was nervous, she didn’t express that. She’s been very good at it. I’m very proud of her.'
Body Confidence and Etiquette
Tony emphasises that naturism is not about appearance. 'Bodywise, I’m probably not pretty to look at, but naturism isn’t about what you look like. There’s no body image issue here at all. You can be any size or shape – fat, thin, tall, short – it doesn’t matter, because it’s not about what other people think. It’s about how it makes you feel, and the confidence it gives you.'
He also notes the strict etiquette: naturists always carry a towel to sit on, and staring is frowned upon. 'People believe it’s sexual, but it’s not in the slightest. Being naked outdoors is a very liberating, beautiful feeling.'
Tony finds it sad that many Brits fear swimwear season. New research commissioned as part of the Voy Health Index report, Unembarrassing Bodies, found that more than one in six Brits (17%) find wearing a swimming costume or trunks stressful, while one in seven (15%) avoid places such as beaches or swimming pools. '9.5million Brits find swimwear season anxiety-inducing, which I think is a big shame. As a naturist, obviously you don’t feel like that at all,' he says.
Practical Benefits and Challenges
Tony spends less time shopping for clothes and doing laundry. He is aware that some people become naturists for the wrong reasons. 'There are some men who become naturists for the wrong reasons, perhaps sexual reasons, and I can spot them straight away. You can tell by the way they talk and whether they’re interested in looking at other people. On certain beaches, you might get what we call “meerkats” – often men watching women – up in the dunes. If I see anybody getting harassed, I’ll always step in and try to help.'
While there has been a backlash to naturist events like the Naked Bike Ride, Tony says, 'We should be able to do events like these. They are not designed to upset anyone or cause offence. And there is always plenty of publicity beforehand, so people know what to expect.'
For anyone considering naturism, Tony advises: 'If you think you could benefit from this way of life, just go and do it and head to a naturist beach. For some people it’s not easy, but afterwards you’ll wonder what you were worried about. In fact, the worst thing about being in a naturist club is getting dressed at the end of it.'
