As an out gay man who likes to get naked in public and in private - and who writes about it - I get a lot of questions from curious friends and acquaintances. One of the first questions that they ask me is whether I am a nudist or a naturist. To this question I usually give a simple answer: I am both a nudist and a naturist. (See below.) But then they ask me if there is a difference between nudist and naturist; and there the answer gets complicated.

Like other synonyms, the words “nudist” and “naturist” are often used to describe the same thing; only in different contexts. People tend to be nudist while groups are usually naturist. For example, the world's largest gay "nudist" group is Gay NATURISTS International; which nevertheless describes itself as “an independent organization of gay male nudists [AND] naturists....” My trusty Illustrated Oxford Dictionary defines a “nudist” as “a person who advocates or practices going unclothed” and a “naturist” as . . . “a nudist”. The long-gone Web site buffnet.net (not the current buffnet.net) described BOTH naturism and nudism as “a lifestyle that encompasses many beliefs, the foremost one being that people should have the freedom to choose whether or not they want to wear clothes.” What naturists’ other beliefs are, buffnet.net did not say.

Journalist Cyd Zeigler, Jr., who is gay, but not a nudist, tried to explain the fine points of nudist versus naturists in an article that he wrote for the New York Blade. According to Zeigler, who based his article on interviews that he conducted with various gay nudists and naturists, “there is a fine distinction between naturists and nudists. A naturist is someone who enjoys being naked in the outdoors, be it while hiking, at the beach or camping. Nudists like being naked all the time.” Thus, according to Zeigler, a nudist can be a naturist but not vice versa.

Michael Boyd, in Naked Places: A Guide for Gay Men to Nude Recreation and Travel, quotes the International Naturist Federation, which in 1953 “formally” defined naturism as "a way of life, in harmony with nature, characterized by social nudity, with the intention of encouraging self-respect, respect for others and care for the environment." However, Boyd goes on to define “naturist” as “one who practices naturism, or, simply put, a nudist,” which seems to take us back to square one. Boyd goes on, however, to provide a more elaborate answer to the ever-pressing question: “What exactly is the difference between a nudist and a naturist?”

“For the most part [Boyd writes], the terms are used interchangeably, although there is some debate over nuances of meaning. The generally accepted distinction between the two terms is that ‘naturist’ has more of a philosophical and political connotation than ‘nudist.’ Both nudists and naturists may enjoy nudity as part of an everyday lifestyle. Someone who identifies as a nudist but not as a naturist probably views nudity as a leisurely pursuit or as a facet of his/her lifestyle that is not grounded in any particular philosophical belief. Someone who identifies as a naturist probably has specific convictions about body acceptance, the benefits of a nude lifestyle, and the environment. Naturists tend to be active in advocating legal statuses for nude beaches and often work tirelessly to oppose anti-nudity legislation.”

Using that definition, it makes sense that a man who likes to be naked as often as possible would consider himself a nudist; while an organization such as GNI, that works for the right of gay men (and others) to be naked in various situations, would call itself a naturist group. There are others, of course, who use “naturist” as a euphemism for “nudist;” the same way that the Mattachine Society of the 1950s and 1960s used the term “homophile” as a euphemism for “gay” or “homosexual.” In a society where many people think that “nudism” is just an excuse for promiscuity; it is more convenient to use the less sexually-charged “naturism” to describe our particular lifestyle.

In conclusion, and like the married woman who is a “Mrs.” at home and a “Ms.” in the office, I am a both a nudist and a naturist, but in different circumstances: I am a nudist in my personal life and a naturist in my political life. As a nudist, I do not wear clothes at home; visit clothing-optional beaches as often as I can; and enjoy attending parties and events sponsored by GNI, South Florida's Wildfyre, and other groups. As a naturist, I am a member of South Florida Free Beaches/Florida Naturists Association (SFFB/FNA); an organization that strives to preserve Haulover Beach and other clothing-optional venues in the State of Florida. And I support the work that GNI and other gay naturist/nudist groups do to maintain our right to be naked. You can’t have one without the other.