Nudists have revealed the most important item naturists should take to events and the biggest misconception people have.
MailOnline heard from visitors to Britain’s first-ever nude exhibition at Dorset Museum in Dorchester about the dos and don’ts of nude socialising.
Organised by British Naturism, the special event attracted over 60 nudists who stripped off and walked around an art exhibition, making polite conversation with a glass of champagne in hand.
Naturist Neil said ahead of the event: ‘I think there are little, weird do’s and don’ts that some people are crazy about.
‘If I go to someone’s house, and it’s a naturist house, I always bring a towel to sit on. That kind of thing. It’s an unspoken rule.’
Fiona Discombe, a seasoned naturist, is pictured here with her husband Mike at the UK’s first nudist exhibition, organised by Dorset Museum and organised by British Naturism
MailOnline spoke to Mrs Discombe and her husband Mike, pictured, and some other naturists ahead of the UK’s first ever Nude Museum Evening
The evening saw over 60 nudists from far and wide gather to hang out in the gallery – champagne in hand – without any clothes on
Ms Discombe stressed that British Naturism (BN) – which organises nude events in the UK – has a strict no-tolerance policy when it comes to undesirables and even has its own set of unspoken rules
And this is not the only important information that event participants need to know.
Richard, who has been a nudist since 1974, explains that a common misconception about naturist gatherings is that they have a “sexual agenda.”
He said, ‘They think it’s all sex. People automatically assume that. That’s the first thing they think of.
“They only undress when they’re taking a bath or shower or having sex. They say, ‘Oh, I’m not taking a bath or shower, so it must be sex,’ but it’s not.”
Fellow nudist Keith, 74, was keen to share his thoughts on the innocent reason he and his friends like to get naked.
“People say, well, what does it feel like to be naked? And it’s very difficult to explain. The English language is not adequate to explain it,” he added.
“But once you try it, you know what it feels like. It’s like trying to describe the feeling of anger. It’s hard to explain how you feel. But if you’ve ever been angry, you know what it feels like.”
Ms Discombe told MailOnline: ‘Generally speaking, if people come with the wrong idea, they think it’s going to be a great sexual orgy and after ten minutes they go home.’
Keith’s wife Melanie, 73, chimed in on the important point, “You know, we all look different, no matter what shape we are. But that doesn’t matter. Because you’re talking to the person inside you, not what they look like.”
Fiona Discombe, 55, a long-time naturist, explains that while some people attend nude events hoping for a sex-filled orgy, they are often disappointed by the reality.
MailOnline spoke to Mrs Discombe and her husband Mike, 52, ahead of the UK’s first ever Nude Museum Night. They were hoping to catch a glimpse of the event in full swing and find out more about the reasons why they choose to be naked.
The evening, organised by Dorset Museum, attracted over 60 nudists from far and wide who hung out in the gallery, champagne in hand and completely naked.
Mrs Discombe, a carer from Devizes, Wiltshire, has enjoyed the naked life with her husband Mike for 30 years, but is often frustrated by the myths surrounding naturism.
She told MailOnline: ‘Usually people turn up with the wrong idea. They think it’s going to be a great sex orgy and then they go home after ten minutes.’
She added: ‘I think people think that if you’re a naturist you’re just going to a sex party or something. As a woman I think people think that of me too. That’s not true at all, so I can completely debunk that myth.
“We’re not all weird. We’re just normal people who do things with our clothes off, really.”
Ms Discombe also stressed that British Naturism (BN), which organises nude events in the UK, has a strict ‘no tolerance’ policy when it comes to undesirables and even has some unwritten rules of its own.
‘Of course, they stand out very quickly because of their behavior. So you can actually just turn around and say: ‘Your behavior is not appropriate, that’s not what this is about, you can leave me alone.’
‘If it gets out of hand, then of course you make sure that people get them out of the situation.’
At every official BN gathering there is a special team of security officers present who also attend the event and quickly show the door to anyone suspected of being there for the wrong reason.
Mrs. Discombe also gave an important tip for proper etiquette when attending a nude event.
“When you talk to someone, you always look them in the eye. You don’t look at their breasts or genitals or anything like that. And you have to sit on a towel or something,” she said.
At every official BN gathering there is a special team of security officers who also attend the event and are quick to show the door to anyone suspected of being there for the wrong reasons.
Mrs Discombe’s husband Mike, who is also a nudist and accompanied her to the nudist evening, was looking forward to the event and exploring the exhibition with ‘like-minded people’
Claire Dixon, the museum’s director, told MailOnline: ‘The benefit for us is that it really allows us to show that we are here for everyone. There are so many different ways to visit, enjoy and use the museum, and I hope it’s a good idea.’
Ms Dixon admitted that when she was approached by BN and asked to host the event, she was initially surprised by the ‘unusual’ request
Dorset Museum and Art Gallery in Dorchester hosted Britain’s first nude exhibition last night, giving visitors a unique opportunity to see the artefacts in their most extreme form.
Claire Dixon, the director, admitted that when BN approached her to ask her to host the event, she was initially surprised by the ‘unusual’ request, but she took them up on their offer anyway.
She told MailOnline: ‘The benefit for us is that it really allows us to show that we are here for everyone. There are so many different ways to visit, enjoy and use the museum, and I hope it’s a good idea.’
Ms Dixon added that the museum is “struggling” and she is “overwhelmed” by people coming up with new ideas and ways to generate more income.
Mrs Discombe’s husband Mike, who is also a nudist and accompanied her to the nudist evening, was looking forward to the event and wanted to explore the exhibition with ‘like-minded people’.