I’ve been a naturist for 45 years – we’re not a cult of sex freaks
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A naturist over the age of 45 has said that people think he is in a ‘cult of delusional sex freaks’.
Tony Graham, 65, from Alton, East Hampshire, turned to naturism at age 18 after skinny dipping and wanted to be nude to connect more with the natural world.
The father-of-one takes every opportunity to get naked when the weather is warm enough, claiming it reduces his stress and improves his mental health.
Tony said naturism is misunderstood as people mistake the community for a ‘cult of delusional sex freaks’.
Tony Graham, 65, (pictured) turned to naturism when he was 18 after going skinny dipping. The Alton father-of-one explained how people misunderstand naturists.
The commercial content writer is married to a fellow naturist and chairs a naturist society in an attempt to educate people on what being a ‘nudie’ really means.
Tony said: ‘In a word, naturism is freedom. It’s a sensible escape from the pressures of daily life.
“It’s just the feeling of being alone or with friends among the grass, hedges and trees, a state of contentment when you feel like you’re doing something good for your body.
“It just feels better for me to be naked, but people assume there’s a sexual element.
Tony takes every opportunity he gets to get naked when the weather is warm enough, claiming it reduces his stress and improves his mental health.
“Some people think we’re a cult of crazy sex freaks or some kind of secret society, but we’re nothing like that.”
Others have called the group ‘perverts’ or ‘lunatic counters’, according to Tony, who insists they simply enjoy sunbathing and skinny dipping.
He explained: “We are naturally peaceful and promote body positivity and no matter what you look like, you will be accepted.”
Tony discovered that he enjoyed naturism while swimming with a group of friends as a teenager and realized that he could go faster without his Speedos on.
After that, he remembered enjoying getting out of the water and lying on the sand to work on his tan.
He said: “There was no sexual excitement, I just felt it was a great place and better to be naked.”
However, Tony explains that people misunderstand naturists and call them a “cult of sexually delusional lunatics”.
The father-of-one explained that contrary to what some people think, he is not naked all the time, only when it is hot and sunny.
Tony explained: ‘The vast majority of naturists wear clothes inside, and usually also outside if it’s cold.
“It’s not just the sun, it’s the heat – many naturists are looking forward to hot sunny weather so they can go somewhere and get naked.”
Tony said that in the summer, if the weather is good, he will spend the whole day lying naked in the garden, and then do all his daily tasks, such as work, check emails and pay bills at night.
The father-of-one explained that contrary to what some people think, he is not naked all the time, only when it is hot and sunny.
He has been involved with naturist groups for several years and is the president of the Naturist Action Group.
The group is made up of advocates who share the same views and meet as friends, in person or virtually.
Tony said: ‘It’s a bit like playing tennis, archery, golf or cooking clubs. You go out and meet new friends like many dressed up people also meet new friends.
“Going out and socializing is what naturists do, mostly naked: we hang out at people’s houses or go to naturist clubs. And we have barbecues where everyone contributes.
The group, Tony says, also peacefully advocates “a more tolerant attitude toward non-sexual, non-invasive nudity.”
He said this is because nudists are often unfairly labeled with people mistaking them for a sex-driven group.
For several years he has been involved with naturist groups and is the president of the Naturist Action Group.
Tony said: ‘If you talk to any genuine naturist in the world, they will all tell you the same thing. It’s not about sex.
“We are not a cult of delusional sex freaks, we are just normal, peaceful people who like to take their clothes off.
Sometimes I like to have sex with my wife outdoors, but also non-naturists.
“As a group, we promote body positivity and no matter what people look like, it will be accepted.”
Tony said that for him naturism is a sensible escape from the pressures of daily life and leads to a better state of mental well-being.