Voyeurism
The topic on exhibitionism was so successful (3 full pages of replies in August!) that I promised to launch a similar one on voyeurism.
Again, the official, medical definition of voyeurism must be something like "deriving the unique or most sexual pleasure from seeing other naked people or people engaged in sexual acts, usually from a hidden place". This is TN not TS so let's take the sexual activity completely off the table. Also, as nudists everything is in the open so we also drop the issue about ogling from a hidden angle.
So I think most of us do not match this medical definition (I kinda made it up, but I am pretty sure that this is what applies to all paraphilias, you can check if you want). Still, there is a certain degree of pleasure for most of us nudists to see other naked people.
My theory was that most nudist men are essentially voyeurs and most women exhibitionists - at least this is what evolutionary theory would point to. But to my surprise at my question "Would you rather be the only one naked or the only one dressed", most guys responded "the only one naked". While I'd clearly rather be the only one dressed.
Of course, elegance is about being and feeling attractive, so there is a bit of exhibitionism in all elegant nudist ladies. But things evolve. I've been used to attracting men's attention since I was maybe 11 - it was very uncomfortable and unpleasant at the beginning but in time I relaxed and started to dress elegantly and didn't mind the attention any longer. "Let them see something nice" was the idea. The same happened 7 years ago when I was for the first time forced out of my kit on a clothing optional beach. Shameful, uncomfortable and unpleasant, then slowly but surely relaxing into some degree of elegance and "let them see something nice".
So let's define a scale of voyeurism. As most respondents are straight guys I'll make it about seeing naked women. But please feel free to make it about your favourite gender - speak about seeing naked guys if you are a straight woman or a gay guy. Or about both men and women if you are bi or pan.
1. I hate the very idea of seeing anyone but my spouse naked.
2. I won't make a heart attack if I see someone sometime being a bit naked - say a girl who goes topless on the beach. It's a bit too provocative for my taste but girls these days....
3. I'm fine with nudity when it's the norm, say if I want to enjoy a sauna in Germany (and I love saunas, but they are all nude and coed there). Still, people should cover up as soon as they get out of the sauna and have taken their shower.
4. When in Rome... I am ok with seeing naked women in nudist contexts because I know it's so much more comfy for them.
5. I actually enjoy seeing naked ladies but there is nothing sexual about it, it's just the aesthetics of it - women have such nice shapes.
6. I'm a nudist and I always look for nudist get-aways and seeing good-looking nude women is part of the reason, it adds to the attractiveness of the place.
7. I do sometimes get a bit of a sexual tingling from seeing lovely naked women.
8. Seeing naked girls and ladies and even remembering it does sometimes (often?) trigger erotic thoughts or even feelings.
9. I often masturbate remembering how sexy the nude girls I saw were.
10. I can barely imagine a satisfying sex life without seeing or remembering seeing those sexy naked women.
So where are you on this scale?
I'll go first. I'm 60-70% straight so I'll speak about seeing naked guys.
I'm very boring - somewhere between 5 and 6. I do like to see naked guys (although, in all honesty, I like to see naked women more) and everything else being equal seeing naked guys is a plus. But nothing is ever equal so I normally arbitrate for nice textile places (and D arbitrates for nudist ones). I do like to see those male bits because you know... Male bits, usually hidden, but I don't have erotic thoughts - and please don't send me dick pics, I don't like them. Now that I know that you guys like so much to be looked at I started to look at guys longer than the polite two seconds - more to give them pleasure than to give it to myself. I already was looking at ladies for longer - and never with envy, always with admiration. I always smile at them, especially the sexy ones, and I usually get a smile back - not going to do this with guys though because they will take it as an invitation.
So I am a bit of a voyeur. But I am a people watcher to begin with - I like to sit on a terrace in the summer and look at people - mostly women, when they walk around in their elegant attires. I like it even more when people are naked, I imagine stories about them... But sorry guys, I do like to look at your family jewels but no, I don't get aroused by that sight or by its memory.
And you? Where are you on this voyeur scale?
I would definitely be a 10. I have been a watcher since early childhood, and like you, I like to observe all the beautiful people. I often wonder what lies beneath that sexy summer dress or the pants that show nothing beneath it. As with you, when in a nudist atmosphere, I am never envious, just curious to notice all of the variety and what a variety it is.
In my early teen years, I did some 'peeping' occasionally, usually trying to discover what others looked like naked. That exercise was sexual and ended up generally in my dreams while I finished myself. Now that I think about it, my dreams have traveled with me for years, occasionally producing pleasant endings.
I guess I am the definition of a voyeur.
And another delving topic offered by Flora to root out the origin of our nudist tendencies ... maybe. It is quite interesting to think about all the different types of motivational factors behind our shared affinity of nude activities. Without further ado, I'd have to place myself on a continuum from #4 to #7 depending on the setting. I suspect as with the vast majority of men, I (we) do enjoy the sight of a beautiful woman that carries herself with confidence, but the overall environment would play a significant factor. It's not the same in every place so context would be a big thing. As an adder, the addition of #7 would have to be a very special person that somehow magically seems to possess all the traits that would come on a gorgeous lady 'wish list'. Flora ... you mentioned people watching ... that's always an enlightening activity. I enjoyed that in years long past with the added appeal of watching a watcher watch someone. Seeing the gamut of responses of the watcher to the watchee (?) was very educational and often a real hoot. I wonder how the rest of the folks will pan out on this list? Inquiring minds want to know.
A solid 7 here. I will admit to a tingling of arousal at seeing naked people. As a straight male, the overwhelming preference is to be with naked women or in mixed company. However, I never act on that tingle. The acting is saved for an environment outside of social nudism, in private, eith er alone or with a partner.
Oh I have always enjoyed watching people from afar. Even listening to them during their more private moments. At least she was very loud during those moments. Lol
But seeing someone naked never really happened for me. Yes in a nudist venue I was able to finally see someone. But that really doesnt count !
I guess thats a fantasy for me !
I feel like I've landed firmly on 5 on Flora's scale. Not 4 and not 6. I love the curves and differences therein, but perhaps as much just love women who are confident enough being as they are. Even if dressed I still think I'm in the 5 zone, even if those curves are obscured by fabric. And a smiling face is there for all to appreciate in both scenarios.
As to other guys, I can also put them in the 5 category although the interest is perhaps more confined to admirable physique (yes, even endowment) whereas I can appreciate the females across a broader range of physique without limiting admiration to the best visual specimens. As already mentioned, a nice smile is always welcome.