Now, consider a naturist resort:
Allegations of pageants being "fixed" are not uncommon. In 2012, Miss Pennsylvania USA Sheena Monnin claimed she had seen a list of the top five finalists before the show, leading her to state the Miss USA pageant was rigged. She was ultimately ordered to pay . More recently, a 2023 FX documentary, How to Fix a Pageant , explored allegations of rigging and sexual harassment within the Miss USA organization. purenudism junior miss nudist beauty pageant fixed
One critique of naturism from fat-positive scholars is that early nudist clubs were often eugenicist, favoring lean, white, able bodies (Barcan, 2004). However, contemporary naturism—especially in Europe and progressive US clubs—has become more inclusive. Photographs from large gatherings like the World Naked Bike Ride or British Naturism’s “Naked Kind” campaign show people of all sizes, ages, abilities, and skin tones. Now, consider a naturist resort: Allegations of pageants
Originating in the 1960s fat liberation movement and later amplified via social media, body positivity has two dominant strands. The (e.g., The Body Is Not An Apology) advocates for the de-stigmatization of all bodies—fat, disabled, racialized, aged, gender-nonconforming—and critiques systemic oppression. The neoliberal strand focuses on individual self-love, often featuring conventionally attractive plus-size models in lingerie, thus maintaining a hierarchy of “acceptable” bodies (Sastre, 2014). More recently, a 2023 FX documentary, How to
When everyone is naked, the voyeuristic "male gaze" (or any judgmental gaze) becomes impossible to sustain. You cannot objectify a body when you are also naked. It levels the playing field. Rich or poor, fit or unfit—we all have nipples. We all have genitals. We all have wrinkles, folds, and asymmetry.
This is where the magic happens. Most clubs require an introduction for first-timers. It is terrifying for 60 seconds. Then, boredom sets in. Boredom with your own self-consciousness. And that boredom is liberation.