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American Association for Nude Recreation

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The American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR) is a nudist organization in the United States.

See other clothes free organizations

In the United States, German immigrant Kurt Barthel organized the first nudist event in 1929, just outside of New York City (NYC), and founded the American League for Physical Culture (ALPC). Social nudism in the form of private clubs and campgrounds began appearing in the 1930s. In 1931, according to a history [1], a Baptist minister named Ilsley Boone was elected as vice president of the ALPC and gained a nickname as "The Dictator." He also began the American Sunbathing Association (ASA), which according to a decision in Roberts v. Clement, posted on the Naturist Education Foundation site [2], was organized in 1939 as a successor to the ALPC. Boone led a family atmosphere by prohibiting alcohol at all member clubs. According to the Federation of Canadian Naturists history [3] and the Lupin Naturist Club history [4], Boone was toppled in 1951 by members dissatisfied with his autocratic style. This, together with Boone's desire to open a new club closer to NYC than others had wanted, led him to form the National Nudist Council.

Elsewhere in the USA, a 1935 advertisement claims Sea Island Sanctuary, South Carolina, was the "largest and oldest" year round resort where nudism could be practiced. Nudism first began appearing on the US and Canadian west coast about 1932. Rock Lodge Club, located in Stockholm, New Jersey, 42 miles from New York City started in 1932 and is still in operation today. Kaniksu Ranch, about 45 miles (70 km) north of Spokane, Washington, opened in 1939 and is still in operation. In 1995, the ASA renamed itself, becoming the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR).

Criticism

handling incidents of sexual abuse and expoitation

Criticism

Some have criticized naturism and nudism because of incidents of sexual harassment or sexual abuse at naturist or nudist resorts. Nikki Craft has been the most vocal of these critics for exposing incidents and for making an attempt to track and document exploitation and abuse at her website project "Nudist/Naturist Hall of Shame". She has argued that children especially have been vulnerable to expoitation and individual clubs and even national organizations, including as the American Association for Nude Recreation and The Naturist Society have not done enough to investigate offenders, remove offenders, report offenders to law enforcement, or modify club procedures for dealing with problem behaviors and abuse. She also points out the prominent figureheads such as Ed Lange have histories of involvement in child pornography.

Response

While many naturists and nudists acknowledge problems in the community, many believe Nikki Craft seems bent on inciting an unnessary amount of fear into peoples' minds about what they believe is a safe, family-friendly activity.

Critics of Nikki Craft's charges say that many private clubs do check the criminal histories of vistors to make sure they do not have documented histories of criminal activity that would be of concern in a family-oriented community. They also point out that sexual predators are everywhere in society and all must be equally vigilant to making sure that both individuals and organizations take initiative in establishing protections against abuse and exploitation.

Anti-competition

Example 1: Lobbying efforts which would exclude and penalize non-AANR activites
Criticism

When AANR had an opportunity to insert protecting language in an anti-nudity Senate Bill 224 Municipal Corporations - Regulation of Nudity and Sexual Displays in Maryland, its representatives, including AANR East lobbyist Don Murphy, lobbied to adopt language that would exempt only AANR dues-paying businesses, such as clubs, in Maryland. Otherwise individuals would be subject to six months imprisonment and a $500 fine for allowing nudity without AANR affiliiation. This effectively excluded the main naturist organization in the US, The Naturist Society as well as non-affiliated individuals and organizations that participated in clothing-optional activities or attended free beaches including organized beachgoers, nudist or naturist-friendly businesses, and any nudist or naturist club or event not chartered by AANR.

In essence, as pointed out by one critic, AANR was trying to "brand" nudism itself. However, many would say that nudism does not equal AANR.

This was the proposed ammendment section (c) "an ordinance adopted under this section may not apply to any event charted by the American Association for Nude Recreation." The ammendment failed by a 23-20 vote

See *Discussion of the issue at Nudist-resorts.org
Example 2: Edging out the competition for INF referrals
Criticism

AANR lobbies to be the sole representative for organized naturism and nudism in the United States. The result is that only AANR is listed as an International Naturist Federation/Federation Naturiste Internationale (INF/FNI) affiliated federations, effectively excluding the main naturist organization in the US, The Naturist Society as well as other significant organizations such as Clothes Free International.

See *INF affiliated federations

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to nudity.
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