A new regime of social repression is imposing itself over the Byron Shire. Supported by local conservatives, the NSW National Parks Wildlife Service (NPWS) is attacking diversity and a particular minority group in Byron Shire – naturists.
The intention to prohibit beach nudism is based on some nefarious and poorly-researched prejudice against naturist culture. At present less than three per cent of the Shire’s coastline is ‘clothing-optional’. That means around 97 per cent of the coast is clothing-only.
Let’s be honest about it. The intention of NPWS to prohibit naturism at Tyagarah and Kings beaches is an assault on an enduring cultural practice – one that has its origins among Australia’s first peoples.
For nearly 70,000 years Aboriginal Australians opted for no clothing, only covering up for bodily protection and certain social interactions.
For Aboriginal Australians the naked human body was entirely integrated with the deeper spirit of nature and the universe.
This only changed when the British colonisers imposed their own violent forms of Christian-based morality, repression and ‘civilisation’.
Beyond bodily protection, clothes evolved as a means of stratifying and distinguishing social groups according to their wealth and power. Clothes were also used to control women, their sexuality and fertility.
Nevertheless, a minority of Europeans adopted naturism as an alternative form of moral, spiritual and natural redemption. From the 19th century, naturist communities became more collectively conscious and organised. They developed a profound philosophy and set of practices that challenged repressive attitudes toward the human body in its natural form.
Naturism challenged the instrumental brutality of the modern state, industrialism and warfare.
From the 1960s and 70s naturist clubs flourished and beach nudism became more common, especially in culturally enlightened places like Byron Bay.
While naturism is now restricted to a tiny proportion of the Shire’s public lands: the personal and community health benefits of naturism have been broadly canvassed in academic and medical research.
Naturists themselves explain the mental health benefits of naturism in terms of – ‘a sense of social equality as naked beings’; an enhanced body image and self-esteem; acceptance and genuine enthusiasm for bodily and cultural diversity; a sense of community and belonging; the sensual pleasure of bathing without the encumbrances of sand-filled and sagging bathers; and a feeling of being ‘closer to nature’ and ‘our natural selves.’
This feeling of being restored to nature through ‘rewilding’ is now a significant strategy for mental health treatments and recovery.
Rewilding is being used as a therapy modality for PTSD, addiction, relationship trauma, grief, depression and anxiety.
The NPWS Acting Executive Director, Deon Van Rensburg, claims that ‘clothing optional’ is not consistent with NPWS values. We need to ask what ‘values’ could he be talking about? Repression? Anti-diversity? Disdain for minorities and nature? Disdain for the human body?
Certainly there are behavioural issues with certain individuals at Tyagarah and Kings beachs. Rather than impose their authority through prohibition and prejudice, it would be far more productive for NPWS to work with the naturist communities to manage these behaviours.
Behaviour issues
Such behaviours have been largely erased from Sunnyside Beach in Victoria, largely through this co-operative, community-based approach.
Working with naturist communities, NPWS could help develop a code of ethics and practices in order to ensure compliance with legal and environmental parameters.
Such a code would also help with management and protection of beach ecologies. It may help protect indigenous fauna from those (usually clothed) beachgoers who bring their dogs into the parks’ beaches.
There have been recent assaults on naturists who have tried to protect the beach ecologies from dog owners, rave parties and fire-lighters in protected areas. Neither NPWS rangers nor police have taken any interest in either the infringements or related assaults on naturists.
Perhaps this is because naturist ‘values’ don’t accord with the more repressive values of the NPWS.
But this is the essence of the problem.
Most naturists are law-abiding, peaceable and respectful people. They seek to protect the natural environment from all manner of violation.
So, again, why are the authorities so keen to attack naturists who care so deeply about these beaches and the natural environment?
Naturism is a constitutional right in Spain, and broadly embraced in countries like Germany, France and the Netherlands. Naturism is seen as a human right, a legitimate form of personal and social expression.
Naturism is an enduring tradition in Byron Shire. It’s a signature of our community’s difference. So rather than impose draconian prohibitions on diversity and minority culture, the authorities should empower communities to enable safer spaces for those who want to enjoy our natural condition with like-minded individuals.
Make the beaches better and safer by working with naturism and naturists – not against them.
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