In D.C., Even the Nudists Are Buttoned-Up!
I swear to god, there's a housing angle here.
From time to time, I like to write about unusual living situations. Take, for example, my story about a 1970s-like Takoma Park coop where several families resided harmoniously with shared cars, shared childcare and a shared anti-junk mail policy.
So when you show me an advertisement for "MALE NUDIST ROOMMATE," I take notice. In fact—I'll walk you through my thought process—I remark to myself "Of course, these people will talk. Their entire life philosophies are about letting it all hang out! Stripping away barriers and insecurities."
The classified advertisement, which ran in the July 31-Aug. 6 Washington City Paper, solicited a nude roommate for a home in the Leesburg/Lansdowne area. Rent: $650.
I soon was informed of another City Paper nude housing advertisement online currently. This one asks:
What is there to be ashamed of?...Many of us are already nudist (e.g., when alone sometimes) but don’t know it. I’m willing to explore a roommate situation with someone who has limited to no experience in social nudity (e.g., nude beach, nude camping, etc.) but nevertheless is interested in exploring and enjoying true nudism with others.
This man would see me as a pupil, I believed. He would greatly enjoy sharing his philosophy with me—maybe even try to convert me!
I decided to call both men, not terribly worried.
The first one picked up and I introduced myself. I mentioned we could talk anonymously. He thanked me for my call, and curtly said no. I put in one more request. Click.
Then, I called the second one—the one who mentioned his name "Jay," and described his physical appearance "49-year-old, masculine, black gay, male nudist," and his hobbies "music, nude beaches, nude socials (i.e., TRUE nudism with others), skiing, working out, reading, socializing, sports (NBA, NFL, MLB, tennis, etc.) as well as quiet times."
I expected him to be the gusher. His advertisement was 426 words long.
His response to a short interview request: No, I'm not interested. He then recommended I talk to some nudist organization. Again, I offered to write up the interview with no name attached.
"JAY" declined.
What's wrong with these people? You'd think they'd love exposure! You know?!?!
5:33 pm
I used to live at that 'second' house in Takoma Park, and it was a great location--but if you really want to talk about nudist housing, you really ought to talk to someone at Avalon Resort in Paw Paw, WV--they not only have condominiums where people live 24/7 nude, but there's an adjoining housing complex called Somerset where people have built homes. You almost never have to put on clothes of any kind. You don't even have to get dressed for the UPS, FedEX or Pizza Delivery guy.
11:09 pm
Interesting - the ad seems legit (i.e. not a sex ad in disguise), so I wonder why the guy wouldn't talk. Maybe he thought you'd make him out to be a freak. We do tend to be on guard because most media outlets simply repeat the same old jokes and prejudices instead of treating nudism as a legitimate way of being. I do not use the word lifestyle, because most nudists live the same lifestyle as everyone else, they just do so without clothing whenever it's practical. The same is true of those who don't call themselves "nudists" which is great, because ideally we shouldn't have to attach a label to something so natural.
1:23 am
"Nudist" is of course a shorthand term coined by people who think fabric is somehow a compulsory part of life. And I suppose it might also be useful sometimes to us normal folks as a way to alert potential roommates that they may see us in the buff. But frankly, every body needs some clothes-free time every day for the skin to be healthy and breathe properly. Being casually nude around home seems a sensible time to do that. Moreover, during DC summers, adding no-clothing to your informal fashion wardrobe allows turning down the air-con to save on Pepco bills. Anyway, while advertising for a "nudist roommate" may be an admirably direct approach, finding easy-going roommates (as you interview them) is frankly not that difficult around DC.