Now that Summer is almost here, well in DC it feels like it already, and the stress from school is done I can focus my attention on other things. Since I moved here I have started to take on more of an adult role than the lifestyle I had in Chicago. I came to this reason because in DC I'm starting a new career, graduate school, and living a lifestyle that reflects more of a professional. One thing that I half heartily tried in Chicago was dating. As one can read from previous blogs, I'm no stranger to dating, but in the past 8 months, I've decided to try a more traditional approach to the subject rather the more colorful alternatives.
I could go on and on about my various experiences while treading this new water of traditional dating, but I recently came across an issue that I thought was best suited to discuss on here. I had been on multiple dates with an individual recently and really started to like this person. The thing I found difficult to tell them was that I was a nudist. I found this odd because obviously, I haven't the slightest problem discussing nudism to anyone else, but with my past experiences with telling people I dated that I was a nudist then seeing the end result of that honest, I found myself a bit reluctant to divulge every detail about myself on dates 1 and 2. After this I started to arrive at the question, what number date is appropriate to tell the person that you're a nudist? Right off the bat SEEMS appropriate, until they are secretly freaked out inside and don't call again. 2 or 3 weeks of dating SEEMS appropriate as well, they know you to a certain extent and might even go over well with them. This is all ideal until the other person realizes you've been going to nudist events since the two of you have started dating, and not to mention they may or may not know about the 2 week GNI trip you go to regularly.
If the 1st date is out of the question, then when? Really, the 1st date they ask you, "so tell me about yourself," and it is the perfect opportunity to bring it up since you are well 'talking about yourself.' I feel anytime after that is just awkward to bring up like after a few weeks of dating, "my day was wonderful, oh, and by the way I take my clothes off recreationally. It's not sexual and I've been doing it since before I met you, and have been doing it regularly in the time that I've known you, I think I'll have the fish tonight." It shouldn't also be treated like you have an STD that you just HAPPENED to forget to tell them about, "umm, honey I need to tell you something, and you should sit down for this one. *long dramatic pause* I'm a nudist." Something like that can build up the topic to overly dramatic proportions that are very much unnecessary. Maybe I'm just at a loss with this one. I've been pretty upfront and honest with everything else about me, and really it's not like I don't hide my interests and such on my facebook, so he would have to really not look at my facebook page to not see that important tidbit about myself.
I vote for telling them right off the bat. The reason being is that you can get a good gage of who they are and plus it almost brings itself up on the first date. In a way I'm happy I had this experience, because I am always the person to say that it is beneficial to talk about nudism, because it spreads the idea of social nudity and eventually some that is truly interested will get involved with the culture. In this situation however, I was just scared because when you like someone you are scared that anything you do wrong will screw it up. Things would just be easier if I could take them to a nudist event for the first date. I don't know how appropriate that is, but to me it seems as if its the same as telling them I'm a nudist on the first date, why not show them that I'm a nudist? Being true to yourself is never easy and I feel that we need to be a little inappropriate sometimes in order to be ourselves. I think I'm done with this rant :-).
Stay Naked,
Nick
www.wedoitnaked.com
