Recently some Naturists took a walk down toward the North end of the beach, quit the beach and entered the Avenida de Palomares. The top of the map above shows the area.
As they were walking down the street an English speaking person appeared on a balcony of one of the apartments of the street and started verbally attacking them for being nude on the street.
The Naturists told the person the following and the continued on their way:
- 1. They were well within their rights.
- 2. If that person thought otherwise the police should be called to report them.
- 3. People living in a foreign country should learn and respect the rules of that country.
Click here for a discussion of Naturist Law in Spain.
Ignorance how to fight it? Education of course. Former non-Naturists writing and speaking to non-Naturists? Or … ?
In any case we are doing a terrible job of it.
It is true that the Mayor of Vera in a meeting on 27/07/20 stated that it is legal to walk without clothes in any beach or urban area of the municipality. The fact that the Mayor has affirmed that the town of Vera would follow the law, as every citizen should, is really the absolute minimum of what should be expected.
It in no case shows a true understanding or acceptance of Naturism. The fact that the local government does absolutely nothing to attract Northern European Naturists to spend the winter here, and thus help the local economy, indicates a lack of understanding.
Individually and, via our local Naturist association, collectively a better effort is necessary. Perhaps the first step is to see and accept the problem?
A multifaceted approach may be best. Publications, events, …
For example a publication based on “Reasons to be a naturist” could be printed and distributed at the local markets to the residents of Vera and Villaricos.
Anyone with any ideas and/or who would like to help in this effort please leave your contact info (which will not be published) in the comments below.
The Zona Naturista has been under threat/pressure for several years now and is being squeezed before our very eyes.
Remember: it began as a community ‘out in the wilds’, and largely remained so until as recently as the mid-1980s, when ‘civilisation’ ended largely on the outskirts of Garrucha, and Puerto Rey was an isolated hamlet ‘in the middle of nowhere’.
The magnetic appeal of naturism, and Spain developing at a rapid pace, led to huge, massive and (observed from the outside) largely unregulated expansion. And of all the places, relatively remote from regional airports and easy access, where textiles could set up home or holiday, they somehow chose Vera Playa, and then chose to be ‘offended’ by naturists??? Go figure!
We’ve lost the campsite. We’re ‘losing’ apartment after apartment in ostensibly naturist urbanisations, being bought up by textiles, and eventually we’re going to see an urbanisation’s management decide to change their constitution to declare themselves fully textile. No? I give it five years.
Even experienced naturists I know will sometimes declare a sense of unease from time to time, at the height of the season, when they feel outnumbered and overwhelmed by the number of textiles dining on Hotel Street. The land train that runs between the hotel and Garrucha Port sometimes feels like an outing to a zoo, something to be ticked off the list of things to do in the area, just on the off-chance that the voyeurs on it can catch sight of a bare bum or bare boobs.
Shops open in the naturist zone with a ‘no naturists rule’ for shopping in them.
Now is the time to end this ‘textile creep’. The purchase of apartments within the zone need to be regulated in a sense that proof, say five-year minimum membership of a national naturist organisation, is required until an apartment can be sold to the buyer. And for the nominally textile urbanisations in/at the edge of the zone, sale/rental agreements must be produced that the buyer/renter fully understands what they might see/experience. Those harassed on the street by vocal or threatening behaviour from boorish textiles must begin reporting these to the local police as a hate crime. Too much? No. Were a racist or homophobic slur to be launched at people on the street anywhere, such hate would be recorded as a crime, the assailant cautioned and arrested. The local police simply MUST be one of the key stakeholders who uphold the law in the sight of such hate crimes. The ridiculous ‘no nudity after 8pm’ rule, in the hotel or on Hotel Street, MUST be encouraged to be done away with, so best to make the area much, much more naturist friendly after dark. Why not encourage restaurateurs on Hotel Street to hold ‘naturist nights’, where events (even on a ‘first Friday in the month’ basis to begin with) are for the exclusive use of naturists?
I could go on at length about what the Zona Naturista needs to get protections and, in due course, encouragement to make it a unique area with a unique lifestyle. Without all of us with a vested interest in the area coming together to protect the area, and fight back to not until stop the textile creep, but consider ways in which to expand it, we will eventually lose it all.
Actually The land train that runs between the hotel and Garrucha Port could be an opportunity. Since it runs on a schedule, it could be easily met by Spanish speaking Naturists at the Hotel who could educate and distribute information explaining Naturism.
Wow,that is incredibly sad news.I hope it all gets sorted in favour of the long established naturist tradition
This is all very sad to hear. As has been said racist remarks from balconies or homophobic remarks or remarks denigrating the disabled are off limits but those directed against naturists unfortunately not so. It looks as if the gentle souls of naturists are going to have to become a lot more militant in standing up for their rights which means sorties out of their comfort zone. Acceptance of naturism as a lifestyle choice is way behind the curve and it is up to naturists themselves to correct the injustices.
On the matter of ‘textile creep’ (which, sadly, is a feature of many naturist areas), I can not understand why textiles choose to live in, or visit areas which are known for naturism. It seems to me to be the height of ignorance or rudeness. It’s rather like city folk who move to the countryside and then complain about the smells from the farms.
I agree that we naturists need to face down such opposition. Simply tolerating such intolerance will just encourage it.