Nudists Say It\'s Not About Sex

Tag : hat bodies
By Berit Mason

(WOAI - San Antonio) Some thirty miles south of San Antonio is aquiet, small resort where families and couples relax, bar-b-que,swim and enjoy evening dances. The only difference between thisresort and others is that at Riverside Ranch everyone is nude.
We opened in 1987. We have about 140 memberships and more arecoming, says owner and operator Dave Hoover.
Hoover says hes very careful about whom he lets in.
Weve only had two times when we needed to have the authoritiesout here, says Hoover. I am very careful about whom I let in andI have to be. If anyone was hurt out here, we would be shut down.
Most members declined to identify themselves for this report. Mostsaid they dont want their family and friends to know that theycome here. The stigma attached to nudists is still strong.
I grew up in the military with my parents. We lived in Europe.There nudism is no big deal so I got used to it, explains onemember. He and his wife are both nudists. I run around the house alot nude, adds the wife. Sometimes I forget and take a phone callin the backyard in the nude &. and quickly rush back in!
One member says though people are naked, no one has to worry abouthow they look.
We have people of all shapes and sizes; even people who have beenthrough major surgery and perhaps have scars or lost a breast. Wedo not look at bodies. We are here to relax and thats it, says amember wearing only a straw hat. He adds the perverts are the onesat the strip clubs or sex shops. Nudism is not about sex, he says.
Hoover says there is now more acceptance of nudism in the southernstates.
Some marathons are now done in the nude and even Carnival Cruiseshas several sailings a year for nudists. Photo Copyright Getty Images