No Shame

As Adam and Eve in Paradise, many Brazilians are opting for the
naked look and feeling no guilty or blush for that. There are no more
than 100,000 nudists in the country, but this number is rapidly increasing.

Reinaldo D'Amico

Going nude in public is at the very least embarrassing for many. But for some Brazilians accustomed to the practice, the naturistas, going about in the buff has become second nature. An increasing number of them has been joining the practice that has now fans all over the country. There are places for nudist gatherings in at least 13 states of the federation.

For them, being in the nude is even more natural than going about with clothes on. Some take their clothes off only when they're at home alone, listening to music or cleaning house. For others the fibers come off at beaches and colonies before dozens of people both known and unknown alike.

The nudist movement is now organized and monitored by the FBN (Federação Brasileira de Naturismo Brazilian Federation of Naturism). Brazilians have even a specialized magazine on the subject. It's Naturis, a publication from Gramado, Rio Grande do Sul.

The best known nudist camp in Brazil is the Praia do Pinho, in Camboriú, in the southern state of Santa Catarina. It was the first beach to be officially sanctioned for nudism in 1987 and today plays host to nudists from all over Brazil as well as foreign countries. At Pinho beach the only clothing allowed is no clothing.

The same happens at Pedras Altas (Santa Catarina) and Barra Seca (Espírito Santo). Some of the other naturist areas and here there is room for those who want to bare themselves little by little are Tambaba in the municipality of Conde in Paraíba, Olho de Boi in Búzios (Rio de Janeiro), and Abricó, also in Rio. There are still three dozen other beaches in which the practice is tolerated. Among them Brava in Cabo Frio (Rio) and Trancoso in Bahia.

Just recently Brasília, which doesn't have a sea beach, started its own nudist association renting a club for their members' favorite sport. The First District Federal Naturist Encounter brought together 25 adults and children. Until then Brasilienses willing to take it all off in public had to go to other cities. "Now we don't have to travel 1,000 miles to Praia do Pinho, anymore," rejoiced one of the participants in the get-together, an employee at a foreign embassy.

How many are the Brazilian naturists? Around 100,000 according to FBN estimates. A very small number for a country famous for its sexual liberation and veneration for the naked body. France, which has 1/3 of the Brazil's population and no tropical weather, is home for 10 million naturists. The Federation, however, believes that the number of nudists will soon increase to 1 million thanks to word of mouth of those who are now fans of going on the buff.

Says Celso Rossi, founder and president of the FBN, "People are discovering that nudism is a respectable and pleasurable practice, and those who try it for the first time don't want to even think about wearing clothes afterwards".

Today Brazilians of all ages and backgrounds practice nudism. Roger Moreira, a guitarist with the Brazilian musical group Ultraje a Rigor and also a nudist even wrote a song exalting the virtues of the practice. Although not a card-carrying naturist he often frequents many of the nude beaches throughout the country. "I like being nude at the beaches, it's a good alternative to the rat race in São Paulo," says Moreira.

Even though the idea of nudism doesn't appeal to most people, in a nudist setting it's seen as something normal to be done without shame. Said 42-year old Roberto Pimentel Faro, a nudist since 1988, in an interview to the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo: "Nudism is outside of all established social standards, yet we've cultivated an attitude of acceptance with regard to other people's bodies that allows us to coexist without problems."

For many nudists, staying dressed is something to do only on cold days. "The only precaution we take is in regards to voyeurs. We always keep our curtains closed," says one nudist who has two daughters. For another couple whom we'll call Francisco and Ana, there's no hesitation at taking their clothes off, especially on hot days. But when company comes it's strictly dress up time. However there have been times when they've been caught off guard. Says Francisco laughingly, "My mother-in-law showed up once and I was dressed in just a T-shirt."

Marília, her husband Marcos and their two adolescent daughters have been practicing nudism since 1990 when they started to frequent Praia do Pinho. At home, the couple and their daughters don't see any reason to hide their bodies from one another or their friends. "We are so accustomed to it it's as if we had our clothes on," says Marcos. Adds Marília, "we take our clothes off when it gets hot, but in the winter when it's cold we wear them because they protect us."

Marcos professes that the practice has changed his outlook on life: "I was a very tense and uptight person before and would fly off the handle at the slightest thing," he says, but the change in him was so radical that everyone wanted to know what his secret was. Finally after coming in to work extremely relaxed two weeks straight one of his co-workers insisted he divulge his secret. When he told her the truth she was shocked, he says. "But afterwards she accepted it," he added.

Even Paulistas who are better known for their work ethics and little play are joining in the fun. São Paulo offers at least three places where naturists can congregate. One is the Rincão Estância Naturista e Ecológica in the city of Guaratinguetá. Inaugurated in August of 1993, it sits on an old fazenda some 220 kilometers away from São Paulo with space enough to accommodate 150 people and room for camping as well. The group that frequents this club is fairly large and the parties and reunions held by them are usually memorable.

Recalls one member, "Once our group planned a visit to Parati in the south of the state of Rio, everything went well but we all noticed one small detail, no one brought a bathing suit," he says. "I think the locals thought we were all from the countryside," he added, "but we didn't need them," he said laughingly.

Not everyone is welcome here, however. Says Alexandre a delegate to the Brazilian Federation of Naturism and owner of the Rincão: "Unaccompanied single men aren't allowed in." At another site called Ibatiporã in the region of Sorocaba, Eduardo Prado plays host to nudists from all over. At 69 years old, and a practicing nudist for 50 of those years, he says, "We don't have parties and other activities like the Rincão, people who come here come to relax."

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Addresses

Federação Brasileira de Naturismo Caixa Postal 328, Gramado, Rio Grande do Sul 95670-000. Phone: (054) 282-1907. It also publishes Naturis Magazine.

Difenat Núcleo Naturista do Distrito Federal Caixa Postal 8868, Brasília, DF, 70312-970

Associação Amigos da Praia do Pinho Caixa Postal 272, Balneário Camboriú, Santa Catarina , 88330-000

Clube Naturista Pedras Altas Ave. Atlântica 860, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, 88095-070.

Rionat Caixa Postal 136, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20001-970

Núcleo Naturista de São Paulo Caixa Postal 65.125, São Paulo, SP, 01390-970

Núcleo Naturista do Nordeste Caixa Postal 4.067, Recife, Pernambuco, 51021-970

Congregação Naturista do Espírito Santo Caixa Postal 01-0607, Vitória, Espírito Santo, 29001-970

Núcleo Paranaense de Naturismo Caixa Postal 4.934, Curitiba, Paraná, 82520-970

Núcleo Naturista do Pará Caixa Postal 474, Belém, Pará, 66017-970

Rincão Estância Naturista e Ecológica (0125) 27-1142.

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The sites and beaches

It's official

Paraíba: Tambaba

Espírito Santo: Barra Seca

Rio de Janeiro: Olho de Boi, Sítio Solar de Guaratiba

São Paulo: Sítio Ibatiporã, Sítio Rincão

Paraná: Fulano de Tal

Santa Catarina: Praia do Pinho, Pedras Altas

It's tolerated

North:

Pará: Ajiruteua

Ceará: Canoa Quebrada, Jericoacoara, Cumbuco, Batoque

Rio Grande do Norte: Malembar

Fernando de Noronha: Americano

Pernambuco: Ilha Amores

Bahia: Artistas, Trancoso, Pitinga, Coroa Vermelha, Forte

South:

Rio de Janeiro: Brava, Virgem, Focas, Maçambaba, Parati Mirim, Fig. Trindade, Ilha do Pelado, Ilha do Ventura, Praia Seca, Adão e Eva, Lagoa Grande, Farolito, Jaconé,

São Paulo: Brava

Santa Catarina: Galhetas

Rio Grande do Sul: Dunas