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Living the nude life
Shannon Higgins explores the lifestyle that has some students stripping down to escape the post-
secondary environment that is rife with image consciousness and competition
C had Lannon went to
the wrong university.
The University of
Western Ontario had
far too many BMWs and popped col-
lars for his taste. While his business
classmates were all busy networking
addicted to clothing.”
Post-secondary education is all about
image. Students learn to package and
sell themselves to get ahead while the
prestige of their program determines
whether employers give their resumes
that crucial second glance. But for stu-
sixties, a shift towards liberalism loos-
ened the tight restrictions on the clubs.
People were no longer interrogated be-
fore entering, and being married was
no longer necessary. This opened the
scene up to younger adults.
Lannon was 16 when he first ex-
tions and it’s all very awkward,” said
Lafrance. “When you’re nude there’s
no sense in covering up who you actu-
ally are. We really just met each other
exactly as we are and there was none of
that nonsense.”
But she wasn’t always at ease at
and gave him the push he needed to
rush into the massage therapy program
at Sir Stanford Fleming.
“Meeting Nikki made the decision
easier,” he said. “Massage therapy is
very holistic and very natural. There’s
almost something spiritual about
ist park and some women think they’ll
lose their mystery. But Deschênes said
most of those concerns come from the
biggest myth about naturism: that it’s
all about sex.
“The only experience you have with
nudity in a non-naturist world is sexu-
“You’re born naked. It should be a
natural human right,” said Lannon.
When Lafrance and Lannon’s rela-
tionship ventured out into the textile
world, nothing really changed.
“We still do the naked thing up in
my room. But I live with six other peo-
Clockwise from left: Chad Lannon au
naturel in nature at Bare Oaks Family
Naturist Park. PHoto CourteSy of Nikki
lafraNCe; Naturalists at Bare Oaks
enjoy the brand new dock; Naturalists
play in Bare Oaks’ volleyball tourna-
ment; Stéphane Deschênes, Bare Oaks
and planning their stock portfolios, dents like Lannon, naturism is an es- plored nudism. Right after getting his Bare Oaks. She was 19 the first time working with your hands.” al,” he said. Adding that at the resorts, ple, so they’re not really into us walk- owner, leans on a warning sign on the
Lannon was living free. cape from the image obsessed rat race. driver’s license, he drove to the near- she went with her mother and stepfa- If she could, Lafrance would be na- erections rarely happen (and if they ing round naked,” joked Lafrance. edge of his resort; Naturalists ditch the
As a naturist, Lannon, 24, feels most And while the law prevents him from est nude beach. After that, nude swims ther and the nudity made her uncom- ked all the time. “It just felt so natural do, it’s best to cover it discreetly with She left Bare Oaks last summer dock and dive in. PHotoS CourteSy of
comfortable naked and outside. showing up to class in the nude, natur- became the norm. “I had seen some fortable. and so great to have the sun on your your towel until it subsides). feeling beautiful and self-confidant. StéPHaNe DeSCHêNeS; Nikki Lafrance
At Western he disliked his trust fund ism offers opportunity and networking articles online,” he said. “The more “I just looked at myself and only saw body...It’s almost spiritual actually. I “Sex has nothing to do with nudity. “I was completely care-free, loved looks out over the bridge at Bare Oaks;
peers and couldn’t connect to the hard- of a different kind. One where being I thought about it, the more it made the flaws the first time. I didn’t like it.” view my body as just a vessel that car- The nudity is the tool to get you to the my body and didn’t have a compliant Lafrance and Lannon will be moving in
partying frat boys. Instead he swam na- genuine is the only prerequisite. sense.” She finally fell in love with Bare ries me from place to place and that’s acceptance of self, acceptance of oth- about it all summer.” with each other in September. PHotoS
ked with middle aged people and their In the 1940s naturist clubs started The girls he dated, however, weren’t Oaks this past summer when she went why I don’t have a problem with other ers and acceptance and awareness of But going back to school in Septem- CourteSy of Nikki lafraNCe
kids during nudist night at a commu- popping up in Canada. The first clubs as comfortable ditching their clothes in again with her family to the summer people seeing it … it’s not who I am.” the environment. The nudity is what ber and having to wear clothes again
nity pool. “I felt grateful that I could were taboo and kept top secret, and public. trailer they now have on the grounds. “It’s very comfortable to be naked,” gets you there,” said Deschênes. was a little difficult. At school, it was
just be me and not worry about wearing many had strict rules about alcohol, to- Lannon was up at Bare Oaks, when “It was the very first time that I fi- said Miriam Kaufman, an adolescent But, in Canada, public nudity is still easy for her to start comparing herself
the right clothes or having the right co- bacco and sex. he met Nikki Lafrance. Lafrance, 23, nally felt I fit in and belonged [any- health specialist at Sick Kids and asso- illegal. to other women in tight low-rise jeans
logne. I felt like [my peers] were jump- “You have to imagine back then, you was working as a receptionist and tour- where],” she said, remembering feeling ciate professor of adolescent sexuality Nudity is covered under Section and curve hugging dresses.
ing through hoops.” couldn’t tell anyone you were a natur- guide for the summer before starting out of place her entire life. “I used to at the University of Toronto. Kaufman 173 and 174 of the Canadian Crimi- So Lafrance plans to keep naturism
Lannon dabbled with the idea of ist. You might as well tell them you’re her recreation and leisure program at wish for there to be some private ex- says the naturist lifestyle is under- nal Code. The first deals with indecent a big part of her life. “Ideally, if my
starting a naturist club at Western, but an axe murderer,” said Stéphane De- Sir Stanford Fleming College in Peter- pedition to another planet where they standably alluring. acts like flashing a school bus full of dreams come true, it’s my big goal
feared it would draw loads of frat boys schênes, a director for the Federation borough. After a mutual friend intro- were going to start over new civiliza- “I think that politically, that might children. The second deals with any right now to own and operate my own
just wanting to see naked women. He of Canadian Naturists (FCN) and the duced them, the two quickly hit it off tion. And I was like ‘pick me’ because be very attractive to young people nudity, on private or public property nudist resort.”
trudged through the program — keep- owner of Bare Oaks, a family naturist and soon started dating. For Lafrance, I just don’t fit in on this one. But I real- — that idea of being seen beyond your where people can see from a public Until then, she is hoping to snag a
ing naturism separate from school. park just outside of Newmarket. starting out with the clothes off was re- ized that where I wanted to go was just body and your clothes. It’s kind of an place. So mowing the front lawn na- job on a naked cruise ship for her up-
“I really kind of regret the whole “You had to be married; you had freshing. to a naturist resort, really. There was all anti-fashion statement, right? And you ked could lead to an arrest. But few coming work placement.
venture. In naturism you’re not trying to show your marriage license. When “It’s an amazing ground to meet that non-judgment and respect that ev- can see how that might be really at- people are ever charged because the This summer, the couple will be
to sell yourself — you’re just being you were here you could not use last somebody. Because in comparison to erybody had for each other.” tractive to a lot of people,” she said. Attorney General, who has to consent working together at Bare Oaks and
yourself. You’re not looking to accu- names. There was no touching, no the typical ground to meet somebody Lafrance helped Lannon figure out Still, some men who are interested to the charge, is usually too busy. in September they’ll be moving in to
mulate wealth or things...At Western holding hands.” – you know you get all dressed up and what to do after Western. She told him in naturism are terrified of getting an Regardless, naturists feel the law their own apartment – where they can
they’re just too shallow, superficial and During the sexual revolution of the you go out and you ask all those ques- he didn’t seem like the business type erection on their first visit to a natur- is restrictive. be naked as much as they like.