Confessions of a first time nudist: Mix 106.3’s Kristen Henry bares all

Posted on 31 January, 2015

I’ve been asked to be a regular contributor for HerCanberra, though it does make me giggle that our first meet and greet is lacking attire (from my end anyway). Note: I’m usually wearing clothes but this week I overcame some personal hurdles and interviewed the President of the ACT nudist club, nude.

Talk about raw. Let me explain how I came to bare all.

Move over Hopscotch, Kambah pools—the only nudie swim spot in Canberra—is apparently the new “it” spot for locals. I thought I’d be intrigued by this rumour but instead it surprised me that I was super jealous. ‘How Miranda Kerr to be so comfortable in your own skin’, I thought.

Easy, in my opinion, when you look like Miranda Kerr.

For me, the thought of strangers seeing this porcelain skinned redhead bopping around with only sunscreen covering her bits, turns my cheeks as red as my hair.

Kristen and President of the ACT nudist club, John explore the land.

Nudism is something I admire but fear. I was afraid to be naked in front of strangers. Worried about what they’d think of my body, the assumptions they’d come to about how fit, toned, happy or body proud I am. Was it something only swingers did? I knew there was something here for me to learn. So I booked the interview.

What’s the etiquette when interviewing a nudist? Do I turn up to the ACT Nudist Club in Kowen Forest naked? Do I get undressed there or in fact, in front of my interviewee?  It was tough to know what to do. John met me at the gates of the property with a shirt and no pants so I knew I was in the right spot.

His eyes never left my eye-line. He was kind, generous and had made me afternoon tea. I asked him where I should disrobe and he chirped “does it really make a difference?”

She did it! Kristen bared all in her interview with ACT Nudist Club President, John.

We sat, nude, on the lounges and solved the world’s problems. I told him I was nervous about who might see me here. He reassured me that anyone on the property had gone through a rigorous process to make sure they ‘fit’ with the clubs values. No swingers, no fly-by-nighters just there for a perve. They hold the same social standards a golf club would, clothes are just optional.

I asked the erection question. I wondered what happened when members got ‘excited’ by what they saw. What happened? There’s nothing to hide behind, is it embarrassing? Or is it just an excepted, natural reaction? He explained that the body wasn’t sexual for a nudist, they’re completely at ease with the human form and that reaction rarely happens.

I was surprised by how many members they have. John regaled in stories of new members walking onto the grounds and finding their neighbours, work colleagues, in-laws or even boss lying by the pool. They have many members, ranging in ages, families too.

So what did I learn?

Being beautiful is not necessarily in the way you rock your new Zara dress or your Bingle bob.

Being beautiful is being simple.

This, if we’re truthful, is harder than it sounds.

This nudism thing is not something I’ll partake in full-time but I can tell you from first-hand experience the air is so much cleaner out there.

It was very easy to breathe.