FKK clubs have complained about shedding members, in east Germany especially, since the Berlin Wall came down. Maybe in today’s Germany there’s no longer a need for demonstrating liberty and freedom by shedding our clothes. Stripping off and sharing a hot tub with other naked humans might not seem like the best thing to do in a pandemic,” muses The Telegraph in an article about the big question around nudists’ circles: When wearing a face mask, are you really naked? Emma recommends the Sunday Swim for naturist newbies, explaining that often, to get involved in anything naturist, "you’ve got to take a barrowful of ID and fill in eight application forms!" For the swim, however, you can just turn up. "It's a good starting point for the younger demographic who like to be spontaneous and don't want to jump through a whole pile of hoops!" Nude scenes in GDR movies appeared long before the first naked people appeared in Hollywood films. The fondness for getting naked on both sides of the Iron Curtain also led to some curious incidents.

The athletes made sure to get permission to pose nude in various Cambridge hot spots, and Wilkinson said they were careful not to offend anyone with their nudity. However, the group did get caught by several people along the way.But it's not just men who want to get bendy with their bits out. London Co-Ed Naked Yoga meets weekly for a 90 minute Vinyasa class in south west London. Run by Doria Yoga, prospective participants are assured that, "the studio is equipped with infrared heaters so you will experience the pleasant feeling of warmth all over your body." But why do yoga naked? According to Doria Yoga: "While our society often equates being naked with sex, other cultures have found that being naked removes many social and economic barriers. It is also very freeing to move the body without the restriction of clothing, and yoga provides a great way to deepen body acceptance." Additionally, "being naked can bring up many of our vulnerabilities. By facing these fears in the context of a safe and supportive community we naturally become more grounded and comfortable with ourselves." The annual Bay to Breakers race takes place on the third Sunday in May (May 15, 2020). Although this is a sponsored event with world-class athletes competing, it’s also something of a large fete with many of the 70,000 or so runners, joggers and walkers sporting costumes or participating nude. It is difficult to appreciate your body if you’re thinking about the extra donuts you ate, or if you’re counting all of the wasted calories that you’ve taken in. It will make you feel insecure or guilty, which is counter to the confidence you’ll need to have fun naked.

Craig's own experience is that it's a lot of fun. The annual event, which takes place in June, is a protest against oil dependency and car culture, as well as raising awareness of the vulnerability of cyclists. In addition to it being a worthy cause, Craig enjoys it because, "you don't often get the chance to cycle round London naked — not without being arrested!" Don't his bits get sore? "No, but when you get to the cobbles in Covent Garden you get people doing oohs and aahs — that's when people's bums get numb!" Ah, you miss your padded cycling shorts? "Yeah, but I think it's also because a lot of us hardly cycle apart from this occasion, once a year!" Both male and female athletes from netball, gymnastics, the American football team and other sports used their equipment to cover their junk during the calendar photo shoots. Naked gardeners tending to their gardens in Marlborough, England. Photo by John Rogers. Getty Images This was the most perfect, natural way to start the day and we would experience the same sensation each day for the next 12 days as we sailed on the world’s largest square rigger around the Mediterranean – in the nude. The window of opportunity to take the photos was relatively short,” he added. “We were a little anxious about being outside because we didn’t want to cause any offense. We had a few runners and dog walkers come by [and] some didn’t know where to look.”

Naturism goes virtual

The Nazi era brought mixed fortunes for nudism, its ongoing popularity tempered by a moral clampdown. Laws passed in 1933 limited mixed-sex nudism as “a reaction to the increased immorality of the Weimar state.” More restrictions followed amid claims the scene was a “breeding ground for Marxists and homosexuals.” Stand in front of the mirror naked -- not to criticize -- but to appreciate. This also lets you get comfortable seeing yourself naked. If you’re uncomfortable looking at yourself naked, then you will be uncomfortable when others are looking at you naked. Nudism was particularly popular in East Germany, or German Democratic Republic as it was known. It was secretly considered a form of escape from the uniforms, marches and conformity of the communist state. When I was a kid, my father always used to sunbathe nude in our garden at weekends. In public pools, children of all ages were allowed to run around naked all the time. Its official response, from a spokeswoman, said: "There is no specific offence for beingnakedin public."