BRAZIL: Nudists take over Rio de Janeiro beach
- 00:02:45
- ITN Source
BRAZIL: Nudists take over Rio de Janeiro beach
The followers see it as the most natural behavior in the world. Outside, people find it odd, but some even risk to go beyond the rocks to check out the area. It is the first Brazilian Naturist Congress that took place in sunny Rio de Janeiro, where nudists from all parts of the country gathered at the city's traditional Abrico beach. For many people, naturism is essentially the same as nudism with the distinctions between skinny-dipping, nude sunbathing and social nudity blurred. It is precisely this false idea that naturists from around Brazil want to take apart. Despite its hot tropical weather, Brazil is not one of the countries, like Spain or France, where social nudity is well developed and fairly accepted. Among the naturists the atmosphere was pleasant and carefree. On one side of the beach, a volleyball championship entertained the more athletic. The light blue ocean also invited people to enjoy a swim. A naked bodyboarder also took advantage of the small but well formed waves. Vice-president of the Naturist Association, Mauro Martins, said that in Brazil, as in many other parts of the world, naturism is still widely discriminated by those who don't know that their philosophy is self-respect, respect to others and respect towards the environment. "Naturism in Brazil, as in many other parts of the world, that have no (naturist) tradition, is still very discriminated by the public, who doesn't know what naturism is. Naturism is a philosophy that pledges in first place self-respect, respect for others, respect towards the environment and social and communal nudity," he said on Sunday (November 05). Others preferred to amuse themselves by singing along to a guitar under the shade of their sun umbrellas. Women took advantage of the hot sun to get a tan free of swimsuit marks, of course. Isadora Silveira, who has been practicing naturism for many years, said there are moments when it is more convenient to be naked, but people must learn to respect nudity and see it as a natural thing. "There are moments when I think it is more convenient for the man to be nude. All we need to do is respect this and live with it because I think it is natural. It is very natural for you to be nude sometime, someplace," she said. The organizers made sure there were plenty of activities for the participants. As a pastime, a couple enjoyed a lively table tennis match. Jose de Oliveira, who is used to wearing a suit everyday to work, said the practice is total freedom with nature because clothes bother very much. "Total liberty with nature, going back to that what we are: nude. It is freedom from clothes because it bothers, clothes bother," he said. The Congress also attracted naturists from other parts of the world, who were unanimous in saying there is no place as perfect as Brazil to benefit from social nudity. Solange Chollet, who has been to other nudist beaches in France and Germany, said there is no place like Abrico beach, because it is a paradise. "There is no place like Abrico (beach) because it is a paradise, it is magnificent, superb," she said. The Naturist Congress aroused the curiosity of many passerby's, but only those willing to take off everything, bathing suits included, were able to enter. Only the journalists were able to break the rules inside the area reserved to the nudists, although next year organizers promise to ban anyone who refuses to undress.
ITN Source | November 11, 2006
