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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Nude Family swim at Stoke Waterworld

664 replies

VortexofBloggery · 24/09/2020 12:03

Flagged up by Sammy Woodhouse on Twitter.
mobile.twitter.com/sammywoodhouse1/status/1308822025797013509

Supported by who else but NSPCC.

Adults can buy a single ticket.

To Shut it down, Change petition here:
www.change.org/p/water-world-stop-nude-family-swim-session-for-adults-and-children-of-all-ages-at-water-world?utm_content=cl_sharecopy_24863394_en-GB%3A2&recruiter=1151217419&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=tap_basic_share

Attended by convicted paedophile
www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/4047602.convicted-brierfield-paedophile-member-naturist-club/

Unbelievable.

OP posts:
Bonkersblond · 27/09/2020 17:32

@LouMumsnet - Please do not take this down, I have got more out of this thread than any counselling session, I haven’t detailed all that I experienced, I think myself and others have been subjected to enough without a possible weirdo lurking on this thread getting kicks out of what I personally went through.

BatShite · 27/09/2020 17:35

So you're not allowed to be a naturist unless you have children?

I don't believe that was said, but a family event is just that surely? Just comes across as odd that single people would go to an advertised FAMILY swim. Even without the naturist part, it would be odd for a single person to attend a family event anyway surely?

I find the idea that, because someone has had children, they are 'safe' to be misguided. An awful lot of child abuse happens within the family circle.

I wouldn't say someone was 'safe' as they have kids. But they are..well placed to be at a family event. Unlike a single person with no children?!

For the record, I would feel the same if families were trying to get tickets to an advertised singles night or something like that. Adults (except for where a carer is needed, as that came to mind immediately) buying tickets for a 'teen night', kids buying tickets for an adult night, etc etc. Its just people pushing their way into places they shouldn't be..for whatever reason.

DarkmilkAddict · 27/09/2020 17:44

Bonkersblond same here. I’ve written down some of the most comforting comments in my journal.

I’m sorry it affected you badly too. I got the feeling that other older children were also deeply weirded out by it, but we never talked about it

DarkmilkAddict · 27/09/2020 17:46

I’m going to arrange counselling as I want to unearth the ways I suspect I’ve been affected. But just having loads of women here say it’s not right has been so helpful. Children always blame themselves Sad

testing987654321 · 27/09/2020 17:52

Why don't you read the full thread, testing
Yes, is the short answer

Thanks for answering, I have read the whole thread, but I had misremembered, thought you were a parent.

I can see from your posts that you still feel fine about it, but would it not be better if it was acceptable for children to wear swimsuits/clothes if they want? I hate the idea of teenagers feeling they didn't have a choice.

Bonkersblond · 27/09/2020 17:53

Unfortunately for the DC whose parents are actively Naturists with their DC, you won’t find out how they really feel about it until they are adult DC perhaps with their own DC, if they carry on being Naturists, all well and good for you, if they don’t, can you live with that after experiences shared here, is it worth the risk? For what it’s worth at our Naturist club, there were families but I don’t remember there being 3 generations of a family on a sunny day out, thank goodness my grandparents weren’t involved in it too.

Bonkersblond · 27/09/2020 17:55

@DarkmilkAddict Flowers

newnameforthis123 · 27/09/2020 18:44

@DarkmilkAddict and @Bonkersblond thank you both so, so much for being so brave on this thread. I'm in awe at you staying calm and reasonable in the face of gaslighting and justifying the unjustifiable. Thank you so much again Thanks

Lordamighty · 27/09/2020 18:59

@DarkmilkAddict & @Bonkersblond
I think you have both been incredibly brave to share your experiences on here. Let’s all hope that it makes some naturist parents think twice about what they are involving their children in. Maybe it will make them more aware of adults around their children, maybe it will make them offer their children some choice in whether to be naked or not, who knows.

Going back to the naked swimming event at Waterworld, the cynical part of me wonders whether the choice of a water slide park is a deliberate choice to attract minors to the event.

PearPickingPorky · 27/09/2020 18:59

Darkmilk and Bonkers, thank you for sharing your experiences on this thread. I had no 8dea this was something that Naturists did with their children, I always assumed it was something some parents might do on their first holiday alone once their children were grown up.

Darkmilk, hope you're okay. Counselling sounds like a good idea. Part of the shame you feel probably comes with the very uncomfortable knowledge that your dad was sexually abusive. That's not a nice thing to realise, and I'm sure you realised it before, subconsciously, but tried to keep it suppressed because it's so awful to think about. Also, that realisation that you didn't speak up for yourself and say no is a really hard thing to come to terms with. That sounds victim-blamey, I don't mean it to, it's impossible for women and girls to say no sometimes but it doesn't stop it making it all hard to process. And that knowledge that you have struggled to say "no" before makes you feel very vulnerable for the future.

Flowers

I hope that doesn’t sound awful, I'm not very good at explaining myself.

As for the Naturist community not being full of pedos. Well, I'm sure there are many genuine naturists there, but like every other group were access to children has lower safeguarding barriers, pedos and abusers will gravitate towards them, just like Oxford, Saville, Catholic Church, and countless other examples, as we all know.

Wildswim · 27/09/2020 19:08

Yes thanks dark and bonkers for sharing your experiences and illuminating a bit about this world.

Reading about this Waterworld event has actually made me very upset.

Datun · 27/09/2020 19:12

Yes - it's a safeguarding policy. It shows there's a risk which is acknowledged and guarded against.

Pelleas

How is it guarded against?

I've asked this a couple of times. There are no DBS checks and it would appear that single men are allowed to join in.

I'm trying to establish what is to stop a paedophile, convicted or otherwise, from joining in? Any of them, or all of them?

DidoLamenting · 27/09/2020 19:18

I don't believe that was said, but a family event is just that surely? Just comes across as odd that single people would go to an advertised FAMILY swim. Even without the naturist part, it would be odd for a single person to attend a family event anyway surely?

"Family fun day out" aka avoid like the plague for those without children.

Slightly more seriously I've seen events marketed as no access for adults unless accompanied by a child.

Handsoffisback · 27/09/2020 19:18

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Datun · 27/09/2020 19:20

Well, Pelleas said there was a risk, which was guided against.

I would just like to know how.

Handsoffisback · 27/09/2020 19:21

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Handsoffisback · 27/09/2020 19:23

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Handsoffisback · 27/09/2020 19:26

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Handsoffisback · 27/09/2020 19:27

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Wildswim · 27/09/2020 19:35

A convicted paedophile can still be part of naturist clubs and go on naked trips to theme parks, a judge ruled

WTF?

BitMuch · 27/09/2020 19:38

I've been avidly reading this thread. You are so brave for sharing your experiences. My first gut instinct was utterly uncomfortable with naturism involving children and teens and my rational mind now completely understands why. Thank you to the brilliant women here, commenting even when disagreement stings you personally. It is such an important, necessary insight into something which is usually only talked about in flowery confusing language. Bluntness is needed and appreciated.

Handsoffisback · 27/09/2020 19:41

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DarkmilkAddict · 27/09/2020 19:50

I’m grateful for everyone’s thanks. It’s a lot easier talking about it anonymously on here than in real life! Very pleased to shine light on this, most people probably never think about it or assume everyone’s happy.

I’m thinking about it a lot right now, and it’s a lot to process. Your research Handsoff isn’t triggering for me, if anything it validates the instincts I had back then.

It’s perfectly clear to any girl, from maybe 10 years old, when they’re being watched in a sexual way, and horribly uncomfortable when naked, and the man’s exposing his penis.

I swear that’s why they’re there. It’s basically a flashers’ convention with added boundary breaking

BitMuch · 27/09/2020 19:53

In regards to that Naturism statement about prudery, I tend to swap the word prudery for prudence whenever I read it.

www.dictionary.com/browse/prudence

Bonkersblond · 27/09/2020 20:19

It’s not triggering for me Hands, the more awareness the better, the thread has been cathartic for me, initially I didn’t think I’d be able to contribute more than my first post, knowing I’m not alone in my feelings, being able to share anonymously has really helped, and posters on here have helped to articulate where I couldn’t, I’ve never been able to share IRL, it’s my skeleton in the closet,