AANR vs Gaga? WTF!

[Camper]

I’ve kind of gone back and forth on my opinions about AANR, but it seems to me the organization is becoming more interested in defining what constitutes appropriate nudist settings rather than appropriate nudist behavior.  It’s certainly AANR’s prerogative to focus its efforts on growing its affiliated businesses, but I’m concerned that it’s doing so at the expense of basic nudist values.  AANR still promotes nudism as a wholesome, all-ages activity.  However, it supports several premier resorts that are hosting adults-only events and using what I perceive to be degrading images of women to attract customers.

I realize there are sometimes disagreements on how inclusive nudism should be with regard to swingers, sex, etc.  Setting that aside, I think the larger problem is the looming public relations disaster AANR is facing.  Americans in particular have a news media that loves to uncover scandals and hypocrisies.  How long before we see “The Ugly Truth about Nudism!” on Dateline?  “They say it’s for the family… but would take your kids to THIS?”   

For someone with such a large and devoted youth following to describe nudity as “timeless” is substantial.  AANR seems to have missed an opportunity to positively promote nudism by making this somewhat tacky effort to peddle its clubs.  It kind of feels like what Walmart might have done if Lady Gaga had casually mentioned being thrifty.  “Walmart invites Lady Gaga to visit any of our 975 superstores.  Three-pack of Hanes cotton blend panties, $3.99.  Cap’n Crunch cereal, $2.00.”

[Dario Western]

AANR still promotes nudism as a wholesome, all-ages activity.  However, it supports several premier resorts that are hosting adults-only events and using what I perceive to be degrading images of women to attract customers.

Can you please post proof of this?  Caliente and Paradise Lakes are no longer affiliated with the AANR.

I realize there are sometimes disagreements on how inclusive nudism should be with regard to swingers, sex, etc.  Setting that aside, I think the larger problem is the looming public relations disaster AANR is facing.  Americans in particular have a news media that loves to uncover scandals and hypocrisies.  How long before we see “The Ugly Truth about Nudism!” on Dateline?  “They say it’s for the family… but would take your kids to THIS?”

Non monogamy can be loving, or it can be a mental disorder.  With swinging, it can be described as an OCD approach to sex, mostly by guys who think with their dicks than their hearts.  It's just the "wham bam thank you ma'am" fast food type sex for them, because deep down they are very sexually insecure people and want people other than their spouses to treassure them they've "got what it takes".   

[Stuart]

For someone with such a large and devoted youth following to describe nudity as “timeless” is substantial.  AANR seems to have missed an opportunity to positively promote nudism by making this somewhat tacky effort to peddle its clubs.  It kind of feels like what Walmart might have done if Lady Gaga had casually mentioned being thrifty.  “Walmart invites Lady Gaga to visit any of our 975 superstores.  Three-pack of Hanes cotton blend panties, $3.99.  Cap’n Crunch cereal, $2.00.”

That's a pretty accurate analogy.

[Stuart]

Non monogamy can be loving, or it can be a mental disorder.  With swinging, it can be described as an OCD approach to sex, mostly by guys who think with their dicks than their hearts.  It's just the "wham bam thank you ma'am" fast food type sex for them, because deep down they are very sexually insecure people and want people other than their spouses to treassure them they've "got what it takes".   

You make it sound like that's a bad thing.

[Dan]

I think the AANR are secretly jealous that she's influencing more people with her statements on nudity than they ever can.

Dario, I don't think that they are jealous, I think that they are running scared.

Exactly!

The AANR is in the business of selling nudist bunkers. They have no place in a world where nudists aren't scared to be outside.

[Daft]

This article is so WTF? that I wonder if it was intentionally "fun", just to get some free publicity.

[NickUMA10]

Rather than bash AANR again, I will just put in a plug for the Naturist Society here--in my two years with as a member I have found them to be far more embracing of nudity in all contexts, not just dinosaur-age clubs.

[sargent]

Well... it's an eighty-year old organization, like the article says. They're established, promote traditional naturism, and they have learned how to capitalize on that. Things change, people change. That's what groups like this are for!

[Bobbert]

Maybe AANR wants her to wait until she is 60 or so.   

[hjmartin]

The more I read, the more I'm starting to believe that most of you just hate the AANR for some reason, and will grasp at ANYTHING to slam them.

I didn't see anything at all wrong with what they said.  They were spot-on.

[Dan]

The more I read, the more I'm starting to believe that most of you just hate the AANR for some reason, and will grasp at ANYTHING to slam them.

We hate them for claiming they represent us while they only represent their interests, for bringing the idea that nudity is wrong if in a context no sanctioned by them and for acting as if they owned nudity. Also, their press releases tend to reek of stupid like saying that the naked scans in airports are just like skinny dipping (I'm not going to comment on the necessity of the scans but this is just not the mental image of nudism we want to give to people).

I didn't see anything at all wrong with what they said.  They were spot-on.

How so? What's wrong with Gaga's idea of going naked?

[hjmartin]

I didn't see anything at all wrong with what they said.  They were spot-on.

How so? What's wrong with Gaga's idea of going naked?

Nothing, other than the obvious backlash it would provoke.  Sad as it may be, they're right about this.

If, however, she were to take them up on the offer of doing her next video blog at a nudist park, and other publicly nude things like that, the world would see naturism in a light painted as well as she can paint it, by all of her fans.  Win.

[Stuart]

If, however, she were to take them up on the offer of doing her next video blog at a nudist park, and other publicly nude things like that, the world would see naturism in a light painted as well as she can paint it, by all of her fans.  Win.

And its just a lucky coincidence that the AANR's subscription payers would benefit from this?

[Dan]

Nothing, other than the obvious backlash it would provoke.  Sad as it may be, they're right about this.

I see the potential drama it would generate as the best thing that would have happened to nudism in a long while. Why do you believe the reaction would be bad?

If, however, she were to take them up on the offer of doing her next video blog at a nudist park, and other publicly nude things like that, the world would see naturism in a light painted as well as she can paint it, by all of her fans.  Win.

Their offer lacks a crucial element to make it a serious offer: money. When you ask people to do your advertising, you are expected to pay them.

[crasher35]

I didn't see anything at all wrong with what they said.  They were spot-on.

How so? What's wrong with Gaga's idea of going naked?

Nothing, other than the obvious backlash it would provoke.  Sad as it may be, they're right about this.

If, however, she were to take them up on the offer of doing her next video blog at a nudist park, and other publicly nude things like that, the world would see naturism in a light painted as well as she can paint it, by all of her fans.  Win.

Okay, so I can see now where you're coming from and where AANR is coming from as well. They are afraid of the kind of backlash it would provoke and make it more difficult to get legislation passed, etc. They do have a lot of lobbyists out there to help nude clubs stay in business and help families that have been prosecuted for stupid things such as naked bath time photos of their children. So, I understand their point of view now.

The thing is that I don't believe there would be much of a backlash. See, had she done something stupid like the Justin Timberlake/Janet Jackson crappy half-time show, then yes. Backlash because she revealed a pasty for 0.5 seconds on national television. However, I don't think that was her intention. It sounded like, if she were to ever do this for real, that she'd walk on the set of these shows simply nude. This would have to be planned and approved with the producers who would be able to censor it and stage the filming in a way where nothing would actually be revealed. This, I think would be a big win because on the one hand there is no major political backlash. On the other hand we have Lady Gaga proclaiming that nudity is beautiful, timeless, and natural. That's a big win for all.

The other thing that bothers me about the whole thing is that, this was something AANR should have just left alone. It wouldn't have even been news if AANR hadn't said a peep seeing as it was a one-off statement that she made on her video blog! I didn't even know she had a video blog until I read this article. I felt like they were just stirring crap up just to get some cheap publicity. I honestly think AANR needs new PR people, because they're doing a horrible job. This is an organization that claims to represent us and yet they keep saying and doing these stupid things out in public. It's embarrassing!

I'm still mostly pro-AANR, although lately I haven't been to sure about some of the stuff they have been doing. I honestly don't think they're being willfully malicious because they too stand to gain a lot by having nudity become more popular and more socially accepted. I just think they have a different idea about how to go about this, and I don't think they're getting it right. They're stuck with this weird, dated mindset. I also have to disagree with what somebody said with them promoting adult-only and swinger stuff because I know for a fact that they don't. They've had to pull support for a lot of clubs because a lot of the clubs have gone this route. Caliente near Tampa, FL comes to mind, but a few others as well. I do not know of any clubs with adult-only events and themes that they continue to support.