Introducing the NRE Standardised Stigma Measure (SSM) for Naturism: A World First
The Naturism Resurgence (NRE) is proud to launch the world's first comprehensive, multi-domain stigma measurement tool for naturism: the NRE Standardised Stigma Measure (SSM). This instrument represents a decisive global advance in naturist rights advocacy, academic research, and public education.
Unlike prior instruments, the NRE SSM is not limited to measuring attitudes held about naturists by outsiders. It is the first instrument designed to measure all key dimensions of naturism-related stigma, including:
Public Attitudes – societal and individual prejudice, stereotypes, and discriminatory intent
Perceived Stigma – naturists' sense of how society views them
Internalised Stigma – self-directed shame, fear, or self-blame among naturists
Enacted Stigma – real-world experiences of discrimination, exclusion, and harm
This multi-perspective design ensures the NRE SSM captures stigma as it is felt, internalised, enacted, and projected—a methodological world first in naturism research.
Comparison with Existing Tools
Two instruments preceded the NRE SSM but with limited scope:
Naturism Stigma Scale (NSS) – Developed by Soylemez et al. (2025), the NSS adapted a mental health stigma scale to measure personal and perceived stigma toward naturists. It was primarily a repurposing of existing tools and did not address internalised or enacted stigma.
Beliefs About Naturists Scale (BANS) – Released later in 2025 by the same authors, BANS introduced a 29-item scale with three subscales: attitudes, stereotypes, and behavioral intentions. While valuable, it remained focused on public stigma and lacked dimensions for naturists' lived experiences.
The NRE SSM surpasses both by integrating:
First-person reporting from naturists
A structured discrimination module
A framework suitable for comparative research across countries and demographics
Moreover, the NRE SSM is designed not just for academics but also for advocacy, education, policy dialogue, and community resilience building.
Strategic Value of the NRE SSM
Advocacy: Offers concrete, data-driven evidence of stigma for engagement with media, policymakers, and human rights platforms.
Education: Enables awareness campaigns based on public attitudes and misperceptions.
Empowerment: Gives naturists a structured voice to describe their experiences and push for social recognition.
Global Use: Designed with modular adaptability and inclusive phrasing for multilingual, multicultural deployment.
Get Involved: Join the Global Pilot
NRE is currently inviting individuals and organisations to participate in a landmark pilot study to validate the SSM. Whether you're a naturist, an ally, a researcher, or a professional interested in equity and stigma reduction—you can help make history.
🔹 Naturists: Share your experiences confidentially to help shape advocacy tools for the future.
🔹 Non-Naturists & Allies: Contribute to better understanding public attitudes and perceptions.
🔹 Researchers & Educators: Collaborate with us in pioneering new ways to explore stigma, inclusion, and body rights.
👉 Register Your Interest:
Join the SSM Global Pilot
Help make naturism history by participating in the world’s first stigma measurement initiative. This form takes less than 2 minutes to complete.
👉 Download the Summary Toolkit: Click here to download the PDF version
Every response contributes to a better future for body freedom, respect, and dignity.
A Milestone in Global Naturist Advocacy
The NRE will pilot the SSM with a sample group of naturists and non-naturists, refine the tool based on feedback, and seek validation through large-scale data collection. Once validated, the SSM will be published as a public advocacy and academic resource, and open for international adoption.
This is more than a research instrument—it is a benchmark for visibility, dignity, and justice in naturist life.
Authorised by Vincent Marty
Founder of the Naturism Resurgence, Sydney Australia
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Why the SSM Matters: A New Era for Naturism
For decades, naturism has been shaped by stories, personal experiences, community dialogue, and cultural debate. Millions practice naturism worldwide, yet the stigma around it has remained largely unmeasured, unchallenged, and undefined. People know the stigma exists. Naturists feel it. Society expresses it. But until now, no one has been able to show what that stigma looks like in a structured and scientific way.
The Standardised Stigma Measure (SSM) changes that. It introduces a new level of clarity, professionalism, and credibility to naturist advocacy. It allows us to finally move from opinions to evidence.
The First Global Framework of Its Kind
The SSM is the first instrument in the world built specifically to measure stigma associated with naturism. It does not focus on just one aspect of stigma. Instead, it brings together four critical layers.
Public attitudes.
Perceived stigma.
Internalised stigma.
Enacted discrimination.
This approach provides a complete picture of how naturists are viewed, how they believe society sees them, how stigma affects their self-image, and how it translates into actual harm.
No naturist organisation or research body has ever produced a tool with this scope. The SSM is a world first.
Why This Matters for Naturists
Stigma affects more than feelings. It affects behaviour, confidence, professional life, relationships, and safety. Many naturists keep their lifestyle hidden. Many fear losing friends, jobs, or opportunities. Others face direct hostility or exclusion in public spaces.
The SSM allows naturists to speak with data. It turns silence into visibility and visibility into action.
Why This Matters for Society
A healthy society understands the groups that live within it. Stigma harms not only naturists but the wider public conversation about body acceptance, privacy, inclusion, and personal freedom. When stigma remains unmeasured, it remains unaddressed. The SSM allows researchers, educators, policymakers, and human rights advocates to work from evidence instead of assumptions.
It becomes possible to identify where stigma is highest, where education is needed, and where policy can evolve.
A New Level of Professionalism for Naturist Advocacy
The creation of the SSM signals a major shift. Naturism is entering a new era. An era where advocacy is supported by research. An era where movements do not rely only on tradition but on measurable impact. An era where naturism is treated not as a fringe curiosity but as a legitimate social identity worthy of scientific understanding.
Organisations, governments, media outlets, and academic institutions respond to data. For the first time, naturism has a standard capable of informing their work.
Building a Better Future
The SSM is not only a research tool. It is a pathway toward better conversations, better understanding, and better treatment of naturists worldwide. It allows us to compare stigma across regions, track progress over time, and demonstrate the need for social and legislative change.
Above all, it affirms that naturists deserve the same respect, dignity, and fairness as any other social group.
This is why the SSM matters. It marks a turning point. A step into a more informed, more compassionate, and more confident future for naturists everywhere.
