Date: 19 July 2025
To:
World Health Organization
Avenue Appia 20
1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland
NaturismRE – The Naturism Resurgence
A global movement advocating for Nudism & Naturism
Vincent Marty
Founder, Naturism Resurgence (NaturismRE)
Sydney, Australia
www.naturismre.com
Subject: Request for Clarification and Consideration Regarding WHO’s Absence of Position on Non-Sexual Nudity and Naturist Lifestyles
To the Office of the Director-General and Relevant Public Health Divisions,
I write to you as the Founder of NaturismRE (Naturism Resurgence), a global initiative advocating for the recognition of naturism and body-freedom lifestyles as legitimate, health-positive, and environmentally responsible ways of living. We represent a growing international community of individuals and families who choose to engage in non-sexual nudity—commonly referred to as naturism or social nudism—as a means of achieving better physical and mental well-being, self-acceptance, and ecological harmony.
Despite increasing research supporting the physical and psychological benefits of such lifestyles, we have found that the World Health Organization has yet to issue any formal position, policy guidance, or public commentary on the subject of non-sexual public nudity or naturism.
We respectfully submit the following inquiries for clarification:
1. Absence of Policy or Review
• Has the WHO ever conducted, commissioned, or supported a systematic review or working group to assess the impact of non-sexual nudity on public health— particularly regarding mental health, body image, social anxiety, or physical well-being?
• If not, is the absence of such policy due to a lack of evidence, social sensitivity, or institutional oversight?
2. Inconsistent Standards of Public Health Framing
• WHO has consistently supported lifestyle frameworks that address obesity stigma, body positivity, gender diversity, and mental health. Given these precedents, what rationale supports excluding clothing-free lifestyles, which intersect these very domains?
• Does WHO recognize that public nudity in naturist or cultural contexts exists in dozens of countries—including national parks, clothing-optional beaches, and organized naturist communities—and thus has implications for public health policy?
3. Call for Evaluation
In line with WHO’s role as a standard-bearer for evidence-based health guidance, we propose the following considerations:
• Commission a scoping review on naturism’s impact on mental health, particularly body image, self-esteem, and social inclusion.
• Assess whether non-sexual nudity—when de-linked from obscenity or sexualized framing—warrants a neutral, permissive, or health-supportive policy position similar to your stances on other minority lifestyles.
• Acknowledge the distinction between nudity in abusive contexts (which WHO rightly opposes) and consensual, body-positive nudity engaged in for health, wellness, or cultural expression.
Why This Matters
Failure to address this issue sustains a global health blind spot—one that disproportionately impacts individuals suffering from body shame, chronic stress, social exclusion, or gender dysphoria. It also implicitly reinforces societal stigmas that have no scientific basis and contradict WHO's own stated objectives on equity, stigma reduction, and psychosocial well-being.
Moreover, in a world facing rising climate and textile waste crises, naturist practices also offer sustainable living insights—underscoring our call for WHO to at least open a dialogue.
Our Request
We formally request:
1. A written response acknowledging the absence or existence of any WHO framework relating to public or non-sexual nudity.
2. Consideration for establishing an exploratory working group, advisory note, or public health consultation on the subject of naturism.
3. An open channel for civil society input, including from global naturist organisations and researchers in the psychosocial and ecological fields.
We remain available for further discussion or presentation of evidence on behalf of the naturist movement.
With great respect and anticipation,
Varma hälsningar,
Vincent Marty
Founder, NaturismRE – Naturism Resurgence
Sydney, Australia
www.naturismre.com