Turn Beauty Inside Out  is a grassroots celebration of healthy media images that promotes critical analysis of sexism in media. It was created in 2000 by a group of girls ages 8-16, the Girls Editorial Board of New Moon Girls. TBIO is a counterbalance to the damaging and unhealthy messages we are bombarded with on a daily basis in media, film, and advertising that promote unhealthy beauty standards. The program raises funds to allow girls worldwide to define their own inner beauty and honor it through healthy media. It also increases awareness about the negative effects of harmful media messages.

So, celebrate Turn Beauty Inside Out today. Together, we must strive to change the definition of beauty for men and women and especially for our children.

Find out more here.

In an article for the New Port Richey Patch, naturist historian Lee Gregory explains how the community grew. To help celebrate the 71st anniversary of nudism in Pasco, Patch interviewed Gregory to find out more about the naturist community’s beginnings, challenges, and accomplishments.

Read the interview here.

The May issue of The Bulletin is mailing this week and will include candidate profiles and ballots for voting members. However, members who are on “no mail” will not receive anything from the AANR office.

The good news is that those members are still eligible to vote. Simply contact VR Election Services at 800-218-4026, Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. CT or email customer service at custserv@vres.us.

Members will need to provide their P number, located on their AANR membership card, to VR Elections for a PIN number that allows them to vote online.

Please call the AANR office at 800-TRY-NUDE if you have any questions or need additional information.

Remember to vote–It’s your right!

www.barelymelissa.com

My mother’s worst nightmare has come true: I’m 36 years old and single.  Or maybe her worst nightmare is that I’ve brought her no grandchildren.  Either way, I’m not what she planned for. When I was a little girl, I always assumed that by the ripe old age of 36 I’d be married with a few kids and a dog.  Well, I have the dog and my life is the most perfect life of anyone I know.  Each day I wake up nude, go to a job I love (or work from home, if I so desire), talk or meet with dear friends, and enjoy numerous forms of recreation that I love.  In short, I guess the husband and kids aren’t needed for me to live the happiest life of anyone I know.  It wasn’t in my plans to be single but I’m finding that it’s worked out rather nicely.  Shirley MacLaine once said, “I don’t need a man to rectify my existence. The most profound relationship we’ll ever have is the one with ourselves.”  I think she’s right.

Being single is wonderful but being discriminated against for being single is not.  I consistently hear about discrimination against single men in nudism; they’re not welcome at many clubs, they’re suspected to be of worse moral character than couples, they should call ahead to ensure that they will be welcome at a club, etc.  Many of these single men have noted to me that I’m lucky to be a single woman because I’m welcome everywhere and treasured in all nudist environments.  I have news for these single men and for the couples who also believe it to be true: it just ain’t so.

Though life is good, I do notice that I, as a single woman, run in to some disadvantages within the nudist world.   These disadvantages are not evident outside of nudism, by the way.  There are clubs that I am not permitted to visit, extra costs for a nude cruise due to my single status, odd expectations that I’m a predator, other odd expectations that I need extra “protection” due to being a single woman, and the list goes on.

Experiencing nudism as a single woman is also downright humorous at times.  The assumption that I “should” be married off quickly because of the gender imbalance within the nudist community always makes me laugh.  Individuals who expect that I’m visiting an AANR club solely to meet “Mr. Perfect” also cracks me up; is that the only reason for a single woman to visit?  The ample help that’s available for me—you know, the help that I don’t need as an empowered woman—brings a smile to my face, too.   All of this because I’m a single woman.  (Note: I’ve heard that gay, lesbian, and bisexual nudists run into many of the same difficulties that singles do.)

The whole concept of different allowances and expectations due to my being a single woman is outrageous and a sign that nudism isn’t keeping up with the times.  According to CNN.com, 96 million people in America are single, which amounts to 43% of all adults over the age of 18.  If nudists are representative of Americans as a whole, that means 43% of all adults will be unwelcome in some AANR locations or have to pay excessive fees to participate in the nudist adventure of their choice simply because of their marital status.  More than half of these unmarried adults are women; there are reportedly 100 single women for every 88 single men.

Which begs the question: if being single is so common, why is it that single nudists—both male and female—are experiencing discrimination?  Why is it that we allow this discrimination?  What are we to do about it?  As AANR and each club within AANR look to the future, I believe these questions need to be answered and acted upon.  Only then can we truly serve our members and display the acceptance that is the hallmark of nudism.

This is the first article in a new monthly Bulletin column that will be Melissa’s way of discussing the wonderful yet weird world of a single nudist.

(All candidates in each group are listed alphabetically.)

Voting Guide and Proposed Bylaw Amendments

Proposed Bylaw Amendments

President

Brian Spence

Susan Weaver

Vice-President

Dave Landman

Robert Roche

Secretary/Treasurer

Sharon McLeod

Mary Williamson

Club Trustees

Group 6 & 7

(Select up to two candidates)

Michael (Mike) Parker

Pamela Pelc

Group 5

(Select one candidate)

Peg Kercher

Brenda Spangler

Group 4

(Select one candidate)

Dave Landman

Robert Roche

Group 3

(Select one candidate)

Kathy Watzel

Group 1 & 2

(Select up to two candidates)

Van Bradley

Suzanne Schell

David Utter

Member Trustees

AANR-East

Audrey Weber

AANR-Florda

Richard Warblow

AANR-Midwest

Harvey Hanna

AANR Northwest

Kathy Smith

AANR-Southwest

Lucy Heide

AANR-West

Tim Mullins

AANR-Western Canada

David Jackson

Your ballot and further instructions will be included in your May issue of The Bulletin. In the meantime, please take advantage of this interactive format to ask questions of the candidates so they may respond. Remember, this is your Association and your vote counts!

Be sure to scroll on to the next pages (click on the “Older posts” link at the bottom of each page) so you do not miss any of the profiles/legislation.

Candidates in each group are listed alphabetically.

Home club: NudistClubhouse.com

AANR/regional/club offices held:

4 years as AANR Club Trustee (current)

5 years as AANR-West Director

2 years as AANR-West Vice President

1 year as AANR Singles Chair

2 years Glen Eden Board (VP and Dir. of Marketing)

Director of “Nudes in the News” at ClothesFree.com.

Owner of Naturally California Travel Club

Owner of SingleNudist.com

Owner of NudistClubhouse.com

Business/background experience applicable to position sought: I have been the owner of AANR affiliated clubs since 1999:  Naturally California in 1999, SingleNudist.com in 2001, and NudistClubhouse.com in 2008.  I am also the organizer of the first ever nudist trade show, taking place in Las Vegas this June.

Length of AANR membership: I have been an AANR member since 1996.

Candidate statement:
After discovering nude recreation on a beach, and then as a club member, a club owner, and a regional official, I am currently serving AANR as a Club Trustee.  As the youngest member of the board, I would like to bring my ideas to the office of President to assist in membership growth, and to build a strong future for the association. AANR has so much potential, and it is time for a fresh approach to keep the association strong.  I would appreciate your vote for the position of AANR President. More information can be found at www.AANR2012.com.

Home Club:  Avalon Resort

Length of AANR membership:  Elite Life member since 1982.

In my 1^st term I have initiated a revitalization of the AANR office, selection of a new Executive Director, introduction of technology that will enable AANR to operate efficiently.  I have appointed committee chairs who share my commitment to promoting nudity as a civil liberty in order to protect us in our homes, clubs, and on areas of public lands recognized as suitable for nude recreation.

AANR must embrace current technology for public education, advocacy, marketing and operations.  If you give me a second term I can complete the necessary bridge to take AANR into a stronger and more effective future.

AANR/regional/club offices held:

AANR President 2010-2012

AANR-East President 2005-2009

AANR Trustee 1998-2004

AANR Secretary/Treasurer 1995-1997

ESA Director 1991-1995

AANR Public Relations Chair 1995-2010

Business/background experience: My 36 year career with the U.S. government included high level legislative/political and media/public relations positions.

I worked on Capitol Hill for several Members of Congress and for the Appropriations Committee; later as a political appointee at the U.S. Department of Interior and then a career employee at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of Interior before retiring to run for AANR President.

Educational Background:  B.A. from Catawba College

Home club: DeAnza Springs Resort

Credentials:

Owner, DeAnza Springs Resort (15 years)
AANR-West Marketing committee
AANR-West Membership committee
AANR-West Internal Affairs committee

Business background: Regional Vice-President of a major mortgage banking firm

Candidate statement:

I’m Dave Landman, owner of DeAnza Springs Resort in Jacumba, California. I have been on AANR’s management team for the last four years as a trustee and am a past board member of AANR-West. I have served on numerous committees including marketing, membership, and internal affairs. Before my ownership of a 100% AANR club, I was a regional Vice President of a major mortgage banking firm, managing and supervising over 200 employees. Please visit www.AANR2012.comfor more information.

Club: White Tail Resort

AANR/regional/club offices held:

AANR:

Trustee (current and 3 previous terms)

Hall of Fame Committee (4 years), Chair 2005

Presidents Advisory Group 2002-2004

AANR-East:

Director

President (4 years)

Vice President

Man of the Year

Member of the Year

Lifetime Achievement Award

Other not-for-profit board experience: Director, Virginia Campground Association

Vice president, Virginia Campground Association

Board, Virginia Hospitality & Travel Association

Various Committees, Virginia Hospitality & Travel Association

Business/background experience applicable to position sought: Founder, owner, operator and President of White Tail Resort continuously since 1983

Extensive experience as AANR Trustee and as AANR-East Director, President and Vice President

Length of AANR membership: 29 years, Life Member

Educational background: Certified Park Operator, National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds

AARV National School of RV Park & Campground Management

Candidate statement:

I will use my extensive Nudist, Association, Club Owner and Hospitality Industry experience to help develop AANR as a business Centric Organization dedicated to expansion of membership, meeting AANR Mission Statement goals with a commitment to superior service for family oriented nudists.  I am committed to effective recruitment and retention of Generation X, Y and young families into AANR.

My successful leadership in financial management, membership growth, government affairs and effective public relations are well documented.  My education, association experience and 29 years establishing and growing one of the premier clubs in AANR-East make me uniquely qualified for AANR Vice President.