AANR (American Association for Nude Recreation) has a rich history dating back to 1931 when it was known as the INC (International Nudist Conference). It became the ASA (American Sunbathing Association) in 1936. During its early years, the ASA faced significant challenges, including societal stigma and legal obstacles to nude recreation. Dedicated individuals within the organization worked tirelessly to advocate for nudist rights and educate the public about the benefits of nudism. Today, AANR finds itself confronting familiar issues: declining membership, nudist resorts either closing or reverting to non-clothing optional status, and legal threats to our nude privileges, reminiscent of the ASA’s early struggles.
As President, my vision is twofold: to safeguard our legendary past while implementing innovative strategies to restore AANR as the premier nudist organization. I am committed to breaking down barriers and fostering a closer collaboration and alliance between AANR, the Regions, staff, and associated resorts. By promoting shared best practices and aligning our goals, we will appear unified and strong. We are stronger together.
Now is the time for a leader who will champion new ideas and positive revisions. I am committed to ensuring we look at all possibilities and foster a culture of free-thinking that allows us to discuss new ideas without reprisal.
Simply stated, we need more places to go nude. I will work tirelessly to expand our nude recreation options to include not only our esteemed nudist resorts, but free beaches and nude in nature spaces in which to offer options not previously supported. AANR has been at the forefront of the nudist culture by promoting resorts where you can enjoy nude recreation in a safe environment and places to socially connect with other nudists like non-landed “social” or “travel” clubs and online platforms. We also need to provide a welcoming space for everyone who wishes to embrace the nudist philosophy, including home nudists and ideas to welcome marginalized communities. Members are AANR’s greatest asset and I vow provide leadership that makes your membership more valuable and give you a voice in the organization.
We can no longer afford complacency; we need proactive measures and a willingness to confront issues head-on. I will work with the Board and the Trustees to get us back on track, modify the current way we do business, and implement plans that ensure AANR’s future. It is time to diverge from conventional approaches and embrace innovative ideas. We must welcome new voices, new ideas, and reject that which stifles progress. Committees should be think-tanks of innovation, not roadblocks to fresh ideas. When we reflect upon our storied history and the gains we have made, we need to constantly remember that at any point in time, if we are not vigilant, our nude privileges could come under attack again and be proactive rather than reactive.
With your vote of support, we can ensure a brighter future for AANR and the nudist community as a whole. Let us leave a legacy of relevance for generations to come.
Linda Weber
#VoteLindaForAANRPresident
I have some questions I would really like to have answered before voting.
1. In the case that you receive a report of an AANR-affiliated club hosting a drag show, how would you respond?
2. Some AANR members have suggested the organization should align with the LGBTQ community to gain support for naturist rights under a larger umbrella; what would your policy be?
3. Many AANR-affiliated clubs restrict memberships to men to maintain a ratio of male-to-female members; how do you feel about this?
4. What practical steps do you propose to normalize social nudity?
5. What ideas do you have for changing laws that unfairly discriminate against nudity, both in public places (such as beaches) and private residences (people’s homes, yards, etc)?
Marty – Thank you for your thoughtful questions. Before making any decisions or taking action, I believe it is crucial to thoroughly investigate the situation. This might involve reaching out to the club organizers to gather information about the event. To be honest, drag shows aren’t a typical activity the nudist community would immediately consider a nudist activity. According to AANR, clubs have the autonomy to run their businesses as they see fit, as long as it does not violate their affiliation agreement. I prefer not to set a policy in place “in case” something like this happens because using “what if” hypothetical situations do not always take into account the specifics of the rationale behind such a decision and I would like to give the club the benefit of the doubt and allow them to present their case before making a policy.
AANR welcomes all who wish to enjoy wholesome nude recreation which includes marginalized or under-represented groups. One of my top initiatives is to create a Youth and Diversity Advisory Council to develop ideas to welcome members of diverse communities. As a Board, it is disrespectful to either gloss over or make decisions without including representatives of these communities for their insights and input. This is a much-needed and neglected opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to all, not just some. I already have two younger volunteers for the Council who reached out to me to applaud this initiative and who want to see this come to fruition.
One of the first questions to me when I got onto social media five years ago, was to ask why single men were turned away due to gender balancing. I did research on it and found it to be shockingly true. Sometimes, in trying to solve one issue, it unintentionally causes another one. Men make up the majority of those participating in nude recreation. So in essence, you are disenfranchising the largest market of utilizers. Both AANR and the clubs are suffering a reduction in membership so I would like to work with the clubs to come up with a solution because in some cases where this has been instituted, it is not working. I understand that women may not want to walk into a club where there are little to no women however, we can’t penalize one group in the hope that another group will step up. I am often one of just a handful, or perhaps the only woman, at many events. It is my hope that collaborating with clubs to explore effective solutions which promote inclusivity while addressing membership challenges will help bridge the issues we are currently hearing about.
I have been at the forefront of “normalizing nudity” with my social media accounts, interviews, podcasts, magazine articles, Directorship in the AANR-West Region, and creator of the hashtag “IAmtheFaceofNaturism.” I have networked with other nudist advocates around the world and received the “AANR Family of the Year” Award in 2023 for my advocacy. I attend both nudist and non-nudist events to promote nudity and naturism and look for opportunities to educate those who are not familiar with the nudist philosophy.
Currently AANR has the GAT – Government Action Team, and they actively look for legislation that may harm or restrict our nudist privileges. I support ensuring that the GAT is properly funded as well as working with additional “boots on the ground” volunteers in the Regions to be proactive in alerting AANR to situations so we can react before a bill is enacted and the privilege lost. The AANR office regularly fields calls for various legal challenges to nudity, however, I would like to see us partner with other nudist organizations and federations as well as affiliated nudist businesses or groups to have a seat at the table to provide a united front.
four questions I will ask of both candidates)..
1) AANR-East. Might we work toward eliminating or reducing revenues to the regions. Here in AANR-East, I see a lot of meetings. board members, mission statements, planning statements – BUT NO ACTIVITIES DIRECTED AT THE MEMBERS.
Correct me if I’m wrong – but – might it be time to reduce the regional structures?
2) Again, AANR-East. I realize that in the upcoming election – a walkover for three directors – two of the candidates are minorities, and this is a good thing. Their non-landed org is based in Maryland. BUT — BUT — neither live within the East region; one is in Texas and the other in Illinois. How can this help the members of the East region?
3) OUTREACH. There seems to be a reluctance to do any outreach for nudism in the mainstream world. I’m mystified that we don’t see live shots on TV, nor are we at consumer shows (RV, health, exercise) where there is a direct, target audience.
4) WINR – Women in Nude Recreation, a great project and objective. But the effort, with an RV traveling around the west (on whose dime? are AANR members paying for that?) doesn’t seem to be outreach but “preaching to the choir”. Is anything being done with this project to reach women outside of our clubs?
I realize that question #2 might come across incorrectly – but I firmly believe that a regional director should live within the region he/she/they represent.
They certainly ARE qualified!
Thank your for your clarification.
The ImPerfect Tour is not all that WINR is about. The 2024 WOW Campaign is in full swing and it is an INTERNATIONAL campaign. The Website is an AMAZING resource. Look at the 2023 WOW Blog. If outreach is your goal, SHARE THE LINK!
I looked through the WOW blog. Nice idea, but, again, I don’t know how it qualifies as outreach. I don’t know if women will randomly bump into the page. Outsiders aren’t just going to easily stumble into it or find it.
And yes, I would like to know who’s funding the ImPerfect project.
I think you will be pleased to know that thanks to some fantastic support from resorts along their route, a significant portion of their expenses, including stays and day fees, were generously comped. Additionally, I was able to secure funding for the WINR program, through my advocacy efforts. I was contacted by a supporter who recognized the value of encouraging women to explore nudism and generously contributed $10,000. After discussions with Andee and me, he decided to increase the contribution by $2,000 specifically for the ImPerfect tour. The donor asked that I help direct the funds to opportunities that you mentioned however, many gyms, colleges, and health organizations mentioned they did not feel comfortable about the nudity aspect.
Andee’s updates from the tour have been truly inspiring. Her motivational talks have resonated deeply with many women, especially those who initially felt unsure about embracing nudity. Andee provides updates on a podcast called “Naked, Nudists, and Naturists,” as well as updates on the WINR page on the AANR.com website.
If you have any suggestions or contacts that could support Andee’s outreach efforts, we would be happy to hear from you.
Thank you for your positive reply about the WINR on Wheels campaign. I had the opportunity to visit Glen Eden and see Andee’s presentation as well as my husband attending the men’s gathering with Tom, her husband. Andee is making a difference in many of the women’s lives and at some of the clubs, the invitation was extended to women who are not currently nudists.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful questions. It has always been a priority for me to ensure that every member understands the workings of the AANR Board, as well as what their membership in AANR provides so I am grateful for the opportunity to address your inquiries.
In my commitment to improving our organization, I proposed a business plan that included a thorough examination of our Regional structure with the aim of transitioning all AANR members to Direct Membership. While this proposal wasn’t embraced by the current Board and Trustees, I respect their perspective on maintaining a structure that fosters closer connections within the Regions.
I want to emphasize the importance of member involvement in shaping our policies and decisions. Regular attendance at AANR-E Board Meetings provides a platform for members to voice their opinions and contribute to the direction of the organization. Additionally, standing for a Board position offers an opportunity to directly influence policies that affect your Region.
If any member feels under-served by their Region, it is crucial to communicate these concerns to the Region’s President. Our primary goal is to serve our members effectively, and feedback is invaluable in identifying areas where improvements are needed.
Regarding the residency of Directors, I understand the concern you have raised. It is essential that all Directors act in the best interest of their respective Regions, regardless of where they reside. For non-landed clubs, where the club is headquartered is the Region the membership resides, regardless if it is out of the Region. I am also committed to ensuring that our Regions help develop individuals for Board service, offering members a choice in leadership, as well.
While fiscal responsibility is crucial, I believe we can strike a balance between financial prudence and investing in outreach efforts. By showcasing nudism as a healthy and inclusive lifestyle choice, we can overcome the stigma and expanding our reach to a broader audience.
Central to my platform is outreach, particularly in engaging younger members and incorporating their perspectives. Establishing a Youth and Diversity Advisory Council will provide a platform for younger voices to be heard, ensuring that our organization evolves to meet the needs of all members.
I have forwarded your last question to Andee Rodgers, the AANR WINR Chair, who is actively bringing the Women in Nude Recreation program to clubs in the West, all the way to Canada. Women are a minority in nudism and we need to work to educate and encourage women to embrace nudity. I am sure she will be able to elaborate on the wonderful work she and her husband Tom have done for our members.
Your concerns are valued, and I will be committed to leading the organization forward, as your President. Embracing positive change and ensuring that the voices of all members are heard and respected is of utmost importance to me. Thank you for your dedication to the AANR community.
Thank you for your reply to my questions. Have to mull over the answers here, and also see how Tim replied.
AND- you had a good first interview with Tim C. on clothesfree.com.
At an AANR-NW meeting it was voted to fund $2500 for the WINR road trip.
Hi Linda,
I am so totally opposed to a couples discount. You wrote “This includes reconsidering the removal of the couple’s discounts and charging for “The Bulletin.”
Why would you work to restore a couples discount?
You also mentioned reviewing charging for the Bulletin. It is a member benefit. AANR only charges a minimal fee if a member wants a hard copy. The cost of postage was a considerable consideration when the decision was made to charge a minimal fee for hard copies. Would you be considering increasing AANR memberships to cover the cost of hard copies for members?
Hi Shirley – First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude for your dedication to AANR and for your contributions to the GAT program. Your commitment is what is good about AANR.
I understand your concerns regarding the recent changes, particularly the removal of the couples discount and the decision to charge for “The Bulletin.” These changes had unintended consequences, affecting both membership and AANR financially.
By eliminating the couples discount, we unintentionally caused members to find ways to bypass the system, which led to a decline in membership. It is clear that what may seem like a minor adjustment can have significant repercussions. The decision to charge for “The Bulletin” was made with budget considerations in mind, and unfortunately, it disenfranchised some members who viewed it as a loss of a member perk. Not all of our members are tech-savvy and many reported they liked to share the magazine with others or leave them in places for others to enjoy.
Your feedback is invaluable. We need to strike a balance between financial responsibility and member satisfaction. I am committed to restoring AANR as the premier nudist organization, one that prioritizes the well-being and happiness of its members while ensuring we are fiscally responsible with the money entrusted to us by the members.
Moving forward, I will be committed to balancing future changes to ensure they align with our core values with fiscal oversight. AANR has kept their dues static for many years and with the changing environment and the increased cost of doing business, future increases may be needed. However, I am looking at other ways of balancing the budget that will hopefully keep us from taking that option at this time.
Your reasoning for charging singles more than what a person of a couple would be charged does not seem reasonable to me.
You wrote-“By eliminating the couples discount, we unintentionally caused members to find ways to bypass the system, which led to a decline in membership. It is clear that what may seem like a minor adjustment can have significant repercussions.” I am confused how charging singles more would allow members to bypass the system.
Would you mind explaining? Any one of us could find ourselves single for a variety of reasons. It appears that by offering couples who more than likely have dual incomes a discount we are discouraging single memberships.
Perhaps some singles will comment their feelings about this topic. As an AANR member in a committed “couple” relationship I find a couple discount offensive. I belong to the largest club in AANR-NW and we do not offer any type of couple membership let alone a discount. It works!
Linda I do appreciate your transparency on this topic.
Hi Shirley –
I was purposely vague regarding elaboration on how the discontinuation of the couples discount led to members circumventing the system. My aim was to prevent additional repercussions, which would adversely affect our clubs and resorts financially, as well as AANR. Not only do I want AANR to thrive, but our affiliated clubs and resorts as well.
FWIW, I’ll offer up my situation: My wife and I have had a family membership for the Naturist Society for over 20 years. A couple of years ago, I decided to join AANR as well. Not seeing a family or couple option, I joined as a single. The places my wife and I are inclined to go offer discounts to both TNS & AANR members, so we’re covered whether we go individually or together. We get the magazines of both. So if the member price for AANR is $X, I’m only willing to pay $X, not $XX. Sorry, I just am. But assume AANR were to offer a family or couple discount for a rate of $X&1/2 or even $X&3/4, I’d be more inclined to pay that just to support the organization.
First of all, thank you for running. I am curious your opinion on the INF and you feel there would be any benefits in the AANR rejoining them. Would there be benefits for Naturism world wide?
Also, how do see AANR working with other countries associations like the FCN when currently it seems they are in competition with each other?
Thank you for your support, Kevin. Several years ago, I initiated discussions regarding the potential rejoining of the INF-FNI. With steadfast leadership now in place, this consideration is being revisited. The benefit lies not only with the INF, which stands to gain the support of 30,000 AANR members, but also with the solidarity of naturism as a whole. The alliance between the INF and the largest nudist organization in North America would no doubt, strengthen the nudist movement.
In view of declining membership in nudism and naturism, as well as legislative challenges that directly impact our community, unity among nudist and naturist organizations and federations has never been more pressing. We must stand together against these external threats, recognizing that our aggregate strength far outweighs our individual capabilities. As a member of AANR, TNS, BN, INA, INF, and FCN, I have actively engaged with each organization to explore avenues for collaboration. In my role as President, I am committed to developing a comprehensive strategy that facilitates reciprocal or discounted memberships and fosters inclusivity within AANR-affiliated clubs and resorts to participating nudist/naturist organizations. Moreover, I will work to ensure AANR members are just as warmly received at international naturist venues.
It is essential that we understand why our membership numbers are flagging. However, we need hard data analysis in order to not jump to conclusions.
Your statement that eliminating the couples discount caused members to not renew is not backed by any data. At most, you might have some person(s) that are bothered by it complaining about it. Membership marketing has been asking for the data to validate if this is truly an issue for over two months from the AANR office, even suggesting what data would be needed to evaluate it. We have yet to receive that data. If you have this data, please share it with the committee.
Moving to pay for the mailing of the Bulletin was problematical in that it was a decision made by the finance committee with the office without board advice. There is perhaps some data that suggests it has lead to more people not renewing. But that data is not yet completely analyzed. Once again, we are awaiting more data.
However, there is a budget problem in that it is expensive to mail the Bulletin. Several years ago, it cost $15 to mail the Bulletin in the states (nearly half the cost of a membership) I believe that cost has increased. This cost skyrockets when our member does not live in the US. If we return to sending the Bulletin out for free we are having some members subsidize the small number of people that get the hard copy Bulletin. And to be able to balance the budget, we will need to raise rates. Members really don’t like it when we raise rates. There is no extra money laying around unless we decide to reduce staff or other programs. Neither of these are simple.
Linda
As our membership is declining due to the aging population of nudists (the hippies from the ‘60’s, which I am one), what will you do to encourage younger people to join AANR?
Great question! It is vital we recognize the diverse perspectives and preferences of younger generations in nude recreation. As a Board composed of older individuals, it is important instead of guessing what they would like, we actively seek input from younger people as well as marginalized groups to ensure our initiatives are relevant and inclusive. They don’t want their “grandparent’s nudist organization.”
To address this, I will be establishing an Advisory Council comprised of younger individuals and representatives from marginalized groups. This council will serve as a platform for these voices to be heard, valued, and actively involved in shaping the future of our organization. By giving them a voice, we acknowledge their importance and demonstrate our commitment to fostering a community that embraces diversity and progression. I believe this is essential to ensure that AANR will be around for our future generations.
There was an advisory council for youth and diversity a few years back that was started by the PR committee. They published a set of recommendations and suggested that the best way forward would be if their members were integrated into the various committees. And that has happened. Several members of the combined Membership Marketing/PR have come from the committee. And the Social Media Committee is chaired by them.
Your speech here has a very political tone. How about providing substance:
1. What are some of your innovative strategies to as noted restore AANR
2. How in the current economic condition do you plan to move forward with your stated goals of growth and expansion
I agree it’s time for new blood and voices heard through different ears and outside the legal realm options for doing things differently.
Best of Luck!
Here are a few of the initiatives I am looking to implement:
– Unifying AANR HQ and Regions: I believe in fostering better communication and collaboration between AANR HQ and the Regions to better support members and clubs.
– Reviewing Decisions: I intend to review budget-centric decisions made and ensure they align with the needs and preferences of our membership. This includes reconsidering the removal of the couple’s discounts and charging for “The Bulletin.” Our members are our most valuable asset and we need to ensure we give them value and pride in their membership.
– Establishing an Advisory Council: I propose establishing an Advisory Council comprised of younger members who can effectively communicate the needs of younger people and marginalized communities within our organization, and act on those ideas.
– Reinstating Club Liaison Positions: I aim to reintroduce Club Liaison positions within each Region to facilitate effective communication between clubs and Regional Boards, ensuring that club needs are adequately addressed.
– Membership Drives: I am committed to working closely with clubs to encourage membership in both clubs and AANR, including organizing membership drives to increase overall membership. This is vital to ensure we remain the premier nudist organization in the world, as well as ensure the future of nudism.
Linda: I enjoyed your podast with Helen Berriman. It is great that AANR is represented by you on a world wide basis.
Thank you David. One of my initiatives is to create relationships between AANR and other naturist/nudist organizations and Federations, just as I have personally.
Thank you David. I hope to foster the same relationships with other nudist/naturist organizations and federations, just as I have done personally.
Hi Linda. What club are you from? What AANR experience do you have?
Thank you for your inquiry. The Bulletin, coming out in May has my experience outlined in a bit more detail. I am a Direct Member as my club in Hawaii closed down however, I am a member of SCNA, Southern California Naturists Association as well as the SUNS, Southern Utah Naturists Society.
I managed a sales team for a national healthcare company with a multi-million-dollar budget. This role required me to allocate resources effectively, set financial sales goal targets, and ensure my team’s success while adhering to budgetary directives as given to me by the company. I reported directly to the company’s President and interacted with multiple departments within the company and affiliates in other states.
In addition to my experience with the sales team, during my tenure as HOA President, I gained extensive experience in budgeting, financial management, reserve studies, and strategic planning. I successfully directed complex financial decisions, oversaw the allocation of resources, and collaborated with attorneys to ensure we were within legal guidelines. I was also in the role of Secretary/Treasurer, which enhanced my financial knowledge. I managed financial records, prepared budgets, and implemented economic policies to ensure transparency and accountability.
Within these experiences lies the management of diverse personalities and how to effectively ensure the job was completed successfully at the end of the day, as well as taking corrective action when it wasn’t. I understand I will be representing the organization not only within the nudism community but also interacting with a multitude of companies and individuals within this position.
I am a longtime nudist , I created a non-landed club in Tulsa, and was granted AANR & TNS agreement . That club became after once more in SC; Travelites continues, now for 30+ years and promotes G-rated nudism.
Pete, an AANR writer, added a blurb for the Bulletin regarding my continued promotion and education of whoever and wherever I might have that opportunity.
Currently living on 7 wonderful acres with a pool, hot tub, 40+ flower gardens not hiding behind closed walls, We now have 3 residents with another moving from Connecticut to be our 4th full-time resident plus my husband who says he is a life-long nudist and moved from Idaho to enjoy a little piece of heaven in our backyard. He is a big help as is our property manager and visiting friends from Georgia, we even hosted a Missouri judge one weekend. One more thing, my neighbors have all started letting people know what family-friendly nudists can accomplish. BTW, the community bestowed an award to me for being a good neighbor and helping where I can
I sincerely hope to remain an active nudist with supporting AANR and TNS.
How can I vote for you as President?? I think you would be perfect!!!
Thank you for your support! In May’s “The Bulletin” it will have voting information as well as candidate statements. Please ensure your e-mail on file with AANR is correct as this will be where the voting instructions are sent. With your help, we can make your vote a reality for AANR.
We see Linda as strong vibrant voice for naturism. As a proud nudist, she has opened the windows for potential new participants through so many social media avenues and personal appearances at naturist venues and activities. And she has done this globally. Linda is such a strong voice for women to join in naturism She is a wonderful ambassador for nudism all.
Definitely our choice.
Jan&Gary
Jan and Gary – I appreciate your support and kind words. With your votes, I hope to represent AANR as I have done on social media – showing the best that nudism can be and the benefits that everyone can enjoy.
Good luck, Linda. Do we nudists all proud.👍👍❤️❤️
Good luck and best wishes, Linda. We know you will do we nudists proud.
Jan & Gary 👍😊❤️
These goals are admirable, but I don’t see any comment about experience. What sort of experience running an internation organization with a million-dollar budget? Do you have the experience to achieve these goals?