Go naked! Without clothes, you are who you really are!

Who doesn't like to skinny-dip or get an all-over sun tan?! Hauraki Naturally exists to promote and advocate for healthy, innocent, clothes-free recreation in appropriate public spaces, such as beaches, rivers and lakes, forest tracks and cycle trails, and more. We aim to show society that the human body should be celebrated in all its infinite variations of colour, shapes and sizes, and not hidden away as an object of embarrassment and shame. We strive to break down the antiquated taboos around nakedness that cause people to falsely associate nudity with sex.

Mental illness caused by body shame and low self worth is endemic in New Zealand, particularly with our younger people. Being overly sensitive about nudity around children is arguably having a profoundly negative effect on their development and their attitudes to body image. Kids are increasingly seeing false airbrushed and manipulated images of people, which set unobtainable beauty standards for many of our children. Three out of four children as young as 12 dislike their bodies and are embarrassed by the way they look, increasing to eight in ten young people aged 18 to 21.

Scientific research shows that people who spend time in the outdoors without clothing have far less anxiety about their body appearance and are generally happier and healthier. Children who grow up in families where nakedness is commonplace develop into well-balanced, respectful adults with much less tendency to objectify the human body.