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Kids Participating in Nude Olympics Is All Kinds of Wrong

by Julie Ryan Evans on January 8 at 11:45 AM

naked statue You know, I'm all for more inclusion of children in our society than less. When restaurants ban children and people act like they're more toxic than radioactive waste, I bristle. But there are some activities in which children should just never ever be included -- like in nude Olympics, for example.

Oh but yes, they are. The Australia Nude Olympics are coming up at Maslin Beach January 20. The games will include about 20 races and activities, all being done by people in their birthday suits. Children are more than welcome and can participate in events like sack races and treasure hunts. One of the event organizers even told news.com.au that they're planning it as a "safe family event."

Are they freaking serious?

Let's see, the first thing that comes to mind is ... child molesters! No, not all nudists are child molesters, but if you advertise that you can be naked around a bunch of children, well, I'd say that's like a big white flag welcoming in a bunch of twisted perverts, no?

Oh, but organizers say they have a plan to help protect the kids -- they'll have them wear pants. Organizer Debbie Pillar told the site, "We will be making sure children wear bottoms before participating and hopefully we won't have any issues.'' Because pants always protect kids from molesters?

And while they say they will prohibit "unauthorized" photography, you know how easy it is to take stealth pictures these days. Who knows where your kid's picture could end up, and pants or not, that's just creepy.

I have nothing against nudists who want to embrace their bodies in private and have a nude household. I think at a certain age it's probably embarrassing for kids, and it's something I'd never do. But to each his own ... to a certain point. Taking your kids to a place full of naked adults (especially one that's advertised as such) is asking for all sorts of problems, and I fail to see any kind of benefit in doing so. And safety aside, these poor kids are probably going to be scarred for life when they see some of those aging bodies running and jumping in their full, saggy glory.

Would you ever let your children attend or participate in nude Olympics?

Image via ketrin1407/Flickr

Filed Under: activities

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Doomy234

January 8 at 12:01 PM

I understand your worry, but seeing as how the kids will be wearing pants, then how is this any different than taking your sons to a public swimming pool where they would be shirtless and wearing shorts? Molesters could be anywhere, so why is this place any different? Sounds to me like you ARE judging naked adults as perverts instead of people embracing the bodies they were born with. If you're so worried about your kids being exploited on the streets then why do you take them into public?
Let these parents do what they want. They arent hurting their kids.
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RosasMummy

January 8 at 12:12 PM

Translation of this entire article: I don't understand why nudists are nudists so I'm scared of them.
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lexishandRyason

January 8 at 12:15 PM

i agree with Doomy234. YOU are judging parents who are embracing nudity and they are teaching their kids to embrace their bodies. I would not fear some one molesting my children, I teach my children to scream bloody murder if any one touches in a wrong way
-- Nonmember comment from
Kimi

January 8 at 12:47 PM

I for one agree with you. I completely except nudists. The human body is a beautifull thing. To each his own and all that good stuff but I would never condone this. Exposing children to a bunch of naked adults.. no. good exampl.. movies. if there is nudity in a movie it has a rating that suggests children shouldnt be permited to watch it. for me it isnt about the people being nude. or people possibly being perverts or molesters. its just the thought of letting my child see it.
-- Nonmember comment from
Victoria

January 8 at 1:06 PM

Yet, I have always found that people who are okay with nudity are the ones who are most INSECURE. Secure people don't have to go against convention. Insecure people have to say, "Look at me, everyone must look at me", that and I have a friend who at 47 is still scarred by her father running around naked. Let's not assume children are okay with a grown person's nakedness. Let's let them decide for themselves when they grow up. Anything else is sexual abuse.
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Vegeta

January 8 at 1:41 PM

It's also Australia a lot of the people there are of aboriginal decent, they didn't wear clothes. Plus they have a European mindframe so they're not weirded out by nudity like Americans are. They probably have a fantastic time at that event and all you can think about is child molesters. Way to be closed minded and negative.
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Doomy234

January 8 at 1:43 PM

So being okay with your body makes you insecure, Victoria? These people are being naked with other people who enjoy being naked, not walking down the street nude for the whole city to see. I am sure this convention will be in a specific contained area so that those who dont want to see, dont have to. And if these people are nudists, would it not mean that they are probably walking around naked at home, where their kids are? Not everyone is scarred by public nudity. When I was young I accidentally walked in on my father stepping out of the shower, and sure it was pretty awkward, but I am not scarred. Also, when I was 4 my hippie neighbors invited me to go swimming in the pond, and the two boys were naked, which was also incredibly awkward. But I survived, I am fine with nudity. So you cant just say its child abuse. Children obviously know they have bodies under their clothes, and they know that adults do as well. I am just saying, let these parents be naked if they want. Its not YOUR family, so why do you care?
-- Nonmember comment from
Mark

January 8 at 4:41 PM

Actually Julie they are more likly to be molested at church by a priest, camp by a consulor or school by teacher then at a nudest event. We do our kids a great diservice by teaching them that the bodies is bad and needs to be hidden. The event sponsors and police will be ore then capible ofdealing with un-authorized picture takers. There would be a lot less rapes and molestations in this world if we were a lot less uptight and ashamed of the human form.
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babybirch

January 8 at 5:12 PM

First of all, pedophiles are going to fantasize about your kids regardless of whether they are nude or clothed. Not only this, but pedophiles are far more likely to prey upon children they know and are close to than one they see out on the street.

Second of all, this is a prime example of American hypocritical prudishness. Honestly, what is so shameful about being naked? The human body is a beautiful and incredible thing. There's nothing more heartwarming than seeing my little ones running around, naked as the day they were born, being their natural, innocent, pure selves. I don't know why people are so concerned with nudity in this country. Everything has to be sexualized...
-- Nonmember comment from
reader

January 8 at 8:43 PM

I agree with babybirch. America is so over the top when it comes to things like this. People who are going to 'think that way' are going to think that way no matter what any child is wearing. America is a very uptight place when it comes to nudity. In places where nudity is common, there is no issue. It's normalized and people don't find anything wrong with it. Would you be writing a similar article if you heard about an Amazon tribe running similar games in the jungle?