The followers see it as the most natural behavior in the world. Outside, people find it odd, but some even risk to go beyond the rocks to check out the area. It is the first Brazilian Naturist Congress that took place in sunny Rio de Janeiro, where nudists from all parts of the country gathered at the city's traditional Abrico beach. For many people, naturism is essentially the same as nudism with the distinctions between skinny-dipping, nude sunbathing and social nudity blurred. It is precisely this false idea that naturists from around Brazil want to take apart. Despite its hot tropical weather, Brazil is not one of the countries, like Spain or France, where social nudity is well developed and fairly accepted. Among the naturists the atmosphere was pleasant and carefree. On one side of the beach, a volleyball championship entertained the more athletic. The light blue ocean also invited people to enjoy a swim. A naked bodyboarder also took advantage of the small but well formed waves. Vice-president of the Naturist Association, Mauro Martins, said that in Brazil, as in many other parts of the world, naturism is still widely discriminated by those who don't know that their philosophy is self-respect, respect to others and respect towards the environment. "Naturism in Brazil, as in many other parts of the world, that have no (naturist) tradition, is still very discriminated by the public, who doesn't know what naturism is. Naturism is a philosophy that pledges in first p...
