While arranging the details of our January event in Harlem our host offered, “The week after the event is my 40th birthday, maybe that could be the theme.” As we love a good theme, we bought party hats, balloons, and noise makers and decided to throw our first Natural Pursuits birthday party. Mimosas flowed and new friends were made.

After the event we started thinking about aging and nudism, and wanted to get our community’s thoughts. We created a quick survey and asked our twitter followers to fill it out. To our surprise, we got 86 responses.

We wanted to share with you some of the responses we received.

The first question was simple, “How would you characterize your relationship with your body as you’ve gotten older?” As you can see in the graph above that 68.7% of respondents said their relationship was better, 19.3% said their relationship was worse, and 12% said it was about the same.

We followed up and asked people to tell us more about their response. Here are some highlights.

While my body has expanded and is less muscular than it once was, I am much more comfortable in my skin. I once worried about measuring up to others, however now I just don’t care.

I was 39 when I started exploring social nudity and I’ve learned in the 5 years since to embrace my body for what it is and what it gives me.

My body hasn’t changed much tbh but my perception of it has. I came out of the closet in my 30s and ran into amazing people who taught me to love my own body.

I grew up in the 90’s and spent my 20s in my 30s wanting to be supermodel thin. I realize that’s not reality for me or my body and it made me much happier and according to other people much sexier. But that’s none of my business.

A theme that came out in the responses that many people’s negative views of their body was based on the standards of beauty that exist in our community.

Getting older as a gay man is difficult. I used to be a cute boy & the realization that I’m “older” or “mature” is really hard to take. I avoid nude gathering because they look like they’re all for bears and otters.

I’ve realized that my body is amazing and that I am so lucky, even if I don’t fit into our culture’s aesthetic ideal. My body works and feels good. Forget anything else.

With age, I’ve come to realize that if someone has an issue with some aspect of my body (its hairiness, shape, etc.) that’s on them, not me.

Next we asked our respondents, “As you age, what change to your body do you like the most?” While there are plenty of people who responded with “nothing”, we got a kick out of learning about the changes you all are excited about.

I really appreciate how my body communicates with me, for better or worse.

When I was a twink, I would have described my body as exhibiting “lollipop head syndrome”—you know, really skinny but big head, so it kinda looks like a lollipop. I’ve filled out since then, and am less self conscious, even if I would like to have a higher muscle to fat ratio.

I’ve gotten thicker, less scrawny and more curves and muscular.

My armpits and arse ring.

There were some common answers, which you can see in the graphics below.

Since we asked what change people liked the most, we thought it only fair to ask what changes they liked the least. There are many physical aspects of aging that just aren’t great — metabolism and erectile function changes are bummers. On some level, we all know that these changes are going to happen, but that doesn’t make it any easier when they do.

Appearances of aging. Hair on shins disappearing, slight wrinkles and sagging in the face. Eyes wrinkled. This last one 56 and all forward, because it seems like I’m in my “senior youth” from here on.

Muscle tone loss.

Droopy butt.

Aches and pains that make it difficult to move as freely

We didn’t want to end this piece by focussing on the less appealing parts of getting older, so here are a few more quotes from our respondents and a few more pics from our first naked birthday party!

Ironically, I had a better body when I was younger, but always struggled with loving it. Becoming a nudist has helped a lot.

Through the years I’ve come to realise the body I live in is, has and will be my body. I do not know how long will it last, but while it does, I have to embrace it back as my soul has been embraced by it.

I’ve always liked my body overall but at times I allow society to get into my head and I worry about if I’m in shape or if I look good. But always in the end, I realize it’s what makes me happiest that matters. I accept myself.