Hosts and guests’ social representations of nudism: A mutual gaze approach

Abstract

Based on the mutual gaze concept and social representations theory, this study explored locals and nudists’ perceptions of social nudity and each other. Interviews with locals and nudists at a beach destination in Mexico revealed that both groups’ representations of naturism’s ideals, practices and benefits differ considerably. While nudists conceive nudism as a way of life, locals see it as a practice that outside the nudist space is morally unacceptable. Locals’ acceptance of nudists is largely conditioned by their economic significance, and residents have been active subjects in decisions about nudists’ use of local spaces. Nudists have positive perceptions of locals but are dissatisfied with spatial sanctions of nudism. Practical implications are presented.