By Rebecca Drew
THIS FEMALE naturist says she is inundated with MARRIAGE PROPOSALS from fans ‘enamoured’ with her bum and even though some people call her a ‘slut’ insists nudity isn’t sexual.
Naturist advocate, influencer, and registered nurse, Victoria Vantage (29), from Columbus, Ohio, USA, has always been interested in the human form.
In 2009, Victoria volunteered as a nude model for a life drawing class whilst she was at university and she discovered that the notion of being her natural, naked self was incredibly liberating. This sparked Victoria’s passion for naturism and from that moment on, she was determined to explore her own relationship with her body through nude art modelling.
For Victoria, naturism has helped her grow to love and accept her body in its natural form and she is keen to dispel the myth that naturists are nude 100 percent of the time.
Victoria says she prefers to do most household tasks naked. She does enjoy hiking and cycling naked in nature too, but she only does so if it’s comfortable, safe, and not disrespectful to others.
Victoria, who works part time as a registered nurse, shares pictures of herself in the nude with her thousands of followers on Instagram, and on subscription service Patreon, and says that people are ‘enamoured’ by the pictures she takes of her bum.
She has a host of superfans who regularly comment on her posts and she is frequently sent marriage proposals from admirers. Victoria’s following is 96 per cent male with the majority of fans aged between 25 and 44.
Naturism isn’t about being sexual and Victoria wants to show others through her work that nudity is natural. She hopes to be able to reverse the cultural connotations that nudity is bad or always sexual, which she says can lead to insecurity.
“Being a nude model for a drawing class helped me to see myself. In the time leading up to the interview for the position, I spent a fair amount of time practicing poses and looking at myself nude which later translated into me seeing myself become a piece of art,” said Victoria.
“Seeing myself in a new medium opened my eyes to my body’s unique characteristics and once the class was over, I was compelled to continue to explore more nude art – growing my relationship with my body.
“Naturism is a lifestyle that combines the love and appreciation for our human figure, mind, emotions, and spirit combined with the love and eternal connection, gratitude, and appreciation to Mother Earth.
“Up to this point I had posted a variety of nude photos, including professional, amateur, and self-shot ones, but once I discovered that so many folks were enamoured with photos I took of myself featuring my bum, I just ran with it.
“I receive a wide range of comments from marriage proposals to being called a slut and everything in between. These days most folks are very positive and appreciate my photos. I try not to become emotionally connected to or involved with the comments in my feed.
“Other’s perceptions of my image are just that, their own. I work hard to focus on creating art that is meaningful and beautiful to me without needing external validation from others. I do have several super fans who always pop up in my comments leaving meaningful and genuine comments that always make me smile. I feel grateful to have them in my life.
“I love that naturism has enabled me to love and appreciate my body as a natural thing, always connected to nature and spirit. Of course, I have my own insecurities and self-image issues occasionally, but to be able to find peace and solitude whilst nude in nature always grounds me and reminds me of where I came from.
“I don’t particularly recall the very first time I had a nude adventure outdoors, but I would guess that the experience felt very natural and relaxing, much as it is today.
“A big misconception that I get from many people is that naturists are nude all the time, which isn’t true. There aren’t many places in the world where it is possible to be one-hundred-percent naked all of the time while still trying to work and live in society.
“I prefer to do many things naked, particularly around my house or at my cabin, if the climate is comfortable, but I don’t really go out of the way to be naked if it’s going to be uncomfortable for me, unsafe, or disrespectful to others.
“Many folks associate nudity with being sexual or having a sexual connotation. My goal is to promote non-sexual nudity and advocate for the naturist lifestyle. Many cultures around the world teach children that nudity is bad which I think corresponds appropriately with the number of adults today who have body image issues and struggle to have appropriate and realistic expectations about human anatomy and sexuality.
“I can only do my small share of promoting non-sexual nudity; for society and cultures to mend their troubled and unhealthy relationships and perceptions around nudity, there needs to be an entire cultural shift in what is being taught to children as they grow and develop.”
Naturism is the practice of going without clothes – whether just occasionally or as a more general part of everyday life.
For Victoria, the only downside to her current lifestyle is that it is not acceptable to be naked more often in society – she shared her words of advice to others who might be interested in pursuing naturism.
“I think many folks get caught up on where they can actually try being nude safely and to this I would suggest finding a local naturist safe area, and if that isn’t possible, even a private/secluded Airbnb,” she said.
“I go into many more details about how to be safe, conscientious, and legal while nude, so if any readers are curious to learn more they can check out my book The Natural Spirit: An Introductory Guide to the Naturist Experience.
“Digital and audio books can be found in my webstore at www.victoriavantage.com/shop or on Kindle.
“I wish for anyone reading who is interested in the naturist lifestyle to try it for yourself – peace and love.”
