This month we focus on the women of nude recreation. Last year I dedicated my March column to those women who have moved the Government Affairs Team forward over the years. This year my challenge is to ask more of our female AANR members to step up and join them. These last two years we have seen a drop in the number of women on the GAT team. At the same time, we have seen a rise in the activities those who are participating are initiating.
Through our partnership with the Naturist Action Committee (NAC), Floridian Susan Shopiro shared her work in March 2021 on the International Women’s Day activities that were held at Cypress Cove. Susan is now committed to keeping the IWD Festival as a regular Cove event. She is actively looking for others to help with the efforts. Themes, speakers, and other panel ideas as well as support from AANR on an ongoing basis are welcome.
Donna Jennings was part of the WINR efforts in the Northwest region. And true to form, when I mentioned I would write about her in this article she was quick to point out those who she felt deserved the praise. Always the messenger, she responded the movers and shakers on the new brochure were really Margie Cantlon (the Chairperson of the WINR committee) and Andee Rodgers.
As Donna said, “There were about eight women on the committee who provided input. Andee did the layout and most of the wording. We saw a need for an updated women’s brochure since acceptance of one’s own body is critical to women enjoying nudity in a social setting. Our bodies are not “10”s anymore nor ever have been! We also wanted to empower women to report any “uncomfortable” or “unwanted” advances to management as soon as they happened, not months after the fact when the parties were long gone and details were nebulous.It was just not men making comments/advances towards women but included women body shaming other women to their faces. I personally had to intervene and report four instances to Sun Meadow which resulted in “guests” being escorted off the grounds and placed on the Northwest’s “Do Not Admit” list or KEO list (Keep eyes on). All the Northwest clubs were notified about these individuals.”
Thanks to Donna, Andee, Margie, Susan, and all the other women who have provided support to GAT over the years.