Paradise Lakes in Tampa, Florida is no longer an AANR club

Paradise Lakes Resort has said goodbye to AANR over a dispute over a "Miss G-String International" competition sponsored by a Penthouse Magazine cover model named Schevelle.

Here's the story:

"G-string ad prompts resort to drop out of nude group

LAND O' LAKES - For the second time in just over a year, one of Pasco County's clothing-optional resorts has withdrawn from the American Association of Nude Recreation over advertising practices considered contrary to the organization's family-friendly principles.

Paradise Lakes Resort today withdrew from the influential association over advertisements for a "Miss G-String International" competition at the resort...

AANR's board voted to temporarily suspend the membership, but when resort owner John Forier was informed of the suspension, he voluntarily withdrew membership, said AANR spokeswoman Carolyn Hawkins. An investigation over complaints of advertising and marketing efforts behind the G-string contest was launched in recent months.

..."Any club that deliberately advocates, endorses, encourages or promotes sexual activities or sexual enterprises is subject to revocation of its charter."

...The ad says the Oct. 1-3 event will be hosted by a Penthouse magazine cover model and feature "25 gorgeous contestants competing for exciting prizes and top honors!"

In July 2008 ... Caliente Resorts withdrew its membership with AANR after the resort was temporarily suspended over an investigation into its involvement with a swingers organization...

The Paradise Lakes investigation determined that the resort's management had "increasingly sexualized the nudist experience" by advertising and marketing the G-string contest, AANR said...

When Caliente withdrew from AANR, Fox said the resort was "taking advantage of educating the next generation, the 20- and 30-somethings on social nudism. [AANR] hasn't done a good job of targeting those folks."

For the full article Click Here

Wow, this is big news in the nudist world. First Caliente is asked to leave AANR because of catering to swinger groups, now Paradise Lakes left because they "increasingly sexualized the nudist experience."

I have no first had knowledge of this situation. So I can not comment on it. I am just reporting what was in the newspaper and of course I do not know how accurate the reporting was.

My guess is sales are down at Paradise Lakes. I have written that nudists need to stop going to the places in Mexico and the Caribbean otherwise we will lose nudism in the US. So Paradise decided upon this event to increase sales.

What I will comment on is how nudism needs to reach out beyond this notion that all nudist resorts need to book families. I have seen conservative nudist resorts advertise, toga parties, lingerie parties, etc. I wouldn't call these events family friendly.

People want to have fun. The days of sitting out in a field in a drum circle singing Kumbaya are over. Couples take more vacations than families. Couples will vacation for a week or longer at a time as opposed to families wanting just Saturday nights.

I remember when we first opened 15 years ago, Lee Baxandall of The Naturist Society thought that I was a terrible person because I dared to have our toll free number be
800-Sunnyfun. What made him even madder at me was I said it was fun to vacation at nudist resorts.

Lee read my the riot act saying naturism had nothing to do with fun. It was all about body acceptance and getting over body shame. And how dare I even speak of fun and naturism in the same breathe.

Of course, we all know the whole nudist industry saw how successful we were promoting nudism and fun together and now everyone says it. Why? Because it is true!
So things can change in the nudist world.

I agree 100% with AANR that we do NOT want to promote nudism with swingers and sex. But, we also have to get away from the notion that nudism is for families only as couples normally do not want to hang around with families.

We operate a FUN conservative nudist resort, yet, we don't book families with kids. And we are extremely popular. With work it can be done. At the same time Cypress Cove in Florida and Laguna del Sol are good examples of nudist resorts that do cater to families with kids and are very successful. So it can be done. It is a large room and there should be space for all except nudism and swingers and sex groups.

Now if you would like to try topless or nude sunbathing at a fun resort, give us a call at 800-786-6938. We are the most mainstream nudist resort in the US and perfect for couples trying topless or nude sunbathing for the first time.

Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

We hope to see you in sunny Palm Springs!