Nudists in the Spanish region of Catalonia are fighting back against a rising trend of tourists sunbathing with a “lack of respect” in keeping their swimwear on.
Segimon Rovira has sent a letter to his local government on behalf of the Naturist-Nudist Federation of Catalonia, which he leads, to appeal the “discrimination” his movement faces.
“Before, people would arrive at a nude beach and either leave or strip down,” the 56-year-old told the Guardian on Friday.
“Now they stay and keep their swimsuit on. But what they don’t realise is that, if there are a lot of them, they end up making us uncomfortable. It’s a lack of respect.”
Catalonia state has a decades-long tradition of people stripping off on beaches but Mr Rovira feels the culture is being compromised by tourists. As a result, he said that nudists are now also choosing to remain clothed.
In the letter, he demanded the Catalan government hold a meeting into “the discrimination that nudists face on the beaches” with around 50 bays in the region potentially impacted. The trend is thought to affect the less touristy beaches outside Barcelona, that were previously off the beaten track.
In addition, the group is considering social media campaigns, signage, protests, and further awareness efforts to keep the beaches welcoming of nudity.
Mr Rovira said he blamed a rise in blogs and Instagram inviting tourists to the picturesque beaches without any message that the bay has nudist traditions.
He added: “There are nudists who have stopped going to some beaches because they are too crowded, and there are too many people wearing swimsuits and they feel uncomfortable.
“People that are naked don’t want to end up with their photos on social media.
“There’s no comparison between swimming in the nude and in swimwear. You’re more free, more calm and relaxed.”
