More than 700 people form a nudist human chain in Tarragona´s beach in Spain

717 people participated in forming a nudist human chain on Torn Beach in Hospitalet de L´Infant in Tarragona, Spain on August 4, according to a statement from the Catalan Naturism Club. 

The human nudist chain was part of the Third Nudist Record of Catalonia, which took place on July 12 across 20 beaches in Catalonia. Nudists at the Torn Beach were unable to participate due to harsh weather, hence the event was postponed until August; the Cala Fonda beach also joined to make up for its previous absence.

Why did people form a nudist human chain in Tarragona?

“Nudism is not forbidden, but socially is not very well accepted,” commented Segimon Rovira, president of the Catalan Naturism Club Association. He explained that the event aimed to raise the maximum number of nudists and “beyond raising awareness of nudism on Catalan beaches, was set “to promote and defend nudism.”

Rovira elaborated that nudity, although legal in Spain, is not as socially accepted as in other European countries; “in Catalonia and Spain there are still some prejudices from the years of Franco dictatorship, which said it was prohibited.” The director highlighted the importance “to demand respect for this practice.”

He mentioned the unprecedented decline in nudist culture;  “Generally, across the world, society is becoming more and more conservative, and we see that many and many more people are having more problems in doing nudism on the beaches.” Rovira linked this decline with the “proliferation of social networks,” as nudist beaches are “increasingly frequented by people who do not go naked,” refusing to respect the nudist values.

The past and future of nudist beaches in Spain

From Asturias to Catalonia, there are more than 400 nudist beaches in Spain; with the idyllic Mediterranean landscape, they provide a truly unique experience but have been a controversial subject for tourists and residents.

An anthropologist Patricia Soley-Beltran discussed the emergence of nudist beaches in Spain, explaining that initially, going topless gained momentum in the 1980s and was not only a symbol of women´s freedom but a way for women to build boundaries; “They were saying in effect that we are masters of our own bodies.”

She remarked that beach nudity was also prompted by the growing interest in connecting with the body and the natural environment but had unfortunately been in decline for the past few years over superficial social judgments; “Nowadays, there´s a competition to show off your sculptured body in the latest model of bikini. As a result, nudism has gone into decline.”

Although public nudity is entirely legal in Spain, there are laws in place against public disturbances, which means if a person´s nudity disturbs others, legal action could be pursued. Mass tourism, pressure from real estate developers and the omnipresence of cell phones have been contributing to the growing decline in nudist culture, as people no longer feel respected; something which the community targets with their recent efforts.