LUTZ, Fla. — Dubbed the nudist capital of the country, Pasco County is home to a variety of resorts and communities catering to a clothing-optional lifestyle for decades.
The area has already been the center of reality shows featuring nudists. Perhaps, less is more.
The industry generates about $7.4 billion for Florida’s economy every year, according to a 2017 study by Saint Leo University through the American Association for Nude Recreation.
“I can't imagine living anywhere else,” said Traci Kanaan, the Paradise Lakes Condominium Association president.
Kanaan says she wished she made the move to their gated community much sooner. Her earliest discoveries of the lifestyle began while performing as a standup comedian at a nearby resort.
“I already knew a bunch of people here from my days entertaining,” Kanaan said. “I knew I was walking in with a family.”
The gated community, separate from the resort, is like any other neighborhood. From the bodies of water to enjoy, lights and decorations for every holiday on display, and gathering spots to share. There's also a memorial to honor residents who've lost their lives.
However, here, neighbors strip themselves of judgment.
“When you're not wearing clothes, you don't know, you know, who dropped out of high school or who's the doctorate? Or who's on a fixed income or who's the multimillionaire?” Kanaan said. “They’re just good people.”
Kanaan says she’s appreciative of the culture of body acceptance within the clothing-optional spaces she’s in. From different shapes and sizes to life-altering surgeries and even tattoos, the acceptance is widespread for her.
Like other nudist resorts and living spaces, residents and guests must abide by rules and security is a priority.
The lifestyle is no longer just for older populations. Kanaan said the bulk of people within their units are between the ages of 30 to 60. In recent years, more young and curious visitors are exploring, Kanaan said. Business appears to be growing exponentially, especially after the pandemic.
For instance, younger guests have been renting out short-term stays at some of the themed units Kanaan owns, from Star Wars to Alice in Wonderland to Boogie Nights, and even old Cape Cod.
About 2.2 million people engage in nudist trips in Florida every year, according to the same study initiated by the American Association for Nude Recreation. Phone calls and inquiries are being made from all over the world, Alice Kuhn, the community association manager, said.
“We're just naturalists. If we're cold, we put something on. If we're hot, we could take it off. We just want to be ourselves,” Kuhn said.
Kuhn was first introduced to naturism more than 20 years ago and hasn’t looked back. She said she’s never felt safer than in her own private neighborhood.
“It's not a sexual thing. It's just people that are very comfortable with themselves in their own skin,” Kuhn said.
Naked or not, neighbors often gather through potlucks and celebrate with events like themed golf cart parades on top of sports, music, and other recreational activities.
“It becomes chosen family,” Kanaan said. “We're a very welcoming community.”
A community, Kanaan adds, that prefers to do less laundry.