Saying it that way makes it sound like "degrees of deviant behavior" instead of looking at it from my prospective of "degrees of being free of clothing compulsiveness", which challenges the alternative as being the unhealthy behavior.
Be that as it may, I was listening recently to the latest episode of the excellent Naturist Living Show podcast, Architecture of Nudism and Naturism, and it got me thinking as to what are the levels of involvement different people have with nudism and naturism? Thinking about it, I came up with the following levels. Many of them overlap and you might find yourself more in one category or the other, depending on your situation. Either way, where do you see yourself? And what "levels" would you define?
Intolerant of Nudity: Unfortunately this is the position of many state and local governments here in the US to the point that they pass laws that define in excruciating detail what's acceptable and what's illegal. Sometimes to the point of making you register as a sex offender if you're convicted of such a heinous crime. Very few people are as personally intolerant about nudity as these laws are. Even so, some people call the police when they see someone skinny-dipping, even in the remotest location. They see what their own species looks like as being fundamentally immoral and it's their duty to report any transgression. They object to any full display of the human form in art, movies, and TV, and consider any such display as being pornographic and obscene. Those people need to get a life. Fortunately, though many people assume more people are that strict about it, very few people actually are.
Nude Averse: These people actively avoid nudity whenever possible. When they run into people skinny-dipping, stumble onto a nude beach, or go to a gym where people are too casual about nudity in the gym locker rooms or showers, they leave and they don't come back. They avoid visiting family members who are casual about the nudity of their children. They change the channel and cover the eyes of their children when nudity is depicted on the TV or in movies. These people probably don't sleep naked , they get dressed right after they bathe, and they close and lock the door to prevent their kids from walking in when they're not dressed. And they teach their kids to do likewise. They've probably never skinny-dipped, or at least they'd never admit that they had.
Nude Tolerant: Most Americans probably fall into this category today. While they wouldn't visit a nude beach or nudist resort themselves, it's OK with them if others do. They don't mind changing and showering at the gym. Showering, that is, in a stall, not communally. They don't mind too much if others in the sauna are sitting on their towels instead of sitting with the towel around them, like they do. They don't mind their friend's kids running around naked in their house, but they wouldn't let their kids do that. They sleep naked if they want to and they don't scream at their kids if they walk in on them when they aren't dressed. But they're careful to not have that happen too often. They've probably skinny-dipped and don't mind saying they have as a "youthful indiscretion", but it's not something they'd do now. They ignore nudity on in the media and don't go out of their way to shield their kids from it, but they think it's unnecessary and they wish there wasn't so much of it. They think they're more liberal about it than they think most good people are. So out of respect for them, they don't object and might even vote for restrictive ordinances.
Casual about Nudity: These people don't mind using communal showers and they're the ones sitting on their towel in the sauna. If friends want to skinny-dip in a remote location or in a private pool or hot tub, they'll go along with it. They probably swim naked in their own pool when the kids aren't around. They don't give sleeping naked a second thought and they probably air dry after bathing or swimming and do light chores naked without feeling any need to hurry to get dressed. They don't mind if their kids run around naked for a while after their bath. They have an open door policy and behave no differently when their kids walk in on them naked than if they were clothed. They can be talked into going to a nude beach or a nudist resort with a close friend, but they don't want others to know if they went. They'll probably just check that off their bucket list and not come back on their own. That describes how I was raised.
Home Nudist: This person prefers being nude whenever they can be. Like anyone else, when they're home for the night and not going anywhere, they like getting comfortable. But they've discovered that removing ALL of their clothes is even more comfortable than just removing some of them, and they don't see any reason not to be nude at home. They've skinny-dipped and been to nude beaches often enough that they hate wearing swim suits. They do chores and projects around the house nude, and if their back yard is private enough, they'll garden, sunbathe, and swim nude if they own a pool. They don't mind if their neighbors and family know, but they respect other people's discomfort with it and are careful not to expose them to it. That describes me most days.
Recreational/Social Nudist: This person enjoys going to nude beaches and nudist clubs and resorts not only to enjoy the expanded opportunities to be nude, but to make friends and to meet people. They're friendly, engage in volleyball and other group sports there, and other people like being around them. But unless they live nearby, you don't see them there that often. They don't let it interfere with the rest of their life. That describes me.
Philosophical Naturist: Someone who thinks being nude and accepting others who are nude helps one to be a better person. That society demonizing nudity has psychologically and sociologically damaged us, and that we'd all be better off if we'd take a healthier attitude. They may or may not be naked as often as others are. They don't see themselves as just being a nudist (as in one who just likes being naked). Which is why I prefer the term "naturist" for myself.
Card Carrying/Activist Nudist: This person is a member of clubs and organizations not just for the discounts. They come to meetings, participate in outreach, write blogs, do volunteer work at their club, and aren't afraid to tell others all about. That used to describe me, but distance and the other distractions of life have limited me to this blog and answering questions on Yahoo and Quora.
Living It: These people live and often work 24/7 nude as much as they can. Either they live alone and don't have a lot of visitors, or they live in a nudist community and are rarely clothed unless they have to go into town. Visiting friends and family have to put with their host being nude. They dress at home for no one.
Time to launch this. I'll check back later and clean it up. Comment if you like. Look for a poll on this subject on the page.
