PLEASE READ CAREFULLY BEFORE APPLYING TO JOIN...

This group is for sociable, non-swinging, outgoing and friendly naturists who will be actively involved in the scheduled events. Participation is expected and membership is based upon attending the group’s events. We meet all applicants prior to admission to the group - no exceptions.


PRE-JOINING MEET AND GREET. Thinking about joining? Still have concerns and questions? Please see the section towards the end if you'd like to know more before becoming a member. Also, you may like to read this web page, that explains what naturism is all about.


WHO ARE THE SOUTHERN SOCIABLE BARES?
We are a group of urbane naturists who enjoy socialising with friends. We know that a major part of the enjoyment of life is in sharing good times with affable companions, and one way to cast cares aside and ease the stresses of modern life is by enjoying these times together when clothes-free. We've found that the very symbolical act of shedding one's armour (aka clothing!) also signals shedding many of life's cares and stresses. It permits stepping into a simpler and quieter state of mind. It also permits us to interact with one another’s real person, not their assumed façade.

We enjoy good food and drink, good company, good conversation and repartee, and having fun. We espouse silliness, since there is far too much seriousness around! We are friends enjoying light-hearted and sociable nudity.


The Guiding Principles of The Southern Sociable Bares:

• We are all active participants in the group's events.
  
• We never wear clothes when we meet, no matter what the activity (unless meeting in a clothes-essential venue!)
  
• We devote ourselves entirely to fun and relaxation when we meet, and never take anything else seriously.
  
• We always treat each other with the highest personal respect and never cause embarrassment or harm to other Bares.
  
• We equally share hosting Bares’ events in our homes as well as attending Bares’ events at outside venues.
  
• We all reside within a 120-mile radius of Pulaski, TN.38478.
  

What we are seeking to achieve:

• to socialise clothes-free regularly, in any weather and in all seasons, not just at a naturist club, the beach or on holiday;
  
• to widen our circle of friends by finding people near where we live who share our love of clothes-freedom;
  
• to create more opportunities for being clothes-free with our friends;
  
• to leave the cares of life regularly far behind by devoting ourselves to silliness and fun in the company of like-minded friends.
  

What we wish to avoid:

• petty bureaucracies and committees;
  
• social tensions caused by a gender imbalance.
  

We enjoy doing and sharing whatever our imaginations can create as fun. We definitely enjoy sharing good food and drink together. Silliness in the form of daft parlour games, for example, provide regular amusement. When was the last time you enjoyed a water pistol fight outside??!! It's an absolute hoot when done clothes-free. You really should try it!! Convivial company underlies all our events and an enjoyment of the lighter pleasures of life. Our get-togethers are all about relaxation and having fun. The "entrée" into each Southern Sociable Bares gathering is a dish and some of your favourite libation to share.


HOW CAN I BECOME A SOUTHERN SOCIABLE BARE?:

• Apply to join via the MeetUp website - http://www.meetup.com... PLEASE NOTE: Applications for Bares membership are held open for TWO (2) WEEKS once we respond to your request to join. If no reply is received within this timeframe, your application will be automatically declined.
  
• The new applicant(s) meet the Organiser and Assistant Organiser(s) at a mutually convenient, public venue and then, if agreed, drive to a Bares’ home to continue with a clothes-free meeting. This is the same as the Pre-Joining Meet And Greet (below), but taken to the next stage of membership;
  
• Attend at least two of four consecutive scheduled Bares’ events (this step may be waived or amended at the Organiser’s sole discretion);
  
• Pay the current annual membership fee (August 2009 = $10.00/person) which covers part of the MeetUp web site costs.
  
  
  PRE-JOINING MEET AND GREET. Thinking about joining? Still have concerns and questions?
  
  We understand that someone considering naturism for the first time will have at least some questions and concerns, and that they'd like to discuss them first, if possible on neutral ground in a clothed environment - and also have an opportunity to take a look at these "nudists"! Don't worry - we've been there ourselves! People who presently identify as "naturist" may also want to meet the people they may be getting involved with in a conventional situation first.
  
  If you want to have such a meeting, we are more than happy to get together with you at some mutually convenient place and answer any questions you might have. No commitment either way.
  
  To set this in motion, apply to join (no commitment, remember!) and let us know that you'd like to discuss things before taking it any further. We'll e-mail you from the MeetUp website (so you'll get the message privately at whatever address you've designated to receive such e-mail - we won't know what that is) and open a dialogue, so that we can arrange a meeting that is convenient for everyone. Then we get together, you ask whatever you want to know about the Bares and naturism in general, and confirm to yourselves that we are ordinary folks just like you.
  
  Then you head back home and discuss things and make your decision whether to go ahead and join or not. If you want to proceed, simply e-mail us and we'll start the membership process. If you decide it isn't for you, simply let us know and we'll decline your application and that will be that.
  
  The only thing that we do insist on at such meetings is that if you are joining as a couple, then both of you attend the initial meeting. This group is about social naturist friendship and we do seek a gender balance, so we feel that this is a simple and compatible request. Thus, the meeting will only proceed when both partners of an applying couple are present.
  
  
  GENDER BALANCE
  
  Naturism tends to attract a lot more single guys than single gals. That may say something about present-day society - we'll leave that up to you to decide.
  
  The bottom line is that we've previously tried to start a social nudist group that was open to all, with no constraints on membership, and we ended up with a lot of single guy members, the majority of whom (99.9%?) never attended any meetings and were never actively involved in any way whatsoever. We reckon they're a bit like tire-kickers in car sales lots --- it's all wishful thinking.
  
  We love company. We especially love balanced, intelligent, humorous, happy company. Add to that socialising with people who are happy in their skin, and we reckon that you've got the best social mix ever. Note the word "balanced." That means a fairly equal mix of guys and gals.
  
  We are not anti-single. We've BTDT (been there, done that) in the past ourselves. What we are seeking is a reasonable balance between the genders, so that everyone (guys and gals) can feel comfortable and at ease when we all get together. Creating a win-win, in other words.
  
  That being the case, we are open to hearing from single naturists, or wannabe naturists ('cos your head is already in the right place as far as we are concerned!) as potential members. Simply put, we'll open a dialogue with you and assess the gender balance of the group at the time. We may ask you to wait a while until we have another applicant of the opposite gender. There again, it may not be necessary. We reserve the right to make that judgement.
  
  All we are trying to do is create opportunities for happy and relaxed, decent social interaction in this area, and expand the benefits of naturism. We are not into "rules" and other strict parameters. Apply to join and let's see what we can achieve together...