The legal part of being nude in New Mexico.
The enforcement of laws governing being nude depend upon who might be affected. Potentially pushing the limit of a local society's acceptance of nudity should be considered. This is where the knowledge base of a group of people is usually better than a single person trying to know everything about every place.
The Forestry Department here in New Mexico has said the laws of the State dictate obscenity laws. The District Attorney's Office here in Albuquerque told me the following.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands are governed by the same laws that apply to the rest of the state.
For New Mexico, the minimum requirement is anything that covers the genitalia (penis and scrotum for males, and labia majora for females) and a woman's areola (colored area around the nipple). A g-string or whatever will cover, and a piece of tape for a woman's areola (recommended by the District Attorneys Office). When asked about latex and paint, and their response was "The intent is to obstruct the shape and therefore the visual image", so latex and paint would not be appropriate.
There does not appear to be any governing of exposure of the buttocks. With these minimums, we would legally be allowed to walk around in downtown Albuquerque. But, of course, we don't. Our intent is not to be exhibitionists or to expose ourselves to the general public. Rather to enjoy a natural lifestyle and to relax privately.
Policies spoken from official offices such as this do not always reflect enforcement trends of police which may not always have as specific a ruling. And therefore each person is responsible for their own actions. If a person is considered to be a public disturbance, then police can take action. For instance, a traffic accident occurs because someone was watching you instead of the road. Potentially, it can be a fine line to walk.
Being Nude is accepted in many private and remote settings in New Mexico. One should learn the do's and don'ts of interacting with the public. And one should also learn the etiquette pertinent to any Nudist event. The basics of being nude in public are, if no one cares, no problem. If no one is around, no problem. When in a private home, bring a towel to sit on, even on the floor.
More about social nudism for women: Why Be Nude
More about becoming a nudist: Steps to Nudism
Membership Details: Join the Roadrunners
Need additional information? Call or email us!
Roadrunner Naturists
PO Box 14153 Albuquerque, NM 87191
email: RoadRunnerNaturists@hotmail.com