Unfortunately, I think the vast majority of the nudity that most people encounter is intended to be erotic . . . . At least we middle-aged guys have the memory of getting unabashedly naked in the locker room! Now the young people are complaining about "old guys waving their bodies around" as if it were obscene--which to young people, it pretty much is. The possibility that nudity would ever become totally mundane is very far away, and I don't think we're getting closer to it.
This comment from the thread "Nudes in the news" reminded me of a post I read and one I placed on another site. The discussion had to do with people's reaction to seeing someone else, a non-family member, nude. I made a comment that most of us have done so.
The following is the post from that other site regarding ideas on how to promote acceptance of general nudity. My response is shown right after it. The conversation that followed, after my response, was somewhat surprising. Some of it I had heard before but had been unaware of how common some of the ideas were. It made me aware that views on nudity, in this country in general, seem to be wobbling off into the rough and the high weeds where there doesn't seem to be any rational thought going on which brings to mind Emerson's comment about "the hobgoblins of small minds".
The influence of the entertainment industry has so polluted public discourse with the effluence of it's eroticism that when it comes to nudity, either in practice or conversation, that it's impossible to talk about it without the sexual/erotic aspect impinging on the disussion. Once that happens, the conversation gets hijacked into the legal side of how nudity is treated and we spend too much time trying to justify a simple and innocent practice against the public stance of practishoners of the erotic/porn trade.
I include "news organizations" in that group as I am beginning to suspect that there aren't any news organizations extant. Political correctness has so warped the trade, I believe any coherent voice must come from outside "that" entertainment industry.
The post asks a question on how to promote nudity without veering of into knee jerk territory.
===============================================================================
We often brainstorm on how to promote acceptance of public non-sexualized nudity. As stated earlier in this thread, most people aren't really opposed to seeing other people nude unless they're:
1) Surprised by the nudity in an in-your-face kind of way. This would be
the flashers, etc.
2) Worried about other people realizing that they aren't really opposed
to nudity.
Since naturists aren't the "flasher" type, the 2nd item could be our focus.
We need to figure out how to make people more willing to admit around their family and friends that they really aren't offended by seeing someone nude in real life. To do that, we need to answer the question: Why do people wear a mask that says "I'm opposed to nudity" when under-the-mask they're not? Obviously fear of others is central to this issue. So how do we lessen the consequences of admitting that we're not opposed to seeing other people naked in real life.
Any ideas?
Maybe there's some baby steps:
1) Admitting to others that they DON'T really fast-forward the movie when
nudity appears.
2) Admitting to others that they have been skinny dipping before.
3) Admitting that they saw someone naked in real life and DIDN'T call the
police.
4) Admitting that they saw someone naked in real life and DIDN'T look the
other way.
So how do we help people take these baby steps? Are there any other baby steps.
When I realized that most people really aren't opposed to non-sexualized nudity as long as they're not suprised in an in-your-face kind of way, it was very encouraging to me.
===============================================================================
Most of us have been in a room with naked people. It was always the same gender. It's called a locker room. We just don't think of it as being in a room of full of naked people.
When I was in grade school we would go to the municipal pool and change clothes there. Later on it was in jr. high and high school during PE. When I was older I was a member of a health club and had the same experience. But it was always a locker room.
What most of us don't have, is that sort of experience with mixed gender.
I'm fairly certain that if I were to walk into a public bath house like that, I would get used to it quickly. I've heard that some European countries have these at public beaches. It's a public place and it's accepted that people will be naked when changing into a swim suit. We do not have those in America. Being naked out of context is an issue. Context means a lot to most of us.
I go on naked hikes on trails that are not popular or well known with the general public. They are remote and I am usually the only person there. If anyone else goes to the same place, the probability is that they like quiet and remote places also. For the same reasons.
Most people I have discussed this with online tend to agree that those of us who appreciate nature would find naked hiking perfectly acceptable for the enjoyment of nature. If I were to meet someone on the trail and we both were hiking naked I think (and hope) that both of us wouldn't be bothered by nudity for that reason. For us it would be "in context".
To accept being in a common or family changing room would mean stepping into unknown territory. We would be adopting a position at odds with others in our family or community. It would draw attention to us. I am not particularly fond of attention.
I go naked hiking, I have driven on the highway naked and I spend time at home naked. I have always done these things alone or with my wife and have been active at it for about 8 yrs. To my knowledge, no else one in my life knows about my special hiking outfit.
I have met another hiker only once while I was hiking naked and he was dressed. Even though it has yet to happen, I feel confident I would be ok if I met a naked hiker on the trail. I did ok on the one meeting.
In other words, people who appreciate being in nature, even if they or others are au naturel, might see nudity in nature as acceptable. It would be in a positive or natural context.
We have a small (emphasize small) degree of acceptance for nude beaches in America and as has been mentioned here, most of us have at least one skinny dipping episode in our life. These two naked venues are known by most Americans and don't represent radical behavior, just odd or different.
These areas of familiarity with nudity might be a good jumping off point for getting the average Joe(sephine) to become more comfortable with the nudity of others.
There is a mountain of conditioning by our culture regarding nudity. Breaking the notion that if there is nudity, there must sex happening, is a major challenge. Since sex is so wrapped up in physical attraction, self esteem and body issues enter into the mix, which only complicates the conversation.
To add to the list of baby steps:
5) Point out to others that they most likely have been in a room full of
naked people. It was a locker room and the world didn't end. It would be a
small step to include the rest of the family.
6) Ask them if they have ever been skinny dipping. Tell them they don't have
to answer. But if so, remember how much you enjoyed that and how it felt.
6) Hiking naked, starting out alone or with your spouse, can be an exhilirating
experience as an appreciation of nature.
It's a start. As mentioned, it's baby steps.
It's a small wonder that young people react to "old guys waving their bodies around" with aversion. They are looking at it through the "Hollywood prism" of nudity must be erotic else how can we possibly sell it. This is one reason that the response, at least here and on that other site, to the Walgreens ad is so positive and supported.
Duane
