Nudity

[DougS]

I was going to put this in the Religion section but then wondered if I was being fair in my assumption that all the negative ideas people have about nudity come from religion. What inspired me to post was this question asked on another forum:

Should a daughter see her mother naked?
My 11 year old daughter often uses the bathroom at the same time as I do and sometimes accidently walks in on me while I am getting dressed. I have never thought of it before and I am only thinking anything of it now because of a comment somebody made. Do you think its appriate for an 11 year old girl to see me naked?

Here are a couple of responses:

1.
NO!
Theres such a thing as being comfortable with each other etc but i seriously think its not in the best interest of your daughter to continue seeing you naked.
11 years old is the time she will start to become a young lady (periods etc) shes growing in her own rights and you should undrstand that bounderies are important to have now more than ever.
She may be comfortable with it now but years down the track she may look back and look at you differently (like eg: omg ive seen her naked etc)
Best to cut it now.
Sorry but thats my opinion.

2.
Let me ask you something... why the heck would you even WANT to expose yourself to your daughter? Have you no decency? She will follow your example, and she might not just end up doing it around her mother (or family, or whatever). And then you're gonna wonder why it is that you are a grandmother 13 years after you've had her, and why she exposes herself in public and embarasses you. Is that something you'd be proud of? Remember that the example you set for her today is the example she'll be showing the world.

Most of the other responses said it was OK. I don't know whether the questioner and two responders above were Christians but I suspect they were. Or am I stereotyping?

How do people here feel about nudity in general? Would you be happy to see more nudity e.g. people sunbathing naked in their local parks, swimming naked at swimming pools...simply walking around naked in the supermarket? If not, why not?

[Alan C.]

Would you be happy to see more nudity e.g. people sunbathing naked in their local parks, swimming naked at swimming pools...

I don't think I'd have any problems there.

simply walking around naked in the supermarket? If not, why not?

Could be a bit of a health and safety or hygene issue there

[Ninny]

Would you be happy to see more nudity e.g. people sunbathing naked in their local parks, swimming naked at swimming pools...simply walking around naked in the supermarket? If not, why not?[/quote]

Not - it is far too cold in this country to take ones clothes off, so anyone who does it has some sort of annoying agenda. If this were a hot country, then I would be all for nudity.

[wizzy]

No, there are loads of people I would really hate to see naked. Maybe that's just because we're used to seeing people with clothes on and if nudity was the normal I wouldn't worry, but the thought of seeing a significant proportion of the population naked is quite disturbing.

I'd also feel physically, as well as mentally, uncomfortable without any kind of clothing on. In the summer, if it was the norm, it might be comfortable to wear a lot less than what is socially acceptable office attire, but I wouldn't be comfortable wearing nothing.

[mdean]

I'm not sure this even counts as an ethical or moral question. It's just one of social norms in't it? for lots of communities in the tropics naked is normal.

Its only in colder climates where nakedness and sex are so firmly liked together. Most of the rules and taboos governing sexual life in this part of the world grow from the weird obsessions of the monotheistic religions.

As to would I be comfortable with more nakedness generally. No, just on aesthetic grounds. I'm a doctor - trust me. the majority of the population look better with clothes....maybe we could be onto something in the fight against obesity though? :idea3:

[Jem]

Interesting post, mdean. Are you male or female, btw?

As to would I be comfortable with more nakedness generally. No, just on aesthetic grounds. I'm a doctor - trust me. the majority of the population look better with clothes....maybe we could be onto something in the fight against obesity though? :idea3:

I agree and for the same reason.

I agree with your question over whether this a moral question. I don't think that for us it is but presumably for (some of) the religious it is. Weird.

[mdean]

...male... he says with trepidation, fearing an unintended post feminist backlash...

[DougS]

I'm not sure this even counts as an ethical or moral question. It's just one of social norms in't it? for lots of communities in the tropics naked is normal.

Indeed. As Jem says, it does seem to be an ethical question for religious believers but I don't suppose any of them would like to come here and give their take on it or explain the thinking behind why an 11 year old girl shouldn't see her mother naked in a perfectly natural situation like getting dressed in the bathroom.

[LeperMessiah]

In Western culture nudity is so tied up with ideas about sex that it is a moral question to most of the population, especially here in America. I mean, I live in a country where Janet Jackson's nipple damn near brought down the Republic. The great irony of it to me is, most of the most paranoid ideas about nudity stem from its supposed effect on children, when children are the most comfortable people on earth when it comes to nudity for the most part. That said, I don't want to see my parents, or my sisters, or even people I regard as family, in the buff.

[Emma Woolgatherer]

Not - it is far too cold in this country to take ones clothes off, so anyone who does it has some sort of annoying agenda. If this were a hot country, then I would be all for nudity.

Oh, I wouldn't. I think it's sensible for people to cover up in hot, sunny countries, especially if they're fair-skinned. Apart from the risk of skin cancer, there are other problems, like hyperpigmentation, rosacea and ... um ... wrinkles, that are more likely to occur if you're wandering around in the altogether, unless you're very thorough with the sunblock -- and what a lot of sunblock you'd need!. (Even dark-skinned people can get skin cancer, and, although it's rare, when they do get it it's more likely to kill them.)

But that's not my main reason for not liking the idea of widespread nudity. Nakedness is associated with sexuality, in most modern cultures, including mine. And I like that. I don't see it as a hang-up, or a weird obsession. I think it's rather nice.

As for the woman worrying about her daughter seeing her naked in the bathroom, I agree, it's nothing to make a fuss about. However, my ex-brother-in-law used to wander around the house naked when his two daughters were young, and it didn't take long before they were nagging him not to.

Emma

[LeperMessiah]

Yeah, I suppose when the kids start complaining you should cover up.

[Ninny]

This topic is covered (pun!) in Lesley Glaister's wonderful novel "Digging for Australia". Highly recommended.

[Firebrand]

Yeah, I suppose when the kids start complaining you should cover up.

With opposite sex children, when they get to a certain age, I think many of us cease to feel comfortable about their seeing us totally naked. When children get to puberty they appreciate a bit of privacy themselves in the bathroom and that's the time to teach them by example that it's considerate to knock on bedroom or bathroom doors and wait for permission to enter.

Thanks for the novel recommendation, Ninny, I've read one of her novels before and enjoyed it so will look out for this one.