Nudity... what’s the big deal?

Watching last Sunday night’s report on Sunday about Burning Man. I was struck by the show’s reaction to nudity at the event. It began with “and for parents in particular, a warning in part of this report there’s partial nudity”. During the report on the art event and festival held in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, we did get to see quite a few boobies, and even a few bums. Gasp!

This year's theme at Burning Man was fertility

inspiring many-a-work of art.

Obviously, clothing is also allowed...

The reporter, P J Madam, seemed a little unnerved by it all too. It made me wonder, why is it so shocking? Earlier this year I watched an episode of Tribal Wives (screened on the ABC) where a British woman lived with a South American tribe for a few weeks to experience life as tribal woman. The men and women seemed to spend most of their time completely naked, except for a protective shield that the men wore over their groins - although even this was quite scant, more like a loose fitting condom attached with a piece of string. Curiously, there were times when they did wear clothes. I didn’t figure out why they did sometimes and other times not, but there was a rather comic scene where the other tribal women wanted the British woman to go completely naked for a ceremony, and couldn’t understand why she would only go down to her undies.

All this nudity made me realise how little we see the naked body in our society. Although we are used to seeing a lot of skin both in the media and in certain contexts like the beach, we don’t often see people fully naked, baring breasts and bums, or more. Ask yourself, when was the last time you saw a naked adult, other than yourself or your spouse? Better yet, when was the last time you were naked in front of people other than your spouse?

A trip to the Post Office in the nude? At Burning Man you can!

I can tell you exactly when the last time was for me. August of 2005 when I was a life model for art students. Don’t worry, this is not secret I am choosing to publicly confide in you all, I openly tell people if the subject ever arises. Actually, now that I think about it, that wasn’t the last time. After that I did go topless at the beach when I lived in France. Ooh la la!

Anyway, ever since that episode of Tribal Wives (some months ago now), I’ve been pondering the subject of nudity and how we see it in our culture. Maybe it’s because we’ve just emerged from what felt like a very long winter, but I suddenly have this feeling that I’ve been covered up for so many years, and I want to break free. My parents raised me and my siblings to not be ashamed of being naked. In most of our family photos from when I was little, I am either naked or wearing no pants. I have a feeling most kids are like that. What happens to us when we grow up? Why do we become so modest?

Now don’t get the wrong idea – it’s not that I want to be a nudist. I don’t have the desire to do the ironing in the nude (although there’s nothing wrong with that either!). And I like clothes. But sometimes I wish we could be a little more… tribal.

Am I the only one who feels this way?