Topic: Is nudism a salve for poor body image, or would a fitter population be more enthusiastic about nudism?
My Take: Is nudism's emphasis on body acceptance putting the cart before the horse? Is it even possible for nudism to thrive among a statistically obese population? Aren't people who are physically fit more likely to be willing to take off their clothes in front of strangers?
I'm an experienced nudist, so I have the advantage of knowing that regular exposure to normal bodies tends to lead to improved acceptance of the physical flaws we all carry. It's tempting to want to believe that nudism can be a salve for a population that struggles to cultivate a positive body image. But this can only happen if people actually try nudism, and we can't force them to try it if they don't want to.
Confronted with the idea of people appearing nude in public, "nobody wants to see that" has been a perennial argument against nudism. But it's one that I'm seeing more and more frequently as I interact with people online as a nudist outside of traditional nudist circles.
Look, I can sympathize. I may be a nudist, but it's not that I don't think human bodies can be gross sometimes. I'm a nudist in spite of that feeling, not because I don't get it. But I also view nudity from the perspective of an artist. I do legitimately believe that the human body can be a work of art. That's the thing about bodies: there are a lot of them, and they come in all shapes and sizes.
I know that it's important to a person's self-esteem to feel good about the body they inhabit - but that's a reason to embrace fitness, not an excuse to ignore it. Denying that some people's bodies look better than others (albeit with a heavy dose of subjectivity involved) is denying a fundamental truth.
And I can't help thinking that if, statistically, the population were fitter, there would be more people more comfortable with the idea of seeing more of people's bodies on a regular basis. I know this runs contrary to the nudist philosophy that seeks to de-emphasize the importance of looks*, but it's acknowledging the reality of human behavior and psychology.
*To be fair, some of the best arguments for nudism have nothing to do with looks, but if this is a reason for people to reject nudism, then it's an issue that deserves to be considered.
Nudist philosophy also insists that nudity is not intrinsically sexual, but while it would be folly to ignore the inevitable ubiquity of human sexuality, a consideration for looks doesn't necessarily embrace a sexual connotation. Yes, people are more likely to view attractive bodies in a sexual light, but even now, a person's body doesn't become a sex object the instant somebody considers them attractive. Besides, it is possible to appreciate the aesthetic beauty of the human body in a way that is not explicitly sexual. Do you consider Michelangelo's David to be pornographic?
I suspect that there are nudists who hold in their heads an image of a utopia in which everybody lets it all hang out, and nobody cares what anybody looks like.** But this is an unrealistic fantasy, and an actual dystopia for anyone who appreciates the virtue of beauty. Maybe people with poor body image would enjoy being in such a world. Or, maybe they prefer this world, in which they can cover up (while still admiring those who look better than they do).
**I think that when nudists insist that "all bodies are beautiful", they are acknowledging the importance of self-esteem in the decision to doff one's clothing in public. I simply wonder whether warping our minds into seeing all bodies as beautiful is a more effective strategy than molding our bodies to become more beautiful. I think the healthiest approach is a balance of the two - grounding our expectations while fostering a positive attitude toward self-improvement.
Maybe nudism isn't a salve for poor body image, after all; maybe nudism is a lifestyle that can only really thrive among a population that takes pride in its appearance. And maybe nudists who want nudism to go mainstream should focus less on convincing the world (and themselves) that looks don't matter, and more on health initiatives to improve people's bodies, so they'll be more enthusiastic about seeing them. Then, interest in nudism will grow organically as a result.
