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Grahame Peck's avatar

I sometimes think the attitude towards naked bodies between cultures is strange but it proves just what societal indoctrination can do. My situation is unusual in that I grew up in a prudish

English culture ( it's possible that's changed a bit now) but in an anglo/German family where my grandparents were ardent FKK members. This lead to all sorts of Juxtapositions and challenges as a child. Ok I still fail to see how a simple naked body can possibly be wrong anywhere, and I mean anywhere, but I do comply with some societal norms to protect the internal processing of the sensitive or the perverted.

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Rokker's avatar

Yes, Youtube does indeed betray its American foundation by its sad attitudes towards naked humans. Our own Hauraki Naturally channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ESV85CwF9HFSs3TOOp38w has presented a challenge for us to operate, Even some videos that we have gone to great lengths to censor with appropriate "coverings" have been compulsorily made R18. I so love Jennifer Preston's introductory statement, “This video contains content appropriate for Americans over the age of 18 and Czechs over the age of 4.” I am so tempted to plagiarize it for our channel!

But you are quite right, Steve. It's a little unfair to pick on Americans as though they are the only ones sufferring from this excessive prudishness. We have our fair share of prudes here in New Zealand as well, despite our laws beiong silent on the issue of public nakedness. And naturists are quite diverse in their attitudes towards protecting the sensitivities of the public. Some go to extreme measures to avoid upsetting the public, while others recognise that taking offence is a personal choice and not the responsibility of the naked person. Let's face it - nobody ever died from being offended. "Sticks and stones may break my bones" is still valid, isn't it? Your closing quote is perfect: “Sure, some people might believe they are offended by nude bathers, but, if you never encounter anything that offends you in your community, you are not living in a free society.”

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