This article explores why American culture conditions people to be ashamed of their bodies and why nudity is particularly taboo in the United States. 

In German, there is the term “Körperfreiheit,” or “body freedom.” This is a concept that exists in many European countries, but that is scantly expressed in American society. In the United States, naked bodies are often attributed with either shame, scandal, or sexual connotation. Seeing a woman sunbathing naked on the beach is either shocking or titillating. Furthermore, parents often become furious and scandalized by the fact that their children might bear witness to naked breasts. However, the sexual or shameful connotations attributed to naked bodies are not inherently present. Rather, the negative emotions surrounding nudity and the natural form are concepts reinforced by American society. But where does this come from?

People from plenty of countries do not bat an eye at naked sunbathers or a nude photo in a magazine. Why is it that American culture is so easily scandalized and shamed by nudity? Why are we taught to be embarrassed by our naked bodies? Why is it that humans are the only species who conceal their natural form? Okay, so there is a bit to unpack. Modesty is something that is closely tied to religion. The concept of human bodies being a source of shame and disgust traces back to the story of Adam and Eve. Eve’s transgression cast the couple out of paradise and forced them to conceal their shameful human forms. This doctrine bled into religions for centuries. However, this dated concept of body shame has also extended into modern times.

One reason why nudity is made to be shamed is that the American media consistently censors it. This conveys the message that the human form is either a source of shame or scandal. When something is constantly concealed, it creates ripples of both fascination and negativity. However, countries that don’t fear presenting a naked form in advertisements or films don’t train people to have the same scandalized response to nudity. When people don’t go out of their way to obscure bodies, the act of being naked loses its shock factor and is instead rightfully presented as something normal. Therefore, the preoccupation with censoring nudity is actually sensationalizing it.

How often is nudity presented in the United States without a sexual context? Has the American media ever shown a breast that wasn’t being sexualized? Sure, PG-13 and R-rated films reveal naked bodies, but this is almost always during a sex scene or to convey something sexual. This leads to only attributing nudity to sex, which makes seeing a naked body far more scandalous than it has to be. Furthermore, the fear of showing a naked body in the United States largely contributes to the sexualization of bodies. If breasts could be shown freely, then it wouldn’t be so scandalous for them to be exposed. Yet, it is a crime for women to show their nipples in the street or on social media. Most women can’t even remove their tops on a US beach.

Reserving nudity for only adult-rated sexual content isn’t just ridiculous, it’s potentially dangerous. By adapting to a Puritan and prudish mindset that bans nudity aside from adult-rated films and private grounds, American culture is actually creating unnecessary stigmas about the body. It shouldn’t be weird to change your clothes in front of a close friend or relative or to take off your top at the beach. Swimming naked doesn’t have to be something risqué, nor does seeing a female nipple. Viewing a breast in a magazine that is not intended for men doesn’t have to be shocking. Naked bodies don’t have to be scandalous, but the American need to censor them is doing just that. We are creating scandal out of nothing.

The naked body shouldn’t be shrouded in sin and shame. Nor should nudity always be regarded as sexual. People have the right to exist in their bodies and present their bodies without having to constantly censor them. Not only has American society created stigmas about nudity, but it has also created panic over the female form. Women are judged if their clothing is too tight or if their breasts are even slightly exposed. People are pressured to hide their forms and conceal their natural figures or to alter them to meet strict standards. Even so much as having breasts is enough to deem some women “sluts” or “whores” who are “asking for it.” This is a toxic and dangerous mindset that has chillingly become normalized for some people.

What we need to do is normalize nudity. For this to happen on an institutional level, it needs to happen on a personal level. Women should absolutely be allowed to take their tops off on public beaches in the United States and there is no reason why nudity shouldn’t be shown in advertisements. However, these things are still illegal. What people can do is stop making a scandal out of naked bodies. People can stop sexualizing nudity. We can normalize breastfeeding and recognize that female nipples don’t always connate sex. We need to change the way that we view other people’s bodies and feel in our own bodies, because being naked shouldn’t feel so shameful.