Skip to main content

The Naked Body, a Complicated Thing

"Please take off your clothes from the waist up and lie down on this table." The nurse's voice was friendly, matter-of-factly. I looked around, searching for a curtain that might work as a changing room, a paper gown to cover up. Nothing. The nurse's eyes urged me on, so I got naked, then and there, the lady a mere arm's length away. It was one of those moments where I longed to be in California.

Culturally speaking the naked body is a complicated thing. Some muslim women must cover up (or feel the need to do so); Scandinavians on the other hand, when visiting beaches, pools, and lakes, expose themselves without inhibition; Austrians and Germans don't tend to be shy either. Hereabouts images of more or less naked women are used to advertise anything from cars to clothes to window sashes. A recent campaign by a beer brewer shows three women from the chest upward, no clothes, arms crossed to hide their breasts. The connection between the women and the beer is tenuous. The color of the ladies' hair reflects the colors of the beers they are holding, dark, blond, and an artificial looking red.

And in the U.S.? At L.A.'s beaches nude or topless sunbathing is prohibited; girls don tops, even if they are still wearing diapers underneath their bikini bottoms. Is this modesty? Is it prudishness? The answer depends on a person's perspective. When it comes to doctor's offices I have learned to appreciate the gowns and curtains. I see them as a sign of respect for our need for privacy.

Comments

Lorraine Seal said…
Funny you should mention it -- we were briefly in Vienna yesterday, where I saw for the first time the beer ad you mention. Tenuous connection is right.

As for modesty, I've noticed what you bring up, though I've not yet had the experience in the doctor's office. For instance, one evening before yoga class began, I noticed women changing for it in the small dressing room across the hall from the studio. They were unself-consciously taking off their street wear to put on their yoga clothes, seemingly without caring that I, as well as the men in the class, could see them as they did. I put it down as a less prudish attitude toward the body than in the US. I don't know if I will get there, but I appreciate it.

In fact, one of the things I like so much about the Austrians I've met is they seem assured and at ease with themselves as they are without a trace of arrogance. It's a lovely way of being.
Badger said…
Australians are pretty relaxed but even we have been surprised by the way Austrians sort of let it all hang out. Donauinsel seems to be the world capital for naked wrinklies.
Lorraine and Badger, thank you for your comments. I should do more research on the topic of nudity: why is it that other peoples are less relaxed about it? Is it religiosity? If not, what else? Why is it that women in Austria for the most part do not find sexist ads like the beer ad offensive?

In Vienna, Donauinsel, Gänsehäufel, Neue Donau, and other places offer beaches or sections that are dedicated for nude bathing. Bikini tops have generally been optional since the seventies or eighties. This is quite a contrast to Austrians' formality in other matters - the mingling of people of different education level, social standing, ethnic back ground or the question of addressing a person (see my earlier post Baby vs. ..., April 2010).

Popular posts from this blog

Ban on Plastic Bags Bugs L.A. County

Paper or plastic? Bag from South Africa. My friend recently came back from a trip to South Africa and brought me a reusable grocery bag. It is from Woolworths, one of the largest retail chains in South Africa; it is made by a community project and serves as a symbol of the company's commitment to sustainability and social development. I will think of this whenever I use my new bag. Thank you, dear friend! The Woolworths bag is not my first reusable bag. I carry two baggies which fold up into packs smaller than a deck of cards in my purse and a bunch of bigger ones in the trunk of my car. To me this feels like an easy way of making a difference environmentally. Others seem to have a harder time. When the county of Los Angeles recently introduced a ban on plastic bags for its unincorporated areas the new ordinance was met with resistance. Shops bemoan that paper is more expensive than plastic. They charge customers ten cents for every paper bag. Shoppers complain about the t

Passionate Nerd, Dull Date: Encounter With a Stamp Collector

"Their album - it's an excuse." Stamps from Austria Last week I received a packet from Austria. It came with two old fashioned looking petit point stamps. I do not collect stamps and would not recognize a Blue Mauritius if you sent me one but the stamps from Austria caught my interest. As my fingers were running over the stitching I couldn't help but wonder: does anyone still do petit point? Are young people here in L.A. or even back in Europe still acquiring the craft? I learned to stitch, sew, and knit in elementary school in Austria but handiwork was not my forte. On the contrary. Crafts used to be the one subject I loathed - though I believe that my mother still keeps the red and blue pot holder I crocheted in second grade. (It was supposed to be a square but ended up an irregular trapeze.) The other thing I was wondering about when the packet arrived is whether young people still collect stamps. When I was in high school I knew a guy my age with a collec

Casual Spirit, Egalitarian Touch: the American Potluck

"Meal at which all people present share dishes they brought"? Po tluck. Today being Labor Day some families in our neighborhood decided to get together for a potluck: grilled chicken and salmon, home made potato salad; a salad of spinach, blue cheese, and pears; a fruit platter, brownies... I like potlucks, their casual spirit, the egalitarian touch. Very American. Everybody pitches in, no one has to feel bad because one family or even one person had to do all the work. In Austria potlucks are not really common; there is not even a German word for the concept. It could be   Kesselglueck -  literal yet somewhat charming - but that term doesn't exist. On the web I found "Potluck: großes Abendessen, bei dem sich alle Anwesenden selbst mitgebrachte Speisen teilen" (translation from  Reverso ). This describes the idea accurately but it is a bit long. For those of you who don't speak German, here's a re-translation, phrased as an invitation: "P