don's report archive

Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)

Is Public Nudity A Wellness Issue and, If Not, Should It Be?
Wednesday April 18, 2001

Are there any English-speaking adults, especially those with Internet access who receive volumes of humor messages, who have not seen the question, "What is the most effective form of birth control after 40?" The answer, in case you are one of the few who have not, is nudity!

It's funny, no doubt of that. But, how sad or at least, how unfortunate, is the fact that it is somewhat true. The idea that people over 40 look unappealing without clothes on, so much so that all interest in activities that might lead to you-know-what are lost, speaks volumes about a national norm.

The norm is this: Americans go to "pot" (belly), lose fitness, tone, and vigor beyond a certain age. These losses mean not just a diminution of sex appeal but, according to the "joke" noted above, a complete turn off that eliminates thoughts of sexual attraction, let alone any actual activity of this nature. Don't you think that's just awful?

Garrison Keillor, during a recent Prairie Home Companion show on PBS, said something reflecting the same kind of resignation: A sense of mortality seems to be in the air these days. It's especially felt by those of a certain generation, who in the 60's were dropping acid and looking around for hip new joints but now are into antacids and are seeking hip joints.

Let's uncover some revealing aspects of this matter, ponder a few questions, and look at an interesting development concerning public nudity. What are some of your feelings and opinions on the topic? For example, do you agree that the sight of other people over 40 stark naked would be an effective form of birth control, which is to say an unpleasant visual sensation? How comfortable would you be about exposing your body, or significant parts of it, in public, assuming that a noble purpose of some unimaginable kind would call for such a thing? Or, just for the heck of it? Would you be ashamed or embarrassed to be seen with few or no clothes on?

Or, at the other extreme, do you have any repressed (or expressed) desires involving public nudity and, if so, do these inclinations seem positive or negative to you? How did your earliest attitudes on nudity come about? Have these attitudes changed much over the years? Are you confident and secure in the sense that your attitudes serve your best interests, and that no adjustments are needed to complement your functioning in any way?

These questions occurred to me as I read about a British citizen named Vincent Bethell. Ever heard of him? He is the interesting development to which I made reference in the previous paragraph. I read about him in the New York Times the other day, and that's what got me wondering if public nudity might be, or should be, a wellness issue. Mr. Bethell, age 29, is a tireless and increasingly well-known campaigner for the right to go naked in public. He heads the British Freedom to Be Yourself (FTBY) movement, whose members have demonstrated in the buff at the House of Lords, the Royal Courts of Justice, and New Scotland Yard.

Mr. Bethell is a colorful character, as you might imagine, who has often been photographed atop lampposts. Also as you might expect, Mr. Bethell has been arrested many times, which is why one of the FTBY goals is to establish in law as well as the public mind that nudity should not be considered a crime. You can assess the persuasiveness of Mr. Bethell's crusade at his Web site: Go to http://www.geocities.com/thehumanmind -- be sure to take along your sense of humor!

The FTBY folks claim their cause is about freedom of choice. They enjoy a lot of backing in England, a nation that, like our own, has a deep libertarian streak and tends to celebrate what the NY Times termed eccentric challenges to authority. In fact, in a show of support, many citizens of the town of Virginia Water in Surrey, England went naked in public last November 13th. A town official was quoted in a local paper to the effect that Vincent Bethell is a hero to us.

Encouraged by many of his countrymen and women and from like-minded groups in France and Germany, Mr. Bethell is calling for a giant, international nude-in on July 1 this summer. On this occasion, everyone the world over, including the townspeople in the city or suburb in which you live, is invited to remove all his or her clothes in public, at 2 P.M., London time. Of course, if you answer this call from Mr. Bethell to defend the ramparts of freedom, there are no guarantees that public officials in your hometown will consider you a hero.

As mentioned, you can read the details of Mr. Bethell's cause at his website; there is, regrettably, not sufficient space to summarize it here. Basically, he sees the human body as something that should be viewed as quite normal, says that clothes are sometimes a barrier to appreciating the beauty, openness, and honesty of people and claims that nudity can have a profound, invigorating quality that stimulates people's minds.

So, what do you think? Is viewing the human body in public a normal thing in your opinion? Are clothes sometimes a barrier to appreciating the beauty, openness and honesty of your next door neighbors, co-workers, and others? Would your nudity at, say, the local supermarket have a profound, invigorating and stimulating affect on the minds of those privy to the spectacle?

Finally, if you think this is all a grand idea, perhaps you'll let us know where you plan to be on July 1 at 2 P.M., London time.

Be well. Whatever you wear or don't wear in public and whatever you choose to do at this and other times, consider a self-managing lifestyle, and always look on the bright side of life.

(Ed. Note: Views expressed in this and other columns are those of the author and not necessarily those of the SeekWellness Editorial Board.)

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