We came out of our mother’s womb naked. At three, it is accepted to walk around the same way but by the time we reach seven, we are shamed for attempting to walk in the Same way we arrived at the earth . Gradually, we teach the girls to become so focused on societal perception on her body that she she becomes uncomfortable in her own skin. She rejects her true self for a covering- a cloth , to fit into the society. This does not stop there, she learns to hide her real thoughts, beliefs,values and emotions and learn to be a hypocrite.
Since she is unable to be her true self, she learns to shame those who attempt to be authentic. Deep within, she envies them for having the courage to live their own lives. If we are shaming those who choose to walk naked, we are indirectly telling the creator he did a terrible job. We are on obnoxiously questioning his rationale for bringing us in this world naked in the first place. Which right thinking person would light light up a candle and hide it under the bed ? Which right thinking artist would mould a sculpture and cover it? Did our books not tell us that early man roamed about naked? At what point did nudity become a taboo?
Clothes were worn in those days sparingly for protection against adverse weather condition. Today it has become a law . Psychologist have pondered why the older we get, the more uncomfortable we feel in our own skin . Abraham Mascow, attributed the taboo on nudity more on societal norm than on ethical grounds . We have been conditioned into feeling uncomfortable in the presence of any nudity. The term ” gymnophobia” has been coined to describe the psychological aversion to nudity
Some religion tell us that the human body is shameful and to expose any portion of it except the face or the hands is an offence. Many religion cannot draw the demarcation between nudity and sexual. It is believed that mere exposure of a body incites sexual thought and behavior in the opposite gender. Is nudity the problem or the mind? This mindset has led to rape victims being blamed as partner in crime.
As a result, people who chose to embrace nudity were viewed by mental health professional as psychological dysfunctional. It was until 1930 that the former president of American psychology Association , Howard Warren (1933) observed a group of persons camping naked for weeks. At the end of the camping, he noticed that participants became more open and trusting of each other. This led to a proposed theory that when strangers that nude at an early stage are more likely to enjoy be open and trust each other . This led to the birth of a new therapeutic movement which uses non- sexual social nudity as a means to improve individual mental health. A more recent publication by Renowned professor of psychology , West K (2018) shows that people who practice nudity tends to have higher body image, high self esteem and better life satisfaction.
Recent studies are beginning to link constant putting on bras with ill health including breast cancer. Guys who put on tight boxers are likely encounter problems in their reproductive system. The very clothes we crave may be causing problem yet social pressure compels us to put on clothes.
Before you put on that piece of cloth, question your rationale behind it. Are you putting it on for you or for others. Before you condemn that person for dressing the way he/ she likes. Ask yourself why her dress-code bothers you .?
THE NAKED NIGERIAN 