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Most people in North American society appear to suffer from a phobia of nudity – either their own or of seeing that of others. The problem with this fear is that is leads people to be uncomfortable with their own bodies. It results in them being ashamed, embarrassed, and even offended by their own image. The emotional reaction can negatively impact self-esteem and self-confidence. Fear of nudity has an official name – Gymnophobia. MedTerms Medical Dictionary Gymnophobia: An abnormal and persistent fear of nudity. Sufferers of this phobia experience undue anxiety even though they realize their fear is irrational. They may worry about seeing othersRead More →

On:

Over many years of studying our society’s view of nudity, I’ve come to understand that there is a clear hierarchy in what people consider nudity. A recent article (discussed below) has definitely confirmed the rather odd and irrational categorization of nudity offense. Generally speaking, in North America, it goes something like this: Buttocks (mild nudity) Grudgingly acceptable in most cases. It is widely seen in media and advertising with little public backlash. G-strings and thongs which show most, if not all, of the buttocks are legal on beaches almost everywhere in North America. One exception: In 2008, the ABC network was fined $1.4 million by theRead More →