I grew up in a very conservative home where nudity was not encouraged.
Despite my upbringing, I've found myself in locker rooms, changing rooms, and other situations where being naked around others is a normalized, non-sexualized situation. Most often, this nudity has taken place around my friends. Just this past weekend, I was in a wedding and the frenzied bridal party all got dressed together in the bridal suite. Nakedness was necessary, and because I was surrounded by friends I trusted, I felt totally comfortable in my body.
If this idea is something new or terrifying to you, that makes sense. People have become more and more private about their bodies over the years. But taking a long look at non-sexual nudity may have profound effects on your psychological health and self-esteem.
Dr. Lynda Boothroyd, a senior psychology lecturer at Durham University, researches how brains respond to images of bodies. She notes to The Daily Mailthat media representation has real effects on how we see ourselves.
