Food for thought! Some societies are more prudish than others. The research cited in the article below is older.
In Germany, e.g. topless in parks or at public swimming pools or nude at some beaches is common. In the US prudishness is common (except for nudity for sale).
For centuries nudity in public was considered uncivilized/primitive or a moral/religious vice in Western societies.
"In the summer of 2020, Berriman bought herself a bikini to wear during a heatwave. She hadn't worn one in 20 years, having struggled with body dysmorphia (a condition where someone fixates on perceived flaws in their appearance) for most of her life. Around a year later, her husband introduced her to naturism.
"Naturism is engaging in social nudity with no expectation, no presence of sexual stimulation," says Kerem Soylemez, assistant professor of psychology at Regent's University London. ...
A quick history of social nudity [this history appears to be very incomplete]
• Some indigenous cultures and tribes have perhaps the longest history of wearing little to no clothing
• In the Western world, athletes often competed in the nude in ancient Greece's Olympics
• In late 19th-Century British India, modern naturism clubs emerged
• In the US, organised naturism traces its origins to 1929 when three German residents of New York met to discuss founding a nudist association in the Micholob Café
• In 1974, the New York Times reported that social nudity was experiencing a wave of popularity in the US
• In the 1920s and '30s, naturism gains popularity in the UK
..."
From the abstract:
"Body image dissatisfaction is a serious, global problem that negatively affects life satisfaction.
Several claims have been made about the possible psychological benefits of naturist activities, but very little empirical research has investigated these benefits or any plausible explanations for them.
In three studies—one large-scale, cross-sectional study (n = 849), and 2 prospective studies (n = 24, n = 100) this research developed and applied knowledge about the possible benefits of naturist activities.
It was found that more participation in naturist activities predicted greater life satisfaction—a relationship that was mediated by more positive body image, and higher self-esteem (Study 1).
Applying these findings, it was found that participation in actual naturist activities led to an increase in life satisfaction, an effect that was also mediated by improvements in body image and self-esteem (Studies 2 and 3).
The potential benefits of naturism are discussed, as well as possible future research, and implications for the use of naturist activities."
Fig. 1 Relationship between naturist activity and life satisfaction, mediated by body-image and self-esteem in Study 1. Note *p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001
