# Have you seen yourself naked? Would you like to? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 16, 2004, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-seen-yourself-naked-would-you-like-to/255353 "2004-07-16T00:39:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-seen-yourself-naked-would-you-like-to/255353/41 "2004-07-16T11:39:43Z")
I see myself naked almost every day. I have no problem looking at myself in the mirror. Sometimes it even makes me smile. (I used to be over a stone heavier.) ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-seen-yourself-naked-would-you-like-to/255353/42 "2004-07-16T12:09:01Z")
I look nearly every day…then I dim the lights 😉 . I used to think I had a pretty cute bod, but in the last few years, I have these pounds I can’t seem to drop, and they depress me to no end. Also, gravity has begun to take its toll. I realize this is a socially-imposed hang-up, but I’ll tell ya…I was nearly in tears when I went shopping last weekend. All the salespeople were under 25 and rock solid, and there was my middle-aged self…sigh…what a drag. ---
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-seen-yourself-naked-would-you-like-to/255353/43 "2004-07-16T12:18:24Z")
> [@CrazyCatLady](#): > > So, have you ever acknowledged your own sexuality in any way? I have been sexually active. ---
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-seen-yourself-naked-would-you-like-to/255353/44 "2004-07-16T12:21:29Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Hey! Credit me, credit me! 😃 Yes, **Cisco** , I suppose you are partly to blame for all of this. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-seen-yourself-naked-would-you-like-to/255353/45 "2004-07-16T12:26:18Z")
I see myself naked all the time. I take very good care of myself and like what I see in the mirror. You might want to visit a nude beach sometime - nothing like being around people who have total body acceptance to put everything in proper perspective. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-seen-yourself-naked-would-you-like-to/255353/46 "2004-07-16T13:46:54Z")
I say live the way it suits you, so long as you don’t do it in the street and frighten the horses. That being said, if I was a lady and this happened to me… > [@](#): > > My breasts don’t get dirty enough for me to look at them while I wash them, plus they’re kind of small so **they hide.** … I’d look. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-seen-yourself-naked-would-you-like-to/255353/47 "2004-07-16T14:26:37Z")
Not only have I seen myself naked, pretty much everbody I went to college with has as well. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-seen-yourself-naked-would-you-like-to/255353/48 "2004-07-16T14:53:58Z")
You took a look? Good for you! I’m an expert in psychology. I’ve read _Who Moved My Cheese_ and watched the Dr. Phil show 3 times. Therefore, I can say with confidence that you are no longer a serial killer. You are now a schizophrenic agoraphobic with Tourette’s syndrome. ---
**Author:** ![jellyblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e480ec/32.png) [@jellyblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jellyblue)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-seen-yourself-naked-would-you-like-to/255353/49 "2004-07-16T15:46:48Z")
> [@Green Bean](#): > > You took a look? Good for you! > > I’m an expert in psychology. I’ve read _Who Moved My Cheese_ and watched the Dr. Phil show 3 times. Therefore, I can say with confidence that you are no longer a serial killer. You are now a schizophrenic agoraphobic with Tourette’s syndrome. Thanks goddess! Finally, a qualified bona fide professional around here! ---
**Author:** ![badmana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@badmana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badmana)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-seen-yourself-naked-would-you-like-to/255353/50 "2004-07-16T15:55:23Z")
I think most people are surprised because kids usually look/examine their bodies before they know it’s rude/not socially accepted. I’ve seen myself (and remember) my body from around the age of 6 or 7. I never felt gross about it. I’ve seen my sister naked as well since we took baths together (I only have pictures now, I personally don’t recall those times). I think I’d only be slightly worried if you were actively not looking at your body. I don’t mean in a “lets see if I can see my ovaries” sort of way of course 😃 but actually avoiding an overall glace while washing is rather unusual. And although it’s good that you were able to get a flash look at your body, you should try to get into a habit of doing it. Hopefully it’ll become less of an issue for you. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-seen-yourself-naked-would-you-like-to/255353/51 "2004-07-16T16:16:39Z")
> [@AwSnappity](#): > > Tonight marks the first time in 19 years that I, **AwSnappity** , have ever seen myself naked. My reaction? “Blech.” It wasn’t _that bad_, but I didn’t get up close and poke and prod and examine. I gave myself a once-over and got dressed. Maybe you should poke and prod and examine (in a comfortable way, of course.) It’s _your body_ and you’ll have it until you die. It behooves you to know where the parts are, what they look like, how they look when they’re healthy and unhealthy. You say you’re sexually active, which is fine of course, but I think it’s important to be familiar with the parts you’re sexually active with. I don’t think your hangups about your body are uncommon or sick, however. You talk about your cultural/family milieu that doesn’t encourage women to have a very close relationship with their bodies and their sexuality. It’s understandable in that context. Maybe one of our female Dopers can recommend a good book about getting comfortable with your vulva, the way it looks and how it’s put together. After getting your feet wet, so to speak, I’d like to tell you I really enjoyed the book _The Vagina Monologues_ by Eve Ensler. Good luck and _bonne découverte_! ---
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-seen-yourself-naked-would-you-like-to/255353/52 "2004-07-16T21:56:45Z")
> [@Green Bean](#): > > You took a look? Good for you! > > I’m an expert in psychology. I’ve read _Who Moved My Cheese_ and watched the Dr. Phil show 3 times. Therefore, I can say with confidence that you are no longer a serial killer. You are now a schizophrenic agoraphobic with Tourette’s syndrome. Shit! Can’t go outside because the giant [Ass!] green hippo will eat me! Damn! ---
**Author:** ![elfbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b782af/32.png) [@elfbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfbabe)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-seen-yourself-naked-would-you-like-to/255353/53 "2004-07-16T23:11:12Z")
Hey, one of the BEST parts of living alone for me is the absence of the usual requirement to wear clothes. I’d advise against looking at porn to understand the female body, though. Porn stars do NOT represent what is usual or normal. Much better to look at nonsexual pictures of genitalia that represent a wider range, not just the porn star ideal, or you may end up feeling bad or ugly because you don’t look exactly like that. And yes, I know where a whole lot of such pictures can be found, but I’m not going to post the information publicly - if **AwSnappity** or anyone else would be interested in seeing nonsexual pictures showing many, many types of lovely vulvas (and breasts, too!) email or IM me and I’ll tell you where to go. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-seen-yourself-naked-would-you-like-to/255353.md?page=2)