# How comfortable are you being naked in front of others? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 29, 2009, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-comfortable-are-you-being-naked-in-front-of-others/515541 "2009-10-29T01:28:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-comfortable-are-you-being-naked-in-front-of-others/515541/21 "2009-10-29T06:44:32Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > What kinds of pastries? The sticky kind. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-comfortable-are-you-being-naked-in-front-of-others/515541/22 "2009-10-29T07:18:47Z")
It’s all a matter of context - I alway try to achieve the level of attire expected of me. If we’re doing the naked thing, then I’ll be naked. I have no problem being naked in front of doctors or nurses, because looking at naked people is their job. I also have no problem with locker rooms. I would often sleep in the nude when I was in the army - lots of guys did - but I would pull some pants on if a girl entered the tent. It was considered the polite thing to do. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-comfortable-are-you-being-naked-in-front-of-others/515541/23 "2009-10-29T10:42:17Z")
… ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-comfortable-are-you-being-naked-in-front-of-others/515541/24 "2009-10-29T10:44:17Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > The sticky kind. [Keweenaw]Pasties?[/Keweenah] ---
**Author:** ![Audrey\_Levins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Audrey\_Levins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Audrey_Levins)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-comfortable-are-you-being-naked-in-front-of-others/515541/25 "2009-10-29T11:49:55Z")
I’m with **ZipperJJ** cuz I’m A-OK with being naked in front of my man, my doctor, and other women; my SO finds it amusing that I consider clothing at home to be strictly optional. And of course doctors have seen it all already…and other women? I don’t have anything they don’t have. Who cares. I’ve never, however, been naked in a group of both genders. Maybe it’s bit Victorian, but I don’t think strange men have earned the right to see my girly bits. Although, thinking back to a few college parties where there was a pool, the white T-shirts and and boxers the guys “kindly loaned” to my friends and I didn’t leave much to the imagination…😃 ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-comfortable-are-you-being-naked-in-front-of-others/515541/26 "2009-10-29T13:06:42Z")
I would have no problem being the only one naked in a group as long as everyone else didn’t feel like they needed to be embarrassed for me for being naked. If people were going to freak out about the fact that I was naked, I’d want to cover up. But if they acted like it was normal, then I’d be fine with it. I’m comfortable with my body but I don’t exude so much confidence to make people think I’m confident. Sounds strange, I guess. If it weren’t for the fact that I have two pre-teen daughters, I’d probably go naked around the house all the time. They’ve seen me naked plenty, but I’m trying to avoid calls from teachers about how my daughter is telling people that “Mommy and Daddy walk around naked”. ---
**Author:** ![tacoloco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tacoloco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tacoloco)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-comfortable-are-you-being-naked-in-front-of-others/515541/27 "2009-10-29T13:14:33Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Well, considering I’ve let people eat pastries off my bare body, I’d say pretty comfortable. Do you have a newsletter? I wish to subscribe. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-comfortable-are-you-being-naked-in-front-of-others/515541/28 "2009-10-29T13:21:50Z")
I don’t like being naked much. Years of repressed upbringing, I guess, and an incident in my youth that thoroughly burned me away from exhbitionism. I picked only with my doctor & my partner/lover. However, nakedness of itself is not a sin or dirty or anything - I just don’t feel comfortable, myself. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-comfortable-are-you-being-naked-in-front-of-others/515541/29 "2009-10-29T13:22:34Z")
I’m a grower not a show-er. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Am\_The\_Lorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19adc/32.png) [@I\_Am\_The\_Lorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Am_The_Lorax)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-comfortable-are-you-being-naked-in-front-of-others/515541/30 "2009-10-29T14:00:54Z")
I couldn’t vote, because none of the options suit me. I’m perfectly comfortable being naked around my family, both genders. I’m cool with locker rooms. And it doesn’t bother me a bit that the neighbors have probably seen me without clothes hundreds of times. I don’t put on a show for anyone, but I can’t get embarrassed about being seen doing something as mundane as getting out of the shower, or changing clothes, or sunbathing in my back yard. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-comfortable-are-you-being-naked-in-front-of-others/515541/31 "2009-10-29T14:10:47Z")
I’m not an exhibitionist, but I’m not self conscious about locker rooms or anything, and my wife and I are pretty casual about nudity in the home. I’ve never been in the situation of being in a large, public group of naked people. The closest was scoping out topless women on a beach in Rio. I probably wouldn’t be interested in any kind of “naturist” activity or anything – not from prudery or self-consciousness, just because I think t would feel ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-comfortable-are-you-being-naked-in-front-of-others/515541/32 "2009-10-29T14:13:59Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > The use of “only” in the poll is kinda weird. I’m cool with it with a partner and a doctor of a different gender, and strangers of the same gender. If I select the former, then I’m leaving out the latter. Yup – same problem, so I didn’t vote. ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-comfortable-are-you-being-naked-in-front-of-others/515541/33 "2009-10-29T14:16:56Z")
I voted for the last category because I did art-class modeling in my 20s, where I was essentially started at by a mixed-gender group of clothed people for 3 hours. I guess at 43 I would not be particularly comfortable posing for a bunch of 19-year-old community college students. But nude beaches are fine, so somewhere between the last 2 categories. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-comfortable-are-you-being-naked-in-front-of-others/515541/34 "2009-10-29T14:20:45Z")
I’m not even comfortable being naked when I’m alone and nobody can see me. The nightshirt comes off right before I go in the shower, and I put on underwear after I shower and before I dry my hair. I put my nightshirt back on to go out of the bathroom into the bedroom to find clothes for the day. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-comfortable-are-you-being-naked-in-front-of-others/515541/35 "2009-10-29T14:22:52Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > [Keweenaw]Pasties?[/Keweenah] No, pastries. It was at a BDSM party. Two parties, actually. My friend wanted someone to “table” and I volunteered. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-comfortable-are-you-being-naked-in-front-of-others/515541/36 "2009-10-29T14:27:51Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > It really depends on the circumstances. I’m pretty comfortable naked and it wouldn’t bother me if some random stranger saw me disrobed, but I’m not going to walk around inappropriate places in the buff, either. I think I’m just about here. I tend to only get naked around people I know, and I would generally prefer the only people who see me without any skivvies to know me, but I reckon I wouldn’t care much if a stranger caught me in the buff. I’m not going to walk around flashing people, though. ---
**Author:** ![Shadowfyre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfyre/32/9972_2.png) [@Shadowfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shadowfyre)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-comfortable-are-you-being-naked-in-front-of-others/515541/37 "2009-10-29T15:14:27Z")
Much like **Shakes** , I’m a grower, not a show-er. Also, I’m a bit paunchy. And I have back hair. So, for most everyone else’s benefit, I stay clothed. Because of that, most of my torso is blindingly white. I try to keep a shirt on at public swimming pools as well. However, if it is just me and my wife in a hotel room or something, I tend to go around with just my boxers. I’m not comfortable completely naked unless I’m in bed. But I have stripped down for healthcare workers of both genders when needed. Those poor healthcare workers… ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_Holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@Mycroft\_Holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_Holmes)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-comfortable-are-you-being-naked-in-front-of-others/515541/38 "2009-10-29T15:31:14Z")
Living in Germany and the Netherlands and going to a lot of saunas and nude beaches you just naturally tend to not have a big hangup about being naked. I do remember once staying at a hotel in Paris when I used their pool and sauna, and an American tourist entered the sauna wearing his swimming trunks and flip-flops. You should have seen the looks he was getting. He should have been embarassed about NOT being naked! ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-comfortable-are-you-being-naked-in-front-of-others/515541/39 "2009-10-29T16:35:14Z")
I think this should have been a multiple-choice poll, but the most comfortable I would be naked is with my SO and a healthcare provider. Second most would be others of the same gender BUT only if they are naked as well (think guys in a bathroom). Anything else is a mixture of 70% “OMG I AM NAKED” and 30% “WHY AM I THE ONLY ONE!” and also considering, is it a suitable place to get naked in? “OMG I am naked with everyone else clothed in the middle of a shopping mall!” ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Machine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Ice\_Machine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Machine)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-comfortable-are-you-being-naked-in-front-of-others/515541/40 "2009-10-29T16:37:47Z")
I chose the last one although I’m probably half way between the last 2. As long as it’s not inappropriate I’m good. I’m usually naked most of the time at home although as **corkboard** noted I’ll probably have to watch it soon as my daughter has just started kindergarten. Here in Texas I it seems I see a lot of folks who aren’t comfortable even in locker rooms. About a year ago we went to a waterpark and at the end of the day I took my son to shower and change and my wife took my daughter. I stripped myself and him down and showered in the open showers. Most of the guys (all ages) were wearing bathing suits and giving us odd looks. My wife had the same experience, the women were showering with their one-piece bathing suits on reaching under the suit to lather up and thought my wife odd for showering naked. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-comfortable-are-you-being-naked-in-front-of-others/515541.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-comfortable-are-you-being-naked-in-front-of-others/515541.md?page=3)