How many of you still read a newspaper - a real newspaper, the kind you open up and manually turn the pages? I still do. No matter how busy my day is, I must always read the paper to find out what is going on in the world at large. Yes, most times, it's "yesterday's news" that I'm reading; I do still watch CNN (love the silver fox!) and find new feeds online. But there's just something about a paper...
Yesterday, Dear Abby's lead letter was from a single dad with two teenage boys; one 17, one 18. His concern was the casualness with which his sons and their friends parade around nude. They shower together - 2 or 3 at a time - they shave together in the nude and, as this father puts it, "air dry" walking around with towels wrapped around them. They sit and play video games and watch TV like this all the time. He says, "It's like a big 'nude-fest' with them and their friends."
This father has discussed it with his sons. They've told him it's just "a social thing and the same as showering together after football in the school gym." It's no big deal to them. And Dad says he doesn't believe there is anything sexual going on. Though, his kids are past the age of consent anyway, so there wouldn't be anything he could do about it if there were.
This man's question was this: "Am I being a prude in thinking this is unusual or inappropriate?"
My initial response was "YES, you idiot." Bless Abby's heart. She informed him, "I see nothing inappropriate about what your sons and their friends are doing. You are just not as comfortable in your skin as your sons and thier 'jock' friends are. ..."
How refreshing! How nice to know I have an ally in Abby. This guy needs to take a lesson; his kids could teach him a thing or two about being male. There's nothing wrong with hanging out together naked.
5 comments:
All that represents a very welcome cultural shift in my opinion.
That is wonderful to be so relaxed about male nudity. Wish I had grown up in an atmosphere like that! What a differance it would have made.
Wonderful article! We should all be that comfy with being naked together. Cheers, AOM
Funny, my father taught us that. At the fishing log cabin we were 6 cousins splitting 1 bathroom so we used to shower together in an effort to make the hot water last the most. So he said to us that's the same thing as showering together after football in the school gym, we also never locked the door.
@ Anon - If he taught you to be comfortable being naked - particularly around him and male cousins, you have a terrific father. There is no reason to have to hide our bodies from one another - especially other guys.
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