Naked

Word № 004: Naked

Bare. True. Unfiltered. Honest. Simple. Free.

All these are words that can be used to describe or explain the word naked.

When I hear that word, the first thing that comes to mind is a human body devoid of clothes. I feel funny writing this.

A human body is glorious.

The Garden

When I was young, I was taught that the first time people knew they were naked was in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve. We all know the story. Or don’t we?

When they realized they were naked, they ran to hide themselves.

I wonder why. 🤔

That is how we behave up until now. We hide when we are naked. Why is being naked associated with shame? Why do we wear clothes?

Back to Adam and Eve — if that is how it really happened. At this point… anyway.

So, sticking to how the story was told: these people existed that way. They were okay with their bodies up until they ate the fruit, realized they were naked, and proceeded to hide from God.

They were just the two of them, so we can’t say that someone taught them to be ashamed. Or that they learned from someone else. It is also not recorded that God told them they needed to hide because of shame or realizing they were naked.

Hiding was their first instinct. They hid, and then made materials to cover themselves.

Once again, I wonder: why do we wear clothes?

Hide or Cover?

We all know how the body of a man looks. And we also know how a woman’s body is created. We know what looks like what and where what is placed in both bodies.

So what exactly are we hiding? Or covering? “Covering” sounds better.

Many would like to argue that it is not a matter of hiding but covering. Granted. The argument is valid. So what is the difference?

Covering sounds a bit nice while hiding seems harsh. But they are both the same in terms of the action being done.

You know how we are sure to lock the door when we go to the washroom to answer nature’s call. You know how no matter how you feel, you can’t just pull down your clothes in the streets. You know how despicable and ill-mannered and wayward we judge — both men and women — who wear little or few clothes in public.

Some people have even excused SA and/or r@pe crimes in the name of “What was she wearing.” 🙄

Why are we so uncomfortable with being naked?

The Other Side

I know in these times, we were born and we found people wearing clothes. And I am not saying we should drop them and start walking naked in the streets. No. Please no.

I am just wondering: what is on the other side of this? Everything is two-sided.

We wear clothes for many reasons, most of which we know and have no problem with:

• We found people wearing clothes
• By the time you knew who you were, you were in clothes
• We like how we look with certain clothes
• To shield from certain weather conditions

But I am more concerned about the reasons we don’t either know or we do but are not willing to talk about or confront.

There are people who are not only uncomfortable while naked where more people are involved — they are not comfortable with who they are or how they look even in private. Like you have never or cannot stay with yourself for a moment in the mirror. Looking at yourself.

I am not shaming or attacking anyone. I am trying to make sense of where shame comes from, especially regarding our bodies.

I know the society’s propaganda about beauty standards has something to do with it. We have been told that beauty looks a certain way. So if your body doesn’t look like that in the script, then you’re probably not beautiful or worthy or good.

The DNA Factor

Our DNAs are another thing. As a human being, you carry the DNA of your ancestors. Most of us are dealing with issues from time immemorial that have been passed down from generation to generation.

So in saying this, I am implying that some of the reasons we feel the need to hide are things that happened long ago that we may not be able to explain. Because like in all other cases, the presence of clothes now means there was a time they didn’t exist.

I’ll leave that there.

The Animals

Naked can also mean real, true, honest. You’ve heard of the naked truth.

It seems like no matter how far I want to go, I still keep going back.

We are the only animals that wear clothes. Other animals just operate the way they came. You know, take a cow for example. It is born, weaned by its mother, and grows up without the need for clothes.

Are other animals foolish? Don’t they ever need to feel pretty wearing designers?

Or are we the foolish ones? 🤔

My goodness! Someone should put me out of this misery.

It’s difficult to imagine a different reality from the one we know — the one of wearing clothes. Hearing me speak, you’d think I have the urge to walk the streets naked. Or that I don’t like clothes. Shock! Far from it.

I like clothes. I like shopping for them.

But how did we get here in the first place?

The Over-Covering

I just remembered that there is somewhere on this planet where people don’t wear as much clothes as we do.

I have also remembered that some religions liken the wearing of so many clothes — covering almost everywhere — with purity. 😄 Like the more clothes you wear, the more decent you are. And you are deemed innocent, good, god-fearing (although I don’t see why God should be feared, but to each their own).

That to me seems like from bad to worse. Because already we are wearing clothes despite not knowing why, and if that’s not enough, you now have to overdo it. Like don’t just wear clothes — cover absolutely everything. Whether raining or shine. It doesn’t matter.

I can bet that many of these people don’t even like it, but performance is important. You need to look the part if you want to belong to the group.

Anyway, I don’t wish to go any farther on that.

What I Think

Naked is not bad. Naked is not wrong. Naked is not wayward. Naked is not impurity. Naked is not shameful.

Being okay with being naked — especially on your own — is a sign of being free.

That body you see when you look in the mirror is your first home and the only home you’ll ever truly own. So take pride in it.

Love it. Talk to it. Pamper it. Strengthen it. Appreciate it.

Because your body is always there with you. Taking all the hits that life or you throw at you. Your body fights for you. Giving you signs every now and then. The body is so intelligent.

It should not be a thing of shame.

Work with it. The body is not static. It can be molded.

Naked is love.