Living in Sweden, I can say that the practice is presumably less common than it was 10 years ago. There has been a lot of bad press coverage a few years back, schools and the police etc. "warn" pupils and their parents alike. Times change, and I haven't seen much coverage in the Swedish press for some time. Way back, the Swedish gutter press even published some pictures with topless girls and naked guys in their paper edition. Needless to say, they certainly wouldn't get away with it today. Although I really enjoy these kind of pictures, I must say that I can't understand why making a fool out of oneself in front of one's peers, prior to beginning an education, would be desirable. I certainly wouldn't want my daughter (not that I have one) participating in this kind of rubbish "culture". They aren't even in "porn", just some stupid "bonding ritual".

EDIT: At least my above thought apply to college initiations. At uni they ought to have acquired a bit more sense...

Well put!

This subject is quite interesting. I've read your very insightful interview, and I want to thank you for bringing it to my attention. My knowledge of how/what young girls actually think is rather limited, but I agree with you that she seems to have been frank and honest with you. However, you might well be right when suggesting that some guys might answer somewhat differently. Exactly what their perspective would be is perhaps difficult to predict, but it is quite likely that their is a genus perspective to this.

The last paragraph of her answers is telling, though. The point she makes about them being over 18 and hence more mature, and the fact that it would be considered immoral if younger people participated. This is part of the general shift in societal attitudes (Jimmy Saville - eh?), of which Sweden has been in the forefront of. The pictures that I referred to as being publicized in the Swedish gutter press in the early- to mid-nineties where from high-school initiations. So they are only 15-16 years. The classic initiation "game" of forming a long line of clothes today usually stops at the underwear today, whereas in years gone by, girls often removed bras, sometimes even panties, and guys often removed their draws/drawers. Youngsters shouldn't really perform such acts, especially not in such a pressuring environment. It's not like they're playing a game of strip-poker with some friends. In Ballongdansen, she says that only those who are comfortable with removing their clothes in public participate. This difference is significant, as those who don't participate in "initiation rituals" bear the risk of becoming a bit of an outcast. Some of the initiation pictures on this forum are definitely with participants below the age of 18, notwithstanding the rules. I can't tell for certain that so-and-so picture is with under 18's, but a general overlook does conclude that all the initiation pictures aren't from outgoing high-students, or incoming university students.

Anyway, it's reassuring to know that I'm viewed as a harmless pervert. Not that I'm all that concerned with what some 18 y/o girl thinks about me anyway, so I don't find it particularly offensive.

Conflicted much?:D