Quote:
Originally Posted by soundwave106
I haven't been to Europe in a while, but last time I went (early 2000s) some people were importing a bit of the American attitude of nudity=exploitation... which I'm sure the Internet doesn't help, sad to say. Europe was overall way more laissez faire in regards to nudity. Certainly a bit less prude than American metropolitan areas. If attitudes have converged towards American metropolitan levels, well, that is way less prude than heartland areas. On the other hand, I've never seen seas of naked people in Europe; anyone who expects that will be disappointed. It just means that you will go on a beach, and there may be topless bathers or naked bathers, and people won't care. Aside from designated nudist colonies, there are only a few places in America that are like that (more "European" places like South Beach). Europe also has some nudity on TV, though it does seem like less than there used to be.
Ironically, I actually consider interest in nudism in America to be going up right now, including interest from a slightly younger age group than has typically been interested in the past. (Instead of retired, you get some interest from the yuppie crowd and the hippie crowd). If Europe is less inclined to nudism than the past, maybe of all things America will pick up the slack.  |
That would be nice. We have a long ways to go, though.
THe effect of the internet seems to go like this: Women don't want anyone to sneak up on them with a camera. But they don't mind posing or otherwise being in more control (being able to see the photogs, for example). The case of Sienna Miller being photographed by the paparazzi recently while on the set of a movie is a great example. She was there to do a nude scene (where she had control), but dare take a voyeur pic of her without her consent and she sues like crazy.
Anyway, to me this means the future may look like this: Look for a decline in nude beach use where women don't have any control over the photography aspect. To pick up the slack, other types of events may become more popular, events where photogs, if present, are at least out in the open where women can see them. Many of these events today are in the US, and their popularity seems to be growing or at least holding strong. Europe on the other hand is where most of the beach action is, and it seems inevitable given the net that there will be some decline there.
Anyway, Europe and America have always traded fads and cultural trends. As a fad, the nude beach is relatively old now compared to WNBR, fantasyfest, burning man, etc. And the photogs at those events must seem like comparitively nice, friendly guys who just want to make a woman look and feel beautiful. Compared, for example, to someone like Enrique or some of those other sneaky nude beach photogs (not you, Pedro - I'm talking about the gyno guys.......)
I'd be interested in a woman's perspective on this.....
Klondike