Is the average American's fear of nudist beaches just a different degree of the Muslim fear of female nudity?

Question

Have religious Americans any right to criticize Muslims when the difference is just a matter of degree? The healthy relaxed safe beaches of Australia, Brazil and Europe, to name a few, confirm the backwardness of Americans who feel so ashamed of their own bodies.
The sad fact is that most of those who answer here
have never been to a nude beach and don't know what they are talking about.

Answer 1

I've been to many nude beaches, and trust me when I say, 99% of the nudes should really keep their clothes on. It is not always pretty.

Answer 2

I am American and I live now in Egypt. The Muslims don't fear nudity. The problem is there are many ultraconservatives Muslims who see women as a threat and a temptation. Recently, there has been a case where a 13 year old girl went to get her brother at a community center. The girl got in one of those three wheel carts, was taken by the driver of the cart and gang raped by him and some of his friends. Because of her age and fear, she was not believed and the guy is getting away free. The girl's family now has to support a baby from this rape. The leader of the Muslims in Egypt came out and said that she should be prosecuted for tempting the man and being immoral. If I walk down the street and my head is uncovered, then I get hissed at by even the police. I am not wearing revealing clothes; I just don't overdress on 90-100 degree days. Hissing is their version of wolf calls. Yes, Americans are uptight about nudity. One of the places where I lived before was in Athens, Greece. You can pick out most Americans just by watching their faces as the busses go by. Yes, the ads on the busses and on the side of the street would not EVER be seen in the U.S. We have a right to criticize the Muslims not because they fear nudity but because they degrade women and the women feel powerless to stop it. By the way, Egypt is less conservative than say Saudi Arabia.

Answer 3

The main reason so many americans have such a problem with the idea of nude beaches is that we are societally conditioned by churches, the media, the legal system and the educational system to be completely unable to separate nudity from sexuality. Regardless of the context, many americans hold the idea that having certain areas of the human body uncovered is pornographic and therefore sexual in nature, even if the context has NOTHING to do with anything sexual. These same people also view those that are not offended by nudity as being somehow perverted which opens a whole different can of worms (pun intended).

Answer 4

I'm American and I've been to a nude beach, there are a few around San Francisco. Also I used to hang out with a group of friends who went nude swimming in ponds and lakes in the midwest all the time in the summer, when I was in my 20's.

I chose not to take off my clothing at the San Francisco nude beaches however. The reason was not because I was afraid or backwards. I was in my 20's and quite nicely built, and very open minded, thank you very much. Now I'm 48.

I have always had the choice to choose who sees my body and who doesn't. It's a matter of privacy and personal preference, not backwardness or being ashamed.

I have that right, as an American, to choose. And I choose not to, and there is nothing wrong with that. Other people choose to, and there is nothing wrong with that either.

I mean really, who cares??? Let those who want to, do so. And those who don't, don't. I don't push my personal preference on anyone, and I sure don't expect anyone to try to push theirs on me, like you seem to be trying to do by calling those of us who prefer not to be nude "backwards" and "ashamed". That's pretty ignorant. It's about free choice and personal preference, period.

See, that's the thing.

As American non-Muslims, we have the choice as to whether to be nude or not.

Muslims do not have a choice. However, they DO choose to be Muslims. They may be born into the religion, but they do have the choice to leave it as adults.

So if not being able to go to a nude beach bothers a Muslim soooo badly that s/he just can't stand it, then they can choose to leave the religion of Islam, and then go to a nude beach.

I do not believe in anyone forcing anyone else to be nude, or not to be nude, period. No matter what religion they are. That's too personal of a thing for anyone else to dictate to another person.

I choose not to in my middle-aged years, because I prefer to be modest, myself. What other people do is up to them, and I couldn't care less what their choice is. It's none of my business.

Source: Me, Jewish

Answer 5

A healthy balance may be running around the house nude with your spouse. Parading yourself around and having to be nude in front of other is just an extreme to the left if the muslims were say, and extreme to the right. What's wrong with balance? You and the muslims are both guilty of an extreme, in my humble opinion.

Answer 6

I don't know about you, but I've been to an American High School recently. Most of the people there are in favor of nude beaches. Very strong favor.

Answer 7

Nude beaches are cool with me, and I think you make a great point.

Answer 8

Wait a second, Muslims dont feel ashamed of their own bodies. You are comparying apples and oranges. Muslim Women feel that it is their right that people see them for who they really are, not as sex symbols.

Answer 9

we dont have many nude beaches here in southern Arizona.
so I guess people here cant argue that one.

Answer 10

only animals run around naked. thats what i say.