Most of us when naked or have the need to undress feel ashamed, embarrassed and uncomfortable with our bodies. When feeling this, we immediately try to protect our privacy, keeping our self-respect and modesty. It’s like saying, this is my private space and nobody has the right to violate it unless I give them permission or consent it.
When we are young, we allow this since we are not aware of how sacred it is to protect our body from foreign eyes and, within that innocence, undressing in front of others seems normal. As you grow up, you start understanding that your body is sacred and the shame of being seen naked it makes you cover yourself.
Modesty has always been related to the society´s convictions. To some, being naked is only intended to privacy, but for others this is something normal. Nowadays, many are no longer shamed and feel natural being topless on a beach or while visiting a nudist camp. Your body is a temple and only you have the right to decide what you show.
The shame human beings feel in relation to their bodies has radically changed. For example, in the eighteenth century it was considered rude to undress in front of others, unless you were doing it in front of your servants. During the rise of the Roman Empire, people led their business completely naked inside their homes, a behavior none of us will have today.
One curious fact is that historically women have been shown more modesty than men. Since all women have always been more modest, this plays a very important role in their education and how they must carry themselves in public.
Society is full of impositions, rules and laws that have always gone into complacency to discriminate against women. This can be seen in Islamic countries where it is established as law that women should be modest and have no right to show even a centimeter of their body.
The modesty or shame that one person can feel is very different from how others perceive it. When feeling shame, which can be caused due to a trauma, this can be physically reflected on the body by flushed skin, stuttering and sweaty hands.
Your body is a sanctuary that must be respected in every way, only you have the power to allow it to be seen. Modesty translates into respect, acceptance and admiration that your body deserves.
ALFA