Scandinavian here. I’ve noticed the same thing with Saunas. Not just Americans, though, but brits too.
Because having any articles of clothing on in a sauna is stupid. (I’ll defer to the Finns for a final judgement on that statement, but that’s my firm opinion, at least).
Short story: A b7nch of coworkers and I had to spend 24 hours in a Rio de Janeiro hotel for a medical exam the day after. And of course we did what any self-respicting doodlebugger would do: we went to the roof bar. After way too much beer vodka and whisky we realized that there was also a sauna there. So we did the only thing appropriate; undressed and chilled in the steam. And for us scandinavians that meant nudity. For anyone else it meant prudity. And we were an eclectic mix of nationalities.
Brit: “Uh, what are we doing here”
Swede: “We’re bonding”
Septic: “This is kinda gay…”
Norwegian: “SHUT UP, WE’RE BONDING”
PapaStevesy@lemmy.world 2 days ago
I think you answered your own question: there is no non-sexual nudity in such a hyper-sexual society.
MummifiedClient5000@feddit.dk 2 days ago
But the US is also weirdly prudish about sex.
misteloct@lemmy.world 2 days ago
The religious prudes think that any nudity must be sexual. Best to cover up and avoid temptation. They are the hyper sexual ones, in a way.
SnotFlickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 days ago
That’s actually normal in sexually repressed societies.
Similar stuff happens in Iran, where young people get down to crazy freaky sex because they’re so sheltered from it in everyday life.
The more people are told “no,” but the only reasons are religious reasons, the more will rebel against it.
trotfox@lemmy.world 2 days ago
There’s a state you can own a maximum of 6 sex toys, in law.
They don’t got their stuff figured out yet.
SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Only in the official public sphere, off to the side it is very sexualized. Ads and tv shows are full of sexual references. You hit strange limits though like genitalia cannot be shown in movies (not X rated) but you can use a fake penis on men and a merkin on woman which is ok for some bizarre reason. The US forced its prudishness with genitalia on the Japanese after WW2 which is why they pixelate it. It likely has its roots in the US as a mainly evangelical Protestant settled nation vs the more Catholic and reformation Europe. Eastern cultures also have their own rules about nudity and sex but it isn’t seen as inherently sinful.
MossyFeathers@pawb.social 2 days ago
That’s only true if you don’t look under the covers.
Spoilers: there’s a furry orgy hiding beneath.
I find it really amusing that furries are probably the most unique American subculture, yet we get shunned by most Americans. Go figure lmao.
FelixCress@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Yes. Their idiotic age rules (something about half age plus something, I don’t remember) they spread around on Reddit like it was some kind of gospel really made me question their sanity.