Why are European women okay with being naked or topless but Americans aren't?

[vptwarrior]

it kind of interests me since I went to France and Spain last year.

[MrOracle]

You need to understand your history. The first 200 years or so that colonists came from Europe to America did so because they wanted religious freedom, and most of them were heavily, strictly religious people. A Puritan then shares a lot of the ultra-conservative characteristics of, say, the Amish today, which makes sense given that they both come from similar religious extremist groups.

And those Puritan values are heavily ingrained in American culture, though it is slowly becoming less prudish. And though we have immigrants from all over the world, we were most heavily influenced by the British and French. The French were Catholic, while the British were mostly Angelican, which is a state-sponsored church created by the King and during much of the last 500 years was the "official" religion. There were periods when England was ruled by Catholic Kings, and periods where non-Angelican religions were much more tolerated, but there were also a lot of times when non-Angelican worshipers were heavily persecuted, which is why so many fled to America.

Britian as a whole has never been as up-tight about nudity as the US, being based on a more moderate religion, and due to a number of factors, the rest of Europe has much more relaxed attitudes about nudity.

For example, it isn't unusual for shampoo commercials in England to feature nude women in the shower with their breasts visible. This doesn't bother anyone, and it's no big deal, where it would be cause for hysteria in the US. Just look at the whole Janet Jackson "Nipplegate" scandal during the SuperBowl a few years ago.

Ironically, we're much more accepting of VIOLENCE than sex, and it isn't unusual for movies to be shot with additional nudity that is never added to the US release of the movie, while much of the violence is REMOVED for the Euro version.

While we would be scanalized by naked t*ts on TV, they are equally scandalized at the violence that we hardly notice and have no trouble letting our little kids watch.

Strange, isn't it?

[vptwarrior]

dude every time I read your comments I smile a little because I heard quagmire's voice as I read this, but it is very true on the violence over sex thing, its stupid too, I read somewhere Europe has far lower teen births than the US, because we make sex taboo for whatever stupid reason more people will try to do it, like I bet in Europe because they restrict violence in video games or movies people try to get more violent video games, because they are curious.

[BluePineapple]

im from Europe but lived in the US for the past year and you are so right. We do have a lower teen birth rate and I think we talk more open about sex. Not to offend any American people. all my friends have a ridiculous amount of sex and if I'm saying ridiculous I mean it. same with alcohol. in Europe you can drink at age 16 so its not really anything special or appealing to me anymore but here if they have alcohol they go crazy.

[vptwarrior]

wait, bluepineapple do you mean all your American friends or European ones

[paxtonfun]

From the Europeans I know I´d say it´s more a stereotype we Americans have

[peace-love-couture]

Because in American society nudity is a taboo and people react badly with skin being shown. Rape then becomes justified as it is when it comes to girls wearing short or revealing clothing.

Plus, in America, it's not really a prize to see "natural" looking bodies. Most women have stretch marks or cellulite or sagging breasts or jiggly here and there; not really acceptable among either gender to showboat it around. It's accepted in private, but not publicly.

Whens the last time you heard an American guy NOT on here or reddit or any other online forum drool over saggy t*ts, a saggy flat ass, cellulite, stretch marks or pepperoni nipples?

Exactly...and women know this and realize this so they cover up

[c7777]

I actually really do not see a difference between pepperoni nips or regular

[vptwarrior]

i also noticed more fat people when I came back as well, that could be the reason as well

[peace-love-couture]

Ironically, most guys do

[BluePineapple]

im European and I've lived in America for one year. I don't have a problem walking around topless or even walking around in my underwear all day but I've never seen any of my American friends do it. I've never been to france so I can't tell you anything about that but I think in spain its really comon. depends on where you were. if you go to the beach you would see a ridiculous amount of people walking around topless lol.

i think its just a culture difference :).

[albochris]

where you from

[BluePineapple]

somewhere near zurich :)

[vptwarrior]

what did you mean when you said this "Not to offend any American people. all my friends have a ridiculous amount of sex and if I'm saying ridiculous" were you talking about your American friends or European friends.

[Nelly-Nells]

LOL I have always wondered that, I'm perfectly fine with being naked and or topless ((i'm European)) and my friends get all shy . Like when I went to the plastic sergon to see about breast implants I was calm when he felt them wile my friends freaked out. Maby it's something to do with culture idk

[albochris]

where you from

[samhradh_leannan]

Well, that's quite a generalization. But in over all, Americans do tend to be a bit prudish about nudity. It's just one of those cultural differences.

[ScholaryTeen]

Mainly christian influences on American culture.

[AlessandraRossa]

I am from Europe and I hardly see someone who is okay with it , maybe you were in places where it's common. I've been always thinking that in America it's more acceptable , since there friends with benefits are very popular as I hear on this site, while in my coutnry it definitely isn't.

[MissNobody]

I live in Europe and never see naked nor topless women... You probably just stranded on a nudity beach or something :)

[vptwarrior]

i was in baralona spain and nice france, more topless women in spain actually

[Anonymous]

maybe because European guys don't act like animals if they see nudity or anything revealing. American girls can't go out in public in short shorts without getting ogled or harassed a lot of the times

[AlessandraRossa]

ah hehe believe me boys are same everywhere.

[vptwarrior]

thats more than likely true

[Anonymous]

I think its just a cultural difference... many places in Europe are a lot more uncensored in general so I'd imagine its not as big of a deal as we Americans make it, but I could be wrong.