Power dynamic

[Ed]

What does it do to the power dynamic between people when one is naked and the other is fully dressed?

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[Arthur]

What does it do to the power dynamic between people when one is naked and the other is fully dressed?

As most of my fictional stories involve this aspect of being naked I can honestly say in basically every case the person who is dressed holds all the cards and the naked person is basically totally at their mercy. Being naked is extremely disempowering, especially if everyone else gets to stay dressed, because they can see every inch of you but you can’t do the same back to them.

[Ed]

I’ve heard many people describe being naked as being empowering.

Also, I’ve met a few people who are so embarrassed and ill-at-ease around naked people that it certainly does not empower them.

[Martin]

As a (I guess now, former) life model, being nude in front of a group of people is not a problem to me and, in some ways, is empowering. Certainly I have had more people say to me “I’m uncomfortable with you being naked” than not so I think it does depend on your mind and experience.

Having the confidence to be nude means you are already starting to be empowered. But that is when it is your choice and decision.

Someone who doesn’t make the choice to be nude but is forced to be is already at a disadvantage to the person who has forced the nudity and therefore will be disempowered and probably unable to get empowered.

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[Ed]

Excellent points. I particularly agree that it depends on your mind and experience.

Many years ago I read a piece about the dynamics of men watching a female stripper. It was pointed out that it was at least as demeaning to them as it was to the stripper. The stripper gains financial reward (often substantial) but the men look desperate salivating over exposed skin. Again, depends on your experience.

[Arthur]

@Martin

“Someone who doesn’t make the choice to be nude but is forced to be is already at a disadvantage to the person who has forced the nudity and therefore will be disempowered and probably unable to get empowered.”

Even if the nudity was voluntary the fact that they are dressed while you are naked puts you in the vulnerable and exposed position where you are the one being sexualized and objectified and are at the mercy of the people with the clothing, and sort of a source of amusement for them, where as you can’t really get back at them like that while you are still completely naked. They are the ones who are nice and comfortably dressed. But again it does have a lot to do with experience, as if I were more comfortable with my nudity I probably wouldn’t feel the same way, but then if I was comfortable with it probably wouldn’t be exciting in the same way either.

@ed

“Many years ago I read a piece about the dynamics of men watching a female stripper. It was pointed out that it was at least as demeaning to them as it was to the stripper. The stripper gains financial reward (often substantial) but the men look desperate salivating over exposed skin. Again, depends on your experience.”

I’d probably feel weird being dressed while others are naked but it would still be no where near as intense if I was the one stripping naked.

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[Ed]

This makes me wonder if attitudes to nudity are different between the UK and US.

I know public nudity is illegal in many US states while it’s not illegal here in the UK. Beach nudity is pretty routine here (not just on designated beaches) because of that. Also, isn’t prostitution illegal in some US states too? I don’t want to move the conversation onto sex but it seems to be related to the same attitudes.

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[Arthur]

@Ed

“This makes me wonder if attitudes to nudity are different between the UK and US.

I know public nudity is illegal in many US states while it’s not illegal here in the UK. Beach nudity is pretty routine here (not just on designated beaches) because of that. Also, isn’t prostitution illegal in some US states too? I don’t want to move the conversation onto sex but it seems to be related to the same attitudes.”

Unfortunately the United States was founded by Puritans and our laws tend to reflect that, all the kinky people stayed in Europe! I’m pretty sure that prostitution is illegal in every United States state except for Nevada, as I know that they have brothels around Las Vegas that are legal. And I’m also pretty sure that public nudity is considered indecent exposure pretty much everywhere aside from maybe occasionally the a nude beach or nudist resort. At any rate I can’t say that I have ever seen someone walking naked in public in the United States even once in my entire life.

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