Bricks of Cotton and Wool
Every day we wear a wall, we enclose ourselves, just peeking out so we can see, hear, smell, eat, and hold things. If it is really cold sometimes we sacrifice those abilities too! We decorate our walls with colours, patterns, and textures. We make our wall a representation of ourselves; who we think we are, who want to be, who we want others to see us as.
I of course refer to our clothing, a fabric wall we hide behind.
Sometimes it is cold, so you would rather stay behind your walls, in your home, and be nice and warm. Sometimes it rains, so the walls keep you dry, and likewise blocks out the wind. We make our walls look pretty, and take pride in them. Sometimes we go to special buildings to do certain things, like swim, or work, or study.
Yet there is a curious discontinuity in this metaphor, for sometimes it gets hot, and on this day we have two options with our walls. Maybe we will open a window so it is not too hot behind them. Or maybe we will leave the protection of our wall and go out to enjoy the world beyond them. Indeed sometimes, whatever the weather, we just don’t want to be stuck behind our walls!
But when we remember we are talking not about buildings, but clothing, things seem to change. When it gets hot we might open that metaphorical window by wearing a little less, but very rarely, and very few, would leave the confines of their wall/clothing and just enjoy the day, the freedom, the comfort, the entirely natural state, of being naked. We have it seems, become prisoners behind our walls.
In which case I must suggest that an injustice has been passed! We must break free of our incarceration; for taking shelter behind our walls should be an option, not a jail! Sometimes it is true, we need clothing, it keeps us alive in the elements, protects us from dangers. But other times we have no requirement for it all, just a curious state in society at large to fear nudity, to take offence at what every one of us naturally is.
So take pride not just in your walls, but in what lies behind them. You need not hide behind walls of fabric at all times to live your life — Be yourself, be comfortable, be free, be naked!
This piece was original written and illustrated for, and published in, Idea Magazine in 2010, in an issue themed on “walls”. Presented here with some minor edits to improve the original text.
More from me on nudity and bodies:
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