From my observations and experience, I note that while men will readily get naked and stay naked completely, immediately, some women prefer to -some of the time- remain covered up to some degree. Bare-breastedness is now nothing on European beaches, and I’m guessing that a majority of ladies under the age of 60 have sunbathed or swum topless on holiday, and think nothing of it.

But even at naturist beaches, some ladies prefer to remain partially dressed, keeping their bikini panties on for that popular naturist pastime, walking the beach.

Why is this?

My theory, untested, is that males are much more comfortable with their nudity from an early, locker-room, age. Communal showers after sports, all on display, becomes a norm, even if it’s within their own gender. So they know the feeling of nudity, and I think most of us regard it as a nice feeling with the air or water on our skin.

It’s different for girls, though. I know when I was at school we were all very much embarrassed by our nudity and our changing bodies (‘oh look! Such and such now wears a training bra!!!! She has hair down there!!!!’) that we’d happily sit sweaty and smelly after PE rather than go to the shower. Swimming lessons meant showering with our costumes on.

So males will easily go naked, even in mixed-gender company in public, very readily. Females not quite so much (although please don’t write in to tell me how your girlfriend will flash her boobs at the drop of a hat…there’s no hard and fast rule here).

There’s also the issue of the menstrual cycle. Most naturist females will have been in situations where their period begins, and bikini briefs will conceal the use of sanitary wear -if you use towels they’re essential. But that doesn’t explain this TFNM (Topless Female, Naked Male) scenario.

But for some females, often the more reluctant partner in a relationship, while going topless is now the norm, exposing their genital area is still just a step too far on the beach.

Ella