That's the word from a survey commissioned by British bathroom equipment manufacturer Shuc, which surveyed 3,500 men and women on their attitudes about nudity in their own homes.
Why are so many women afraid to be naked in the privacy of their bedroom? Call it an image problem. Stick-thin, nearly anorexic fashion models coupled with celebrities who are made to look thinner than they really are thanks to digital magic make women feel that their bodies are ugly and shouldn't be seen--even by a man who loves them. And this could be putting a serious strain on relationships.
Women do seem to understand this isn't healthy. Virtually all of those interviewed for the survey admitted that it's important for a couple's relationship to feel comfortable being naked together. Even so, 10 percent of those surveyed said that if they do undress in front of their partner, they turn out the lights first.
How do men feel? They enjoy naked time! More than two-thirds of men said they regularly walk around the house without a stitch on. Interestingly, 46 percent of women said they would love to do the same thing--but would never have the nerve because their partner would see them.
This isn't the first survey to discover that women are embarrassed about their bodies. When Fitness magazine polled 1,007 people, nearly 25 percent of women admitted they have avoided sex at one time or another because they felt uncomfortable with how their body looked.
--From the Editors at Netscape
