A Course on Human Sexuality Pt. 04

I've written previously about the Course on Human Sexuality at my university, offered by the psychology department. It is famous for its clinical exercises to push sexual boundaries. Once it had tipped a toe even into nudity among the classmates -- albeit in a small way. At one afterhours session, groups of 2 men and 2 women were required to decide which one individual amongst them would participate in an assigned discussion, in the nude. But that was weak tea compared to what the department had decided to embark on today. Something never done before.

"Class, you all signed up for this course understanding that openness about sex and the human body was a requirement. Some of you have explored sexual openness; others have been more the observer. But an occasion has presented itself, and I want to take this class to a new level. By coincidence, we are scheduled to have class next Wednesday, during national Nude Day. "

There was a buzzing among the students at the professor's words. Everyone had heard of Nude Day, of stories of groups, even communities, foregoing clothes for a day. But these were stories about strangers in distant places. It had never happened here.

"I am proposing that the members of this class on human sexuality be the vanguard of sexual openness on campus. All of you will be nude the entire day -- doing all of your normal activities, going to class, to the gym, to the library, etc., in the nude. It will proclaim the beauty and sacredness of the human form to the rest of the campus and to each other."

It was a lovely speech, passionate even.

"You must be joking," said one freshman girl.

"I could never do something like that," proclaimed another.

A small insurrection was stirring. The professor had to act fast.

"Now wait, folks. I know on initial presentation, it sounds bold. Maybe outrageous. But what have we learned in the class over the past several months? That if we suspend conventional morality, conventional thinking, the reward in personal growth is huge. Consider how you viewed sex before you started the class, and now, how much more free, open, confident and even joyful you are about sex."

Heads nodded. Yes, it was true. No one was unchanged in their attitude toward sex. But this suggestion? This was a leap of faith, a bridge further than ever before. All prior acts had been among this small, select group of classmates. Everyone in the same boat. What was being proposed was completely different. To remove all clothes and mingle in a community of clothed individuals? It was definitely an insane idea.

"Sorry professor," said Dawn. "We'd be viewed as wanton exhibitionists, offering our bodies for sex. Our photos would be all over the internet. My parents would pull me out of school, probably enrolling me in a nunnery. And we're not even Catholic!" (That provoked some laughter, but the point was made.)

The guys vocally disagreed. "It's a chance to demonstrate how far we students have come. How we reject the public shaming implicit in hiding our bodies under clothes."

"Yeah, the human body is beautiful," said another fellow. "I don't understand the reluctance to show it."

The class quickly divided into two camps. Guys in favor of the proposition, girls against it.

The professor decided to use this as a teaching moment. "Doesn't this divide among the men and women in approaching Nude Day clearly reflect how our society views females as chaste creatures whose modesty is a virtue to be protected? Yet men's willingness to bare their bodies can be seen as a display of courage, even virility."

"I have an idea," said Dawn, one of the students. "For this first year, let's have just the men go nude. We'll see how it goes. We can do it differently next year."

"What an outstanding idea," said the professor. "It's sure to provoke robust discussion about the different ways we treat the sexes. It will set the university apart from all the other Nude Day events. Probably get us a lot of media attention!" The professor was almost giddy over the prospect.

The idea immediately was embraced by the women, who watched the men (especially those who were most vocal in support of Nude Day) squirm in their seats. The guys were stunned. This was a development they had not expected.

"OK, then," said the professor. "Our class assignment is that Nude Day will be a male-only event. Congratulations to all for this very interesting twist on the Day. This is the type of innovative clinical work the psychology department is famous for."

Oh my. The reality hit the men. Nude men and nude women together is a fun idea. Men exposed by themselves amongst clothed men and women? A terrible idea.

"How are we going to get out of this mess?" asked one. "This is a disaster."

"We sort of got steam-rolled. Maybe we overplayed our hand when we said we reject the public shaming of nudity."

But they were trapped. Was modesty, male-variety, now suddenly prized when minutes ago they disparaged such concerns?

The campus was abuzz when the news about the upcoming Nude Day celebration hit. The male members of the Human Sexuality class were instant celebrities, questioned by friends and wise-asses alike as to how they felt about this defining event, only 3 days away. The questions were good-natured (sort of.) "Are you going to trim your pubic hair?" "Do you think you'll have an erection the whole day?" "How will you handle shrinkage?" (Seinfeld fans understand this last one.)

Wednesday morning came. The Human Sexuality class met at 9 AM. The women dressed smartly in fashionable clothes, looking especially beautiful with wide smiles on their faces. The guys came dressed in shorts and t-shirts, with blank looks on their faces.

"Congratulations to all the men for this innovative, unique approach to Nude Day," said the professor. "I will now officially begin our Human Sexuality class celebration of Nude Day. Gentlemen, please remove your clothes. You'll remain uncovered until tomorrow morning."

One by one, the men arose, most of them sullen. T-shirts began to be pulled overhead. Shoes and socks came off. Trousers slide down. Briefs were the last item, and the men stood around waiting as others finished undressing. No one wanted to be the first to remove their underwear. But finally it had to be done, and briefs all over the class were shed.

The men stood there, bare penises and scrotums on display. The girls, of course, looked, but the guys did too, checking to see how each compared with the other. Who was muscular, who was lean. Who was circumcised, who was not? Who shaved pubic hair? Who was the longest? A few penises stirred, filling with the excitement of exposure, although mercifully, no one was fully erect.

"We'll have a short class today," said the professor, "so you can move about the campus. That's where the real experience of Nude Day will take place."

The guys sat glumly, waiting for the class to end, accepting their fate. Whereas Nude Day had originally been titillating, an idea of merriment and adventure, it now filled them with dread.

Dawn raised her hand. "Yes, Dawn," said the professor. "You wish to say something?"

"Yes. This class has been a revelation for us girls. It's opened our eyes to human sexuality without shame. It's brought us closer to each other and especially to the wonderful men in the class who've shared so much with us. While this male-only nudity serves some of them right for some snarky comments, most of the guys are warm and kind and respectful of us. They are our friends. We're not going to let them be the talk of the media by having only male nudes on Nude Day. We women voted. We've changed our minds. We're joining Nude Day. Ladies!"

With that, Dawn pulled off the blouse that covered her small but perfectly formed breasts. The other girls rose. Blouses came off, bras were removed. Skirts and pants fell to the ground, followed by panties. Soon breasts and vaginas competed with the men's parts for attention. The entire class was nude.

"We're ready for Nude Day," said Dawn. "Men and women, together. We reject the public shaming of nudity! Let's go to the campus, as a class united!"

The men stood and cheered the ladies. Many hugs followed, nude bodies pressing together. This Nude Day event didn't make the newspapers for being different. But it was the best day ever for these men and women. And bonded them in their pursuit of, and celebration of, human sexuality without shame.