Nudity and sexuality is an aspect of how people experience and express their sexuality. Nudity is one facet, and at times a very important facet, in the expression of feelings in intimate relationships in which there is physical or emotional intimacy. Physical intimacy is characterized by romantic or passionate love and attachment, or sexual activity. Some people have a desire to express such emotions and have those emotions expressed without clothing. Some people may experience erotic and sexual pleasure in seeing their partner in the nude, or to be seen nude by the partner. Some people also experience similar pleasure from seeing others in the nude, and being seen in the nude by others, not necessarily their immediate partner.
Also, historically, nudity has existed in contexts ranging from non-sexual social nudity, to sensual nudity, to sexualized nudity. Many cultures that expect some level of modesty associate nudity with sexuality. When physical sexual attributes are shown in the main stream media of these cultures this is often seen as being sexually related. There are cultural difference regarding the acceptability or sexualisation of nudity[1], but the definition of what is lewd has also changed over the years, as has the comparative acceptability of male or female nudity.
In classical antiquity, for example, the nude male form (including the exposure of genitals) was considered to be more acceptable than naked female imagery, although by the renaissance this opinion had reversed[2].
This can be seen in the comparative portrayal of the classical theme of Perseus and Andromeda. In a wall painting of ancient Pompeii, Perseus is nude while Andromeda is fully clothed. In Titian's treatment of this subject 1500 years later however, it is Andromeda who is nude - save for the barest wisp of fabric - while Perseus is not only clothed but armoured.
In many western countries women's breasts are now commonly exposed and depicted without scandal. Although male nudity is becoming more widely accepted in various contexts, it is arguably the case that female nudity still remains less controversial than male nudity. Paradoxically, partial nudity (including toplessness) of males in public is often looked upon as less shameful in many cultures.
Nudity in front of a sexual partner is widely accepted, but there may be restrictions — for example, only at the time and place of sex, or with subdued lighting, during bathing with the partner or afterwards, covered by a sheet or blanket, or while sleeping[3].
Full nudity will, by definition, include the exposure of genitals. In the case of males, a sexual context can be inferred by the presence of an erection. The equivalent process in females (erection of the clitoris)[4] is less evident since the tumescent organ is held internally, although vasodilation of the labia may be apparent in some cases. Also, in human females, the nipples may become turgid and the breasts may swell.
These female indicators are less obvious than a male erection and have proven less likely to attract censorship[5]. However, the penis can exhibit varying degrees of tumescence, and as such the representation of an erection has proven to be especially problematic for censors[6]. A penis that has swollen and become enveined, but which has not yet gained a substantially horizontal aspect, may be acceptable in film and photography[7]. In the United Kingdom, this qualification for acceptability was informally referred to as the Mull of Kintyre test, although this criterion is no longer stringently applied. Greater licenses may be allowed in the display of sexual nudity if the material provides factual or educational value[8].
