Caution, naked German hikers ahead!

By Michael J.W. Stickings

Time is reporting that Germany has opened "new nude-friendly nature trails."

And I say, good for Germany. I used to live there, for a few years as a teenager, and it's certainly the case that Germany has much more open and much, much healthier attitude towards nudity -- and towards sexuality generally -- than North America. There are nude beaches everywhere, and no one seems to mind. Because, really, what's the big deal?

I went with a friend once to a small lake near where I lived. Most of the people there were naked. Men, women, children --  yes, whole families where there. Sure, it was a bit of a shock, but whatever. I stayed in my swimming trunks, but the people there, basking in a certain wholesomeness, were comfortable and generally didn't care who wore what, if anything. I also remember that little excursion as one of my first, if not my very first, encounter with female beauty up close, when a rather attractive young woman, completely unclothed, floated by. I suppose it was a big deal to me, but, thankfully, in a good way.

Now, do you want to encounter less-than-attractive people hiking? Maybe not. So stay away, if you prefer. It's not about attractiveness anyway. It's about freedom.