I just enjoyed a four-day weekend for Hemelsvaartsdag. (Ascension Day: http://www.holidayorigins.com/html/ascension_day.html)

On Saturday, M and I indulged in one of our favorite activities -- a full day at the sauna -- and I had a moment where the liberalness of Dutch culture smacked me in the face. Now, people who enjoy going to the sauna (and by no means does this include all Dutch people... there are plenty of folks here that also feel shy about getting naked) will often take their kids with them. Once confronted with naked kids running around, I think most Americans' knee-jerk reaction would be: "Oh my God! Naked children being seen by naked adults! Oh my... how inappropriate!" But Dutch people -- who don't view nakedness as always sexual and/or dirty -- don't think about it at all. It's just people... young, old, slim, fat, lumpy, wrinkled, pregnant... whatever... enjoying themselves in what's deemed to be a healthful and relaxing environment.

And while I'm all for this (and find that the longer I live here, the less I think about my body and it's flaws while in my birthday suit), I do have what I like to call "Dutch moments" -- instances in which my inherent Puritanism burbles to the surface when confronted with the often very different sensibilites of the Dutch. Here's my latest DM:

M and I were "doing a round" at the sauna -- from sauna/steamroom to cold shower/pool to hottub or warmed swimming pool, etc etc. Basically, you make yourself super sweaty hot then plunge yourself into freezing cold water. That part is rather unpleasant but it's also sort of... um... pleasant. Hard to explain -- you'll just have to experience it for yourself when you come visit. wink wink

Anyhoo... we were sitting in the hot tub when three little Dutch girls hopped into the tub with us. M started chatting with them and he said something like "and he's only wearing one earring..." Well the "he" in question was actually a "she" which I think is in the same class of faux pas with saying to a chubby woman "So when's the baby due?" Except that this little girl took his mistake as a compliment. (She's trying to look like a boy.) So, M continued to tease them and said "Well, I'm a girl too." I got into the game and assured them in my foreigner Dutch that indeedy this pretty thing next to me was a girl. They looked baffled for a second and then said "Nooooo, he's a boy. He has chest hair. Girls don't have chest hair!!" M smiles and tells them again, "No really, I'm a girl." Again, slight confusion. Then a lightbulb goes off and one one of the little girls realizes this mystery can be solved once and for all. A devilish smile spreads across her face and she yells "Stand up!!!" The other girl's get it immediatly and start chanting "yeah, stand up! stand up!!"

And what does M do? He stands up and gives three little girls proof of his... ahem... gender. I felt my face flush bright red and strained my ears for the sounds of police sirens. Meanwhile, the little girls are giggling and saying triumphantly "Hij heeft een plaasetje! Hij heeft een piemel!" (He has a pisser! He has a penis!)

M laughs and concedes, "Yeah okay. You're right. I'm a boy." And then M and the little girls just go back to normal chatting while I'm sitting there thinking "I'm in love with a man who shows his penis to children."

But really... it was just silly fun... innocent... and not at all weird for M or the little girls.

This incident really made me think just how stupid we Americans can be about nudity. I mean, we have 11 year old girls running around showing their bra straps and their thong underwear which, if you ask me, is WAY more sexualized than a little girl swimming naked with her friends. But one seems to be okay and accepted in American society while the other would make a lot of Americans feel terribly uncomfortable. Or even more than that... I think many people would deem it as horribly improper (If not downright licentious)... that maybe naked little girls would incite pedophiles to act on their impulses or perhaps even entice grown men to act in a way they've never considered before. (Now, I'm being a bit dramatic here... but really... it's not that crazy of a thought considering how our culture views nudity.)

All I do know is that I feel less ashamed of my less-than-perfect naked body here in Holland and much less constrained by how I "should" look when I remove my clothes. Maybe that's getting older and more comfortable in my own skin or maybe my inner Puritan is turning into a pagan. Who knows...