Original version

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

Heart and Soul

Documentaries

Religion & Ethics

Personal approaches to spirituality from around the world.

Purity to Nudity

No Master Brand

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service News Internet

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

BBC World Service East Asia

BBC Afghan Radio

Heart and Soul: Purity to nudity

31/03/2023 GMT

Purity to nudity

BBC World Service - Heart and Soul, Purity to nudity

How nudity is helping Gwen heal from purity culture’s teachings about the female body

How nudity is helping a woman from Florida heal from purity culture’s teachings about the female body.

Gwen was brought up as a strict evangelical Christian. She was taught that women needed to control the way they dressed and acted to control the behaviour of men. When she was sexually abused, she believed it was her fault. But when she first stepped into a nudist community, she felt free. She was naked, with other naked people, and her nakedness was not making other people molest her. She learnt that her body was not something she had to hide.
 
The BBC’s Josie Le Vay visits Gwen at her home in a nudist community in Florida, USA, as she reconciles with the harm purity culture has caused herself, and those she taught it to. 

We meet Gwen’s neighbour, Michael, a retired chaplain and pastor, who runs nude bible reading sessions from his home and attends the nearby Garden of Eden church, which celebrates the ‘joy and innocence of Christian naturism’. And we hear how those who practise many of the evangelical teachings Gwen grew up with respond to her new nudist lifestyle; and her Christian friends who believe the Bible justifies their way of life.

Producer: Michael Gallagher
Presenter: Josie Le Vay
Editor: Helen Grady
Production co-ordinator: Mica Nepomuceno

Come with us! Heart and Soul is moving and we would love it if you can join us. You can now find all our episodes on The Documentary, the home of original, global storytelling, from the BBC World Service. Search for The Documentary, wherever you found this podcast, and don’t forget to subscribe or follow.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Heart and Soul

Purity to nudity

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

About BBC World Service