Naked Europe covers up
The home continent of public nakedness is growing more body-shy
“NAKED, we are equal,” proclaims Ida Karkiainen. The Swedish MP is addressing a packed hall at the 17th International Sauna Congress in Tornio, Finland. She draws a round of applause from the crowd, a mix of sauna entrepreneurs and enthusiasts from Europe and Japan, along with a few North Americans. It is important, Ms Karkiainen continues, that both sexes sit nude in the sauna together. After all, political and business deals are often made in the swirling steam, and one would not want such an important venue of power to exclude men.
This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “All the young prudes”
From the September 1st 2018 edition
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