The practice of keeping nudity taboo in society has its roots in religion, and as far as I know, religion only. So I often wonder, if we are truly a secular society, why is public nudity still considered taboo and why is it still criminalized? If Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, then why do we as a society continue to criminalize something that is only taboo because religions say it is?
Animals of all other kinds don't create elaborate clothing systems to cover up their parts. The young grow up in full nudity and from birth observe the full nudity of their peers, and yet don't develop any psychological problems as a result. They don't even think twice about it.
Now, If you took a kid or adolescent today and suddenly stuck them into a nudist society they would be shocked, and may develop psychological problems as a result. But that is because they were conditioned to believe something - that nudity is evil / sinful / shameful /etc - and then suddenly placed in an environment that ran completely contradictory to their conditioning. It's this confusion that brings about psychological problems, not the nudity itself. I posit that in a society in which everyone was raised from birth to not be conditioned against nudity, no adverse problems would come as a result.
Sure, there are many pragmatic reasons to wear clothing, such as to protect against the elements, or sport your favorite brand. But these aren't reasons to criminalize the lack of doing so if one chooses.
Thoughts?