The Female Form

I'm ashamed to admit that most of the time when I see a woman, my instinctive reaction is to wonder what she looks like naked. I don't know why this is. It's just something that clicks in automatically, in a sort of careless, almost subliminal way. I'm talking more about out-and-about, walking or driving down the street maybe, in a casual situation where me picturing her naked is probably the only interaction she and I will ever share. It goes without saying that in a more personal environment or even a work environment, any time there is more meaningful interaction to be had...that immediately supersedes any idle nudity musings. I'm not some kind of lecher.

Which, I even had to look that up! To see just exactly what I meant. That goes to show exactly how much of a lecher I am not. Apparently a lecher, or someone who is lecherous, or someone given to lechery, this person is so fixated on the sexual aspect of femininity that it interferes with his ability to form healthy relationships with women. Basically we're talking an excess of prurient interest. That's not me! I have deeply satisfying relationships with women, on many levels. Always have.

And I stress that I'm no sort of blatant ogler. When I see a woman, I look at her with respect for her totality of being. I take in the whole picture. I'm not going to look her right in the goodies! No way. I have excellent peripheral vision. Besides, I'm not a pig. I'm not some kind of pervert, with no social instincts or sense of propriety.

In fact, I really don't know why I should feel ashamed at all. I shouldn't feel ashamed. After all, I ought to point out here that I am in fact an artist, and so when I look at a nude woman, I am capable of seeing her nudity on a more elevated level than maybe other guys might. To my trained eye, that nudity can be viewed from a purely aesthetic perspective, or even a symbolic one. I can do this even with raunchy poses involved. I can look beneath (or "above", or perhaps "right at") her mere clotheslessness, to perceive the universal nudity of all women. All humanity, really - if we're talking universality, that includes males as well as females. I just don't personally tend to literally perceive it in male terms. Art can be pretty subjective.

Speaking of subjective, I don't objectify women either. That's more your sculptors who tend to do that.

And yet...despite all of the above, I do feel ashamed. Ashamed to admit it. When if anything, it should be society's shame - not mine! It's a sick sort of society that makes a healthy-minded guy like me feel ashamed about a thing like that.