Gymnophobia is defined as the fear of nudity — either of being nude or of seeing another person's naked body part. The condition often goes beyond excessive modesty or prudishness and into the area of distinct body shame. A gymnophobic will go to extreme measures to obscure his or her own skin and even simply the shape of the body. The word is derived from the Greek words "gymnos" (meaning "naked") and "phobos" (meaning "fear"). The word is sometimes incorrectly used to mean "fear of going to the gym" in popular culture.http://www.prolongmagazine.com/2009/12/gymnophobia/
Gymnophobia in Popular Culture
A variety of TV shows and films have featured characters suffering from gymnophobia, often playing on the comic possibilities of the phobia. Perhaps most famously, the character of Tobias Funke (played by comedian David Cross) on the cult sitcom Arrested Development was noted for his fear of getting naked, and claimed to be a "Never Nude." He frequently wore a pair of denim cut-off shorts to avoid ever having to be naked, even when alone.
The main character on the TV series Monk also suffers from gymnophobia, which he blames on his memories of childbirth.
Gymnophobia - Career Difficulties
The medical profession is a very difficult career path for gymnophics due to the requirement that the human body needs to be examined as part and parcel of a nurses or doctors daily routine. Part of med school practice is rehearsing examinations, in fact examining fellow students is normal, and it has been said that this can be very difficult for some students.http://ldssdc.info/forum/2003/11/15/future-doctors-with-gymnophobia/
References
Fast Facts
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Sufferers experience extreme anxiety if nude or around others who are nude
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Not to be confused with shyness
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A character in the Sims 3 game was known as a "Never Nude"
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Sufferers are typically aware that their fear is irrational
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Word "gymnasium" comes from Greek word "gymnasein," meaning "to train naked"
