PETALING JAYA, Mar 11 — A television show in the Netherlands has sparked controversy by featuring adults stripping down in front of children in a bid to promote body positivity.
Called Simply Naked, the show gets adults to answer questions from kids about their bodies, ranging from topics concerning body hair removal to feelings of shame they might have had about certain body parts.
A trailer released earlier this month showed some of the youngsters stifling giggles as the grown-ups disrobed while others had a curious glint in their eyes.
Simply Naked presenter Edson da Graça told broadcaster NOS that the goal was to normalise imperfect bodies in a world dominated by airbrushed images of our physical selves.
“The aim is to teach children that each and every body is different and that not all bodies are perfect,” said da Graça.
The show has already drawn fierce criticism, with Dutch News quoting politician Tunahan Kuzu calling it “ridiculous” and urging his social media followers to demand the cancellation of the show.
Far-right leader Thierry Baudet didn’t take kindly to Simply Naked either, saying it “comes close to promoting paedophilia.”
NTR, the public television station which will broadcast the show, released a statement to address the outrage, saying the show had been “very carefully produced” and that the children do not have to participate in filming if they feel uncomfortable.
“The children knew exactly what was going to happen and they could say how they felt during the programme at any time.
“We had expected a bit of a ruckus. Not everyone will think this is for children and that’s okay.
“It’s up to the parents to decide if their children can watch,” a spokesman was quoted as saying by Dutch News.
Elsbeth Reitzema from the Rutgers sexual health foundation, who helped develop the show, said that children are often exposed to pornographic content or highly-sexualised images at an early age and that this can lead to unrealistic expectations towards human bodies.
“(These images) give a distorted picture of reality. It’s important that children know what real bodies look like and that every body is different,” Reitzema was quoted as saying by NOS.
Simply Naked is based on the Danish children’s programme Ultra Strips Down, which featured a similar premise of adults appearing naked in front of children and fielding questions about their bodies.
