National Nude Day - Naked Truths

July 14th is National Nude Day. A whole day to strip back the layers - literally and emotionally - and celebrate the skin we’re in.

It actually began in New Zealand as a cheeky protest against societal body norms. Over time, it’s evolved into a global reminder to embrace body positivity, challenge shame and - if you're feeling brave - maybe even do a nudie run through a paddock . Or at least take your bra off on the lounge. Same same but different!

Nudity Has Never Been Easy for Me

I’ve always struggled with being naked. Not just in front of other people - but even just alone, in front of the mirror. My body shape and weight have always been an issue for me (I honestly just love good food - and sometimes not-so-good food, I guess) And ironically, the time in my life when I was at my most thin - the version people so often praise - was also when I was the most physically and mentally unwell.

Those closest to me could see it. They knew I didn’t actually look good - I looked sick. Because I was. But the compliments still came rolling in. “You look amazing!” It’s wild how we’ve been conditioned to equate thinness with wellness, even when the reality couldn’t be further from the truth.

These days, I can appreciate the bits I like - my eyes, my hair, my boobs (some days) - but the rest? That’s a more complicated love story. Some days I’m okay. Other days I catch my reflection and flinch.

We all want what we don’t have. And we all seem to think we need to “fix” something before we can love ourselves. But maybe the work isn’t about changing our bodies - but changing how we see them.

Perfectly Imperfect

The truth is, our bodies are rarely perfect - at least not in the airbrushed, filtered, magazine-cover kind of way. They're perfectly imperfect. Often covered in scars that tell the stories of our lives - good, bad, funny, chaotic.

I’ve got a birthmark-style scar on my back from when my younger sister bit me through a towel during childhood (don’t ask). One on my knee from showing up a bit too festive to family Christmas and stacking it on gravel (a trip to the hospital on Christmas day for 6 stitches). Another from a rogue number plate I hit riding my bike as a kid - Dad butterfly-stitched it in the driveway because I was too keen to get back out and ride again. Oh, and the one on my hairline from straightening my hair with a household iron before straighteners were a thing. (IYKYK.)

Each scar, each stretch mark, each freckle, has been part of living. Of being here.

And now that I’m in my late 30s, I’ve started noticing the changes in my skin too - especially the lines on my face. Some mornings I don’t quite recognise the woman in the mirror. But that’s the thing… I’m a woman now, not a girl. And luckily for me, most of my lines are smile lines - which must mean I’ve been happy.

I’ve had no work done - no Botox, no fillers, no lip injections. My face is my face. And as someone who’s enjoyed a drink or ten in her time, I possibly really only have myself to blame. But also? I was making memories. And I wouldn’t trade those for smoother skin.

Because the truth is, it’s a privilege to grow older. I’ve lost too many friends far too young - people who didn’t get the chance to see their skin change or lines form. So lines or not, I’m grateful to still be here. To still be smiling. To still be me.

And honestly? After years of worrying about my weight, how I looked naked, and whether my belly did that weird fold thing - I can confidently say this: I have never been turned down for sex. Not once. Some men genuinely do not care what you look like once they’re inside you (no shade, just facts).

And might I also add - I’ve even managed to charm a few straight girls my way over the years too (and not-so-straight, obviously). So maybe I need to stop being so mean to myself, yeah?

Our Bodies Do Incredible Things

And for women especially - our bodies are nothing short of extraordinary. We literally have the capacity to grow a whole human inside us. That alone should earn us a lifetime of awe.

But instead, we’re taught to shrink. To smooth, lift, lighten and tighten. It’s exhausting, isn’t it?

We deserve better. We deserve to speak to ourselves with the same kindness we show our best friends when they’re standing in front of the mirror tearing themselves apart.

A Little Reminder for Today (and Every Day)

Your body is your home. It deserves to be spoken to gently. Handled with care. Adored - not picked apart. Even on the days it feels unfamiliar, or far from what you think it “should” be.

So this National Nude Day, maybe you don’t need to strip all the way down. Maybe you just need to take off one small layer - the one that says you’re not enough as you are.

And if nothing else - let the girls loose. You’ve earned it!