Naked nostalgia: Skinny dipping in pop culture

Analyzing skinny dipping in popular culture and reclaiming it as a positive and inclusive activity

Family skinny dip. Photographer unknown, c. 1950.

A common practice since the dawn of man, skinny dipping has naturally found its way into various forms of literature and art over the years. Often, it is portrayed as a rebellious rite of passage for American kids, especially boys. The act of skinny dipping usually represents a physical and symbolic shedding of innocence; a way to break free.

In literature, skinny dipping often serves as a metaphor for the characters' coming of age, representing a shedding of innocence and the embrace of maturity. Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn features a scene in which the main character and his friend Jim swim in the nude, which serves as a moment of liberation for the characters.

Next we slid into the river and had a swim, so as to freshen up and cool off; then we set down on the sandy bottom where the water was about knee deep, and watched the daylight come.

- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Norman Rockwell's famous skinny dippers adorn…