My Husband Hasn’t Seen Me Completely Naked in Decades

Laura Liedo Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

Welcome to Ethels Tell All, where the writers behind The Ethel newsletter share their personal stories related to the joys and challenges of aging. Come back each Wednesday for the latest

piece, exclusively on AARP Members Edition.

I’ve been insecure about my body for as long as I can remember. In grade school, the kids called me “Big Bird” because I was taller than the others and had scrawny arms and legs with a big,

round belly.

As an adult, I suffered from body dysmorphia and was never confident enough to walk around naked in front of my lovers — even when I was much younger (and firmer). After heavy groping

sessions in the bedroom with my partners, it was always “lights out” when the clothes came off. I needed the anonymity of darkness for the courage to engage in a variety of sexual positions

for a fun romp between the sheets.

But the one thing I never allowed my lovers to do was lay a hand on my stomach during moments of intimacy. My puffy stomach has always been a no man’s land that I’ve been ashamed of my

entire life.

Do any of you refuse to be fully naked in front of your partner? Let us know in the comments below.

It’s the first place I gain weight and the last place I lose it whenever I diet. For this reason, I’ve kept my belly concealed under loose-fitting shirts, jackets and bathing suit wraps.

When I met my future husband, our first sexual encounter was in complete darkness, with a thin bedsheet strategically placed loosely across my stomach while everything else remained exposed.

He loved to sleep naked and wanted to feel my bare skin beside him, but I insisted on wearing a shirt every time we crawled into bed.

This only lasted for so long before he questioned my need to cover up my body. When I told him the truth about my insecurities, he was surprisingly understanding and didn’t push the issue.

Instead, he went out of his way to compliment my body and, at times, when I was fully dressed, would gently rest his head on my stomach and tell me how much he loved me.