25-year-old Binu had very unhappy memories of his body, especially in comparison to his schoolmates. As a member of an OBC community in an elite school, he also felt like his “too-small” body was an indicator of his caste, and it always made him feel self-conscious.
Manisha, 25, said that the first time she got naked, was with her best friend, who soon became her boyfriend. She was 14 and says that at that time, she loved her body.
Malini, a 34-year-old Bangalore-based media professional, says that in hindsight, she feels like her insecurities about her weight badly affected her first sexual experience.
Bryan, a 30-year-old queer teacher, wishes he could reach that level of intimacy with a partner. "I wish I could just find someone and settle down; a person I could trust completely and just let go with no fear."
Aseem, 24, says he always felt shy about being naked. “I love sex, but I feel a bit ashamed about getting naked, or rather, having someone see me naked.”
When asked about her first experience of getting naked in front of someone for the first time, 21-year-old Deepti said, “Oh my god! Who would ever do such a stupid thing!”