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Why do Americans and foreigners alike describe the USA as prudish? Why do I see nothing prudish about the USA society? USA feels like one of the loosest countries although Americans claim to be very reserved.

Last Updated: 26.06.2025 23:58

Why do Americans and foreigners alike describe the USA as prudish? Why do I see nothing prudish about the USA society? USA feels like one of the loosest countries although Americans claim to be very reserved.

Meanwhile, the rest of the world still sniggers at American prudishness.

couples in the same bed, even if married. (Laurel and Hardy came before the code)

sexual perversion, including homosexuality (naturally), and sexual relationships between the white and black races.

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disrespect of authority figures. Crooked judges are OK if they are also clearly portrayed as evil people

toilets being shown

nudity, or even suggestions of it (e.g. a silhouette)

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For 34 years, movie and TV studios censored themselves to appease the Puritanical whims of Will Hays.

Remember the Hays Code?

Some ridiculous highlights of the code in effect banned or discouraged:

In the New Testament, Christ quotes the Ethiopian book of Enoch. How do the Sola Scriptura folks square this circle?

The ridiculous 2004 Superbowl ‘Nipplegate’ was a more recent reminder of how US attitudes have not really advanced much since the Hays code.

any profanity to the Christian religion, e.g. hell, damn, God (unless used in a holy sense), or ridicule of the clergy.

the display of bellybuttons

My parents force me (15yo atheist) to go to church, and there’s this thing called Small Sundays where we discuss the Bible in groups, there are questions asked about the Bible. What am I supposed to do when they ask?

lustful kissing is to be shown with care