DOI: 10.36347/sjahss.2022.v10i08.003

Pages: 393-401

Modesty is linked to the body, sexuality and the relationship with the other, governed by rules of behaviour to be adopted in society (Deschodt, 2010). Today, it is perceived as a traditional preoccupation, outdated and not in line with modern body values and standards. This is reflected in Western societies in the forms of body exposure and nudity in everyday clothing and beachwear. However, in Abidjan, on the beaches, which are legitimate spaces for exposing the body and distancing oneself from modesty, there are differences in the exposure of the body and nudity. The qualitative study conducted on two seaside sites in Côte d'Ivoire (Bassam and Jacqueville) aims to understand the social logic of wearing clothing that exposes and hides body parts on the beaches of Abidjan.