I think you're mixing passages up here...
Exodus 28 prescribes the undergarments for the priests, but it was only for the Aaronic priests (the line of the high priest) and even for them, it was only required while serving at the altar. Furthermore, before they put on those garments, they were required to "bathe." In Jewish tradition, that meant a ritual mikveh which required complete nudity in order to be valid (still does today for orthodox Jews). The pools where these mikvehs were performed were quite public and near the Temple.
Exodus 20:26 is the passage that speaks about steps... and it is for all people. But it doesn't require a garment, only that steps up to altars are forbidden. Oddly enough, it does not forbid all steps... just those at a place of worship.
The question of why God made these requirements is a good one. But I think it would premature to simply conclude that it's because God doesn't like genitals. If that were the case, wouldn't we have to conclude that we can't worship God or pray while we're in the shower or bath... or while using the restroom? Are we really to believe that the visual exposure of body parts (that God created) is offensive to God? shameful? indecent? sinful?
I've written a paper with a word study of the word ervah, which is the word translated nakedness in the OT. My effort was to find out exactly how that word is used in the OT in order to better understand the passages in which it appears (such as both these passages). I believe that it is informative in helping to understand the answer to the question of why gave his people these commands.
Nakedness in the OT
I hope you'll read it.
I looked it up a long time ago, when a Pastor forbid shorts on campus.
He called them Britches, thinking this meant pants.
Lol thank you for the correct book.
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