Nudity in Gym Locker Rooms and Showers

  • Thread starter Thread starter vat_man
  • 105 comments
  • 48,001 views
V

vat_man

Staff Emeritus
Messages
9,428
I've been observing over the last few years at my local gym the differing attitudes guys have to their own nudity in the men's locker room and showers.

Having played various team sports on and off since I was about eight years old, wandering around nude in a change is no big deal to me now and I'm unfussed about other blokes going about their business nude there as well. Heck, in club cricket it was practically compulsory.

However, I've noticed that some guys go to extraordinary lengths to avoid having anything close to their 'naughty' areas revealed - including:
- the guy who showers in a t-shirt and shorts
- a number of guys who go into the shower cubicle fully dressed, somehow undress in there and find room to store their clothes, shower, and then somehow get dressed

I've noticed that Asian members in particular go to some trouble to stay covered up.

I'd be interested to hear other people's opinions and feelings on this matter. It has me intrigued what the effects of shame and body image are.
 
It's more then likely that they're afraid of the stereotypical 'Eww, you're naked in a men's changing room, what a faggot!' stance people take towards it.

But I for one do not like showing my body off, simple as that.
 
Originally posted by Cobraboy
It's more then likely that they're afraid of the stereotypical 'Eww, you're naked in a men's changing room, what a faggot!' stance people take towards it.

But I for one do not like showing my body off, simple as that.
Click to expand...

When you're in your teens I can certainly understand both comments, particularly the 'peer pressure' thing, and that kids in their teenage years are generally uncomfortable with their bodies and the changes that puberty brings - but in the case of the gym I'm referring to we're talking guys in their 20s, 30s, 40s and older here.
 
Yeah, but isn't that sort of viewpoint also apparent in older men as well?

Well, especially in Sydney, :p ;).
 
Alright dude.
I dont know how people think of other people of the same sex being nude, but in my culture.
Being nude with other people of the same sex, means being normal. I mean, you are with people of the same sex. You have nothing to worry about. I dont realize why people have to do that when being with other dudes of the same sexual category.
 
Well, I really don't feel comfortable in a situation where there are a bunch of naked guy's around. Call me crazy!

It just seems to me that being naked is more of a private event rather than a public one.

When at the gym, I will wait till I get home to shower and change. Never really even crosses my mind to shower at the gym and even if it did, I wouldnt want to.
Also, being a chef, I have a greater knowledge of how virus's and bacteria work, and a gym locker room is a wonderful environment for bacteria to fester in. I want my nakedness to be no part in that.
You might be thinking that I'm insecure about my body. I am definately not. I work out on a regular basis and I look good. I work hard to look this way and stay this way, so that's certainly not the issue.
My junk swings around my knees so there's no issue in that area either. :trouble:

I just don't want to look at naked guy's and I don't want naked guy's looking at me. And please don't try to have a conversation with me while you're completely naked standing in front of me. Damn, have you people no decency? :lol:

I do believe that a guy taking a shower in a T-shirt and shorts is rather ludicrous, and if I was in a situation that warranted me to shower and galavant naked around the locker room, then I suppose I'd have to, but I'd try to be as respectful to myself as to the others around me.
 
My opinion on the matter is, if you have to get it done, then just do it, and that includes being naked in front of other guys. I used to change in the little "cubicle" rooms and I took a shower when I got home. I just wasn't comfortable being naked with other guys. During lacrosse season, I needed to shower infront of guys because of the morning practices and I sucked it up and did it. Now I don't really care having to be naked while changing. But I still don't think I'd go around in the locker rooms naked if I didn't have to. Like boom said, what bothers me the most is when people talk to me while they are naked. It's like talking while you are trying to take a piss at a urinal. You just don't break the rules like that.

The asian cultures are all pretty strict and they tend to keep to themselves. One of my Japanese friends said that eating in public (unless you are in a restaurant) and talking above a whisper in a crowd of people is generally frowned upon. She said most of the swimming pools were separated by gender and the changing rooms were divided into smaller ones by curtains. So I'm guessing that the asian men weren't raised in an environment where people of the same gender just walked around naked infront of others. They just aren't comfortable with that.

OA
 
Originally posted by Cobraboy
Yeah, but isn't that sort of viewpoint also apparent in older men as well?

Well, especially in Sydney, :p ;).
Click to expand...

Heh - you're thinking of Oxford Street and Darlinghurst, in the inner east there. A friend of ours used to live in the area with his girlfriend - he had stories from the changing rooms in the gym that'd curl your hairs.

The gym I refer to is on the lower north shore.

Originally posted by duo17
Like boom said, what bothers me the most is when people talk to me while they are naked. It's like talking while you are trying to take a piss at a urinal. You just don't break the rules like that.
Click to expand...

That's just rude. No question.

Just to clarify - not judging anyone or any attitudes here, it's just how people are. Just had me intrigued.
 
I mean, if you are having trouble, then something weird is going on. I remember those times, I had like a swim academy. I would usually meet this dude, finishing classes. We would usually change clothes, but nothing out of the ordinary. We would say how classes where. People of the same sex try to elimate the embarassment factor. After all, we belong to the same sex, isnt it?
 
Alot of guys in my P.E class dont like to change in front of everybody else, so they go in the bathroom stalls and chang there.
But I have no problem changing in front of other guys.
 
I really don't have a problem with it. I've played hockey since I was 3 so I guess i'm just used to it by now. I have to shower after hockey, I just can't stand being all sweaty and stinking everything up.
 
Dude i have a problem undressing infront of guys. But for some odd reason my girl friends (just friends ill add) i have no problem undressing in front of them. :lol: Im more at ease with girls being around.
 
Originally posted by Cobraboy
It's more then likely that they're afraid of the stereotypical 'Eww, you're naked in a men's changing room, what a faggot!' stance people take towards it.

But I for one do not like showing my body off, simple as that.
Click to expand...
I don't see what the problem is. Sure these things are going through your mind when you first get naked, but if some bloke goes up to you and says 'Ha! Look at this dude's small member!' you turn around and say 'Well, I've got a girlfriend who's pretty happy with it' and watch their face.
 
I absolutely hate changing for gym. I'd rather just run or whatever in my "street" clothes than have to change, but I have to(to not flunk the class). So I pick a locker away from everyone else, wear a long shirt on "B" days, and change fast like a RX-8(or other cool Mazda...or any Mazda. Yea eh...) just stopped by my house and I gotta run to go see it.

I'm not in shape at all, and by changing quickly with no one else looking prevents me from being teased/humiliated more. Kids are rough out there, so I aviod giving them teasing material all the time.

And in gym, unless it's swimming, I only have to change pants and shirt, don't need to change undies.

Also, I really don't sweat a lot. I have gym at the end of the day(every other school day), I'll go home(and get many funny looks by other students, I guess it's funny to see a full fledge Mazda nut driving a clean(near clean, few dings and needs wax, not my car, not my problem) 15 year old(coming up on 16! It was built in September '87, don't remember the day, I'll have to check again)323 out of school in a fast manner), do everything like normal, and then just take a shower before I go to bed.

Showering in a gym? Yuk. First off, it's an open area, anyone can see you. If it was like a cubical, even like the showers on M.A.S.H., I would accept the idea more. Then, when you think about it, you're just gonna have to take a shower again anyway since you probably wouldn't take shampoo or rinse, or soap for that matter, to the gym. So just wait till you get home.
 
When I was younger and started playing hockey, I was always really embarassed about changing in front of other guys. I guess it's just something I got used to with time, though. I have absolutely no problems with changing in front of guys now...the only thing that really bugs me is that one asshole in the room who runs around waving his **** like an idiot (This is high-school, mind you.)
 
If I were ever sensitive about that sort of thing before, I sure as hell wasn't after Basic Training. Believe me, when you have to shower with 32 other guys for two months straight, you stop caring.
 
I haven't been on any sports teams that involved a gymnasium, or where we had access to showers immediately after a game or a practice. Personally, I feel that community showers are disgusting, however, I can't stop people from going in them. I try to avoid them at all costs, and shower at home when possible. This is a rather odd topic...
 
Interesting topic vat_man.


I don't really know what I am. I know I'd feel uncomfortable with my junk just hanging everywhere. I've never actually been naked in a locker room. Ever. I never really had the need to. Plus, after gym is over we have 5 minutes to get to our next class. I don't have time to get naked, take a shower, and redress in 5 minutes.
 
I don't shower in public. Personally, I would feel uncomfortable. What if some of those guys were gay? They would be opinionating your "parts.":yuck: And if I were to shower in school, no one is supervising, so that means that there could be fights, bulying, etc. I just wouldn't feel comfortable.
 
I would rather not be naked in the presence of strange men, and would also rather that they were not naked in my presence.

I'm like Boom, in that when I go to the gym, I go changed, and then I shower back at the house, which is only 10 minutes away.
 
I always shower at the club/track/gym, I couldn't care less about other people around -- and I live a bit out of the way of everything, and a 45 minute ride home while smelling like an emu isn't very cool.

At school showering after gym is mandatory, a few guys shower with swimming pants on -- they get mocked to no end.
 
I get changed in the pool bathroom rather than the lockerroom when we have swimming and i always wear a shirt when swimming in public. When were not swimming I fine cause I just change my shirt and shorts and keep the same boxers on. Then I change at home.
 
Originally posted by Attila_Da_Hun
I get changed in the pool bathroom rather than the lockerroom when we have swimming and i always wear a shirt when swimming in public. When were not swimming I fine cause I just change my shirt and shorts and keep the same boxers on. Then I change at home.
Click to expand...

Don't wear a shirt when you're swimming! Dude!
 
Originally posted by duo17
The asian cultures are all pretty strict and they tend to keep to themselves. One of my Japanese friends said that eating in public (unless you are in a restaurant) and talking above a whisper in a crowd of people is generally frowned upon. She said most of the swimming pools were separated by gender and the changing rooms were divided into smaller ones by curtains. So I'm guessing that the asian men weren't raised in an environment where people of the same gender just walked around naked infront of others. They just aren't comfortable with that.
Click to expand...

Doesn't make sense to me.
 
Originally posted by boombexus

My junk swings around my knees so there's no issue in that area either. :trouble:
Click to expand...

My God.
rotfl.gif
 
Back