Locker Room Nudity March 25, 2008
I’ve been going to the Y for many months now. I haven’t really used the locker room much. I usually pick up my kids after my class and then I take care of showering and such at home. But then I realized that if I just left my kids in the nursery for a little while longer, then I could have an uninterrupted shower at the Y! Ding, ding, ding…jack pot!! The kids wouldn’t miss me for an extra 30 minutes!
So I’ve started showering at the Y. Even though I’ve been in the locker room several times, I’m still blown away by the locker room nudity. I know it’s a locker room. I know that sometimes people will have to be naked in there. But it still always catches me off guard. It’s interesting to notice the different levels of comfortableness people have with their bodies. Some actually walk around totally naked with no regard for anyone else. Others will try to be discreet. And still others will use one of the changing stalls so they are completely hidden at all times. (I know that the men’s locker room at our Y does not have changes stalls and has open showers. Poor saps.) I’ve often wondered why so many people change right out in the open when there are several changing stalls available to use. But now that I’ve showered there a few times myself, I can see where having to leave your locker to go in and out of a stall can be somewhat of a hassle. But man. I still feel so weird about all the naked folks just comfortably walking around. And what about if you’re in the locker room with friends? It’s one thing being naked with strangers. But being naked with friends, people you see at church, that’s a whole other ball of wax! I guess life would be much easier if we were all that comfortable and could walk around the locker room with no thought to how we look. What about modesty? Is that an issue in the locker room? Is it not modest to change right out in the open? Is it not modest to use an open shower? Are we supposed to completely hide our bodies at all times, even in the locker room? Well, I guess not. What there needs to be is a list of locker room rules. AH WAIT!! The internet saves the day. You want locker room etiquette? You’ve got it baby! Woman’s locker room. Men’s locker room. (I love the warnings in the men’s list of rules. Too funny!)
I would like to say that in some ways locker room nudity is a good thing. Not that we should be staring at people. But I think it’s quite nice to occasionally be in a room with other naked people of various ages and back grounds. It’s so refreshing to see REAL bodies. Nothing is air brushed. Even people who work out all the time have their bodily flaws. And it’s good for people to see the real deal and remember that real people aren’t like the models on TV. It’s good to know that we’re all normal and that’s OK.
Maybe I’ll be seeing you in a locker room one day soon. Or, um, I mean I’ll be diverting my eyes. Right. Good night everybody.
From the link - “Try your hardest not to get an erection. You generally can’t help it, but you don’t want one or else people may get offended and very mad. Think about something you find unappealing and stick to it.”
Good times….
Nice.
I personally avoid changing in a locker room whenever possible, and I’m pretty uncomfortable with other people walking around naked. Some people are just waaay too comfortable with their bodies! I suffered through this situation in gym class in middle school, so I try not to bring back too many unpleasant memories. Haha, it was so funny the lengths I would go to so people wouldn’t see any part of my body when I was changing in gym class. But then, I’ve always been super uncomfortable with that kind of thing.
Well Carolyn, here’s to hoping that you wont be seeing me in a locker room any time soon.
If public nudity is sanctioned in a church facility (the MTC), then it must not be that big of a morality/modesty issue. That leaves it up to personal taste and comfort.
As for me, I generally go with the masses. If everyone is just walking around willy nilly, I join them. If most people are hiding in dark corners getting dressed, then I usually just climb into a locker somewhere so nobody can see me changing.
Okay, me again:
I went back and read the wiki entry for male locker room etiquette… wow.
If that wasn’t written by a 12 year old, then I don’t know what was, but wow.
first: All men are born knowing these locker room rules, so posting them on the web is totally superfluous.
second: we also know the men’s room rules (the one-urinal-separation-whenever-possible, look straight ahead, no talking, etc) so my posting of the men’s room rule is purely for the female readers, in case they ever find themselves in that situation.
third: We have locker rooms because nudity happens. no need to be embarrassed, no need to relive junior high (anything but that)but also no need to flaunt what you have (or haven’t got) either. Why is it that the overweight old men are always the one who take the longest to put their clothes back on?
2 comments.
1. Remember the story Patricia told us about how when she was in the MTC and brushed her teeth naked just to get a reaction
2. Talking to a friend of mine who works in a law office downtown. He belongs to an exercise club downtown that is populated by plenty of old folks. We were talking about triathlons and he was saying that he can’t really swim because the people there swim naked. Ayup. They swim naked.
Underwear doesn’t really matter, but you probably should wear either boxer shorts, boxer briefs, or briefs—yeah, one of those are good for underwear!!
To start, take off your footwear. Then, take off your shirt and throw it on the ground. Put on your gym top. Next, take off your pants or shorts. After that, take off your underwear. Then, put on your pants and change socks last.
–details, man, i want details
and those aren’t even the warnings!!
one of the things I like about lifeworks is that many people are going there for therapy or arthritis (the warm pool). When I see bodies, I am comforted that there are even people more gross than I.
Tom and I go to the gym several times a week. Normally it has been before work. Since we swim, it necessitates a shower, drying my hair, and putting on my makeup. As I was drying my hair one day at the far end of the locker room, so as to not disturb anyone with my dryer OR having to take up the entire counter top with all my stuff, a woman comes in and stands behind me. She strips off her swimsuit, then she dries off with her towel (while twirling several times) The she walks up the counter and s-l-o-w-l-y wrinses out her swimsuit (still nude) then folds it up in her towel. This whole process takes about ten minutes. I am trying VERY hard to not look at her, but I can see her plainly in the mirror behind me. Once she finishes, she then turns and walks through the locker room in the buff. My stars. What was all that about????? This is normal locker room behavior at our gym. I think that behavior is just a little strange. Take your clothes off, and then cover up with something. There is no good reason to stand around, walk around, prance around without your clothes on. And why does one have to dry your hair without your clothes on? I think some people just like to shock others.
Isn’t the world such a funny place? I am so happy to be in my bubble……How about an excercise class in the nude? NOW wouldn’t that be funny….Love….Nicole
reminds me of my friend Aaron Wells. He had no problems walking around the apartment naked after a shower. One time a roommate told him that he needed to have a towel on so of course the next day he came out of the shower with a towel on…his head.
Also, at the Blue Ash Y there is a sign reminding the men not to pee in the shower. I can’t believe you ACTUALLY have to tell people that!
oh. go check out http://www.passiveaggressivenotes.com/
that’ll put you off public showers
If I had to exercise nude I would do it even less than I do now! Then I’d REALLY be out of shape…
I’ve been trying to become more comfortable with locker room nudity, both that of other women and that of my own.
Interestingly, the locker rooms at the YWCA that I swim and workout at are the opposite of what you described at your Y, the men’s locker room has shower stalls (from what I’ve heard) and the women’s doesn’t, the showers are group showers just like in schools and are all out in the open.
I’ve been wearing my bathing suit in the showers after a swim, but have had to shower in the nude after workouts. I usually cover-up right after my showers, but many, and I do mean many, of the women at the Y strut around totally nude as if their in the privacy of their own homes.
Diane