Imagine that. A priest naked around other men. ; )
Was he Catholic? Episcopalian? Orthodox?
Nudity at the YMCA
- Thread starter aatt22
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Imagine that. A priest naked around other men. ; )
Was he Catholic? Episcopalian? Orthodox?
distance
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I realize that things are "different" in Europe, but a few years ago, two friends of mine (gay couiple) took me to Les Bains du Saillon in Switzerland. Though the main floor was howling with children, we were headed to the "Carpe Diem" section downstairs. They had informed me it was au naturel, which is fine. What was odd was, as we were disrobing in the locker room, in walked two women (I thought cleaning staff, at first)...who also proceeded to disrobe! We went down and joined about 100 people in various pools/steamrooms, etc., all completely naked. And I, a rather shy person, was almost immediately fine with it! In fact, after a brief conversation with a gentleman who was sitting in the outside cold pool (and this was in midwinter), he came inside and joined me in the bubbling warm water spa. And let´s just say that those bubbles can add a level of discretion to a surprising amount of "activity"...
What on earth is western society coming to - its not good
I would love for more men only gyms at least it would get rid of the morons that go there to show off or ogle the ladies
There really is nothing worse than sitting next to an overweight sweaty lady on the blob in the sauna - sometimes thay make the room stink
I would love for more men only gyms at least it would get rid of the morons that go there to show off or ogle the ladies
There really is nothing worse than sitting next to an overweight sweaty lady on the blob in the sauna - sometimes thay make the room stink
At first I thought he was Catholic, but after showering with him, I'm convinced that he must be Episcopalian. :dunno:
The point is that he is a religious leader who had no issues with being naked and doing something natural around other guys. This throws the whole "it's religion's fault" theory out the window.
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I think you are right. Kids are spoiled and there is a lack of male role models in their lives. Also, with smaller families and larger houses, kids have their own bedrooms and sometimes their own bathroom so they never are in a situation where people are naked together. Even college dorms now have private baths.
The below message showed up in my e-mail today. Disappointed....wonder what happened that caused it. All the showers are enclosed by stalls, so good thing they still took the time to clarify that, lol. I guess I'll just have to stay home to be naked. *grumbles*
Dear YMCA Member,
In an effort to enhance the value of your YMCA membership, the following policy change will take place in 2014.
EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 1, 2014
Nudity Policy
For the safety, health, and consideration of all members and guests, the YMCA prohibits public nudity in all common areas of the locker room (e.g. Sauna, Steam rooms, Spas, and all Restroom/Sink/and Walkway Areas). Nudity is permitted for the purpose of changing clothes and while in the shower.
Dear YMCA Member,
In an effort to enhance the value of your YMCA membership, the following policy change will take place in 2014.
EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 1, 2014
Nudity Policy
For the safety, health, and consideration of all members and guests, the YMCA prohibits public nudity in all common areas of the locker room (e.g. Sauna, Steam rooms, Spas, and all Restroom/Sink/and Walkway Areas). Nudity is permitted for the purpose of changing clothes and while in the shower.
The reason guys "like" being naked with other guys is very simple. The moment your drawers hit the tile you are saying without words we are men. Some describe this as "liberating". It is communal identity. The reason guys who are uptight and hide draw dismissive thoughts is because you want them to just freakin claim their place as a man too. To fear yourself naked is the shame. The shower room renders liberal, conservative, religious, nonreligious, white collar, blue collar, younger, older for a brief time into "just men". In this increasingly de-gendered world, I need that now and then.
Huh.....mind if I ask what city you're in? I wonder if that is going to be a nationwide YMCA policy?
Really is a crazy world when people are getting uptight about being naked in a lockerroom!
Really is a crazy world when people are getting uptight about being naked in a lockerroom!
Q Vee
Sexy Member
How sad and disturbing.
Probably due to the complaint of an insecure, "high roller", member(s).
If it was my "Y" I might start a counter petition and/or notice to management to cancel my member ship and find a more accepting venue.
"...safety and health..." what does that mean?
Apparently they have forgotten their long time history (nationwide I believe) of nude swims when the "M" in YMCA meant "men only". Decades without safety or health issues.
My Y is still very nude friendly despite remodelling the locker room this summer. The only prudish measure they adopted was to put 1 stall with a curtain in the open shower room which has 8 shower heads. Even when the stall is vacant, about 98% of the guys still don't use it in favor of the open shower. It is very rarely used, and just a waste of space in my opinion. The guys also still use the hot tub and steam room nude, shave at the sink nude, and walk around the locker room nude, and don't towel dance when they get changed. Guys with modesty issues usually disappear after a couple of weeks when they see the other guys using the facilities nude without any hangups or shame (as it should be). I say, "good riddance"!
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At my Y in Midwest, if you use hot tub or sauna naked the staff would tell you put something on, one time I seen staff was asking member to stand up to make sure they are not using the hot tub nude. After I saw that happen that was a big turn off, so I stop going to Y now, That is sad!!
It seems to me from all of the posts that I have read about this topic (in this thread and other threads) that the U.S. is far more uptight overall about same gender non-sexual nudity in nude appropriate places than Canada is. I wonder why that is. There are so many Hollywood films (especially from the '80s-'90s) that use the open shower in the men's locker room as a back drop for scenes such as the original Footloose (I haven't seen the remake because I'm sure it sucks like most remakes do), School Ties, etc.
Like I mentioned in my other post, once in awhile we get a new younger member (18 is the minimum age to use the premium locker room at my Y) who acts all modest by going in the hot tub with swim shorts on and then showers with swim shorts on. The great thing is is that other guys don't change their behaviour to accomodate them, so these modest guys either get over themselves and start using the facilities nude or disappear after a few weeks. This could be because a majority of the members in the premium locker room are older (late 20s+), so they have gotten to the point that they don't give a shit what others think. The guys that are over 50 spend as much time nude as they possibly can. Getting these guys to keep their clothes on would be a monumental task at my Y! :wink:
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- RSMH,
Wow, so shocked & disgusted the lengths certain Ys & gyms/spas are apparently going in some cases described here to embarrass & prevent long standing (throughout the history of the world) same gender communal nudity at such places. What IS unhealthy is these disturbing extreme anti-nudity tactics.
Such extremity does often produce a backlash and might force those of us athletes and others of all ages who have healthy masculine attitudes about full locker room nudity (especially in same gender exclusive areas such as bathrooms including the sink areas, shower and spa services like hot tubs, sauna, steam, etc.) to more openly fight back/protest such harsh abnormal prudish policies in several ways. I never thought it would get to the point that so many real men would have to become nudity advocates when for literally thousands of years throughout most of the history of the world males of all ages have had nude communal bathing areas especially connected to athletics and healthy communal male community bending. This IS the norm, what is apparently going on in some places regarding such extreme anti-nudity IS what is abnormal and trying to bring up a whole generation to all of a sudden think otherwise is downright crazy, inaccurate, and unhealthy for male body issues comfort and true bonding growth (human males ARE pack animals when not bonding as such in these ways we get less well; fighting our nature is not healthier).
Mark my words there is almost always a backlash to such extremity. I even believe there is money to be made in producing great gym, locker and spa services for males that promote healthy traditional same gender nudity, because more and more need will be created in the face of other establishments stupidity. I don't know if it will ever make it on Shark Tank (or in the UK Dragons Den) lol, but if I were a rich investor I think I would invest money in such same gender pro nudity locker and spa services gyms because "every action can produce an equal or greater opposite reaction". I have begun to see Asian & Russian immigrants rake in money with such establishments and others too, the more open they are the bigger spikes in business right now in response to the demand. And if they too crack down on nudity etc. I have seen them open the door for the demand from newer pro same gender nudity type spas and gyms that are currently opening. More will come as extreme crack downs just produce greater demand for the experiences they are no longer facilitating nor providing. Demand means somewhere many needs are not being met and business opportunities are thus presented unless the other places new policies are changed back in the face of protest/challenge/opposition. I guess we can't just take same gender nudity for granted any more which is kinda crazy, but ultimately males will be males, as it has been throughout history, it will be again because it is our nature to be as we are, as males together the way it has always been it shall be again.
Current unhealthy prudish nurture must be combatted with the natural state of being males. And yes older males MUST more than ever set the right tone for younger to express their nature despite any negative prudish unhealthy nurturing they may have had or have currently. My Dad raised me as an athlete all men of all ages naked around me in locker and shower situations etc etc and so by the time school and group sports came into my life I was very comfortable with my body and others of my same gender too and did so well, athletics is a part of the expression of my nature and all the same gender bonding that goes with it. Thanks to all the older males (Dad, Uncles, coaches, strangers at gyms and lockers etc etc) I have been raised with a very healthy acceptance and expression of my male nature. In other words by example these men let my male nurturing match my male nature, and nothing can be better than that for healthy mind, body, spirt development. I hope more males set this same tone for younger & other males today. Drop them towels dudes & let's hit the hot tub and chat, lol. :smile:
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We just joined the Y here where we live. Haven't a clue yet about the locker room but we'll see. It's a huge Y - huge - and pretty busy so I can't imagine you wouldn't have a locker room area to accommodate the volume of people efficiently. There's bound to be nudity - no way around it - folks gotta shower!
Now, of course, the question of enforcement arises. Just exactly WHO is going to police the lockerroom and ask men not to be nude? And HOW are they going to enforce it?
Interesting. When I'm touring a prospective gym, I always want to check out the locker room before making a final decision for the following reasons:
1. I hate shower stalls. If they have stalls, I'm not interested in joining because they are moldy, cramped and inhibit social interaction.
2. Locker room setup dictates the mentality of the clientele the gym attracts. The more ultra-privacy offered, the more uptight the clientele in my experience. The more open, the more relaxed and friendly the clientele.
3. The cleanliness of the locker room gives you a good idea of the overall cleanliness of the whole gym. If the locker room is filthy, you can pretty much bet that the whole gym is.
4. Ammenities such as steam room, sauna, hot tub, towel service, lounge area, etc are all important to me. The gym is my down time, so I'm not a get out as fast as I can kind of guy. I enjoy using these ammenities after my workout, and often they are my motivation for going in to workout.
I hope your gym turns out OK. I just couldn't imagine joining any gym without checking out the locker room first. It would be like buying a car without taking it out for a test drive.
