YMCA's and showers

[FRE]

In the 60's, not only did the men swim nude at the YMCA but if your school, junior and senior high, had an infoor pool the boys HAD to swim nude. Each semester for 4 weeks we had swimming and diviing in school and not only did the students swim nude but so did the coaches. All parents knew of the policy and no one, that I knew of, objected. There was just no way to deal with a wet suit afterwards so everyone just did without. We saw each other naked in the showers so it was no big deal to be naked in the pool, just more water. Thinking back, I was amazed at how many of the guys didn't know how to swim so this was an opportunity for them to learn. I remember one of the "jocks" who was totally terrified at the thought of getting in the pool and how he overcame his fear and learned to swim.
I am amazed at how things have changed. You hear guys says how the would love to go skinny dipping but are just too embarassed to do it. Why? I have a pool and rarely wear anything. I have friends with pools and they do the same.
Are we reverting back to Victorian times? You would think that with all a person can view on the internet seeing nudity in real life would be no big deal. Why have men become so afraid to see or be seen by another man? If they fear that another man might be gay and come on to them, they need to give up that idea. For most gay men it just doesn't work that way. As a gay man I do enjoy men, clothed and naked, but I would never think about stareing or commenting about any man that I do not know. Nor do I know of any gay man that would. Now I might comment about what I saw later to a friend but that's it. My guess is many of these men who have the problem really don't trust themselves and are fighting with their own feelings.
Bottom line, if you have a problem with naked men in the pool...don't swim. Besides, it's difficult to swim while try to cover your junk with one hand.

A good post. Consider also your sentence, "Each semester for 4 weeks we had swimming and diviing in school and not only did the students swim nude but so did the coaches."

Where can one dive now? Every pool I've seen for the last few decades has banned diving. In addition to removing diving boards, they've put in signs forbidding diving. I find it awkward to get into a pool then begin to swim; it seems much more natural to dive in. What I actually do is pretend that I don't know that diving is prohibited; I just say that without my glasses, I cannot read the signs. I dive into the shallow end which scares people who can't dive because they assume that I'll hit bottom and injure myself. However, a shallow dive is easy to execute.

I wonder how they can find Americans for the Olympics diving team. Where to they learn to dive now days? At the gym which I attend, the one for geriatric citizens, there is a large photo of an older woman diving; I wonder where she is able to practice.

Regarding the subject, I don't know of any place where I can swim nude. I know guys with pools, but they are insufficiently isolated from the neighbors.

 

[Number 51]

Are we reverting back to Victorian times? You would think that with all a person can view on the internet seeing nudity in real life would be no big deal. Why have men become so afraid to see or be seen by another man? If they fear that another man might be gay and come on to them, they need to give up that idea. For most gay men it just doesn't work that way. As a gay man I do enjoy men, clothed and naked, but I would never think about stareing or commenting about any man that I do not know. Nor do I know of any gay man that would. Now I might comment about what I saw later to a friend but that's it. My guess is many of these men who have the problem really don't trust themselves and are fighting with their own feelings.
Bottom line, if you have a problem with naked men in the pool...don't swim. Besides, it's difficult to swim while try to cover your junk with one hand.

You said the answer yourself. Yes, you can see lots of nudity on the Internet - almost all of it in a sexual context. Since the 1960s our culture has become increasingly sexualized, and that's spilled over into the locker room. Back then, it would've been simply unthinkable to just about everyone to impute sexuality to locker room encounters. Today, guys like you might never behave boorishly, but that doesn't mean everyone follows your lead. I've been hit on in locker rooms before, subtly and not-so-subtly. One guy followed me home from the locker room and left a note on my door propositioning me. Another time I encountered a guy I hadn't met before. The first thing he said to me was "Hello." The second thing he said to me was "You have a large cock" (the fourth thing he said to me was "How often do you masturbate?"). These things would have never happened 40 or so years ago - there was such a strong societal taboo that it was simply inconceivable to people at the time to act that way. That's not true anymore, even if it happens relatively rarely.

When you live in a society where the popular culture associates almost every instance of nudity with sexual activity, it's not surprising that a lot of people who don't want to have to deal with sex intruding into many aspects of their lives try to avoid it by avoiding nudity. It isn't that people fear homosexuals so much - it's that the locker room (and the ol' swimming hole and school showers, among other places) used to be safe places where you didn't have to think about sex intruding. Judging by some people's behavior, that's no longer the case (just look at some of the stories recounted in this thread alone), and I find it hard to blame people for responding accordingly.

 

[FRE]

You said the answer yourself. Yes, you can see lots of nudity on the Internet - almost all of it in a sexual context. Since the 1960s our culture has become increasingly sexualized, and that's spilled over into the locker room. Back then, it would've been simply unthinkable to just about everyone to impute sexuality to locker room encounters. Today, guys like you might never behave boorishly, but that doesn't mean everyone follows your lead. I've been hit on in locker rooms before, subtly and not-so-subtly. One guy followed me home from the locker room and left a note on my door propositioning me. Another time I encountered a guy I hadn't met before. The first thing he said to me was "Hello." The second thing he said to me was "You have a large cock" (the fourth thing he said to me was "How often do you masturbate?"). These things would have never happened 40 or so years ago - there was such a strong societal taboo that it was simply inconceivable to people at the time to act that way. That's not true anymore, even if it happens relatively rarely.

When you live in a society where the popular culture associates almost every instance of nudity with sexual activity, it's not surprising that a lot of people who don't want to have to deal with sex intruding into many aspects of their lives try to avoid it by avoiding nudity. It isn't that people fear homosexuals so much - it's that the locker room (and the ol' swimming hole and school showers, among other places) used to be safe places where you didn't have to think about sex intruding. Judging by some people's behavior, that's no longer the case (just look at some of the stories recounted in this thread alone), and I find it hard to blame people for responding accordingly.

Unfortunately, as much as I'd like to disagree, I cannot; much of what you say is correct.

I remember one time when someone actually attempted to grope me when I was showering at the downtown Minneapolis YMCA. I was in a semi-helpless situation since I had soap on my face and couldn't see anything. When I felt a hand brush against my leg on it way to you know where, I struck out with my fist. I missed, but it had the desirable effect of scaring the guy who after that was always afraid of me. I hope that it also prevented him from doing that to anyone else. I happen to be gay myself, but see that sort of behavior as totally unacceptable. Fortunately, it is also rare.

Those of us who are members of minority groups should be extra careful to avoid doing anything that would discredit others.

 

[B_jeepguy2]

Pretty sure Ivy league schools never had nude swimming...

They all probabloy did before they went coed. :biggrin1:

 

[FRE]

Attitudes towards male nudity certainly have changed.

Just recently, PBS had a program about the history of forest management. Included was a picture taken about 1930 of a group of totally nude forest rangers about to go swimming in a river.

 

[oralslut464]

I Missouri when I was in High School we had to take showers after Gym class- mandatory in the late 70's 76 - 80. Now the kids don't take showers after gym class in school. It is not allowed.

 

[223790]

I Missouri when I was in High School we had to take showers after Gym class- mandatory in the late 70's 76 - 80. Now the kids don't take showers after gym class in school. It is not allowed.

That's a shame. IMO, it is disgustingly unhygenic to not shower after vigorous exercise. I saw a guy in hi early 20s do this in my Y locker room last week. He came in all sweaty from his workout at lunch time, and then changed into a business suit without taking a shower - YUCK! I imagine that he must have stunk up the office he was returning to something fierce, and he must have felt gross. I couldn't imagine not showering after a workout. I see this behaviour carry over into the men's restroom as well. I can't believe how many guys use the toilet and don't wash their hands after. I have heard that staph infections are on the rise in North America today. It is little wonder why.

 

[223790]

Despite many entries on the subject, I can't believe the Y promoted nude swimming. What was their rationale? I've heard it was to keep material from suits from clogging the drains, but that surely can't be the real reason. And you say yours had nude swimming in the 70's?? Tell us more.

While I wasn't a part of that, I have seen pictures of it from Life magazine, so I'm pretty sure it is true. I think the problem started when the YMCA and the YWCA became one organization rather than seperate. MY YMCA is also a YWCA, so nude swimming isn't permitted. However, in the men's locker room, everyone uses the hot tub in the nude. I have yet to see one guy in shorts in the hot tub no matter how full of guys it is. I can tell you from my own experience that going into the hot tub nude is the most amazing feeling ever. At my university athletic centre, the hot tub is in the pool area (which is coed), so swimsutis must be worn. It doesn't feel anywhere near as good as it does going in naked. I remember hot tubbing in the nude when I was on a road trip with my fraternity many years ago. Some of the host chapter brothers and some brothers from my chapter whipped off their clothes and got into the hot tub that the host chapter had in the basement. I walked by, they invited me to do the same and I did without hesitation (some brothers wouldn't - pussies). We had pledges join in and fetch us cold beer. What an awesome and memorable experience that was. Nothing like sitting in the hot tub naked with your fraternity brothers, knocking back ice cold beer, and shooting the shit. Anyways, I digress. My Y doesn't try to stop nude hot tubbing at all as attendants are always coming in and out to clean up and replenish the towels. The only thing they ask is that you rinse off thoroughly in the open shower before getting into the hot tub, and of course no cell phones are allowed to be on in the locker room. Other than that, it's very laid back.

 

[Rikter8]

At membership fees of over $400 for my local YMCA in the Ghetto.... I need not worry about stepping foot in there.
Shame too, would be nice to work out at a historic athletic center, but I'll be damned if i'm going to shell out that kind of coin and then have to park my vehicle in an area where it might be on blocks when I come out.

 

[223790]

At membership fees of over $400 for my local YMCA in the Ghetto.... I need not worry about stepping foot in there.
Shame too, would be nice to work out at a historic athletic center, but I'll be damned if i'm going to shell out that kind of coin and then have to park my vehicle in an area where it might be on blocks when I come out.

That's a shame. My Y is in an upscale neighborhood, so I never have to worry about that.

 

[JacquesValue]

.....we have a men's and boys room, and open showers in both. Have to be 18 or older to use adult male...

"Adult" Ooh La La! See, the second you get the kids out of the way, you are either confessing that sex happens in the adults-only section, or giving full license for it to happen

 

[SirConcis]

Changes often happen because of some incident which resulted in complaints.

If there were a few complaints of sexual activity in the locker room area, then management would have to react. How to react to this ? Ban nudity in the locker room. (or reduce it to bare minimum or whatever).

I think homophobia also has a lot to do with the change. You're affraid that if you are naked, some gay guy will come on to you. Homophobes have this image that gays will jump on any/all naked males they see. Wearing the towel is perhaps seen as a shield against gays, a message "I wear a towel, do not display my dick because I do not want gays jumping on me".

 

[223790]

"Adult" Ooh La La! See, the second you get the kids out of the way, you are either confessing that sex happens in the adults-only section, or giving full license for it to happen

I have to disagree with you there. My Y has the same setup. I use the adults only locker room (and I am paying extra every month for it) for the following reasons:

1. I don't want to have to deal with kids running around, screaming, making a mess, and breaking equipment in the locker room. This is the reason why I left my athletic centre at the university this summer. During the summer, they operate kids camps at the university that drive all of the regular members crazy because of the noise, chaos, mess, and also because they break the sauna equipment by pouring liquids on the heating element. This means that throughout the summer camp season, the sauna is always broken.

2. I'm sick and tired of having to deal with fathers who show poor judgement by bringing their daughters into the locker room and shower to wait for them while daddy gets cleaned up. IMO, male locker rooms are for males and males only - period. The price of admission is a dick between your legs.

3. The adult locker room at the Y offers a towel service as well as a steam room and hot tub that everyone uses nude. I wouldn't be inclined to use the hot tub and steam room nude if it is crammed full of 8-14 year olds screaming and carrying on. The towel service would be abused by kids (there is an unlimited supply of towels on a large multi-tiered rack), and would be strewn about the area. The fact that I have only seen a few guys under 30 in the adult only locker room shows that most young guys wouldn't want to use the adult only area because *gasp* they might actually have to show their dick. The minimum age to use it is 18. There is a common respect in the adult only locker room as all the guys are naked; I haven't seen anything sexual take place at all. It's so refreshing to see guys who are not uptight and prudish about their bodies. They may not be as good to look at as the younger guys, but at least they behave like men instead of a bunch of paranoid, uptight pussies. During my first workout at the Y, I used the regular locker room and saw nothing but towel dancing and showering in shorts.

A guy I know who works out at the same Y as me is immensely homophobic. He too pays extra to use the adult only locker room because in his words, "I don't want to put up with other people's snot nosed kids" which are my sentiments exactly. It's hard enough to work up the motivation to get into the gym without the thought of having to deal with unruly, rude kids. I found that last summer, at my university athletic centre, I was constantly skipping workouts because I just couldn't handle the thought of having to deal with those kids in the locker room. I ended up never going in, and consequently I put on weight. I don't want that to happen again this summer, so I sucked it up and paid extra for the adult only locker room at the Y. I'm working out regularly again because of this, losing weight and getting healthier. :smile:

 

[jockmaestro]

A good post. Consider also your sentence, "Each semester for 4 weeks we had swimming and diviing in school and not only did the students swim nude but so did the coaches."

Where can one dive now? Every pool I've seen for the last few decades has banned diving. In addition to removing diving boards, they've put in signs forbidding diving. I find it awkward to get into a pool then begin to swim; it seems much more natural to dive in. What I actually do is pretend that I don't know that diving is prohibited; I just say that without my glasses, I cannot read the signs. I dive into the shallow end which scares people who can't dive because they assume that I'll hit bottom and injure myself. However, a shallow dive is easy to execute.

I wonder how they can find Americans for the Olympics diving team. Where to they learn to dive now days? At the gym which I attend, the one for geriatric citizens, there is a large photo of an older woman diving; I wonder where she is able to practice.

Regarding the subject, I don't know of any place where I can swim nude. I know guys with pools, but they are insufficiently isolated from the neighbors.

One might ask how exactly one dives in the nude? Seems like your nuts would be punished in a big way with each dive.

 

[dickman45885]

My Y has a family boys and adult men, as well as family girls and adult women. I prefer the adult men, has a sauna most of us use nude. I prefer the adult men..no screaming kids running around. If I want to listen to screaming kids I will get my grandsons age 3 and 4.

 

[SCSea]

"Adult" Ooh La La! See, the second you get the kids out of the way, you are either confessing that sex happens in the adults-only section, or giving full license for it to happen

Adult in the sense of "reached the age of majority" rather than "bookstore".

My new Y is a near-perfect clone of their next-to-newest location, and I'm smack between them, so I alternate depending on what I need to do before and afters.

The biggest change they made was to take the spaces that had been sauna and steam for the adult lockerrooms and combine them into one larger space, then put the doors facing the pool, so instead of two smaller single-gender setups, there's one of each. *grumble* Nobody under 15 is allowed in the steam/sauna (and possibly the jacuzzi, actually - I know really small kids can't even dangle their feet in while sitting next to parents), but obviously, swimsuits are required. They also don't mind people in their stank gym clothes, shoes and socks inclusive, in the dry sauna, which is just unspeakably gross to my Scandinavian mind.

The new location has signed up 10,000 new members in two weeks. The lockerroom etiquette is near-zero as a result. There are now three kinds of lockerrooms, for a total of five - adult, children, family. The rule for adult is supposed to be 15+ only, youth is >18 unless you're accompanying a same-gender child older than 5, or any child under 5, and family are a private changing room that you can reserve for an hour or two for your exclusive use.

The problems are legion. The adults are up in arms that members are bringing younger kids into the adult section, accompanied. I don't have much of a problem with it. Unaccompanied minors, yes, especially in small groups, but I've been going into changing rooms with my dad since I was still freaked out by the notion of showers (water falling from the sky hard enough that it stings?), and I don't see the harm. I agree, though, that the price of admission is a dick.

They're also bitching about older opposite-gender children in the youth lockerroom, and I agree. I'm not sure 5 is the right cutoff, but I know for sure that an 8 year old is capable of changing and locking stuff in a locker unassisted. The next woman I hear complaining that it's not "safe" for her 8 year old boy to be in the youth lockerroom unattended is going to get my standard response: "Will you be guiding his dick into place on the wedding night as well, mom?" That usually shuts them up but good.

The family lockerrooms are being reserved by unaccompanied adults who don't want to get perved on in the adult lockerrooms. They come in two flavors; people singularly unattractive enough that there's no chance they'll get a second glance, and people stunningly attractive enough that it's guaranteed they'll get looked over. To the former, I say "spend more time on your workout and less time worrying that someone may see your fupa", and to the latter, I say "It's a dick. We've all seen them before". I think the requirement is going to be 2+ members to reserve one before too long.

The irony in all of this is that the youth and adult lockerrooms are identical, mirror-image copies. No extra amenities, not even a different mix of urinal heights. The showerheads are still high enough for an 8' dude to get under. There's no added opportunities for sexytime (stalls with shower curtains that gap *and* manage to get intimate with the bather all at the same time). Granted, the adult one smells better to me, but I'm a pervert. ;0)

I won't even comment on the Y staffer who towel-dances. Ginger, nice dick, nothing to be ashamed of. I think it's a failure of upbringing. He then lifeguards in jammer-length lycra.

The weird part is that the adult-only lockerroom at the other location is also completely devoid of inappropriate behavior so far as I've seen (I work out very close to closing time, when traffic is light enough that you'd think it would be likely). I haven't seen shower antics or steam escapades or even a sauna-showoff more than once or twice in the last few years, so I'm not sure what problem they were trying to solve with changing the sauna and steam layouts.

 

[FRE]

One might ask how exactly one dives in the nude? Seems like your nuts would be punished in a big way with each dive.

Based on my personal experience and also the experiences of others, diving while nude is not a problem. When diving, one enters the water head first and the genitals experience no impact; they are protected by the rest of the body. If one were to jump into the water feet first from a considerable height and keep one's legs open wide, then I would expect a problem.

I'd suggest trying a proper dive while nude so you can experience for yourself how it works, but now it would be just about impossible to find a place to dive while nude.

 

[FRE]

This may be slightly off-subject; I hope that no one minds.

In about 1985, I was at La Jolla Shores Beach in San Diego. There was a dressing room with a flat roof. Late in the afternoon, when there weren't many people present, a surfer chose to change clothes while standing on the roof. People on the ground, of both sexes, were laughing and encouraging him to do a towel dance in such a way that they got occasional peeks. No one seemed upset about it; it was considered to be nothing but fun.

On a few occasions, I saw surfers change clothes beside their cars. Although they didn't make a point of putting on a show, that made no attempt to hide anything either.

In about 1952, when my brother and sister were quite young, my mother took a picture of them nude, to show their tan lines. The picture was taken outside in back of a cottage we were renting. Although it wasn't visible from the street, neighbors on either side could have seen. Probably now that would be considered to be child pornography.

Unfortunately, that sort of thing probably would not happen anymore, the reason being that people have become so horrified about nudity. Even brief exposure would be considered to be proof of mental illness and people even briefly exposed would probably be required to register as mentally deranged sex offenders even though the vast majority of them were perfectly sane and reasonable people.

There is something very seriously wrong with our culture now.

 

[jockmaestro]

Based on my personal experience and also the experiences of others, diving while nude is not a problem. When diving, one enters the water head first and the genitals experience no impact; they are protected by the rest of the body. If one were to jump into the water feet first from a considerable height and keep one's legs open wide, then I would expect a problem.

I'd suggest trying a proper dive while nude so you can experience for yourself how it works, but now it would be just about impossible to find a place to dive while nude.

Yeah, but you see, my nuts hang down to my ankles, so they DO suffer an impact....

 

[FRE]

Yeah, but you see, my nuts hang down to my ankles, so they DO suffer an impact....

In that case, I recommend surgery to shorten your scrotum.