Communal Shower 'inequality'

jglam

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I thought this might be a topic a few people are interested in. I'm sure quite a few people have experienced situations where they have had to use an open communal shower in their lives. Of course, there isn't always 'shower equality'. Here in the UK, it's not unusual for male showers to be communal and female to be in stalls.

Case 1: Rossett Sports Centre in Harrogate, England. Renovated in Spring 2019.
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Case 2: Ardler Sports Complex in Dundee, Scotland. Renovated 2013.

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Case 3: Hereford Rowing Club and Campsite in Hereford, England. The facilities are used by rowers and campers.

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So does anyone else have experience, thoughts or other examples of this? Also, why do architects/ designers make these decisions?
 

HotBulge

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I suspect that many of the assumptions which go into the design are based on the history women were provided "modesty" whereas men weren't to be intimidated e.g. nude public swimming (men only) in the early 20th century, outdoor showers in the military, etc.
 

bravodeltalima

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As per the previous thread, I think it's down to assumptions about men not needing privacy, possibly alongside the discouragement of dirty habits.

Personally I prefer communals and find the fact that they don't have them in my current gym annoying, but what can you do?
 

jglam

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I suspect that many of the assumptions which go into the design are based on the history women were provided "modesty" whereas men weren't to be intimidated e.g. nude public swimming (men only) in the early 20th century, outdoor showers in the military, etc.

I understand the assumptions, but it seems a little unusual for this still to be going on. The first picture was a locker room renovated 12 months ago.

Case 4: Waldringfield Sailing Club who upgraded their showers in 2015

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HotBulge

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But is it unusual in the 21st Century that these assumptions are still being made? What if women engage in more "body shaming" than men? If so, women might value their privacy more? (I'm guessing).

I understand the assumptions, but it seems a little unusual for this still to be going on. The first picture was a locker room renovated 12 months ago.
 
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jglam

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But is it unusual in the 21st Century that these assumptions are still being made? What if women engage in more "body shaming" than men? If so, women might value their privacy more? (I'm guessing).

I wonder if it is a generational thing. I imagine the people designing these showers are from the generation where there was little body shaming among men. I think it's a lot more prevalent today though.
But I do think you're right in the sense that women value privacy more than men.
 
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Thank God for this inequality. I hate stall showers with an undying passion. I threatened to quit my Y if they put in stalls when they did the locker room reno a few years back. I know that the women's locker room showers are all stalls. A few years ago they put stalls in the men's locker room shower at my old university athletic centre which totally killed the banter, dynamics and friendly atmosphere there. The women always had stalls even when I was a student there 25 years ago. I stopped going there shortly after. I have heard that hardly anyone uses it since the change.
 

littleguy2

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This is one area in which I would never like to see total " equality"



Hated gang showers when younger since I couldn’t control my erections. Now older I can control them but can’t find any. Ugh
 

jglam

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Hated gang showers when younger since I couldn’t control my erections. Now older I can control them but can’t find any. Ugh

Are you in New York at the moment? The West Side YMCA looks like it has a very interesting shower. Open Shower Appreciation

Your pain is very real though. Even when changing my clothes I'm 99% concentrating on stopping that happening :p.
 
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herbho

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Are you in New York at the moment? The West Side YMCA looks like it has a very interesting shower. Open Shower Appreciation

Your pain is very real though. Even when changing my clothes I'm 99% concentrating on stopping that happening :p.

I posted a story a while back about the shower room at the West Side Y gym. The room was crowded,with just about every shower being used. In walked a kid, probably about 14, with wide-eyed glee as he would go through the room and furtively glance at the trove of naked bodies on display. He was wearing swim trunks with a very pronounced erection straining the front. I saw him and smiled, making sure to turn and pay particular attention to soaping my privates as he passed. He stared for a second, then moved on. I just knew that his experience in the shower room would be the source of many jack-off sessions, as they were for me when I was his age.
 

littleguy2

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Are you in New York at the moment? The West Side YMCA looks like it has a very interesting shower. Open Shower Appreciation

Your pain is very real though. Even when changing my clothes I'm 99% concentrating on stopping that happening :p.
When younger I tried to JO before I went to the gym which never worked. As soon as I opened my towel I would start to bone up. Had to have my clothes ready to pull on. Today lots of guys do the towel dance and most don’t want other guys to look at them but I am sure others like you and me do it to avoid an embarrassment
 
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jglam

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When younger I tried to JO before I went to the gym which never worked. As soon as I opened my towel I would start to bone up. Had to have my clothes ready to pull on. Today lots of guys do the towel dance and most don’t want other guys to look at them but I am sure others like you and me do it to avoid an embarrassment

I've definitely been there before. I'm not wedged into the corner of the room because I'm shy. It's to hide it. o_Oo_O. Of course, it's much more controllable now.
 

NGZen

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I think that architects/designers have chosen communal facilities in the male changing rooms because:
  1. Communal showers are cheaper to install, clean, and maintain
  2. They take up less room, i.e. in a given area you can fit in a larger number of communal showers than cubicle showers
  3. Most men don't mind using them (even if many would prefer to use a cubicle shower if given the option).
However, women seem to have a very much stronger preference for privacy, so architects are more likely to provide cubicle showers for them, even though cubicle showers cost more and require more space.
 
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223790

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I think that architects/designers have chosen communal facilities in the male changing rooms because:
  1. Communal showers are cheaper to install, clean, and maintain
  2. They take up less room, i.e. in a given area you can fit in a larger number of communal showers than cubicle showers
  3. Most men don't mind using them (even if many would prefer to use a cubicle shower if given the option).
However, women seem to have a very much stronger preference for privacy, so architects are more likely to provide cubicle showers for them, even though cubicle showers cost more and require more space.

Good points, but in my experience, when the shower room has a combination of communal showers and stalls, most guys opt for the communal shower. My Y has a stall to the side of the communal shower, and it's hardly ever used.
 

bravodeltalima

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Good points, but in my experience, when the shower room has a combination of communal showers and stalls, most guys opt for the communal shower. My Y has a stall to the side of the communal shower, and it's hardly ever used.

Not a surprise. I don't know about anyone else but I'd feel well embarrassed deliberately hiding away in a little box when there were open showers going spare.

Going all red in the face about someone seeing your cock might just be understandable for very body conscious teenagers, but there's really no fucking excuse for it in a grown man.