How comfortable are men with being nude in communal showers and locker rooms in your country or culture?

[JayPR]

I would like to know how comfortable are men with nudity in public spaces or among peers in your country or culture? Especially I am talking about gym showers, locker rooms, dorms, communal showers, public baths, and even nudist beaches or lakes.

My question comes because it has been discussed extensively here and in another site, how open showers and communal showers are disappearing in the United States and other countries in the west. That the last two generations are more prudish about being nude in front of others, that most gyms or sports facilities are taking privacy into consideration when designing locker room areas, and that in general men are less comfortable with being around other naked men, some people even see it as gayish, I guess meaning homoerotic.

But, that's not true for other countries. From Russian banyas, Finland saunas to Korean spas or Japanese sento, to name a few, it seems that men in other cultures still have no problem with getting naked in front of each other. A friend from New Zealand told me that men down under are more open to getting naked than Americans for example. Also, in some countries in Latin America men still feel comfortable with nudity among guys and open showers are still the norm.

What do you think? How's it in your country or culture?

 

[JohnGw]

In the UK almost all men are quite happy being naked in communal showers and changing rooms but there seems to be a creeping prudery coming in amongst the younger generation.

 

[HorseHung40's]

I have always watched my diet, exercised, and, generally taken good care of myself, including grooming. I have always taken pride in my appearance. Luckily I am also exceptionally well endowed, and, have no shame in showing it under the right circumstances - including communal showers.

If someone has an issue with my fit body and xtra large endowment, then it is HIS problem - NOT MINE.

 

[Kade94]

I went to Germany for a summer and guys there don't give a fuck about getting naked. I visited a public pool and at the locker area everyone was naked and taking their time, grandpas, older guys, young guys, teenagers, everyone.

 

[Hakan1]

I went to Germany for a summer and guys there don't give a fuck about getting naked. I visited a public pool and at the locker area everyone was naked and taking their time, grandpas, older guys, young guys, teenagers, everyone.

It was even better 10 years ago. Nowadays they get more and more shy. But still good

 

[deleted15577081]

in the UK no-one bothers either shower or locker room although once when I was showering in a communal shower with one other guy in there, a third walked in and looked embarrassed and went into the disabled cubicle to shower as it had a door

 

[AllDixNeedLuv69]

i feel secure so much i would walk naked in the city shopping-- going to movies-and anywhere else--its the people that dont like nudity--afraid "others all ages " get wrong idea want to do same

what really gets people is when run into someone i know and they are the ones that talk about my cock and ass--one guy says he should bend me over right there where we were and let everyone watch him fuck me

 

[deleted15630421]

I can be self conscious in the locker rooms but I do love the view sometimes! I can sometimes take a little bit longer getting changed if there is someone hot to watch

 

[Culinaris]

I can conform the situation in Germany. I'm an avid swimmer so I get to be in the communal showers of the public pool twice per workout session. Naked men everywhere and everybody is fine with it. It's wonderful and quite the post workout treat.

 

[djl102382]

I can conform the situation in Germany. I'm an avid swimmer so I get to be in the communal showers of the public pool twice per workout session. Naked men everywhere and everybody is fine with it. It's wonderful and quite the post workout treat.

Many European are comfortable with nudity.

 

[JohnGw]

Many European are comfortable with nudity.

Especially in some of the unisex changing and showering facilities.

 

[NickSpud91]

US here. As a gay man, I love the homoerotic charge that can exist in communally nude places, but I am acutely conscious of the anxieties that exist around sharing such spaces with men like me, so I try not to make others feel wierd.

For example, I see other young guys in my gym's locker room do the towel dance which I find too impractical for myself, but I do cover up with a towel immediately after stripping. I avoid behavior that could be considered cruisey (eye contact, staring, showing off, staying naked needlessly). I enjoy being naked, but not if it'll make someone uncomfortable reasonably.

 

[twguy01]

I went to Germany for a summer and guys there don't give a fuck about getting naked. I visited a public pool and at the locker area everyone was naked and taking their time, grandpas, older guys, young guys, teenagers, everyone.

I’m studying German right now. Hopefully I can move there one day

 

[sergi]

Germany is so different from the rest of Europe in this respect. Nudity is just not an issue for most people.

It's completely acceptable to sunbathe or play volleyball naked in the parks in the centre of Munich or Berlin (well in the summer anyway).

Swimming pools throughout Germany often have mixed changing rooms equipped with cubicles for changing but you don't have to use them - it's fine just to strip naked and put on your gear even if there is a woman next to you - women don't get offended and will often do the same.

In the saunas nudity is obligatory and you will be asked to leave if you are not naked.

If you visit Germany try to set aside a couple of hours for a sauna at a local pool - it will probably be a much better experience that you will get in an up market gym in the UK.

I can't wait to go back to my favourite waterpark & sauna - Miramar in Wienheim - especially for FKK events when the wave pool and slides are clothing free.

 

[Fellowship]

This issue has been discussed a million times and I guess it's time for researchers to start exploring the issue in-depth.

Speaking as an American, I think the baseline issue is that American men are not acculturated into public/same-sex nudity from a young age. And therefore, nudity is unfortunately equated with sex/sexuality/sensuality.

Additionally, at least in the case of gyms, if members are paying a premium then they expect to have access to premium amenities. Private shower stalls are a luxury amenity, and I think any guy paying over $75/month (let alone $150/month) for a gym membership should expect to have a private stall to use.

And finally, I think it's slowly catching on that locker room voyeurism via phones & recording devices - both intentional and unintentional - is a thing. Nobody should have to worry about some creep recording them as they do something as routine as a shower.

 

[Pepijn]

I am from the Netherlands. In my experience most guys are comfortable being naked in the right situation. I mean in the sauna or in locker rooms. Although more recent I notice more and more that guys in locker rooms seem more shy. Might be because I am in a budget gym and there are quite a few young men who are originally from North African and Arabic countries. Especially they seems to cover up more. No judgment, just my observation.

 

[Hakan1]

Although more recent I notice more and more that guys in locker rooms seem more shy. Might be because I am in a budget gym and there are quite a few young men who are originally from North African and Arabic countries.

Exactly, same here in Germany. I mentioned this before.

 

[Culinaris]

Here in the south of Germany I didn't notice anything like that. There are some individuals who shower in shorts of course but they are still a minority and it doesn't look like the numbers changed.

 

[figgnewton]

What ever you do in life in it's respect. Not everyone has the same attitudes as what you think.

 

[Anton565]

"That the last two generations are more prudish about being nude in front of others, that most gyms or sports facilities are taking privacy into consideration when designing locker room areas, and that in general men are less comfortable with being around other naked men, some people even see it as gayish, I guess meaning homoerotic."

I'm probably at the very end of the generation prior to the two cited above. We never thought about being naked in front of our friends because it wasn't a thing. We all saw each other naked for any number of reasons. I think 'reason' & 'situation' (as mentioned by Pepijn) are the operative words. I don't think we even noticed when one of us was naked as long as there was a reason.

I suspect this is why some of us sound awkward trying to discuss this. It's like we woke up one morning and everyone was like, "Did you know that some cars burn gasoline and some burn diesel????" and we're thinking, "Why is this even a topic of conversation?" It's very weird, especially to us older folks.