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

[P.B]

Pre Covid I swam at the gym everyday. It had a communal male locker room (Oddly no showers there) and a "Changing village". I preferred to change in the male locker room because I'm over confident but then I'd use a locker in the "Changing village". A few lockers in the mens room looked like they'd been forced but the village part had CCTV. So I think security is probably a justification for changing village style arrangements.Plus sneaky perv photoing issues.

 

[deleted213967]

Pre Covid I swam at the gym everyday. It had a communal male locker room (Oddly no showers there) and a "Changing village". I preferred to change in the male locker room because I'm over confident but then I'd use a locker in the "Changing village". A few lockers in the mens room looked like they'd been forced but the village part had CCTV. So I think security is probably a justification for changing village style arrangements.Plus sneaky perv photoing issues.

Yes, Orwellian-style CCTV in areas that should come with an "expectation of privacy" seem to be the thing in Europe.

I spotted those omnipresent cameras while visiting France too. I asked the gym attendant why on earth they would install cameras in the men's lockerroom and even the private bathroom stall (WTF?)...and he casually replied that it was for "security reasons"...right.

I am not always proud of the litigation-happy habits of my fellow citizens, but in this particular case, I am comforted to know that here in the US, organizations engaging into such vile privacy-violating practices would be sued into oblivion in about 3 nanoseconds.

 

[grommet10429360]

Pre Covid I swam at the gym everyday. It had a communal male locker room (Oddly no showers there) and a "Changing village". I preferred to change in the male locker room because I'm over confident but then I'd use a locker in the "Changing village". A few lockers in the mens room looked like they'd been forced but the village part had CCTV. So I think security is probably a justification for changing village style arrangements.Plus sneaky perv photoing issues.

Please excuse my ignorance but what the living crap is a changing village?

 

[P.B]

Please excuse my ignorance but what the living crap is a changing village?

Quite literally the living crap: a load of changing cubicles in the middle and lockers round the edge.

 

[steamyman]

I fucking hate changing villages....the Olympic Pool / London Aquatics Centre (LAC) has one - and my nearest pool, went from single sex open showers/changing to a 'village'.

I do understand the advantages though - London is a melting pot of faiths and cultures and many people are not comfortable being nude or being seen fully nude in places even where it should be 'the norm'. So a big room full of changing cubicles and shower cubicles works for everyone. They also work if you're crusing - I have NOT done this there but I've seen two guys go into one cubicle quite a few times. Sometimes it's even the guys from the diving squad that trains there.

But....it also reinforces the idea that it's wrong to be seen in a state of any undress even when it's a space where it should be normal. It also means there are far more surfaces to keep clean. I've seen all sorts of crap left inside changing village cubicles. The cleaning staff are not always effective. Same for the men only shower area by the 50m pool in the LAC - every time I go there, there's always empty bottles of shower gel on the floor, or plasters or water bottles. There's a bin just outside of the shower area.

If the mens showers were fully open, I bet they would be less likely to drop their crap for the cleaners to pick up....but even then, if they were open/communal, you would still have to cover up your bits to go back to your locker, and get dressed in a cubicle.

Sorry for the rant - but as you can tell, I hate the entire concept of them. I really wish fitness centres would have a clear note on their websites as to the type of changing/shower facilities they have.

 

[Janezkobuskriel55]

Curious how lockeroom nudity is in Portugal are men comfortable with nudity in Portugal?

 

[dreams69]

Same question about Brazil. Are gym/pool showers communal ? Do guys shower naked? What about locker room nudity?

 

[cooldude101]

So, I now live in Australia, previously in Malaysia. Communal showers are a rarity in Malaysia, being a prudish Islamic conservative country. I've not resided in boarding schools, so I wouldn't know their dorm baths set ups. I've been to public pools a few times, in the 80's, they got both partitions and open shower concepts, but most still prefer to shower in their swim trunks. On the other hand, if someone naturally goes nude, some will follow.

Recently, I went back to the same public pool and all open showers had partitions and doors, and central stools in the middle of the previous open showers. It is up to you whether you wanna shower with doors closed. So I strip naked at the central stools, put my stuff there and walk into the cubicles and shower with the door ajar. Some people follow suit.

 

[rusevcrush1]

American here but of Latino descent. Latinos are rather prudish in nature yet do the exact thing they are prudish against. We had no issue undressing amongst the males in my family, my uncle my dad my grandpa my cousins and my brothers. But covered up for the ladies however just as easily my family would bring the witch-hunt on anyone nude and act offended. So going into an all American and white majority school I wasn’t shy but I was shocked how schools forced you to shower naked in groups or wait in line in groups at the shower. It was pretty liberating actually just shocking however once inside the showers, you always have that one guy who has his cronies and wants to start nonsense with anyone who looks different IE me at the time

 

[amsomebody]

In NYC, gym is mostly 20 and 30 year olds. Most guys do the towel dance. Some guys cover up like 95% of the time but then allow themselves two seconds of nudity. I dont care anymore and just get fully nude. I want to set an example. I want to make it more normal to be naked. I dont normally walk around the gym with no towel but sometimes when I'm sweaty and walking to the showers I dont want to put a towel on. My towel is clean. My body is not. A couple guys at the gym I know dont give a fuck about being naked in the locker room but funny enough theyre not american. It's funny for me also to see people in their 40s do the towel dance and be embarassed and me, in my 20s, just not give a fuck.

TBH... Fuck modesty. I'm convinced that our obsession with modesty has caused an epidemic of body dysmorphia.

I've always loved places where I can sauna nude. My gym has a sauna but I've always used it with a towel covering my parts. I used it with no cover up a couple times when I was in there alone. Today for the first time I didnt cover up when there was someone else in there. He was wearing underwear. I think its gross that people go in the sauna at the gym without showering and still wearing sweaty clothes. At least they all sit on towels. It felt great to not give a fuck. I hope more guys (and girls and everyone..) learn to not give a fuck.

I dont even think locker room nudity has to be this "male experience" either. Why shouldn't locker rooms include all genders? Not to mention that gender is non-binary anyways, so having locker rooms for two genders makes no sense.

 

[deleted16543241]

Ex military here, so things were usually out in the open. So when I go to a gym locker room here in Sydney, and I see dudes dicks swinging about its totally cool. No big issue... We've all got one, and some dudes cover some don't.

 

[deleted14893371]

I find it very comfortable.. I am a bit of an exhibitionist.. so I do not feel reluctant to 'show'.. anyway..u
All born nude..
But as adult.. it can be a thrill..
Being as open as you can be..
I think, from observations, more men are not shy than may be it is assumed... we are proud people though..
Any embarrassments can be got past.. towel, turn to show back..
However don't do what you shouldn't do with the wrong 'audience's.
Laws etc...
Privacy is not needed..
With the right 'crowd' privacy can be not wanted..
So I have no problem with shower nudity..
Its a shame that some have to be 'brave' to wear no pants...
Funny people

 

[bbboys5]

Yes, Orwellian-style CCTV in areas that should come with an "expectation of privacy" seem to be the thing in Europe.

I spotted those omnipresent cameras while visiting France too. I asked the gym attendant why on earth they would install cameras in the men's lockerroom and even the private bathroom stall (WTF?)...and he casually replied that it was for "security reasons"...right.

I am not always proud of the litigation-happy habits of my fellow citizens, but in this particular case, I am comforted to know that here in the US, organizations engaging into such vile privacy-violating practices would be sued into oblivion in about 3 nanoseconds.

I wonder - do they put the cctv cameras in the womens locker room too?

 

[Stanmeister]

Since Covid I have been going to Planet Fitness. The locker room is quite small, which I don't think helps the nudity factor. Most guys do not get nude. They go to the changing booths, which are right across from the showers. They quickly move from the booths to the showers, if they are taking showers. Many don't. If they do change in public, they use a towel and awkwardly put on their underwear underneath the towel. I have probably seen 4 or 5 dicks since I've joined there. And those would belong to guys over 50. Years ago, it was completely different. Seldom would guys keep their dicks covered.

 

[Paul87]

I don't have any issues being naked in front of other guys but I have noticed some cultures definitely are not comfortable with it. There is a group of middle Eastern guys at my gym, all super friendly and talkative but they do not go nude in the locker room. They also shower in their briefs. I feel a bit awkward being naked in the shower with them when they're not. They seem cool with it but I wonder if they find it offensive. I've started to drag my heels so they're done in the locker room before I go in and shower. Probably just in my head.

 

[Leedsguy69]

Very comfortable now! In my late teens and early 20's I was shy but then really got to enjoy the attention and comments!!

 

[Hakan1]

Probably just in my head.

yes just in your head. They really don´t care.

 

[Maxducan]

Uk here - I love showering in the gym and not being quick to get dressed but notice that it’s not a common thing generationally speaking so hang out naked. The old fellas seem to have no issue unfortunately

 

[amsomebody]

Uk here - I love showering in the gym and not being quick to get dressed but notice that it’s not a common thing generationally speaking so hang out naked. The old fellas seem to have no issue unfortunately

why unfortunately?

 

[steamyman]

"The old fellas seem to have no issue unfortunately"
God forbid you are 'forced' to see an older man naked. Sending thoughts and prayers your way.

This is why so many men have issues over their body. Unless you're young, fit with pecs and a six pack you should never take your clothes off - even in an space where it SHOULD be totally acceptable, like a changing room or communal showers.

We will all be old one day and bits will droop and sag. I'm a big hairy bear and I don't give a damn who sees me naked in showers - but comments like that are really shitty.