The Loss Of...

[clem]

As local pools, gyms, ymcas, etc. get refurbished there is definitely a trend toward private stalls, often at the cost of usable area. Meh. If anything it keeps unruly kids more out of sight, if not out of earshot....

[Norfcountryboy]

The recent trend towards "changing village", ie single male/female changing area with cubicles and showers where you can't strip off strikes me as poorly thought out (and therefore perfectly suited to the UK) - for hygene reasons everyone should shower properly before swimming, and shower properly afterwards, but it's not possible in a "changing village". Many people don't bother with showers either before or after swimming - which speaks volumes in itself...

Yes the changing village...

I'm in rebellion against the "Changing village" at one of my regular pools. When I get there I grab a locker, get my shirt and jacket off and get them in there, then change into my Speedo's in a cubicle. When I've finished swimming and showering I get my jeans out of my locker, change into them in the cubicle then wander back and get my socks and shoes, dry and get them on then back one more time to collect my shirt and jacket. That way I don't have my hands full with stuff and the world- male and female- gets to see me in jeans and bare chest [Which is how I think I look best] three times and I've made my point.

I'm sure the public justification for these will be that it's a "Gender-neutral" space, so they're ok for someone who's trans or ambiguous gender. That's cool but I bet the board room justification is no duplication of facilities and no duplication of space "Let's just cram the fuckers in and save money!" Ideally there should be a male locker room, a female one and a changing village.

[BJE]

The athletic club where I work out and swim has private showers but a lot of guys, including myself, walk naked between the lockers and showers.

The municipal swimming pool were I used to swim has gang showers and the lap swimmers would shower naked. However the last time I went there after not having been there for a while they had put signs in the showers and locker room saying “No Public Nudity”. That’s a pretty stupid policy to have in a shower and dressing room as I see it. I suspect the mother of some boy freaked out at the thought of her son seeing a naked man.

My current gym has adult only (age 16 and up) locker rooms with separate children only and family locker rooms. I guess that protects boys from being traumatized by seeing naked men. However it probably has more to do with protecting the club from sexual abuse lawsuits.

[blueflinch]

The athletic club where I work out and swim has private showers but a lot of guys, including myself, walk naked between the lockers and showers.

The municipal swimming pool were I used to swim has gang showers and the lap swimmers would shower naked. However the last time I went there after not having been there for a while they had put signs in the showers and locker room saying “No Public Nudity”. That’s a pretty stupid policy to have in a shower and dressing room as I see it. I suspect the mother of some boy freaked out at the thought of her son seeing a naked man.

My current gym has adult only (age 16 and up) locker rooms with separate children only and family locker rooms. I guess that protects boys from being traumatized by seeing naked men. However it probably has more to do with protecting the club from sexual abuse lawsuits.

"No public nudity" is pretty dumb in a shower/dressing room area, as being nude - albeit briefly - is quite legitimate when getting changed.

When I was ten, I think I was a wee bit traumatised by the sight of a naked man, but it was how fat and hairy he was, NOT his gender or genitals. I don't think I even noticed his genitals. I was just shocked at how hairy some adult men are!!!

[Norfcountryboy]

When I was leaving the pool the other day I saw another guy rebelling against the "changing village" arrangements. He was striding down the corridor passed all the high maintenance chicks doing their hair, with his towel round his shoulders wearing just a pair of tight white boxer briefs. I guessed these were definitely his underwear because they looked like it and he usually swims in black jammers. I thought it was a really cool kind of "Fuck you" and a real ego trip parading passed all the girls in his undies. I made a mental note to copy his example.
So the next day I made sure I had my best black square legged boxers to change into. After the pool I showered off in one of their private cubicles, part dried, put my boxers on and strode down to my locker, carrying my dripping Speedo's in my hand. There was no-one-the-fuck-there though, this dude got an audience of totty, no one got to see me in my skiddies!

[Norfcountryboy]

I've worn my undies a few more times whilst strolling through the mixed locker area. Once my white lycra kiniki tanga's which are so obviously not swimwear and more recently an unbranded lycra thong. I wore that with an unbuttoned shirt over the top so that the hem hung at the back so it looked like bare arse cheeks but you couldn't be sure. When I stepped out of my cubicle to get some more of my stuff from my locker there was an older woman there drying her hair. She gave me a very direct look, I dunno if she was disaproving or checking me out she was that age where her face wasn't readable. When I got back to my cubicle I could hear her drying her hair for ages, was she waiting for another sighting?
Meanwhile I've noticed other guys gently fucking with the system too. First up there are a lot of guys getting their dicks out in the mixed communal showers and discretley washing out their foreskins. Backs to the room for discretion obviously. Doubt any of them would do it if there was a chick in the shower but they seem unfazed by laundering their dongs when there's another guy there. All the lads I've noticed doing this are speedo-men, suggesting it's a cockfidence thing.
Another time a group of lads in one evening in their boxers doing their hair outside their cubicles. I went for a piss and when I came out I caught sight a bare wet male arse disappearing round the corner to where the group were standing followed by cheers.

[blueflinch]

I think open-plan showers are becoming less common in favour of individual cubicles.

I have used open showers in the past (all-male) and enjoyed the camaraderie, although we all kept our swimmers on in this particular instance.

I would be inclined to be more modest if women were present - not wanting to give offence, etc.

[Thom]

The only open shower I've used recently was when I attended an alumni event and used the university pool at my college in the northeast. The pool is probably 30 years old. Renovated 15 years ago--better lighting, new tile, etc., but no change in the shower configuration. Here in SoFL the health clubs I've use all have individual showers. The exception is the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center; that has open showers. I think the locker room there is forty years old or more. That place has been there a LONG time. The pools were renovated 20 years ago. For peeps going to Fort Lauderdale, the Aquatic Center has long course and short course pools, Olympic and collegiate, open on alternate days--or they used to be. They also have a third pool for diving only. The place is huge. I live too far away to visit regularly.

[frankjath]

It’s not a gym, the Korean spa has showers along the wall. When you arrive you put all your clothes in a locker and everyone enters the shower area naked. You are required to shower before entering the jacuzzi and saunas.

[Speedoaddict]

The gym I used to go to has separate male and female changing rooms on the 1st and 2nd floor. You can see guys showering in their underwear. Weird I know. The ground floor has changing cubicles and shower cubicles in the changing area just off from the pool. You have to be 16yrs or older to use the gym. I also noticed people wearing underwear in the sauna instead of swimwear. There were a few other disgusting things going on which I won’t to go into on the forum. Let’s say I am no longer a member of the gym.

[BriefsBro]

I've had membership in two gyms. The first had cubicle showers with two sets of curtains, the first covered a "changing space" of about six square feet . I've seen a couple instances where guys didn't use the curtains at all, but only rarely. However, there was regular nudity there. Few did the towel dance here. The population was about past to mid middle age or younger crowd.

The second gym is probably the most conservative I know. The showers are stalls with glass doors. I've seen like 3 nude guys total. I don't think most guys use the showers here, the ones that do are far in between. The population in the area is broad. Both gyms have mixed sauna and steam rooms in the pool area where most people enter in their regular gym clothes or shirtless. There is one guy, however, who I've seen enter in a small speedo- like a 1 inch sides speedo.

My university's gym has a couple shower stalls with curtains. The locker connects with the outdoor aquatic area. I've seen speedos here, but most guys hang around in swim shorts from what I see. I've only been here once so I can't say much.

[MISwimmer]

I swim at local Y’s, a community college pool, and a couple high school pools in the area (all depending on schedule/availability/swim partner etc.). The Y is the newest facility and it has stall showers with privacy curtains. The college and school pools all have open showers (separate showers and locker rooms for men and women) and swimmers all shower and walk around naked.


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[fatman]

Our rec center has individual stalls with curtains. Three are wheelchair accessible so are about twice as big as others, which is great for showering with a friend and this happens quite a bit, nobody seems to care.
My favorite shower ever was at a steamroom in downtown Vancouver, it was wide open, four shower heads and there was a lot of activity in there.

[NJFrenchy]

There’s a wall of open showers at the gym I go to. I prefer these for hygenic reasons. The stalls have curtains, and though they get cleaned daily I’d rather not be touching the curtain after I’ve showered because some people can be nasty slobs. Personally, I’m not at all shy and don’t care who sees me naked.

[speedoboi]

I remember when Goodlife Fitness at 185 The West Mall had open showers, the problem was that some guys would stare and it was very obvious. That can make some people feel uncomfortable. There are ways to admire without staring like an idiot.

[Speedo_gonzales]

Yes I know exactly how you feel I'm lucky enough to have a couple of swimming pools in Sydney that has communal showers. A lot of men there wears Speedos so when I first started wearing them it was an easy experience as everyone was wearing them.

In the changing room quite a lot of men would change and shower naked, noticed more mature men would shower naked plus everyone I've seen naked was small to average in size. I enjoy the no care attitude everyones got one so why be ashamed? Also myself being small to average I blend right in with everyone else