[Article] Locker room designs take pity on shy millennials

[BriefsBro]

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/04/fashi ... nials.html

Has anyone else come across this New York Times article?

The author theorizes how newer locker room designs are made so that any guy can essentially avoid being naked in the locker room. It goes on to say that special areas or even private shower stalls are expected in any gym. Not only that but guys now a days will go to far lengths to avoid being naked for even a second.

Is this out of custom or maybe discomfort? Why would a guy be uncomfortable if they're with other people with the same equipment? This goes on to explain how there's even a shame towards one's own body, which explains practices like this. All in all, it may seem like just a habit but this leads to inaccurate body expectations, discomfort with other guys and even homophobia.

To this community, this kind of explains why so many guys are hesitant towards swim briefs, or anything less. Personally, I wish guys were comfortable with each other. It would build camaraderie, body positivity and even lessen homophobia in my honest opinion. Not only that but it would make wearing speedos a non-issue AND make them less of a sexual thing.

I don't wear them to show off, I wear them to feel good about myself. I'm sure anyone wants to feel good about themselves but it's these customs and habits that bring shame towards one's body and ultimately prevents acceptance.

[BriefsBro]

Actually, I see these practices at my local gym and even my college.

The college got new locker rooms. They're small, but we don't have a lot of sports going on. There are four shower stalls, which a door and one stall for handicap with a curtain. Then the changing area is a couple yards away, which has two rows of lockers. It doesn't quite have that tiled locker room feel.

My gym has the shower stalls separated from the locker areas with the faucets and vanity area. Not only that but each shower stall has two curtains. One curtain is to the actual shower, and between that one and the second curtain is a small space with a wall space to sit or place one's gym bag. There's a door that leads to the pool, but even then not many guys wear anything other than board shorts- and for good reason actually. The pool has a glass wall that separates it from the specialized machines and office space for the trainers. Essentially, the pool isn't private per say. Not that people constantly look in or anything.

How is the design to anyone's college gym or local gym?

[karlos]

Going from the three pools I visit in the uk with are all mixed gender.

After you get past the various reception areas you normally walk into a room with rows of various sized cubicles with individual lockers on a wall opposite. With shower heads on another wall close to the pool to shower off before entering (people very rarely do) and to shower off afterwards in your swimwear for decency.

But going back to the changing areas at school for me in the 90’s, which were obviously divided by sex. Male nudity simply didn’t happen, you walked in found a bench and got changed as quickly as possible facing to the wall mostly in silence. If you so much as looked at anyone in a undressed state next to you, you were in fear of being labelled gay and in for beatings during or after school.
Showering, even though a shower area was present (three tiled walls with a central drain) in all the years through school they were not used once. Partly because of paedophilia with naked/undressed kids (the supervising teacher would normally be waiting outside the changing room door) but also because of the fact you had to get in, changed, ready and off to your next class within 3 minutes (sometimes completely over the other side of the complex) before the next lot came in to use the changing area for their lesson.

As for the male body image issues. From what I’ve experienced males of all ages are now so scared and frightened from people seeing their male private parts either buy other guys thinking that they will somehow instantly turn gay, or by judgment females that think they are a pervert displaying their sexual organs at them.
I did have one friend (term used loosely) who I used to go to one pool with during general swim session off an evening, so a mixed pool of all ages. But I soon got fed up with all the negative comments, mostly behind my back (or on Facebook) because he chose to wear doork shorts and me in my preferred jammers witch made HIM feel uncomfortable thinking I was gay, were too revealing and could see an outline of my peins.

And that besides the regular negative “I can see you peins” or “looks at those tight shorts” from across the pool with pointed fingers comments/screams, from immature under 20 something females in string bikinis.

[Scottiebum]

The pools I go to are similar to those described above by Karlos - communal with private changing cubicles and lockers.

I am lucky that I have never received any negative comments, maybe it is because I am older and not in their peer group or perhaps have a confidence that comes with age.

Another reason is the type of pool, one is of an international standard so has diving and swim training, mostly speedo wearers.
The second also has advanced swim classes again a mix of speedos and jammers.
The last pool I visit has a secondary `training` pool which again has swim team training and also waterpolo - and I don`t need to tell anyone on here what they wear!
For these reasons there are always plenty of strong, confident guys going around in speedos so not a target for the (usually) cowardly name callers.

[spear]

I can't get behind this idea of men having something to hide from another man. The millennials mentioned in these responses have maybe got to get the idea that if another mans sees their dick, so what. Having been in the military, and long before that I got used to the idea of open shower and dressing rooms. Maybe some of these guys who are so modest ought to spend a couple years in the marines. They will get over themselves real quick like. I think they are a bunch of candy asses that are just a bit too damn modestl

[...:::sam:::...]

Everybody needs a dose of boarding school where no wang is ever private and the care factor is minimal! Boarding house showers were just a wall with shower heads but were turned into cubicals. School pool was a wall with shower heads also and a general change room. Gym here is a general change room, some shower cubicals and a wall with shower heads and the local pool is a general change room with shower cubicals that have very low doors which are about nipple height. I remember chatting to one of the girls who were pool staff last year while in the mens change room and others carried on and nuded up as if she wasnt there.

[VermontSpeedo]

I joined Anytime Fitness in my area and am disappointed that there aren't communal showers. There are four private shower rooms with locking doors so my chances of getting a glimpse of anything is limited to the workout area. I noticed that the younger guys wear the baggy, long gym shorts and usually cover their upper bodies with a hooded sweatshirt.

Older guys like me tend to wear a bit less clothing but I am proud to say I am one of the few who isn't afraid to wear the old style nylon jogging shorts (no jock so my basket bounces happily when I run on the treadmill!), singlets, tank tops...the more minimal the better. I get turned on by seeing a guy who is dripping with sweat from a hard workout.

A few years ago when I was in Virginia, I was able to join Planet Fitness. That was awesome.....big locker rooms, open showers, plenty of tight asses and flopping cocks walking around. I wish there was one of those in my area...the cost was $20/month cheaper than Anytime Fitness and the machines were much better.

[Snowbrief]

An interesting international conversation indeed.

I have been involved in the construction of two fitness centers (that included MAC courts, climbing walls, body mass lifting, resistant/25 yard pools, racket ball, and cross fit) in North Dakota USA and I will shamelessly say, I had the personal shower in the locker room designed into the construction. Yes, we are shy in the mid west, but seriously, I like to bath alone, and really don't like seeing another guy soap up.

I do not find this moment at being shy, I just find showering a time for myself.

[speedoboi]

I sometimes struggle with self-confidence because of body issues. I posted an article about it and I will look for it and give it a bump possibly. I'm ok with open showers, but there's no need to stare like some guys have done before or simply assume that it's ok to touch another guy's cock. Remember, at a gym, all sorts of guys are there. Cruise responsibly. I also agree with Snowbrief, showering is a time for me.

[frankjath]

I use to go to the gym at my former universities campus and it was a traditional locker room. There were several rows of lockers and rows on the wall. Sadly or showers are individual showers with walls in between each. Each shower has a curtain but it never covered all the way. I never cared if any of the guys saw me naked in the locker room or showers. Some days I would take a shower and not close the curtain to the shower. I didn't like touching the curtain because of germs and bacteria. I would always dry off in the shower and then hang the towel around my neck and walk back to my locker naked. To my surprise most guys didn't care. They just went about their business. Sometimes I would put my towel down on the bench in front of the locker and sit naked while checking my phone. Other guys would greet me or have conversations without saying anything about me being naked. Even though most of these guys didn't care about me being nude most of them hid under their towels and some even showered in boxers... Which was and is so ridiculous. I feel like there is so much bad things in the world and nudity isn't one of them.