The mens locker room at the gym...[rant]
 

Maybe it's just me but it makes me feel uncomfortable when guys parade around naked in the locker room. I understand that that's where some of them get changed, but really? Can you be a little more discrete?

It's usually the older guys, probably in their 60's. I get it, they are at that stage of their life where they don't care it another guy sees their junk. But I don't want to see it and I don't think I'll ever reach a point in my life, even if i live to see a 100 that I'd want to see another guys junk in the locker room.

Well today I decided to get in the hot tub b/c I've been having some back issues. there's this guy getting out of the indoor pool (by the hot tub) heading to go out of that area. He's about my age, maybe late 30's. He sees me turn on the jets and get in the hot tub and he makes a u-turn to get in the hot tub. As he's getting in, he smiles at me. I've never seen this guy in my life, but guys will usually give you a head nod... not a smile. So I'm thinking WTF?!?!?! After about 5 minutes I get up, get out and grab my towel, shirt and phone and head into the locker room. Guess who's right the f$&% behind me? Yep, you guessed it. As soon as I got out, so did he. My luck has it the my locker is right by his. Out the corner of my eye I see him drop his shorts. I turn my back to him, grab my stuff and walk off to the shower.

Not only do I not want to see another guys sausage, I have no desire for guy to see mine. Maybe it's b/c I didn't play high school football and didn't have those locker room bonding moments, I don't know. Besides today, I have only gotten changed once at the gym in the past year and a 1/2. Today was like the last time, I grab a private shower, wash off and get changed in there.

Am I overreacting or do y'all also find it uncomfortable to be around naked guys in the locker room?

Nope doesn't bother me. <insert big grin>

lol. Maybe it is just me then. ;) But seriously, are the women like that too at the gym?

Eww..Eff that bro, homes was lookin' for a hookup, not cool

Yeah, his gay-dar must be broke.T b/c I sure as he'll wasn't putting off gay vibes. lol

That's what happens when you are looking good! I feel the same about being naked in front of strangers or people I know in the change room however I can handle it. I'm looking forward to our new Y which will offer more privacy. And Yes there are naked women running around - or at least toweling off -- in the ladies change room. It would bother me the most if it was a client or the judge. In those cases I'd definately be changing in a stall. Mary

Are you sure about that? Didn't you score an on-line proposal recently? Ooh, maybe it's the same guy?

In all seriousness I think it depends on how you were raised. I have two brothers, so we always changed behind closed doors, we all wore bathrobes over our pj's and I had my own room so all nakedness for changing my clothes was done in private. Believe me Jr. High gym was an extremely painful experience, and let's not even discuss playing on the girls volley ball team, or living on an all girls hall in a college dorm. I did get passed some of my nudity issues in college, after 4-5 years drawing live (naked) figure models, I realized that the human body is a beautiful thing and can be appreciated aesthetically on it's own without the sexuality factor. One of the favorite models had red hair and very pale skin. Under the studio lights her skin was fantastic, it sort of glowed or something, the shades and shadows over her were really fabulous and every time she modeled a master piece happened. Anyway I ran into her on the streets, and with clothing on she was actually quite homely and I didn't recognize her at first.

Our little DDs however have no modesty and are on the swim club to boot. When you wear a skin tight bathing suit in front of a crowd on a regular basis, any seed of modesty you might have naturally dies a quick and painless death. And yes in the Women's locker room it's the same, naked women some modest behind their towels and others standing naked in front of the full length mirror combing their hair. I've had naked women smile at me in the locker room, but it's never given me the eebie-jeebies. Women smile at each other in greeting all the time. Besides a women with kids probably isn't gay, possibly bi, but not gay.

You could get a fake wedding ring to wear to the gym, that at least says "taken".

I agree--public nudity is not good. What's up with the "smile"? That's just weird.

I also hate it when someone fails to adhere to proper Men's room urinal etiquette and takes one adjacent to you even though there are others available. Worse yet, they sometimes strike up a conversation--just wrong! :eek:

Regards,
Michael

Yeah, I see what you are saying. Trying to be "politically correct" I didn't want to turn this a gay vs straight thing but I think that's where women and men are different (or at least down here in Louisiana, I assume everywhere). You are right straight women will smile at each other with no intent. Hell, straight women will dance together and even touch each other (not talking sexually, but make person to person contact). Just as women and men can do all these things together and it may not be taken sexually, gay, straight, whatever. I'll walk by a female, make eye contact and smile, just to be friendly, nothing else. But usually if a guy makes eye contact with another guy (especially if they don't know each other) and smiles you can bet that the one smiling may be gay. Just as, you won't see two straight guys dancing together and you'll never see a straight guy rub his fingers through another guys hair b/c we don't make contact with another guy. Straight women can do that stuff all day.

As far as a fake wedding ring... if the guy was gay and trying to flirt I don't think a ring would help. IMO I'm obviously not gay (it's not like I walk around with a shirt stating it but you can usually tell by how someone carries them self). I don't think wearing a ring would change the image of myself. It's doesn't matter if I'm taken or not, I'm always off limits to any guy. ;)

Disclaimer: This next statement may offend someone, but as it's been said before "I shoot from the hip".

I think if you have the b@lls to flirt with someone at the gym, especially of the same sex, you really don't care if they're taken.

I will say that the two times that I was married, I had more women flirt with me when I had my ring on than any other time in my life. I'm not talking about the way that men and women can smile at each other and it not mean anything either. :cool:

oh yesssss! Man law, there should always be at least one empty urinal between you. If your at a bar and pissing in a troth you should be on opposite ends, but NOT facing each other. Look off in space, read the writing on the wall, what ever but your head should never go towards the other. Conversation is never allowed while standing next to another guy with your junk out.

LOL This site is so educational!! I have been hit on by women but never in the change room at the gym. I am usually so oblivious to come-ons by women that I don't pick up on it till my friends comment on them!

I agree a lot of comfort with nudity has to do with your upbringing. There was no nudity when I was growing up and my friends comment on how modest I am around them. Part of it is being overweight and having no desire for people to see me naked. One of my long time friends was shocked that I went skinny dipping with them last year but that's an entirely different context.

I think gay radar is vastly overrated. I know I have none. I have friends who are obviously gay and others you wouldn't know unless you were told.

As far as washroom comfort I guess we women should be glad we have stalls in our washrooms. Although there is that mystery of the fact we always go in groups. I always envied you guys for being able to pee standing up I may have to rethink that, LOL Mary

Walking around naked isn't really a big problem, that being said I don't walk around the gym locker room naked... One time I saw my pastor at the gym butt ass naked... the service that sunday was interesting to say the least... Like stated earlier drawing naked figures in college and playing sports in high school pushed me out of my comfort zone, there is a time and place for everything.

I have to say that if women could pee standing up, we would certainly stand next to each other and gossip. Like Mary I'm going to have to rethink the advantages/disadvantages of peeing standing up. It's faster yes, but apparently the politics are mind boggling and fraught with disaster at every turn. Oy!

Mike, I'm just glad that you weren't born an ancient Roman, you would be constipated all the time. Roman restrooms were just long rows of openings in a bench and people went there to socialize, as well as take care of business.

LOL, I'm so very glad to be a Catholic female right now. My chances of seeing our priest naked at the gym are slim to none. Thank the Good Lord, cause that man is the size of a mid sized sedan!

I couldn't do it just for the fact that they didn't have magazine back then. Now days, a guys has to have a magazine to help occupy his time.:D

Like I said, mind boggling politics and fraught with disaster, with or without said magazine. And BTW I know what sort of magazines you're talking about, for a very short period of my life I cleaned office buildings to make ends meet.

Mine are car (mustang) magazines.

Just too funny! Great TOPIC.

Suuuurrrre they are.

This thread is comedy gold. Just sayin'

For the record, I'm middle-of-the-road modest. I played a lot of high school sports and so my nudity tolerance is pretty high, but I was always overweight and self-conscious about it so I tried to shower alone. The girls tended to walk around half-naked or with their underwear on the locker room and I was always fine with that.

I also hate the sitting on chairs or benches with their naked butts and privates. I mean, gross. What if you're sitting where someone else's stuff was rubbing? I've seen far too much of that without even a towel down for protection. I think, though, my line is crossed when someone is naked and just starts talking to me like it ain't no thang.

I tend to go :eek: and just stare riiiiight at their face. I'm not bisexual, so it's not a fear-of-getting-aroused thing, it's like a...privacy thing. Theirs as well as mine. I just think 'Would we all not be more comfortable if there was a towel involved?'

I think bodies are beautiful, and we all have one, etc. but all I can think of is hygiene in cases like that. I don't want your body touching on that bench I'm sitting on, or in one case a bare-butted girl just SAT on my clothes. WTF? I felt dirty putting my shirt on cause...you know...STUFF >.>

I hope that doesn't make me seem OCD clean, or anything, I think I just had too many jobs where I had to clean up after people so I tend to think people are GROSS, lol.

I am loving this topic. So many different views & opinions. I for one failed gym class in high school for refusing to dress so that tells you of my nudity in public. Now that I am older and more secure with myself I don't mind showing cleavage and things like that. I will run to the fridge for a drink after the kids are in bed for the night with nothing but unless he wakes up for a drink the hubby always has on boxers.

I used to have little/no gaydar. My SIL is a lesbian (a woman with a son and yes she is 100% gay...not bi...she hooked up with a guy long enough to get pregnant then kicked him to the curb) and we were friends in high school. I always thought she was a tomboy but didn't realize she was gay until I started dating her brother and he forced her to tell me. She didn't want to for fear I would break it off with her brother and stop coming around.

We have never been naked around each other even though I spent countless nights sleeping at her house both before & after I started dating her brother. LOL We were only 15 and he was 21! :eek: Heck we even slept together in a single size bed! :rolleyes:

I know that as a guy I would not want another guy seeing my 'junk' and would probably pick a stall over a urinal if given a choice. I don't know how you all do it!

OMG! This thread is hysterical!!! I'm sitting here, laughing all by myself. Wow, I had no idea that men had so many rules! It's really fascinating. I don't think women have any rules like that but I do agree that it's always the oldest women in locker rooms who walk around oblivious to the fact that they're naked. Just like on nude beaches... it's always the ones that shouldn't be nude that are!

I think you guys should produce a poster to put up above all public urinals with the rules clearly listed... lol.

I don't get the thing about not smiling, though... women are different on this one. We're always smiling at each other and giving each other compliments on how great they look, how cute their hair is, etc. My husband is always smiling and "chatty" but he was raised with 4 sisters... maybe that's why. lol He's probably giving the wrong impression!!! :eek:

Quinn, but does your hubby make eye contact with a guy he doesn't know and smile? If so, I bet he still wouldn't smile, then make a u-turn to join another guy in the hot tub. If he would, you... ummmmm. :eek: Smiling at a female is totally different. Guys will either give the head nod or say "how's it going?" to another guy.

But ask your husband if he were to walk into a public restroom and there are 3 urinals and there is a guy at #1 and 2 & 3 are vacant, which one does he choose. If he follows man law he'll say #3.

Actually ladies. I just did a quick google search for "man law" and there are many sites with different laws, some more than others but the one thing they have in common is you shouldn't take the urinal next to another guy, they only time that is acceptable is if there is a divider between the two. The other one that's the same with them all is you don't mess with your friends girl and there is a certain time period after they break up in which she's STILL off limits.

Maybe if women had similar laws there wouldn't be so many cat fights?:cool:

Stop Whining
 

If you see another man's dick in the shower room, then you know your in the right locker room.

If you're looking at another man's dick in the shower room, your gay.

So, I would say, stop whining and take a shower. How does a man get in one of those tiny showers, get undressed, take a shower, towel dry and come out fully dressed?

At the university there is an open shower. I've seen men actually take a shower in there underwear.

Probably, if you don't want anyone to see your dick, you've probably got no dick anyway.

Trust me, we ladies have our own set of laws. Although I guess we don't have as many regarding nudity in the locker room, or looking at each others junk. And in all honesty I've seen a whole lot more fights between men than women, but maybe that's a regional thing?

Oh gosh...the amount of rules women have! LOL

So I take it that you want another guy to see your stuff so you can prove that you have one? I'm sorry but that's just gay and you obviously are the odd man out here. I guess you're the one the stand in the next urinal with another guy, because you have no clue or just don't care.

The only conversation I've ever heard in a women's restroom goes something like this...

"Um... can I borrow your lip gloss?" :D

Ya, I'm with you on that one, I'll pass on the sausage parade.

OMG the mental picture of the "sausage parade"!

Mike, did he ask to borrow your lip gloss?

Great reading - if anyone is looking for a topic for a sociology pape...

my locker room is about 60% Chinese, and 10% medical professionals (we're next to a hospital, in Chinatown). The doctors seem relatively modest, always covering up, the Chinese ladies seem to break by age, over 60 (and there are many), no modesty, under 60, never be seen even covered with a towel (dress fully in discrete areas, there are a few curatined areas for this purpose). For me, I keep an little cover up in my locker, this lets me walk around comfortably, without worry.

Speaking of 'sausage parade': I was waiting in the hall outside the locker rooms at the Y, and the door kept opening to the men's locker room. Every time it opened, there would be a guy standing there, buck naked, looking like he had a reason to be standing there (passing by, for instance). When it happened maybe 5 or 6 times, and it was the same guy, I realized he was just 'flashing me'! Weird. He was actually looking at me, too. And I was looking back.

As a woman, somewhat modern, I think I've seen enough men's junk in my lifetime.

When someone's interested in 'junk,' or interested in showing his 'junk,' it's hard to know what to say! Hmmm, so you've got one. Hmmm, I've seen bigger. Hmmm, what's so sexy about saggy? And the best of all: Hmmm, does your momma know you're waving that thing at strangers?

I just lol'ed

For some reason all I can think of right now is the scene in StepBrothers where Will Ferrell rubs his 'junk' on the other guys drum set! LOL

LOL...that was hilarious

I have played sports my whole life, plus went to an all girls catholic school and was never weird about changing in public. I wouldn't want someone coming up to me trying to have a 10 min conversation in the locker room though.

And Mike you are dead on about being married. More people have hit on me knowing full well that I am married. And even seeing my husband with me doesn't stop them. I don't mind flirting but I'm not going home with you buddy! :) I was in a bar once though and in the bathroom there were a group of women trying to all take their wedding rings off since they were out on the town having Girls Night Out.

I think the wedding ring leads to the whole 'forbidden fruit' syndrome where people want what they can't have.

I like that there are more women then men responding to this thread...

Kinda makes the "don't feel comfortable to talk about around women/men" distinctions irrelevant, doesn't it?

That's because we all secretly want to know what the heck is going on in men's locker rooms and bathrooms... now we know! lol