showering nude?

[Irulan]

The efforts that I see of women to NOT be naked in the locker room just astound me. The difficulty of completely undressing and putting on workout clothes, and then after the workout reversing it, all with a carefully draped towel.... so that you never show boobs, or butt, or a little pubic hair...astounding. I think it's ridiculous.

So yeah, Americans are way too uptight about this stuff. It's funny, I can go 100 miles away into Canada, to the hot springs, and it's amazing the cultural difference over an imaginary line.

As for major embarrassment if you ever come to the states, not to worry. There are always some who just do whatever they do.

[VeganBikeChick]

I am one of those very modest people who wouldn't be caught dead walking around in the nude. I grew up in a very modest family and the thought of strangers seeing me naked freaks me out. I also think that others who saw me naked would stare and judge the whole time (like they don't have anything better to do, right?!) and there's been lots of press lately about cell phones and videos in locker rooms. I'd rather not have my large butt up on youtube :P

[pll]

It's not so bad! In the gyms I have been, there are separate shower stalls. With exceptions, people tend not to walk around naked between the shower and the locker section, but wrapped in a towel.

Only once did I encounter a shower "tree", in the change area by a pool in a state park. I had finished an organized ride. By the amount of giggling from girls and teenagers in bathing suits, I inferred that showering in the nude was not customary there (it is what it is... nobody was showering when I started), but several women from the same ride then did the same.

The only place in the US where women seem to walk around in the nude is the women's area in a Korean sauna I go every now and then.

[channlluv]

Okay, here's a women-only spa question for you, and it's something I encountered in Hawaii. When you go to a schmancy spa and there's a Jacuzzi there, do you go in naked or wearing your bathing suit?

I wasn't given instructions by the attendant, just given the robe and told to feel free to walk around naked because it's all women there and the custom, and I did go nude into the steam room and the hot sauna, but I wasn't sure what to do in the Jacuzzi, so I missed out on that. I hadn't brought a bathing suit with me, not knowing what to expect. (My first time at a real spa.)

What would you have done?

Roxy

[pll]

Personally, I am not a fan of jacuzzis, but if looking around did not help, probably in the nude (given the cue from the attendant). I love the hot sauna, though. I always take in a couple of towels, one on which to sit or lay down (if it is empty), one to cover my toes and shins when they get too hot. If there are people in the sauna covering themselves with a towel, I will do the same as the last thing I'd like to do is to make anyone uncomfortable.

[Crankin]

The modesty of women in locker rooms astounds me.
I guess I don't care.
I don't use the locker room at my new gym, but I did for about 20 years at 2 other gyms, here and in AZ. The crowd at 5:30 AM is pretty friendly and we knew a lot about each other. But, really, to go into a private changing cubicle to get dressed?
I wore a towel between the shower and my locker, but I took it off and was naked during the time it took me to get dressed. I think it's a sad statement that people are so embarrassed of their bodies. I usually dried my hair and did my make up while in my underwear.
I once took a shower and changed at a ski resort in NH when I was with a close friend. She went into the shower with her clothes on and I guess took them off in there . I just stripped and put my towel on and I was done and dressed long before her. In fact, I saw She Fly in the locker room, as I was half dressed after my shower .

[VeganBikeChick]

. I think it's a sad statement that people are so embarrassed of their bodies.

Some people can be very judgmental....and no one needs or wants to be judged.

[Biciclista]

hahaha I'm an older woman and feel very shy about public nudity too.
I remember having serious issues in the gym locker room, to the point of skipping showers. Now I'm 60 and a deterrent to going to a swimming pool is the locker room!!
It's in my head, I know that.

[NbyNW]

I remember learning to swim at a YMCA that was an old brick building. I have no idea when it was built. My impression from knowing that part of town is that it could have been pre-war. The locker rooms had open showers. I remember thinking it was really cool that you could just press a button and hot water would come out for some set period of time.

We probably showered in our bathing suits and then dried off and dressed as quickly as we can. Probably more out of parent-enforced modesty than anything we might have felt or known at that age.

My Jr. High and HS also had open showers and those were probably built in the late 50s-early 60s. Showers weren't mandated, but to be honest, we rarely sweated in gym class.

[Wahine]

So here's an interesting observation...

I'm a Canadian living in the US. I am a member of our Masters Swim team and I go to the pool at times outside of masters as well.

I would say on the whole, Canadians are a bit more European in their attitudes about nudity but not much. You'll still see lots of Canadians going through the towel change dance in the locker room.

At our pool here in the US, we have an open group showering area and 3 stalls with curtains in the same area. When we come out of masters, there is always a rush for the stalls, because they have the best nozzles, not because of privacy. In fact, no one closes the curtains so we can all make eye contact while we chat and get caught up on our lives outside of the pool. We walk around naked with towels on our heads, do hair and make-up in our underwear.

When I go to the pool at public swim times the vibe is totally different. People use private changing rooms and I almost never see anyone showering naked with the curtains open on the stalls. And I often get a bit of stink eye when I walk naked through the locker room from the shower to the dressing area, like I'm doing something wrong.

So I'd say that a there is a ton of variablility from place to place and even in one place depending on the time of day!

[goldfinch]

Well, I avoid making eye-contact when I'm not wearing any clothing....

For the random older person. It used to be a bit different, I think. Open showers and no stalls. Plus, The girls and boys had segregated health classes in school. And they had required showers, etc. Seems like my mother said some things, and perhaps I read things about how it used to be different? Foggy on details though.

Now, along with being uptight, everyone is concerned about safety. Especially for their kids. People don't grow up like that anymore.

We had segregated health classes and big open showers that were mandatory. I hated it as the girl that got boobs early. I had the same gym teacher from 6th grade through 10th grade, when gym ceased to be mandatory. She used to bring her girlfriend to work fairly frequently. They would pass out towels as we came out of the shower. Back in the 60s we gave no thought to her sexual preference. I didn't know she was gay until long after high school and met up with her a few times. Nice woman but the girlfriend at the gym was not appropriate. I think in our small town no one had a clue.

[pll]

We had segregated health classes and big open showers that were mandatory. I hated it as the girl that got boobs early. I had the same gym teacher from 6th grade through 10th grade, when gym ceased to be mandatory. She used to bring her girlfriend to work fairly frequently. They would pass out towels as we came out of the shower. Back in the 60s we gave no thought to her sexual preference. I didn't know she was gay until long after high school and met up with her a few times. Nice woman but the girlfriend at the gym was not appropriate. I think in our small town no one had a clue.

Wow. Talk about inappropriate behavior.

I attended a German school in South America and gym was always scheduled at the end of the day. For the day we had gym class, we'd wear a track suit all day. No showers, just go home afterwards. I was a bit shocked when I came to the US, but I did not know otherwise. I have to say that, at a university, if you are teaching, it is supremely uncomfortable to be greeted by students in the locker room. No thanks! In the university where I attended grad school, they have separate locker rooms for faculty and staff. I clearly see the reason now.

[Aggie_Ama]

I didn't read the whole thread... What I find bizarre at my gym is the number of women who got into a stall of the bathroom to change clothing. I don't make it a point to look at anyone or make eye contact when I am changing but I do completely change in the open locker area. My body isn't the best body at the gym but I am not ashamed of it.

I do have one of those towel wraps with velcro I will walk around I shower. I usually pull on my panties pretty quick so I don't accidentally flash someone but I won't put on the rest of my clothes until my hair is dry. I find even after a lukewarm shower I don't cool down for a bit. FWIW I am 30 to give an age reference. I see all ages from 20-60+ headed to the bathroom to change.

[Irulan]

Okay, here's a women-only spa question for you, and it's something I encountered in Hawaii. When you go to a schmancy spa and there's a Jacuzzi there, do you go in naked or wearing your bathing suit?

I wasn't given instructions by the attendant, just given the robe and told to feel free to walk around naked because it's all women there and the custom, and I did go nude into the steam room and the hot sauna, but I wasn't sure what to do in the Jacuzzi, so I missed out on that. I hadn't brought a bathing suit with me, not knowing what to expect. (My first time at a real spa.)

What would you have done?

Roxy

I would probably ask. I"m not a big fan of public jacuzzis myself, even "nice" ones.

We have a hot tub at home, and we never wear suits. I mean, it's ours and it's private. We let our guests/houseguests know this. After that it's up to them.