Old, Naked Men in Gym Locker Room's Explained (vs, workout, routine)
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I first encountered this about 25 years ago. I would walk into the locker room after a workout and there would be a few older, naked guys (40s/50s and older) chatting about what guys chat about. And they were never in a hurry to get dressed. It was especially common at the Y. It was commonplace to see one or two Boomers naked in the whirlpool... until the gym began requiring bathing suits.
It didn't bother me (except I wasn't getting in the whirlpool with older naked men) - I just thought it was unusual. But I think I discovered why it is normal amongst that generation.
I was recently reading about the history of the YMCA. In the course of that reading, I discovered that until the late 60s, and early 70s, the YMCA required males to swim naked (at least in some locations). That rabbit hole led me to articles and actual images of high school boys swimming naked at mixed gym meets - with parents watching. There are actual newspaper articles with photos of naked, high school boys standing next to coaches and high school girls in bathing suits. Just casually standing around naked - seemingly without any concern.
Reading and SEEING this made me feel as though I woke up in some alternate reality. I will be 52 soon... how have I never seen or heard of this? How did this happen in the USA and I never knew about it?
While we may think standing/walking around naked in the gym locker room might be strange, for these guys it was routine. It may have been normal for them to be naked around their peers, high school girls, coaches both male and female, and even parents. They don't give it a second thought.
It seems there was a very similar thread on this same subject just a couple months ago. Just generalizing here, but it seems that people who were kids in the 40's, 50's, and 60's thought nothing of being nude in front of people of their own sex while the younger generations need private shower rooms in which to disrobe. Some might call it "well adjusted" vs "snowflakes" while others are creeped out at the thought that someone might "see them".
I’m in my late 30s and I’m at a point in my life where I’m comfortable with my body and not afraid of someone seeing me naked in a gym locker room. I’m not necessarily one of those who talks to others while changing but I’m also not afraid to take a shower or change my clothes by my locker without trying to hide behind a towel. Maybe those older guys reached a point where they’re comfortable enough to do that.
I'm getting older now and many things that were considered "normal" behavior back when I was a child are totally taboo now. Hell, my parents bought me real, actual fireworks and me and my 12 year old buddies shot them off with no parental oversight at all. My Dad used to smoke on airplanes and in movie theaters. MDMA/Ecstasy was legal in the 1980s. Lots of things that were normal way back when are now considered abnormal.
Point being - you adapt to what's considered normal behavior or you'll end up being labeled negatively in some way. Maybe as you age you don't care as much but I'm in my 50s now and I can't say I ever thought walking around and talking to other people....males especially.....was ever considered normal on any level. That locker room walking-around-nude-and-talking-to-people nonsense was going on in my 20s and it's still going on 30 years later.
Here comes the "But the military!" crowd................
It seems there was a very similar thread on this same subject just a couple months ago. Just generalizing here, but it seems that people who were kids in the 40's, 50's, and 60's thought nothing of being nude in front of people of their own sex while the younger generations need private shower rooms in which to disrobe. Some might call it "well adjusted" vs "snowflakes" while others are creeped out at the thought that someone might "see them".
I am 53 and find it strange how the younger folks are so weirded out about seeing naked people in public showers/locker rooms. Growing up it was normal to see others naked. Swimming lessons, PE after grade school, sports, and going to the gym it was just common.
I am 53 and find it strange how the younger folks are so weirded out about seeing naked people in public showers/locker rooms. Growing up it was normal to see others naked. Swimming lessons, PE after grade school, sports, and going to the gym it was just common.
It was common practice. The high school locker room was one big stall shower with a couple dozen nozzles. Heck, even the dorm I was in my first year of college had community showers where about 20 guys could shower at once. Guys gym shorts were actually short as were swimsuits. We basically didn't think a second thought about a bunch of guys being the shower at the same time.
I think it was the 80s and the big fear of being thought of as "gay" that guys started to worry about being naked in a locker room and shorts suddenly dropped to knee length. Think about it. Now days if you see a guy running in shorty blue nylon shorts and no shirt, half the folks seeing him would think "gay." Back then it was just a guy jogging. Heck even in gym class that how they divided up teams -- shirts and skins.
Heard about boys/men being forced to swim naked. I think Lane Tech in the Chicago area is well documented for this.
As far as the gym now, I sometimes shower after a workout, especially after a running workout. We have individual shower stalls at the gym, but I have seen a few men walk naked to or from the locker area. I have done it as well. It's not a big deal other than the younger generation is so obsessed with taking selfies at the gym that you have to be careful to be not caught in the background. They should really ban using cell phones in the locker room, but that would be hard to enforce.
I was in high school from 1968-1972. We had P.E. all 4 years and showered after class every day with 100+ other guys. It didn't seem unusual because it was the norm then. When I went on to college, the same occurred after sports, and later in life at gyms.
Traveling around the world and utilizing youth hostels was more of the same. Rarely individual showers and occasionally one shower for men and women (Scandinavia and Japan).
As I aged, I've noticed that younger generations are increasingly skittish about being naked in locker rooms, and that kids no longer routinely shower after P.E. classes. Some kids shower in their underwear. Team sports like football still shower together after practice and games. (I teach high school.)
Kind of surprising since kids from the last few decades were exposed to porn and have probably seen thousands of naked people onscreen. Maybe porn stars have made them feel inadequate?
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There are actual newspaper articles with photos of naked, high school boys standing next to coaches and high school girls in bathing suits. Just casually standing around naked - seemingly without any concern. 
Maybe porn stars have made them feel inadequate? 
