Disagreeable Experience at the Gym Today

I was in the steam room -- nude -- naturally. Some guys came and went -- no big deal. Or so I thought.

I got reported before being nude in the steam room and on top of that, for being nude in the shower and not pulling the curtain closed.

I asked what was the problem with being nude in the steam room. I was told it was posted as one of the rules. I said, that must be new because it wasn't there before. I came out of the steam room, put on my swim short, which I had hung on a hook outside the steam room. I then read the rules. There's nothing in the rules about prohibiting nudity in the steam room and nothing about prohibiting nudity in the locker room in general. I was told I should only be nude when I was actually changing clothing.

I said, this is a men's locker room, there cannot possibly be any issue with being nude in a men's locker room. I was told it was indecent. I said, there's nothing indecent about my body and this is a men's locker room. I was told that people had complained about seeing me nude in the steam room and in the shower.

I said the proper response to such a complaint is to state that this is a men's locker room and one should expect to encounter male nudity in a men's locker room. And also that there is no rule prohibiting nudity in locker room and steam room.

I think I'm going to write a letter to the corporate office and express my concerns.

Genesis Health Club. Specifically the south club in Springfield MO.

Oh, I remember having a conversation with a male trainer. Don't know how the subject came up but I remember expressing my amazement that guys pulled the curtain closed when they took showers. I asked, what are they doing that they need that level of privacy while taking a shower in a men's locker room? I continued with, I'm guessing they're jerking off. Why else would they bother with the curtain?

The trainer looked aghast and said he'd be leaving the curtain open from then on and he would not be so concerned about covering up while in the locker room. Don't remember his name. Even so, he was an independent trainer; not an employee.

Anyone else have issues with Genesis Health Club? Is this a new thing? Never been a problem before.

This topic was edited
RE:Disagreeable Experience at the Gym Today

Oh, I remember having a conversation with a male trainer. Don't know how the subject came up but I remember expressing my amazement that guys pulled the curtain closed when they took showers. I asked, what are they doing that they need that level of privacy while taking a shower in a men's locker room? I continued with, I'm guessing they're jerking off. Why else would they bother with the curtain?The trainer looked aghast and said he'd be leaving the curtain open from then on and he would not be so concerned about covering up while in the locker room. Don't remember his name. Even so, he was an independent trainer; not an employee.
Good point about masturbating behind the shower curtain. Also, many of us are old enough to have been nude in locker rooms not many years ago. So ask them how it went from standard procedure to indecent? Or say you remember when men were men, had penises and were proud of them.

This post was edited
RE:Disagreeable Experience at the Gym Today

Men have been comfortable in the presence of other men (clothed or nude) since there have been men. Men have bathed together without a second thought since there have been men. Read the Bible and count the number of times that Messiah was nude in public -- not in a men's locker room -- and it was a total non-issue.
Good point about masturbating behind the shower curtain. Also, many of us are old enough to have been nude in locker rooms not many years ago. So ask them how it went from standard procedure to indecent? Or say you remember when men were men, had penises and were proud of them.

This post was edited
RE:Disagreeable Experience at the Gym Today

You should complain that there are clothed people in the locker room

This post was edited
RE:Disagreeable Experience at the Gym Today

Maybe I should.

Nudity was the ultimate form of modesty for the longest time. It did slowly begin to change but didn't arrive at the opposite meaning until Vickie was on the throne.

You should complain that there are clothed people in the locker room

This post was edited
RE:Disagreeable Experience at the Gym Today

I was in the steam room -- nude -- naturally. Some guys came and went -- no big deal. Or so I thought.I got reported before being nude in the steam room and on top of that, for being nude in the shower and not pulling the curtain closed.I asked what was the problem with being nude in the steam room. I was told it was posted as one of the rules. I said, that must be new because it wasn't there before. I came out of the steam room, put on my swim short, which I had hung on a hook outside the steam room. I then read the rules. There's nothing in the rules about prohibiting nudity in the steam room and nothing about prohibiting nudity in the locker room in general. I was told I should only be nude when I was actually changing clothing.I said, this is a men's locker room, there cannot possibly be any issue with being nude in a men's locker room. I was told it was indecent. I said, there's nothing indecent about my body and this is a men's locker room. I was told that people had complained about seeing me nude in the steam room and in the shower.I said the proper response to such a complaint is to state that this is a men's locker room and one should expect to encounter male nudity in a men's locker room. And also that there is no rule prohibiting nudity in locker room and steam room.I think I'm going to write a letter to the corporate office and express my concerns.Genesis Health Club. Specifically the south club in Springfield MO.Oh, I remember having a conversation with a male trainer. Don't know how the subject came up but I remember expressing my amazement that guys pulled the curtain closed when they took showers. I asked, what are they doing that they need that level of privacy while taking a shower in a men's locker room? I continued with, I'm guessing they're jerking off. Why else would they bother with the curtain?The trainer looked aghast and said he'd be leaving the curtain open from then on and he would not be so concerned about covering up while in the locker room. Don't remember his name. Even so, he was an independent trainer; not an employee.Anyone else have issues with Genesis Health Club? Is this a new thing? Never been a problem before.

This is absolutely disgraceful and it is dangerous. The result of this paranoia is that young men are having nervous breakdowns in locker rooms because of other men being there. I have witnessed it, and had to take one guy to the desk at the university gym when I was teaching there because he was hyperventilating wearing his winter coat and two towels trying to change hiding near the door and couldn't manage the whole thing. We all know why nudity isn't wrong or bad. I've had arguments with women mostly but some men who say that it can hurt those who are traumatized by criminal attacks in the past (I am one such) to see nude bodies (this is a misapplication of trauma theory and so on but...) there are reasons for having one or two private change rooms and this is one of them. We cannot allow the pathological and the misapplied notion of concern to erase this culture. It has lived for thousands of years because it is necessary. The thing that is most paradoxical is that this emerges from the liberalization of the world.

This post was edited
RE:Disagreeable Experience at the Gym Today

This is something I am hearing more and more from friends in North America. In my gym steamroom almost everyone was nude without issue. The only thing you had to do was sit on a towel. I heard people even complaining about people actually nude in the changing room. People are really caught up about consent and nudity. I think they have it all confused. It's a public changing room, if you did not want to see nudity then you should not be using the locker rooms. There will be nudity in the lockeroom. It does seem people are going down an anti nude path.

This post was edited
RE:Disagreeable Experience at the Gym Today

People are really caught up about consent and nudity. I think they have it all confused. It's a public changing room, if you did not want to see nudity then you should not be using the locker rooms. There will be nudity in the lockeroom. It does seem people are going down an anti nude path.

If nudity requires consent in a locker room, then nudity itself is a sexual behavior and locker rooms are a place of violating boundaries of respect and decency. This is regressive thinking, but it's a common result of post traumatic stress disorder. I am aware of men who were abused in church sacristies who have a similar trigger response to church sanctuaries as a result. Given how common sexual abuse has been in churches, should we require consent to worship in them? Or consent to go into a hardware store where nylon rope is sold if people have been tied and bound? I personally would feel angry for being shamed in a locker room to cover up since when I was growing up they were the only place I felt I didn't need to feel body shame as a kid, they were my safe zone.

I'm no therapist but believe phobia and trauma need to be confronted directly in healthy and measured ways. By desexualizing nudity in the locker room - which is the essence of men walking around and showering naked in modest, non attention-seeking behavior - I believe we can help men overcome their nudity triggers. The main thing is locker room require is options to be both naked and clothed, and everything in between, so everyone can feel safe and comfortable. And if they don't, they can stay home, away from locker rooms, churches, hardware stores, airplanes, etc.

This post was edited
RE:Disagreeable Experience at the Gym Today

Well said Anders.

This post was edited
RE:Disagreeable Experience at the Gym Today

This is sad, a locker room IS WHERE NAKED PEOPLE ARE DUH,
Thats where you are naked in any avenues of interaction or lounging in a locker room you will be naked, your neighbor, the stranger and the friend,
ARE ALL NUDE
Those reactions to you were unnecessary and very unprofessional

This post was edited
RE:Disagreeable Experience at the Gym Today

I agree, I belong to EOS in AZ. I started back going to the gym. Mostly swimming. I like going early morning, just got back home at 4:30 am. Swam a few laps in a black bikini, pool to myself. Last Sunday, went early and wore a smaller suit no problem. As for the locker room. I will walk to my locker with a towel draped over my shoulder, with my suit on , remove my suit now nude, I open my locker for my shampoo and shaving, walk to the dryer then the shower. The layout should have had the showers closer to the pool, sauna rather on the other side of the bathroom.
I also will dry my hair and shave at the counter nude. Stand nude at my locker until ready to put my clothes on. So far no complaints. Usually not many men in the locker room at this time. I notice most men will leave the towel on then remove it after putting on their underwear.

With this gym the shower are stalls, with door, like in the bathroom, so not a gang shower.

This post was edited