The Long Road

02/16/2004 Archived Entry: "Modesty, Honestly!"

I think some people are too comfortable being naked around others (who may also be naked). Certainly, nudity has its time and place but some people think that's everywhere and all the time! Unless it's in an intimate setting I generally try to stay as un-naked as I can as long as possible. Some people...just seem way too comfortable with being naked around others (who may also be naked).

Really, that pointless previous paragraph was just a bloated way of saying I have some nudity stories to share. Here goes.

First off, that guy from Survivor. Hatch? First chance he gets, takes off all his clothes and goes swimming. Any challenge involving water, off come his clothes. I don't really understand how any of his tribe members can perform at their challenges with a large naked man swimming around beside them.

A couple of weekends ago I was at The Drink in London (I'll refrain from making the obvious Western-girl joke) and as luck would have it, they were running a contest for tickets to Daytona. The first round was, of course, a wet t-shirt contest. The girls did their thing, and "bonus points" were awarded for flashing the crowd, a couple of girls really got into it and began fondling each other under their shirts. Round 2 involved swinging at a pinata; each time you missed or connected without breaking something you lost an item of clothing. All of the girls either missed or didn't break anything. In the end, all of the girls gave in and the last girl standing was told to take off her top by the MC (a woman) and take a swing to move on to "the finals"; she did it. Third round involved girls dressed in bras licking whipped cream of their breasts. Some of them flashed the crowd and one girl went all out; she took off her bra and had another contestant and some guy (the DJ?) liking each of her breasts. The girls I was with didn't want to stay around for the finals. Was it the music? Anyways, I don't understand the whole getting-naked-in-front-of-strangers thing. Is it empowering to have a bunch of strangers, and probably some friends and classmates, treat you like an object? Is a ticket to Daytona THAT enticing? Someone please explain.

Last set of stories, nowhere near as sensational as the previous. These are all within the various physical activity establishments I go to. Some people just seem to roam the changerooms naked. Sometimes they have a towel but they're just holding it in their hands. Where's their modesty? Don't they realize that some of us don't necessarily want to see others walking around naked? I think I've already mentioned that I was once weighing myself (still only 142) and some old, naked man stood behind me waiting to use the scale. *shudders* A few days ago I saw two guys walk out of the shower and stood together under the dryer, drying themselves off. I don't know about you guys, but that seems AWEFULLY close to sharing a showerhead. just minus the wetness.

Replies: 13 comments

hmm, changerooms... modesty is key!!

/me shudders

Posted by sbdep @ 02/16/2004 07:18 PM EST

I think you just get used to the whole changeroom nudity thing. I've been playing hockey for a long time and since I was about 12 I showered at the arena after the game (I really can't see how people can just put clothes on and go home sweaty), but I'm usually one to keep the towel wrapped around me. I think just after so long you are desensitized to it.

Posted by Mike @ 02/16/2004 07:39 PM EST

I think old people are just bitter. It's a way of saying I don't give a rats ass that I look like crap. In fact since you look so good, I'm going to share my pain... Can you tell the seniors swim was always right after I used the pool?

Posted by Hyperion @ 02/16/2004 09:07 PM EST

Thai-man...at least you don't have to work at a pool...:P

Posted by dAN @ 02/16/2004 10:28 PM EST

"I think I've already mentioned that I was once weighing myself (still only 142) and some old, naked man stood behind me waiting to use the scale. *shudders*"

Hahaha, oh man... I would feel SO uncomfortable if that happened to me! Damn... just thinking aboutit.... @_@

Be strong thai, be strong ;)

-Dave

Posted by Dave @ 02/16/2004 11:16 PM EST

DAMN! I forgot to mention, in the karate changeroom, there's a shower stall and no curtain (if there are I've never seen anyone use it) and one guy was taking a shower and another guy was standing just outside the stall and the two were having a conversation as if they were standing around at a bus station. I really don't get it.

Posted by Rayne @ 02/17/2004 02:01 AM EST

I remember changing after going swimming at the community center and there was always at least one old lady walking around naked. No one that was young would do this. We'd stand in line for 20 minutes to use one of the three change rooms.
I work in the Lingerie department of our local Bay store. I get old ladies flashing me on a daily basis. I've even walked into the (locked) hallway where the fitting rooms are and had women completely topless with their change rooms doors open. And they looked startled that I came in. It's a hallway with 5 change rooms in it. They each have a door. Why not use it if you don't want random people seeing you topless? Sheesh.
I'm hoping to become a paramedic soon and I do ride alongs every so often. You'd be amazed how many old people just don't care anymore and will flash you or completely undress just cause they think you can get a better idea of what's wrong with them....even if it's just a sprained wrist.
I think old people just get to a certain point and say "Frell modesty. I'm old, I'm sagging and I don't give a sh*t anymore".

Posted by Andrea @ 02/17/2004 02:55 AM EST

Nudity in a changeroom bothers you? Man, get over your modesty. There are a bunch of curtained showers at the YMCA which I go to, but my impression (biased as it is) is that it's mostly kids and teenagers using that.

I mean, you're in a changeroom. It's not like you're wandering around Home Depot. I'm with Verhoeven on this: nudity is no big deal, particularly not in a changeroom.

Posted by Joe @ 02/17/2004 10:44 AM EST

Sure Joe, but, I have had naked conversations with nude teachers as well as the nude parent of my Ex. I think what Thai is saying is that there is a point when being comfortable with your nakedness goes too far. As in the above examples.

Posted by Hyperion @ 02/17/2004 02:17 PM EST

Uh yeah, about that... don't ask...

Posted by Hyperion @ 02/17/2004 02:18 PM EST

hmm .. having a conversation with the nude parent of your ex could be a little awkward, i must admit

but ... isn't there different kinds of nudity / nakedness, whatever you'd like to call it?

change room nakedness is there b/c it's part of what happens in the room ... if you're in the changeroom or the showers is it not expected that you must be naked at some point? it's very much different from, let's call it intimate nudity

and isn't being nude the way god intended? it's surprising how quickly you become desensitized to it ... from, for example, lazing on beaches where ppl go topless or wandering around in changerooms ... maybe there's a reason for that (although, i guess you could throw that argument back in my face and say that i therefore think anything you can become desensitized too is just human nature ... which isn't what i really want to say, although, maybe violence and the such is human nature and that's why we're so easily able to take it in stride *shrug*)

Posted by melpie @ 02/17/2004 02:46 PM EST

I understand that nudity in the chaneroom is unavoidable...but standing around naked talking to others or just wandering around the place naked...not so cool.

Why not minimize your genitalia's exposure to the outside and minimize others' exposure to your genitalia?

And it's not always old people either... though it'd almost be better if it were.

Posted by Rayne @ 02/17/2004 03:11 PM EST

I think Joe really did a good job of summing it up. After a while you just don't care that you are naked or the other person is naked. Although there are some things that should not be done naked, having a conversation in a change room isn't one of them. At my gym there is a whirlpool, steamroom and then the showers. All of which people are naked in. There are curtains for the showers but I'd say the majority of people just leave them open. A lot of gyms (like the pac) just have a wall and a row of shower heads. You just go in there to get clean, it's not like you are checking out what the other naked people have to offer. or are you Thai!?!

Posted by Mike @ 02/18/2004 12:59 AM EST