Male Bonding2
For those who like to explore the concept and dynamics of male bonding. Men are socialized in different ways in different societies, and so many men would like to have close male friendships, yet after spending time establishing a career, primary relationship and live in general, find themselves without close male friends. Many of us want male friends with whom we can share openly without...
- created by AZdesertman
Cell phone policies in locker rooms
Return to DiscussionsI recently quit my membership at the YMCA for LA Fitness. The Y was mostly 60+ whereas the average age at LAF is likely half that. I was expecting there to be less nudity in the locker room, but am shocked that not only do millennials wear shorts in the sauna, but gym shoes, jackets and head phones too. Then I realized an important difference: the YMCA had a no cell phone policy to protect privacy, but LAF does not. Perhaps it's common courtesy not to take pictures of people (naked or otherwise), but there doesn't seem to be any intention to make the men's locker room a private zone. In that case, I imagine it makes as much sense to be naked there as any other public space, except that women aren't allowed. Maybe it's just common sense that younger people are modest: they're not particularly shy, but neither are they stupid.
I stopped using the Y sauna when a couple of women would come in the sauna with a case of lotions and creams and apply then in the sauna. The perfume smell got to the point of making your eyes water. As a man I can not say anything for fear of harassment charges being brought against me.
I read some article somewhere that only the "old 60+ men" love to "parade" around naked in the locker room. I love how if you have clothes on you are walking but if you are naked you are "parading".
I would be one of those "paraders" as I have no problem being naked in front of anyone.
Pre-Covid, one man told me he isn't naked in the sauna or locker room at LA Fitness because children use the pool for classes occasionally. Later on I wondered what the reasoning behind that is. It's clearly a men's locker room and why should minors be protected from adult male nudity? Is nudisty alone inappropriate and sexual? Are the minors going to stay children their whole life and shouldn't know that they will mature into adults with adult bodies and sex organs? And is there a policy for it or are people so afraid of liablity and harassment that they shy away from even anything with can be misconstrued as inappropriate? I don't get it.
I just never wanted a kid to complain about the creepy naked guy in the locker room even though I wasnt doing anything creepy. Just not a risk I want to take. If there had been at least a few more adults using the locker room at that time, Id have no problem being naked.
You're pragmatic and smart, not overly conservative or cautious. A key tenent to preventing child abuse (and by extension protecting yourself from accusations of child abuse) is to always ALWAYS be two or more adults and two or more kids. Therefore, I feel unsafe as a sole adult in a locker room with only boys, and would feel justified in requesting a "chaperone" to change in one and quitting if none are available. Adult men are vulnerable to abuse about abuse - we can't be naive of this even if we are polite, respectful and careful.
Thanks for affirming that. I dont have kids of my own, so I cant really speak to the dynamic of being naked around kids of my own. In a locker room situation, as long as there are other adults around, Im happy to be naked and help (in some ways) show the younger generation how normal and healthy nudity is.
Regarding cell phones, in this era we are in, cell phones are part of everyone's life and they go everywhere. Yes gym those have posted no cell phone but is it enforced, no. I've even seen them in the shower area, come in walking in talking on them or texting. Ya even some taking nude selfies, open shower or not. As long as the phone is down, I don't really have much of an issue, it's when it's up that I do say something even if they 'claim' to be talking to someone. Most are 'oh sorry'.