This sign greeted me this evening as I entered the locker room. I was slightly taken aback at the prospect for it seemed indecorous. As I turned the corner there was nothing outside of the ordinary. I saw no protests; no men were lurking in corners ready to leap out to do goodness knows what. I felt ill at ease for I have not removed my clothing in front of a woman since I was a lad at the pediatrician’s office. I wondered what the gentleman athletes were thinking, but no one seemed to be processing the matter. Indeed, I saw no signs of tension. The only thing in view were the usual repertoire of men in various stages of dress and undress, no one talking to each other but lost in their headphones. My worry about modesty was quickly mitigated when I remembered no one here goes naked. ** Men tend to put on and off their undergarments underneath a towel. At most, they will keep their tops on and drop their trousers (while turned away) and putting on gym shorts quick as a quarter note. Even in the sauna the patrons remain fully dressed. So no female was going to get a peep show even if she wanted one.
Sure enough there was a female custodian going vacillating between the sinks and the pool area. She was surmounted by headphones and was completely disinterested in anything but her work. No man even acknowledged she was there. Although the sociology was intriguing, the situation was rather a disappointment.
I wondered how blasé it would be if it was the other way around viz. a male custodian in the ladies’ loo. I sense there would be complaints and vociferous outrage rather.
At my office there is a male and female toilet. In the women’s there is a large sign in bold pink:
THIS IS THE WOMENS BATHROOM
as if to say no man should not be in here, lifting the lid and violating the sacred feminine.
Outside the locker room, in the weights area, the ratio of men to women is ~ 20:1. The men are disheveled if not slobs while the few women there are dressed meticulously – and meretriously – in full make up. Not that they aren’t butch. Far from it! But, they are dressed up more than when they go to work I daresay. One of them dressed in ersatz leopard skin yoga pants had enough make up on to make me imagine she had just come from her audition for a part in “The Lion King” or “Cats”.
Back in the locker room the intrepid Rosie was still doing whatever she was supposed to do. There was a very large old naked man sitting on the bench, slowly bending over to try to dry his toes. She did not laugh or shriek or eschew her vision at this mountain of male flesh. He either hadn’t known she was there or was ignoring her.
To quote Mr. Spock : ‘Fascinating”. 🙂
** The exception are the old men. It’s intriguing to see the fellows over 70 for they have no qualms walking around naked rather than bundled up like Bedouins. None of them are ‘lookers’ so narcissism can’t the reason to their exposure. I suspect they have more body ease than the young beautiful body builders. How ironic if this is true.
16 comments
February 13, 2015 at 2:01 AM
Chip
Indecorous, indeed !!
February 13, 2015 at 3:24 AM
anne marie in philly
in my small office of 7, there are 2 loos in 2 separate rooms. the loos are interchangeable, and there is a lock on each room’s door. a loo is a loo is a loo when you gotta go. oh yeah, and I am the only girl amongst 6 dudes.
February 13, 2015 at 4:58 AM
David
In Europe it is not uncommon to find female attendants in public toilets, it shocks the Americans, but the attendants are there to do a job, not to stare. I ran into female staff replacing paper towels and wiping down counter tops in two men’s rooms in the outer islands of Hawaii last week and no one turned a head.
February 13, 2015 at 6:43 AM
Ron
I’ve noticed the trend for “it’s alright for the women to go into the men’s locker and bathrooms” but not the other way around (not that I would want to). I for one don’t like it one bit. However, after my three procedures for kidney stones (two operations and three emergency room visits) and prostate cancer treatment (seed implants), I have lost all my modesty. I might as well go shopping completely naked in the local Walmart so the multiple women and girls who hovered around me during my below the waist procedures will recognize me. God knows they probably wouldn’t recognize my face but the other body part? Oh yes. I’m just glad I’m not in the service (Army) now, at least we had separate men’s and women’s bathrooms (latrines). Who knows what they have now but I suspect it’s coed.
February 13, 2015 at 8:50 AM
Cameron
I find it strange that men (of any age) are so uptight about being naked in a locker room. Times have changed.
February 13, 2015 at 12:08 PM
RuralBeard
We had co-ed bathrooms/showers in university; no biggie whatsoever. So saying, I’m with Ron, today, turn the tables around and there’d be hell to pay
February 14, 2015 at 3:08 AM
larrymuffin
Women and their issues, Fascinating.
February 14, 2015 at 8:41 AM
jayinrva
My gym uses male cleaners in the male locker rooms and vice-versa. It seems rather indecorous indeed!
Mine is also a “mostly covered up” place. The exception are the younger children (boys under 10 or so) and yes, the old men. Neither interest me. Me? I guess I fall in the latter category because I come from the world of 7th grade enforced showers. Nakedness amongst men is pretty normal for me. Others, apparently less so.
Peace ❤
Jay
February 14, 2015 at 11:37 AM
fearsomebeard
How do you know that sign is in the women’s room at your office?
February 14, 2015 at 11:40 AM
Urspo
I often dump the teapot contents into that sink for it is just next to the water fountain; as you enter – there’s the sign. I have never used the room otherwise!
Vires et honestas
>
February 14, 2015 at 2:36 PM
larrymuffin
An enquiring mind obviously!
February 16, 2015 at 4:40 PM
Erik Rubright
I often wonder if anyone even cleans the gym I go to…
March 6, 2015 at 10:22 AM
Tron
Like most men, I have lost a great deal of respect for most women over the past decade or so because of the continued onslaught of double standards that have been inflicted upon men all in the name of “equality.” It will continue to happen as long as men allow it. Men do not report their wives hitting them very often but does that mean that they like it? I would talk to as many male patron’s as possible and draft a letter to management. If that does not work then file a class-action law suit. Either way, men need to send a message to management that this is not ok.
April 3, 2019 at 12:34 PM
Rodger
I see no problem with female employees in the men’s locker room. I have showered naked with a female employee working nearby. Neither she nor I had a problem with it. I can’t imagine that there are grown men who are not comfortable being naked in the presence of females. Surely most men grew up being bathed by mothers, aunts, sisters & female babysitters , and now most children’s doctors are female.
April 3, 2019 at 5:58 PM
larrymuffin
In this day of constant sexual harassment complaints from women they should not be in Men’s Locker Room. You are at risk some crazy will make up a story of being raped or assaulted and she will be believed. We see this in Canada every single day.
April 3, 2019 at 6:14 PM
TRON
I do not see a problem with grown men being naked in the presence of women who are not. Modesty is not unmanly just because you’re an exhibitionist and you don’t have a problem with it doesn’t mean other men shouldn’t. There are women who are also uncomfortable being naked around men. There are also women who are not modest and are quite comfortable being naked around men. The point is we should respect everyone’s boundaries. We should have separate locker rooms for guys like you who like the flash that’s all. But under no circumstances should someone belittle someone or attack their manhood because they’re modest. It doesn’t mean you’re less of a man because you’re modest but it does mean you’re less of a man if you can’t respect other people’s boundaries and you judge them.