Covered At All Times

 

Morning

A question from a Reader:

"Monday, I went to my local gym and saw a sign on the locker room door. The sign said effective July 15, 2026, there is a new locker room nudity policy. About the third line down it stated all men must cover their private parts at all times. The hot tub has a sign, swimwear not required. There is also a sign stating 15 and under not allowed in locker room. They installed a privacy booth in the locker room to change in.

I asked at the front desk what caused the change and they said there were complaints. I stood there perplexed and the girl said it was half and half complaints about male nudity in a male only space. I never saw any sexual activity or anyone excited in the locker room. The majority of the guys who feel free to go nude in the locker room are over 50. We just take showers and soak in the hot tub and sauna nude. 

I notice most of the younger guys change under a towel or in the toilet stalls. The vast majority of younger men don't take showers. The locker room has the only male facilities. I know I am not unique in not covering up when changing, but what makes men uncomfortable about other men being nude in all male spaces. I pay a premium to attend a gym with a hot tub and sauna, now I have to cover my parts when in the hot tub.

Is this a new trend? Have other people experienced this?"

I know I've seen Reddit threads where younger guys say all they see are "naked old men" and they find it "disgusting."

This has been trending for the past decade or so. If there is Physical Education in schools --- there is no longer a requirement to wear jockstraps or to shower afterwards; that is strictly for the athletes. Blame it on overprotective parents who fear someone may see their son's genitals. Or that their son will be ridiculed for having a small dick, or (maybe) sprouting an erection.

Those fears and attitudes have slowly made their way to local gyms with the younger folks who, by the way, have also been warned that there may be men lurking who want to assault them if they see them naked.

It's ridiculous, of course. And I feel sorry for them because it's not "shame," it's fear. Unwarranted fear.

Sorry for the loss of freedom you (and others) now have to deal with in a male-only environment. The gym I belonged to, until 24-Hour Fitness invaded every city in the U.S., had separate locker rooms, showers, hot tubs, saunas, steam rooms, tanning beds, and pools. Clothing was NOT permitted in hot tubs or pools, and most just carried that forward to the saunas and steam room. Sadly, gone are the days.....

Readers, any thoughts?