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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to find naked people in changing room unnecessary?

265 replies

CharlLaneoxo · 10/01/2013 21:14

Such as at the gym and the swimming pool etc.

I'm not talking about women who are comfortable with themselves and can get changed in front of strangers no problem.

I'm referring to the ones who will take leisurely showers, walk around, spend ages getting ready, drying their hair and stand chatting to their friends completely naked.

I know we're all women etc but I just find it unnecessary.

Or maybe I am a prude Smile

OP posts:
itsmineitsmine · 10/01/2013 22:12

Thesnootyfox - my lady definitely didnt have a brazilian!!! She was a duties officer, if thst narrows it down though

MmeLindor · 10/01/2013 22:12

Charl
Sorry. You misunderstood my sense of humour. Should have added a Wink

I'm mocking myself too, cause I'm far from comfortable with it.

thesnootyfox · 10/01/2013 22:18

Itsmineitsmine - No not the same person then! My colleague was the first person I knew to get a Brazilian and she whipped off her knickers and asked me what I thought of it! Hmm Grin

MmeLindor · 10/01/2013 22:18

Actually. I just reread what I wrote.

I meant the word 'necessary'. It's such a British word, like being 'cross' or finding something 'brilliant' -

Very middle class kind of words. I wasn't calling you middle class pearl clutchy, Charl.

Apologies if it came over that way.

TravelinColour · 10/01/2013 22:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

maddening · 10/01/2013 22:22

Iavb (I am very british :)) you won't see more than my shoulders and legs

InNeedOfBrandy · 10/01/2013 22:27

Both my nearest swimming pools are "village" changing rooms. Which is twat speak for communal, the good thing about it is they are both pool side so NO ONE goes naked [phew]. My auntie was how you described your OP, I used to hate going swimming with her because after she would shower naked not in the cubical and wander around. In fairness to her my grandparents (god can't believe I'm admitting this) were nudists and she had grown up on nudist camps, my whole family is very NON PRUDISH but this still used to make me cringe YANBU!

alemci · 10/01/2013 22:30

would absolutely hate it and want to go in a cubicle. read the thing about the women and the tampax - gross.

YANBU

I would always cover up with a towel even if I had to change in a public changing room. don't want anyone apart from my DH to see my bum.

pointythings · 10/01/2013 22:33

Well, when I was at uni in Holland I once took part in a 5 a side football match involving all the university sports clubs - i.e, the fencers (us) fielded a team, so did the basketball players, the cyclists, the track and field people, the karate club and so on.

And the basketball guys (they were an all boys team, we were mixed) dared the girls to let them come in the ladies' showers with us and shower together. We were the last ones in the building, so we took them up.

And it was amazingly natural and not embarrassing. In fact I remember having a discussion about the different types of exam that law students took as compared to archaeology students. We all forgot we were naked (though we did complain about the fluctuating water temperature).

I think it's a cultural thing. And I'm with the Finns on nudity Grin.

pointythings · 10/01/2013 22:33

However, changing tampons out in the open is just disgusting. Can't think of any of my peers in Holland who would have done that.

theoriginalandbestrookie · 10/01/2013 22:34

Actually I find the other end of the spectrum curious as well.

In our gym there are a couple of curtained areas and some people choose to get changed in there rather than in the public area. It seems strange to me to do that when it's all women in the changing rooms, so I guess they must be very prudish or have body ishoos, or yes the ones who do the whole towel dance thing like their boobs are going to be so different to everyone elses.

Mind you I was in Germany with work for a while and decided to go to the spa place. Yup everyone of both sexes were naked and generally over 60. Strangely the spa experience didn't make me feel as relaxed as I had hoped. Mme Lindor that is a wonderful story about the German Dad.

TeiTetua · 10/01/2013 22:36

So how are you supposed to look at someone's face politely when they have their norks and hairy fannies out?

Just do it. But was there some suggestion that hairless ones were more embarrassing still? Anyway, just do it.

It's obvious that people have very different attitudes (especially Swiss villagers and drunken Finns) so it's probably better not to get offended by anyone else's way of doing things. Roll eyes and get on with one's own business.

motherinferior · 10/01/2013 22:42

I suspect that what you think of as 'parading' they think of as 'just getting on with it'.

Personally, speaking as a respectable middle-aged matron, I rather enjoy the chance of a spot of nakedness with strangers. I don't get out much.

beanandspud · 10/01/2013 22:43

I'm generally the one doing a Houdini-style change underneath a towel but I'm not that bothered about those that wander around naked.

There was one lady at the gym that used to do naked stretching after her workout. That was pretty grim to see, and quite difficult to ignore.

PretzelTime · 10/01/2013 22:43

Finns sounds great. I want to go to Finland and sweat in Saunas now because it's freaking cold here

I know it's tempting to look at naked people if you never see any but it's also possible to force yourself to look at their faces or the floor etc.

IvantaOuiOui · 10/01/2013 22:46

I don't mind nudiness on the changing room. But I do find the lady who dries her lettuce with a towel with her leg up on the bench for ten minutes a bit much. Especially if I'm sitting next to her.

TwoFacedCows · 10/01/2013 22:47

I am a nudist, yet I do not agree with strolling around aimlessly in a public changing room!

I wound faff around underneath a towel, but do not feel the need to flash my fanjo to everyone in the pool!

being a naturist is different, everyone has the choice to be there and be naked!

treas · 10/01/2013 22:50

Just wait until you meet one of your husband's ex girlfriends naked in the swimming changing rooms! Mind you she does have saggy titsGrin

Tryharder · 10/01/2013 22:50

Hmm. There was a woman at my gym (back in the day, no time to go to gym now) who used to stroll around naked and encourage her young daughters to do so: "We're all women here". At the time I assumed she was showing off because she had a great body and most of the other women didn't.

I agree with the OP.

Tryharder · 10/01/2013 22:53

I once went to a mixed sauna in Germany years ago though. I initially wore my swimming costume but took it off after about 5 minutes as I was the only person among about 50 people who wasn't naked!

It was the unsexiest experience of my life Grin

QueenofPlaids · 10/01/2013 22:55

YANBU in that no, it's not necessary but I don't really see the problem with it tbh.

That said, I am often the chubby 30-something wandering past piles of younger, thinner women queuing up for cubicles to volunteer to use the communal changing area in shops. I do not and never have given a shit Grin

SoleSource · 10/01/2013 22:57

In 2001 I was being shown around a Fitness First gym and we went.into tbe changing room. There was naked vroup of women. I did this intake of breath shock thing. Said ooh sorry. They.just laughed. I didn't bat an eyelid after that, nakedness is a common sight in the changing rooms. Couldn't do.it myself.

MmeLindor · 10/01/2013 22:57

Ivanta
Drying her lettuce?

I have a Saladschleuder for drying my lettuce

skratta · 10/01/2013 22:59

Hmm, found this to be quite British a phenomenon. I'm Swedish, completely communal changing, changing without towels etc; on public lakes and beaches. When I first went swimming in the UK it was quite a shock to see the prudishness of everyone. Have to admit though, the US, where I live now, is very similar.

Flojobunny · 10/01/2013 23:03

Ah I wanted to ask this.
My DD (4 yo) goes for swimming lessons, same day/time every week and there are always the same 2 older ladies in the shower, naked, chatting away.
Doesn't bother me except there's only 3 showers and the swimming lesson kids all hanging around to use the one.
Anyway a friend on the same lesson, made a complaint to reception last week about the inappropriateness of these women being naked around the children.
I was a bit Confused does anyone else think she had a point?