To not want to be naked in sauna

[lollypoppy123]

I’m going to a fancy hotel in Germany with an amazing spa but I’ve just found out the spa is textile free which means no clothes whatsoever allowed. I’m really uncomfortable with this as I’ve had a mastectomy and my reconstruction is pretty ugly. Even without that, I’d feel weird being naked with strangers.

No, it's not. The human body is absolutely amazing. HTH

Again, tag someone if you're discussing them.

It's been like this forever in Germany and honestly no one cares! You'll have a towel, use it as you wish. You will most likely see an array of different body types and physique who don't give a f**k lol 😆 Just try it, a new experience to look back on.

For people who are saying that they wouldn't want to see others' bits, please note that looking is not polite/normal and could get you kicked out...

You’re expressing a preference, not a rule. Some posters on MN object just as strongly to being tagged as you are to not being. If you’re really that bothered whether people are talking about you, you could always use the search function on the page.

If I happen to mention you again, I will try to remember but I’m not making any promises.

Yeah, being uptight. Not a positive thing.

I would hate it too OP

Sorry about your mastectomy/scars OP. As you’ve said your booking can’t be changed, I hope you will be reassured enough by the posts here that it will be worth at least giving it a go. My experience at a German spa was similar to others. Absolutely no swimsuits but you can wrap your towel around you until the last minute when you get into the sauna/pool and then put it on the bench/poolside and sit down/get in the water. Once sitting or in the pool you feel much less exposed anyway.
Maybe ask the hotel if they have any women only sessions and/or when are less busy times.
Shame some people here feel the need to make negative comments about sauna culture rather than remaining quiet if they have nothing useful to say.

It's polite to tag someone if you're discussing them.

The definition doesn't include uptight.
I included myself when I said that Brits are seen as prudes, being as I'm Scottish.

Everyone stares at one naked person in a group but if everyone is naked then there is no focus on any individual.

Many people have scars, stretch marks, moles, prominent veins, pigmentation or are overweight with wobbly bits etc.

If you are too self conscious to overcome enjoying the experience, then that’s fine but if you can overcome it you will feel empowered and will enjoy the relaxation that a sauna can give.

"prudish – having or revealing a tendency to be easily shocked by matters relating to sex or nudity; excessively concerned with sexual propriety."

It's a very subjective word, really; it depends what a person considers 'easily' shocked, or 'excessively' concerned. I do find it interesting that in conversations like this, 'prudish' gets thrown around but 'exhibitionist' isn't. It seems to be socially acceptable to mildly shame people for feeling discomfort around being publicly nude, but not for desiring to be nude in public.

Yes, as I said, the definition doesn't include uptight. Nobody is being 'shamed', merely pointing out that the general British, and American, attitude to nakedness is perceived by many Europeans as prudish or reserved.
Sauna culture isn't exhibitionist though.

Thank you, you've articulated what my tired brain was struggling to say.

Yes but ... peripheral vision ...👀

Some might consider sauna culture exhibitionist, however (I'm not saying I do, in single sex saunas), and the British attitude not prudish but reasonable. But only one view feels acceptable to be touted on this thread, and I wonder why.
I do think that 'prudish' is a shaming word – it's meant to express disapproval of the behaviour or attitude and make the person feel they're being unreasonable, much like 'exhibitionist' is meant to. And it's a shame to see the word 'prudish' flung about on a thread where people are talking about their discomfort being naked, due to mastectomies or other personal reasons. That's not 'prudish', it's protective of themselves.

I hope the OP is able to enjoy at least parts of the spa with a towel wrapped around her instead of a swimming costume. It sounds like a lovely, relaxing experience when there's no pressure to be nude.

In your opinion.

It's a fairly common view, imho.

All views are reasonable imho.
I think you're confusing me saying that it's seen as prudish by many other nations with me going around calling folk prudes, deliberately to insult. You seeing a word as shaming doesn't mean it actually is. It's just a statement of fact regarding feelings around nudity etc.
I've already clarified that I understand OP is more concerned because of her scars, and fully appreciate her concerns.
Also, just to clarify, sauna culture has nothing to do with exhibitionist behaviour.

Oh, no - I don't think you're calling people prudes in a judgemental way necessarily, but there are comments on this thread that use 'prudish' or similar terms in a way that's meant to make people feel ashamed or unreasonable.

"Also, just to clarify, sauna culture has nothing to do with exhibitionist behaviour."
One could say that other nations see it as exhibitionist, though.

I don't know, this is more a meta observation, really - I just find it interesting that implications of unreasonable prudishness are acceptable and present, but implications of exhibitionism seem to be much less acceptable.

Sauna culture has never been about exhibitionist behaviour.

You would be surprised how quickly you adapt. Like, in literally minutes.

One thing I like about cultures where there is shared nudity is that being nude (or wearing revealing clothes) automatically disappears as a way to shame women, or blame them for anything that happens to them.

Also, shared nudity counteracts the many, many images we get from algorithms and advertisers that tell us what our bodies ought to be like by giving us more examples of bodies in many shapes and sizes.

Yes, but some nations might see it that way, given that it's unnecessary public nudity.

It's interesting that you think it's okay to state that some nations might think that wearing swimming costumes is prudish behaviour, and you don't consider that to be passing judgement...but you're very strongly against the statement that some nations might see the nudity in saunas as exhibitionist. Exhibitionist is, after all, just a word that describes feelings.

(To clarify, I'm not saying I see sauna culture as exhibitionist, I just think there are some double standards on this thread.)

But we have been told on this thread many times that people don't even register other people's naked bodies, and certainly don't look and notice any details in a sauna, so how does that square with the idea in your last paragraph? It can't be both.

It's not 'unnecessary public nudity', it's nudity in a specific location, for a specific purpose. It's actually much more hygienic to be naked in a sauna or steam room, than it is to wear tight fitting synthetic fabrics.
I know you think you're being clever by essentially using my language, and replacing a word, but you're not actually being clever at all. There is never exhibitionist behaviour involved in authentic sauna culture, there is prudish behaviour in seeing the human body as disgusting or needing to always be covered.