Changing in other genders' changing rooms

[Terrace Casual]

Further to another post about a girl changing in the boys changing rooms, would you have been happy at the age of 13/14 changing in the changing rooms of the opposite sex. This is taking into account everything- embarrassment, legal issues, etc...

If I could turn the clock back from now, I think I probably would, given that some swimming classes I had at about 12/13, the boys and girls had to change on the poolside. If I was the only boy in the class, I would have probably, at the time, felt ok if I merely changed down to my underwear in a room full of girls, but probably not showering. And my outlook is that you must shower after physical activity

[Terrace Casual]

Sorry, I forgot one other important issue. erections for lads in a changing room full of girls could be a big problem.

Oh, and remember to think as a 13/14 year old

[Terrace Casual]

Any comments on the way you voted?

[Rick_42]

When I was in Europe with the military, I often used saunas, whirlpools, and pools at "Sport" hotels in Germany. The facilities and changing areas were coed and I never had a problem with seeing others, men and women, nude or with others seeing me nude.

But as a non-nudist teen-aged boy, there might have been some arousal issues.

[Bob S.]

I actually thought about it at that age (or so) and imagined that I would actually feel more comfortable with the girls than with the boys. I was always shy around the boys when changing (usually fearing they would steal my clothes).

In elementary school, my two best friends were girls. I remember throughout school having more girls as friends than boys. It was like I could understand them better. So I think it had mainly as much to do with comfort as with pubescent modesty (measuring up).

Bob S.

[Rebecca]

I dont think I would be happy with it because of the safety problem with being a naked girl in a room with probablly more than a few teenage boys, I just wouldnt feel safe.

[Tampanude]

I grew up in a house with three older sisters so it really never phased me one way or the other.
If you're in a changing/locker room, you're there just to take care of the task at hand.

[Bobx23456]

Originally posted by Tampanude:
I grew up in a house with three older sisters so it really never phased me one way or the other.
If you're in a changing/locker room, you're there just to take care of the task at hand.

I'm not sure if having sisters has much to do with it. I grew up in a house with one older sister and one younger sister. We all had a mother who taught us that being seen naked was a fate worse than death. Before I became a nudist, even my mother hadn't seen me naked since I was old enough to put on my own pants. At age 13-14 I was very worried that some unnamed horrible fate would befall me if I failed to prevent everyone from seeing my body. If there wasn't a separate changing place I wouldn't have changed at that age. It was okay to swim nude at the "Y" with boys, but not okay to be seen by girls or women.

I don't think its about having sisters, but rather its about how you and your siblings were taught to be "modest" or hidden about your body as a child. It took quite a few years to unlearn all that training. I was almost 50 years old before my mother saw me naked again.

Blessings

Bob

[Tampanude]

I guess at that age I was more fearful of bringing home a bad report card than being seen nude by girls, boys, or anyone for that matter. ....just wasn't a big deal at our house. Our behavior and conduct were more of a concern than what we were, or were not, wearing.

[fre2bnude]

At 13/14 I don't think I could have done it, I wouldn't have been able to control an erection for a start. Now, I would be quite happy to do so, as long as the women concerned didn't mind.

[Agde]

There is an underlying assumption here and in the other related thread that the raging hormones of teenage years make boys uncontrollably aggressive toward girls. This is not true. As someone who grew up naturist, I can tell you that teen boys in mixed gender groups are often just as shy, same-age girls are often bigger and age-smarter, and personality always trumps gender. Moreover, if the girls and boys previously know each from other contexts, the interpersonal relations tend to be identical whether clothed or not. Parents, teachers and leader kids can easily establish an atmosphere of safety for all. After that, everyone adapts and routine takes over. It is not the least bit different from any other context where transgressors face sanctions. When I was small, the bigger kids protected me, and I did the same for the smaller kids when I got older. It is only the fear of the unknown and lack of experience that makes this an issue for kids. Separating kids by gender for any activity simply makes interaction more difficult by robbing them of the chance to learn how to act and cope. Adults extrapolating problems from bygone years is not helpful -- unless perhaps they are quoting Plato's Republic about equality and justice only being possible when the genders pursue sports and all other activities together.

[Ken Palmer]

Hello Terrace Casual. Well, I think the real question here would be is how would the other members of the opposite sex(meaning the girls since you are a male) feel about YOU changing in their locker or changing room? I think we can probably agree that most males would not have a problem being in a situation like that because let's face it, we do tend to fantasize about that quite often. But I am also aware that there are many males that would be uncomfortable undressing or changing in the same room as their opposite sex members. In all the years that I have participated in coed sports or phys ed, we always had our own locker rooms and they were well policed by the gym staff on the prowl for "peeping toms."I am talking about my junior high and high school years naturally. Of course, I am merely giving you my experiences and upbringing.

Ken Palmer

Originally posted by Terrace Casual:
Further to another post about a girl changing in the boys changing rooms, would you have been happy at the age of 13/14 changing in the changing rooms of the opposite sex. This is taking into account everything- embarrassment, legal issues, etc...

If I could turn the clock back from now, I think I probably would, given that some swimming classes I had at about 12/13, the boys and girls had to change on the poolside. If I was the only boy in the class, I would have probably, at the time, felt ok if I merely changed down to my underwear in a room full of girls, but probably not showering. And my outlook is that you must shower after physical activity

[Ken Palmer]

Hey bRick_42. Amen to that! That is the key right there! At that age, you were a non-nudist!That really makes a difference! And yes boys that age tend to have that erection problem as that is when those hormones are most active. This is the age of puberty we should mention. But had you been a nudist all of your life, it more than likely would not have been an issue because they see themselves that way literally everyday. And about the bathhouse issue, that is pretty much the way of both European and Asian culture. However, I don't know if they are still that way today or not. I know it was like that in Japan when my father was in the military during the sixties. One time when he visited a bathhouse, he was startled to notice a naked woman seated on the other side of the pool. She appeared to have no problem or issue with him being there, but it was HE who was caught offguard! He conferred with someone about it later and they told him "don't worry about it, they do it all the time here." Sometimes, whole families would visit those places with no concerns of who was there.

Ken Palmer

Originally posted by Rick_42:
When I was in Europe with the military, I often used saunas, whirlpools, and pools at "Sport" hotels in Germany. The facilities and changing areas were coed and I never had a problem with seeing others, men and women, nude or with others seeing me nude.

But as a non-nudist teen-aged boy, there might have been some arousal issues.

[Buzzer]

NOW I would. At the age of 12 - 13, no way!!!

[nakedjohn]

I would have no problem with it, either.