# High schools, YMCAs, and nude swimming **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 10, 2006, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-ymcas-and-nude-swimming/379807 "2006-11-10T02:14:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-ymcas-and-nude-swimming/379807/329 "2017-01-05T20:54:25Z")
It never occurred to me that the girls didn’t know. _We_ knew what _they_ wore in swim class: regulation suits and swim caps. Our parents knew the boys swam naked. But the girls didn’t know? Wow. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-ymcas-and-nude-swimming/379807/330 "2017-01-05T20:57:17Z")
The k12 schools in my area skirted addressing this issue by never having swimming pools in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-ymcas-and-nude-swimming/379807/331 "2017-01-05T21:46:43Z")
Swimming lessons should be a required teaching for kids K-5. It’s the only sport that can save your life. You could hold it during summer breaks, 1-2 1/2 days a week. Too many people grow up never learning to swim, and every year we see numerous drowning deaths. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-ymcas-and-nude-swimming/379807/332 "2017-01-05T22:12:37Z")
ISTM that most of the people who drown know how to swim. Sometimes people take too much risk, and/or get caught up in undercurrents etc. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2017, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-ymcas-and-nude-swimming/379807/333 "2017-01-08T02:45:11Z")
> [@On another topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1012024/139): > > It never occurred to me that the girls didn’t know. _We_ knew what _they_ wore in swim class: regulation suits and swim caps. Our parents knew the boys swam naked. But the girls didn’t know? Wow. People from my high school were discussing this on Facebook a while back. The geneal consensus among the women was that they’d heard rumours but weren’t sure if they should believe them. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-ymcas-and-nude-swimming/379807/334 "2017-01-12T18:24:24Z")
Huh, at my summer camp overnight the girls seen nude. If I’d heard rumors that groups of all-boys were swimming nude, I’ve have believed then without giving it much thought. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-ymcas-and-nude-swimming/379807/335 "2017-01-12T21:15:38Z")
> [@On another topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1012024/112): > > Reading this thread (and glancing at some of the photos in Posts #101/102) is almost like learning about an alternate universe for me. I was an adolescent in the 1980s, and I can’t imagine swimming in public in the nude (much less standing on a pool deck naked and receiving a swimming medal). This sounds like one of those nightmares where you imagine yourself naked in the classroom. > > I was even on a swim team in high school. Again, I would never dream of leaving the locker room without a swimsuit. Granted, it was a Speedo racing suit, but we usually wore two suits (one over the other) for practices. (You wore a single suit in team colors for swim meets.) > > The only thing that was at all remotely similar was the fact that we took showers (in the boy’s locker room) in the nude. In fact, the older boys would mock you if you took a shower still wearing your swim suit. (You also had to take pains to avoid looking at anyone else’s junk, or you would be harassed mercilessly and be accused of being gay.) … This was my experience, too; I was on my prep school’s swim team in the early Eighties. Swim in trunks; shower afterwards in the nude and do NOT look at anyone’s crotch no matter what. > [@md2000](#): > > …I looked at the link and I am very surprised that there would be coed /male nude swimming. It seemed to me the same mindset that said “swim nude” also would not even consider male/female mixed swimming without some degree of modesty all around. That amazed me, too. Never heard of that being done. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-ymcas-and-nude-swimming/379807/336 "2017-01-12T21:17:35Z")
See post #128. Those pictures are all photo-shopped. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-ymcas-and-nude-swimming/379807/337 "2017-01-12T21:33:40Z")
> [@On another topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1012024/73): > > This won’t be the last time it’ll be resurrected, I’ll bet you that right now. > [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > Told ya! > [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > And again… And again! ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-ymcas-and-nude-swimming/379807/338 "2017-01-12T23:47:10Z")
One thing that has been mentioned repeatedly in this thread is how frequently it has been resurrected. However no official count was made. I decided it might be interesting to count how many times it was made into a zombie. Note that I count the thread as resurrected if a full month has passed between two posts. At one point the thread was revived at just past a month, some may not count that. I will list the month and year a new post was made if the previous post had occurred at least a month earlier. This thread began in November 2006, more than 10 years before this post. Here are the times it was resurrected: July 2009 April 2010 September 2010 November 2010 April 2011 November 2011 August 2012 May 2015 October 2015 January 2016 February 2016 July 2016 January 2017 So going by my arbitrary definition of at least one month between posts, this thread has been revived a total of **14 times**. What I find particularly interesting is that it is only 3 pages long (assuming I don’t create a 4th with this post). ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-ymcas-and-nude-swimming/379807/339 "2017-01-12T23:58:46Z")
Question is: what percentage of these revivals were done by new posters? I suspect that this is a subject that people are interested in and this thread comes up in google searches. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-ymcas-and-nude-swimming/379807/340 "2017-01-13T00:44:01Z")
Most but not all; roughly two thirds were by new posters. But the first revival was by a 9-year-old account, and the poster who revived it in February 2016 had an account from 1999?! So maybe more of a mixed bag than you’d think. ---
**Author:** ![Arky1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9d8465/32.png) [@Arky1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arky1)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2023, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-ymcas-and-nude-swimming/379807/341 "2023-09-10T17:53:40Z")
I grew up in Memphis in the 1950’s. Our YMCA at that time required nude swimming for all boys, no exceptions. My first visit I took my suit and was instructed to take a shower first, before swimming. The towel attendant observed all boys to be sure they showered. When I went back into the dressing area another boy told me we all had to be naked in the pool. He said, I’ll show you around. He stripped and showered while I waited wrapped in a towel. When he came back, he was totally naked and told me to put my towel in a bin. I was a bit uncomfortable, but I threw my towel in the bin, and we walked to the pool stark naked. All the boys were nude, and we had a good time playing that day. Ages probably ranged for 6 to 16. I learned about puberty that day. I was 9 years old. Later I signed up for a swimming class with boys ranging in age from 10 to 14 years old. The male instructor wore a suit, his teenage assistant was nude just like all the boys. The water was very cold as the pool was indoors. I recall visitors coming into the pool area, mostly mothers but children, boys and girls were also allowed to come in and observe. Initially I didn’t like being nude in front of females but got used to it. We stood on the pool deck for roll call and then got in the water. I hated being naked in front of mothers and daughters without the cover of water, but we had no choice. Some folks I knew from my neighborhood saw me naked on several occasions. Once or twice the front desk lady would come in the pool area. We all got used to it and no harm was done. Later in college we swam nude, so I was prepared. That the way it was in the 50’s and 60’s. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2023, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-ymcas-and-nude-swimming/379807/342 "2023-09-12T21:20:17Z")
Welcome, **Arky1**! Glad to have you here on the SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2023, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-ymcas-and-nude-swimming/379807/343 "2023-09-13T12:27:28Z")
> [@On another topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1012024/150): > > Most but not all; roughly two thirds were by new posters. But the first revival was by a 9-year-old account, and the poster who revived it in February 2016 had an account from 1999?! So maybe more of a mixed bag than you’d think. I understand some zombies may not be someone searching and adding to the conversation, but revived by spam which gets deleted, but not before someone posts additional comments which stay? I know I’ve replied to posts before where I did not realize until it was mentioned that the topic was a zombbie. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2023, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-ymcas-and-nude-swimming/379807/344 "2023-09-13T15:42:56Z")
> [@On another topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1012024/151): > > That the way it was in the 50’s and 60’s. Not disputing your particular account, but I do dispute that it was common for women and girls to look on nude boys swimming, especially boys as old as 14. Rather the opposite, if my personal memory of that era serves me – the delicate sensibilities of girls especially were rigorously protected from the knowledge, let alone the sight, of male pubes. Perhaps girls were more protected where I grew up on the west coast. ---
**Author:** ![Arky1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9d8465/32.png) [@Arky1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arky1)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2023, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-ymcas-and-nude-swimming/379807/345 "2023-09-13T16:41:24Z")
Female visitors weren’t an everyday occurrence, but it did happen from time to time and only during swimming lessons. I don’t recall it ever happening during regular pool time. No exaggeration. It only embarrassed me if it happened during roll call while standing on the pool deck. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Arky1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9d8465/32.png) [@Arky1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arky1)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2023, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-ymcas-and-nude-swimming/379807/346 "2023-09-13T19:50:45Z")
Mixed bag? ---
**Author:** ![senzanome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e19adc/32.png) [@senzanome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/senzanome)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2024, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-ymcas-and-nude-swimming/379807/347 "2024-07-19T00:15:38Z")
I am a past member of the YMCA. At nine years old, my uncle asked my mother if I wanted to take swim lessons with his son. I said yes, but I don’t have a swim suit, my uncle answered "You don’t need a swim suit, all boy swim naked, and the next Saturday my cousin and were taken to the Y by my older cousin, he was 14. When we arrived at the Y, my older cousin took us to the locker room. He said “Do as I do and then follow me to the shower” Once we were bare,we walked to the shower, there we to find about 20 boys all naked and waiting for the door too open. Once we started our lessons, every one forgot that they were nude. I swam at the Y all through High School and never saw any women or girls in the pool area. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2024, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-ymcas-and-nude-swimming/379807/348 "2024-08-15T18:15:15Z")
> [@On another topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1012024/148): > > I will list the month and year a new post was made if the previous post had occurred at least a month earlier. This thread began in November 2006, more than 10 years before this post. Here are the times it was resurrected: > > July 2009 > April 2010 > September 2010 > November 2010 > April 2011 > November 2011 > August 2012 > May 2015 > October 2015 > January 2016 > February 2016 > July 2016 > January 2017 > > So going by my arbitrary definition of at least one month between posts, this thread has been revived a total of **14 times**. What I find particularly interesting is that it is only 3 pages long (assuming I don’t create a 4th with this post). September 2023 July 2024 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-ymcas-and-nude-swimming/379807.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-ymcas-and-nude-swimming/379807.md?page=9)