# I saw Thong Boy's polar opposite today, or extreme locker room modesty **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 15, 2004, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-thong-boys-polar-opposite-today-or-extreme-locker-room-modesty/269396 "2004-10-15T16:31:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-thong-boys-polar-opposite-today-or-extreme-locker-room-modesty/269396/1 "2004-10-15T16:31:30Z")
Those who were here will no doubt remember the [Thong Boy](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=272263&highlight=Thong+center) thread, in which the OP complained–justly in my opinion–about a guy at his health club who stands on the bench naked to comb his hair. Well I saw the opposite phenomenon today. Just as I’m finishing up and preparing to leave after my shower, the guy comes in. He must have been running or something, because I didn’t see him actually in the gym. He takes off his shirt and shoes. Obviously, he’s preparing to head for the shower. Then, he carefully wraps a towel around himself, high above his waist. Then, _he removes his shorts carefully from under the towel._ It’s just a locker room. IMHO it’s OK to be naked in it, and to be seen by other guys. Myself, I wear a towel on the way back from the shower to my locker, but I won’t wear one on the way to the shower. I don’t want to wrap a fresh towel around myself when I’m all sweaty. So, the reason I put this in IMHO is I’m wondering what my fellow Dopers’ views on this matter are. If you do respond, and you don’t mind, please give your approximate age and gender. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-thong-boys-polar-opposite-today-or-extreme-locker-room-modesty/269396/2 "2004-10-15T16:39:02Z")
> [@Spectre of Pithecanthropus](#): > > …the OP complained–justly in my opinion–about a guy at his health club who stands on the bench naked to comb his hair. > [@Spectre of Pithecanthropus](#): > > It’s just a locker room. IMHO it’s OK to be naked in it, and to be seen by other guys. You can’t have it both ways, ya know! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-thong-boys-polar-opposite-today-or-extreme-locker-room-modesty/269396/3 "2004-10-15T16:42:35Z")
I’ve seen the same phenomenon, and I fail to understand it. Maybe he was traumatized in the locker room during junior high school? While at a pool toward the end of the summer, I heard two of the life guards (both male, probably 17 or 18 years old) talking about being in the locker room of the local Y and _actually seeing naked guys taking showers_ . They just couldn’t believe that these guys would do such a thing. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-thong-boys-polar-opposite-today-or-extreme-locker-room-modesty/269396/4 "2004-10-15T16:44:05Z")
Oops. I’m approximately 40, but very definitely male. ---
**Author:** ![Elysian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c77e96/32.png) [@Elysian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elysian)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-thong-boys-polar-opposite-today-or-extreme-locker-room-modesty/269396/5 "2004-10-15T16:50:53Z")
Well, women do this all the time. It’s not uncommon for women to be ashamed of their bodies. Women will also wear towels around themselves when they are in swimsuits and out of the water to cover more skin. I’m a little less modest than most, but I will usually try hard not to expose any skin when in the locker room. It’s not just for me – women don’t like it when they see other naked women. It makes them uncomfortable. I’m talking women my mother’s age, or grandmother’s. Also, Asian women of my aquaintance have a strong sense of modesty, especially the Japanese. I had a Japanese roommate in college and never saw her in anything less than full pjs. So I try to cover myself with a towel when getting naked. I just feel it’s more considerate of others. I wish women didn’t have this hangup, but I respect it. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-thong-boys-polar-opposite-today-or-extreme-locker-room-modesty/269396/6 "2004-10-15T16:51:13Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > You can’t have it both ways, ya know! 😛 It’s not the same thing. There’s a marked difference between a guy who stands on the bench naked to come his hair, and another guy who just strips, heads to the shower, comes back, and gets dressed. Thong Boy from the other thread was going to considerable lengths specifically to exhibit himself, IMHO, and that’s what made that creepy. The difference is between intentionally exhibiting yourself, and just going about your business, part of which needs to be gone about while you’re naked. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-thong-boys-polar-opposite-today-or-extreme-locker-room-modesty/269396/7 "2004-10-15T16:59:30Z")
I’m not a prude but I loathe that kind of naked situation. I will be one that changes in the loo and showers at home. I will stride around naked at home but never in a locker room. Maybe it is because our schools didn’t involve locker rooms…we just changed and went stinky for the rest of the day. Female. 37. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-thong-boys-polar-opposite-today-or-extreme-locker-room-modesty/269396/8 "2004-10-15T17:00:13Z")
> [@Elysian](#): > > Well, women do this all the time. It’s not uncommon for women to be ashamed of their bodies. Women will also wear towels around themselves when they are in swimsuits and out of the water to cover more skin. > > I’m a little less modest than most, but I will usually try hard not to expose any skin when in the locker room. It’s not just for me – women don’t like it when they see other naked women. It makes them uncomfortable. I’m talking women my mother’s age, or grandmother’s. Also, Asian women of my aquaintance have a strong sense of modesty, especially the Japanese. I had a Japanese roommate in college and never saw her in anything less than full pjs. > > So I try to cover myself with a towel when getting naked. I just feel it’s more considerate of others. I wish women didn’t have this hangup, but I respect it. Interesting. I thought men had the hangup more than women do. From **plnr** ’s comment it seems that it might be more common in younger men too. The guy I described was pretty young. I don’t go out of my way to see naked men, nor do I especially _like_ them to see me naked, but in the context of a locker room it’s something I don’t think about. I’m naked, they’re naked, everybody’s naked, who cares? As long as someone doesn’t engage in intentionally exhibitionistic behavior, then I don’t mind. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-thong-boys-polar-opposite-today-or-extreme-locker-room-modesty/269396/9 "2004-10-15T17:15:35Z")
You know for sure this was a guy? There was a guy when I was in school who used to do this in the girls gym. He was a sophomore…did this for two years in junior high and two years in high school before it was discovered that she was a he. He was always very private, very quiet and shy, came here from a different school district. Had a gender neutral name and dressed feminine. Never actually took a shower from what I understand but did change clothes in the girls locker room and do calisthenics but that was about it. He dropped out of school after that. You could quit at 16 then with no consequences really. Then again, I remember lots of guys that were terribly shy in the locker room. I remember one guy who would actually take a shower with his underwear on. He’d bring extras and then go change in the stalls. heh 😃 Reminds me of _Weird Science_ for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-thong-boys-polar-opposite-today-or-extreme-locker-room-modesty/269396/10 "2004-10-15T17:20:08Z")
I was talking with my step daughter a few weeks ago and asked her about how school was going (she’s in 7th grade and 13). She mentioned something about gym class and I told her that when I was in 12th grade I had gym first period. She said, “Ewww…how could you stand to be hot and sweaty the rest of the day?” I told her about grabbing a shower and how that took care of that. She, too, was amazed that I would actually shower with other guys (and she grew up in a nudist household). The gist of her amazement was essentially, “Weren’t you worried about being naked in front of other guys?” I never could get from her just what I was supposed to be worried about. Catching a cold? Athlete’s foot? Having people see my genitals? I don’t believe that there’s been some dramatic increase in the level of modesty among the youth of today. I think that kids now can’t separate the nakedness from the sexual. It almost went without saying that her fear is that someone will see her naked and be turned on, or that she’ll see someone naked and be turned on. ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-thong-boys-polar-opposite-today-or-extreme-locker-room-modesty/269396/11 "2004-10-15T17:28:36Z")
Perhaps this guy has something about the area of his body covered by shorts which he chooses not to put on public display. It could be anything – deformity, scars, burns, no penis, no testicles (due to injury or cancer) – and that’s his business. I think the better question, rather than what everyone things of _him_ is why his choice to not be nude in front of strangers is of any concern to you? Or rather, of so much concern to you that you’ve posted this poll? ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-thong-boys-polar-opposite-today-or-extreme-locker-room-modesty/269396/12 "2004-10-15T17:36:06Z")
I can’t get naked at the gym either; I can’t even undress in the gym. I am not horrendously self-concious, but at the gym, it just doesn’t happen. The only time I’ve ever felt comfortable taking a shower in a “public” place was the British Airways arrivals lounge at Heathrow, because that was really just like a private bathroom - and I was still a little uneasy. And I was alone! Why I have that hangup, I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-thong-boys-polar-opposite-today-or-extreme-locker-room-modesty/269396/13 "2004-10-15T17:37:21Z")
I don’t really see a problem with it. When my best friend and I had the same P.E. class in High School, we had lockers adjacent to each other. However, when we were swimming during warmer parts of the school year and would change in/out of trunks, my best friend, whom I had known for seven years, would excuse himself to go change in a bathroom stall. He was simply more modest about it than I was. Some people are modest about it. The problem is when there are people who are somewhat modest, and some asshat teases them or makes some rude comment, causing them to be paranoid about undressing around other people. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-thong-boys-polar-opposite-today-or-extreme-locker-room-modesty/269396/14 "2004-10-15T17:45:58Z")
Hey, some people are just really shy. That’s okay. As a matter of fact I think it’s wrong that these people don’t have any choice really regarding privacy in locker room situations. I’m not on either extreme of the spectrum here but when I was in college. The showers were setup so you were standing in a circle face to face or crotch to crotch basically whenever you showered. I mean that’s a bit much even for me. The showers were all in a large tile and cement room with several poles scattered throughout. The poles had six or eight shower heads and faucets arranged around the pole with a ledge at about chest high to set your soap. So whenever you took a shower you were actually facing several people within a few feet of you. The neighboring shower poles were close enough that you actually bumped asses with other people trying to shower. To me that’s just a bit too public. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-thong-boys-polar-opposite-today-or-extreme-locker-room-modesty/269396/15 "2004-10-15T17:49:46Z")
I’m NOT shy, and I still wouldn’t go naked in a locker room. Just because you’re all female doesn’t mean I have to display my wares like a merchant hawking them at a booth. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-thong-boys-polar-opposite-today-or-extreme-locker-room-modesty/269396/16 "2004-10-15T17:51:52Z")
When I run for several miles then hit the locker room, i get massive shrinkage. Like, ohmygodi’veneverseenitthatsmallbeforeissomethingwrong? kind of shrinkage. I think is a mixture of the boy’s not so happy about gettin tossed around for several miles, so the body pulls em closer, and the sudden temp difference between hot and sweaty underwear to open air locker room. But hey. It’s a men’s locker room, and I’m straight, so at least it’s not a boner. Thong boys anti-doppleganger may be hiding one of either end of the spectrum. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-thong-boys-polar-opposite-today-or-extreme-locker-room-modesty/269396/17 "2004-10-15T17:55:08Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#): > > I can’t get naked at the gym either; I can’t even undress in the gym. I am not horrendously self-concious, but at the gym, it just doesn’t happen. The only time I’ve ever felt comfortable taking a shower in a “public” place was the British Airways arrivals lounge at Heathrow, because that was really just like a private bathroom - and I was still a little uneasy. And I was alone! > > Why I have that hangup, I have no idea. My gym does have showers in individual stalls, as opposed to just a big tile room with several spouts along the walls. I do actually appreciate that. I think would feel a teeny bit more self-consious _showering_ in front of other people than I do just being naked and walking to the shower, towel in hand. Still, all other gyms I’ve belonged to in the past had the nozzles-in-one-big-tile-room arrangement, and I’m sure if I had to deal with that again, it wouldn’t be a problem. ---
**Author:** ![WeRSauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f19dbf/32.png) [@WeRSauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WeRSauron)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-thong-boys-polar-opposite-today-or-extreme-locker-room-modesty/269396/18 "2004-10-15T17:59:10Z")
I would never let myself be seen unclothed by another person in any location (with obvious exceptions). I am very, very conservative in my clothing. I don’t even wear shorts. When I was in high school, we were not obligated to take a shower so I never did. I would change very quickly, and would intentionally choose a less populated part of the locker room to do so. During swimming season, I would change in a stall. Sure, there’s nothing wrong in being seen unclothed or seeing other people unclothed, but for some reason (upbringing? personal morality? feeling of inferiority?) it was something that I avoided. I am male, now 24. WRS ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-thong-boys-polar-opposite-today-or-extreme-locker-room-modesty/269396/19 "2004-10-15T18:00:51Z")
> [@Spectre of Pithecanthropus](#): > > My gym does have showers in individual stalls, as opposed to just a big tile room with several spouts along the walls. I do actually appreciate that. I think would feel a teeny bit more self-consious _showering_ in front of other people than I do just being naked and walking to the shower, towel in hand. Still, all other gyms I’ve belonged to in the past had the nozzles-in-one-big-tile-room arrangement, and I’m sure if I had to deal with that again, it wouldn’t be a problem. I’m glad you don’t have a problem with it. Seems a few of us do though. Live and let live. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-thong-boys-polar-opposite-today-or-extreme-locker-room-modesty/269396/20 "2004-10-15T18:02:39Z")
> [@TeaElle](#): > > I think the better question, rather than what everyone things of _him_ is why his choice to not be nude in front of strangers is of any concern to you? Or rather, of so much concern to you that you’ve posted this poll? Because I wanted to know what others think. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-thong-boys-polar-opposite-today-or-extreme-locker-room-modesty/269396.md?page=2)