# Why are old men always naked in gym locker rooms? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 28, 2021, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-old-men-always-naked-in-gym-locker-rooms/945145 "2021-06-28T02:05:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**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:** [June 30, 2021, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-old-men-always-naked-in-gym-locker-rooms/945145/61 "2021-06-30T02:07:12Z")
I dunno, I own towels, but my dermatologist suggested I blow-dry, after toweling. I’m not especially hairy. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-old-men-always-naked-in-gym-locker-rooms/945145/62 "2021-06-30T02:16:11Z")
One squickiness aspect of men drying their balls is that it’s often related to jock itch. So what you see is the guy with the drier in one hand and his genitals in the other, then he switches hands to get the other side dry. So he’s touching his genitals, touching the handle, touching the genitals, touching the handle, etc. Just the fact that he’s going genitals-\>handle is squicky, but add in that he’s probably transferring jock itch fungus to the handle makes it pretty gross. And the reality is, even if he gets his crotch perfectly dry, normal perspiration is going to make his crotch a humid place about 5 minutes after he gets dressed anyway. A normal, absorbent towel is going to be perfectly fine for getting his crotch reasonably dry without using the hair drier. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-old-men-always-naked-in-gym-locker-rooms/945145/63 "2021-06-30T02:37:38Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > My doctor told me to blow dry my crotch and under my boobs after i shower. I would think that hot air would just cause one to start sweating there. ---
**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:** [June 30, 2021, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-old-men-always-naked-in-gym-locker-rooms/945145/64 "2021-06-30T04:08:27Z")
She thought it would remove the dampness that’s caused me some issues. Mostly i just hang out naked in my bedroom until i dry. But a towel really doesn’t do the job. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-old-men-always-naked-in-gym-locker-rooms/945145/65 "2021-06-30T05:24:44Z")
I know what the word ‘aggressive’ means. It is usually associated with actual or threatened violence, or at least verbal intimidation. What do you mean by it here though? Feel free to be specific. How is one “aggressively” naked? I don’t really know how to parse “get over it” in this context. I haven’t complained about anything, or expressed upset at anything, which is when one might usually be told to “get over it”. How does one “get over” not knowing what someone means by something? ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-old-men-always-naked-in-gym-locker-rooms/945145/66 "2021-06-30T05:48:27Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > How is one “aggressively” naked? Walking around ostentatiously naked when you know it makes other people uncomfortable. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-old-men-always-naked-in-gym-locker-rooms/945145/67 "2021-06-30T06:20:32Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > In the early 2000s Mrs. A and I joined the local YMCA. (No jokes.) There was a lounge off the men’s locker room with sofas, a recliner, tables and chairs and a big TV. Older men hung out there completely naked – not for sex (AFAICT) but just because they liked hanging out, watching TV and playing cards nude. When I lived in Toronto, I belonged to a sports club; and it had such a lounge as you describe, in the men’s locker room: sofas, easy chairs, tables with playing cards and cribbage boards and poker chips, and a TV. And a phone, so you could call the bar and place your order to be delivered to the lounge. And I remember the sign on the wall of that lounge: “Please, no nudity in the lounge. Street clothes, sports clothes, or a robe are suggested.” It seemed to work; I don’t recall seeing anybody nude in there. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-old-men-always-naked-in-gym-locker-rooms/945145/68 "2021-06-30T06:41:56Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > There’s a blow drier there. If i showered at the gym, i would likely use it. It’s not as if I’m touching the blow drier with anything but my hands. I’m really struggling with what you think they should be doing. Hiding in a corner with an extension cord dragging across the floor so they can use their own blow drier without your needing to see their balls? Really? Yes. Firstly of course the vast majority of people drying their balls are unlikely to have had such a specific instruction from their doctor. Your exceptional case is largely irrelevant. If my doctor told me I must eat with my mouth open, then fine, but that’s irrelevant to a thread complaining about the majority of people who eat with their mouth open (who have the choice not to do so). Secondly, yes, if my doctor told me I needed to blow dry my balls I would be considerate and bring my own hair dryer and do it in a way where other guys don’t have to see my taint. You might say I am the weirdo for doing that, but the signs at my gym saying “Hair dryers are for drying hair only” implies to me that enough other people find this disgusting that it is inconsiderate to ignore these notices and use the public dryers in this way. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-old-men-always-naked-in-gym-locker-rooms/945145/69 "2021-06-30T07:01:51Z")
You’re basically just substituting one word for another here. How does one be “ostentatiously” naked? Bells on your cock? Flashing lights on your nipples? ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-old-men-always-naked-in-gym-locker-rooms/945145/70 "2021-06-30T07:14:29Z")
I think any reasonable person understands what’s meant, particularly after reading this thread. If you’re going out of your way to pick an argument, perhaps you should find something more arguable. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-old-men-always-naked-in-gym-locker-rooms/945145/71 "2021-06-30T07:46:53Z")
Someone I knew who was “Aggressively naked” was a man at my gym who would do jumping jacks completely naked in the middle of the locker room and you could constantly hear the slapping of his penis against his stomach/thighs across the entire room. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-old-men-always-naked-in-gym-locker-rooms/945145/72 "2021-06-30T07:58:18Z")
No I really don’t. Why is it so hard to explain? Look let’s make this easy: A person who is being aggressively (or ostentatiously) naked in a locker room does the following: [fill in physical actions, ornamentation, facial expressions, words etc here] Surely this can’t be hard? Edited to add: I’m assuming Asuka’s example is not typical or maybe it is. But I would have thought jumping jacks in the middle of the room naked is a rarity. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-old-men-always-naked-in-gym-locker-rooms/945145/73 "2021-06-30T08:08:57Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > A person who is being aggressively (or ostentatiously) naked in a locker room does the following: [fill in physical actions, ornamentation, facial expressions, words etc here] There are a large number of examples in this thread. If you don’t agree, then it’s up to you to explain your views. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-old-men-always-naked-in-gym-locker-rooms/945145/74 "2021-06-30T08:38:08Z")
Lots of people have said lots of things about lots of things. And Omniscient suggested by his wording that being _aggressively_ naked was an additional feature, on top of other behaviours. How can I be expected to agree or disagree about something you seem unable or unwilling to define? Am I supposed to go chasing around this thread guessing? You simply aren’t able to say what constitutes aggressive or ostentatious nudity in simple terms? Is there a problem here? Why is this so hard? ---
**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:** [June 30, 2021, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-old-men-always-naked-in-gym-locker-rooms/945145/75 "2021-06-30T11:50:24Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > the signs at my gym saying “Hair dryers are for drying hair only” Well, that’s an important detail. My comment about my doctor’s advice was meant not to justify my blow-drying my balls (I’m female, and I’ve never used a blow drier in public, even for my head) but to suggest that it’s not a bizarre activity, but one that (at least some) doctors seen to think is healthy general practice. The issue about spreading fungus is relevant. I wonder if gyms will return with more bleach wipes. And i was much more grossed out by descriptions of guys pressing their balls against the counter than of just standing there drying them But i still thing it’s a weird ask to want someone to hide while drying his body. Even parts of his body that are usually clothed. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2021, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-old-men-always-naked-in-gym-locker-rooms/945145/76 "2021-07-02T08:26:22Z")
This may surprise you, but we’re not here to serve you. Pretty much everyone in the thread is able to grok, if you’re not then perhaps there’s other places you may consider spending your energy. You’re certainly doing nothing to improve the discourse at this point. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2021, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-old-men-always-naked-in-gym-locker-rooms/945145/77 "2021-07-02T08:53:15Z")
Goodness. Just typing out out “an “_aggressively_” naked person does X” would have been less words than what you’ve just posted. Instead of just typing that out you’d rather try to make it sound like I’m making unreasonable demands upon your time by asking, _on a frickin’ discussion board_, for clarification of what you meant by something. Which is well beyond silly and makes me increasingly curious about what is motivating your quite remarkable determination not to answer a simple question. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2021, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-old-men-always-naked-in-gym-locker-rooms/945145/78 "2021-07-02T10:39:02Z")
I believe the issue is the tone of your questions. Your initial question about “aggressive” looks like mockery, as does your question about “ostentatiously” They read like someone taking something literally in order to make fun. That said, overexplaining is kinda my thing here, so I’ll go ahead and give it a shot. It seems pretty clear to me what people mean based on what has been said in this thread. There’s nudity that happens as a matter of course: you’re changing, taking a shower, drying off, etc. Someone who is naked during those times is using the locker room for its intended purpose. No one really complains about this. Then there’s nudity that just seems to be people using the locker room as an excuse to be naked. They may sit in places they shouldn’t without a towel. They may walk around naked, starting up conversations. Whatever it is, they are not just naked because they’re using the locker room, but treating the place like a nude beach or something. The latter is what people tend to complain about, not the former. It is what they are labeling “aggressive” or “ostentatious”–like they’re just being naked to be naked. I’ve had some theories myself. The first and most logical to me personally would be that they’ve just finished a shower, dried off with a towel, but don’t feel completely dry, and are waiting it out before putting on their clothes so they don’t get wet. I’ve done that before after showering at home, just sitting on the toilet. Then I may lose track of time a bit on my phone. The second is that they are lonely and/or need a place to relax. So they do it in the locker room. But, if they got dressed, they’d feel like they had to leave, so they stay naked. The third is the most complicated. It starts out because they are used to locker rooms in school and just chatting and having fun, so they treat these gym locker rooms the same way, even as they get older. Then people see that this is what older men do, and it becomes a sort of norm. All may possibly play a part. Or maybe it’s something else. But, whatever it is, it does seem to require some sort of explanation. One demographic—old men—seem to like hanging around naked in gym locker rooms. No one else does this, hence why the rest ask “why?” ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2021, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-old-men-always-naked-in-gym-locker-rooms/945145/79 "2021-07-02T11:55:33Z")
This thread reminded me of an old This American Life episode when Sandra Tsing Loh recounted her father, known on Malibu beach as [“Naked Handstand Man”](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/26/transcript) ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2021, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-old-men-always-naked-in-gym-locker-rooms/945145/80 "2021-07-02T15:06:23Z")
Oh that is good! Thanks for sharing that, I went and just downloaded her audiobook Aliens in America. Don’t Locker rooms usually have a funky smell I’d want to vacate it ASAP. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-old-men-always-naked-in-gym-locker-rooms/945145.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-old-men-always-naked-in-gym-locker-rooms/945145.md?page=5)