# Would you be comfortable sharing a dressing room with a gay person?? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 27, 2013, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-comfortable-sharing-a-dressing-room-with-a-gay-person/662005 "2013-06-27T01:58:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-comfortable-sharing-a-dressing-room-with-a-gay-person/662005/121 "2013-06-27T15:16:27Z")
> [@Esco](#): > > Not a fear specifically, just not comfortable showering with gays. So you should be the one to leave the common shower and be excluded, not the people who are doing nothing wrong. Why should the world make major changes to accept your comfort level? Sorry to bring it back to this but at one point people made the exact same case for not showering with black people. ---
**Author:** ![Esco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9de053/32.png) [@Esco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esco)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-comfortable-sharing-a-dressing-room-with-a-gay-person/662005/122 "2013-06-27T15:21:23Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Mighty big of you Thank you. Sarcasm noted btw šŸ˜ƒ > [@DrFidelius](#): > > Well thatā€™s mighty white of you See above ^^ ---
**Author:** ![Esco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9de053/32.png) [@Esco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esco)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-comfortable-sharing-a-dressing-room-with-a-gay-person/662005/123 "2013-06-27T15:23:41Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > So you should be the one to leave the common shower and be excluded, not the people who are doing nothing wrong. Why should the world make major changes to accept your comfort level? Sorry to bring it back to this but at one point people made the exact same case for not showering with black people Please dont bring race into this, because many black heterosexuals feel the same aboot not wanting to shower with gays. See SF 49ā€™ers Chris Culliverā€™s comment: [San Francisco 49ers Cornerback Chris Culliver Apologizes after Anti-Gay Statements | TIME.com](http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/01/31/san-francisco-49ers-cornerback-chris-culliver-apologizes-after-anti-gay-statements/) ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-comfortable-sharing-a-dressing-room-with-a-gay-person/662005/124 "2013-06-27T15:27:41Z")
> [@Esco](#): > > Please dont bring race into this, because many black heterosexuals feel the same aboot not wanting to shower with gays. > > See SF 49ā€™ers Chris Culliverā€™s comment: [San Francisco 49ers Cornerback Chris Culliver Apologizes after Anti-Gay Statements | TIME.com](http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/01/31/san-francisco-49ers-cornerback-chris-culliver-apologizes-after-anti-gay-statements/) Yeah, and they are wrong, too. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-comfortable-sharing-a-dressing-room-with-a-gay-person/662005/125 "2013-06-27T15:30:07Z")
Iā€™d share a dressing room with anyone or anything. Well, except a hungry grizzly. Oh, and africanized bees. Rabid ferrets? Nope! Otherwise, _anything_! ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-comfortable-sharing-a-dressing-room-with-a-gay-person/662005/126 "2013-06-27T15:30:30Z")
Unless the guy is a stereotypical Sissy McGay-Camp, I donā€™t have any extra problem. Getting naked in front of other people who are also getting naked is not an activity I particularly like. Iā€™m of course sure that it has happened, so itā€™s not a bigger deal. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-comfortable-sharing-a-dressing-room-with-a-gay-person/662005/127 "2013-06-27T15:32:08Z")
Admit itā€¦ youā€™re starting to feel pretty silly about now, right? Or a little sorry you even brought it upā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Esco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9de053/32.png) [@Esco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esco)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-comfortable-sharing-a-dressing-room-with-a-gay-person/662005/128 "2013-06-27T15:37:57Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Yeah, and they are wrong, too Its not a matter of being wrong or right, its a matter of opinion > [@QuickSilver](#): > > Admit itā€¦ youā€™re starting to feel pretty silly about now, right? > > Or a little sorry you even brought it upā€¦ Who me?! No, I stand by my comments. Iā€™m homophobic, Iā€™m not comfortable showering with gays, and Iā€™d demand separate shower stalls if I were to play pro sports . ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-comfortable-sharing-a-dressing-room-with-a-gay-person/662005/129 "2013-06-27T15:38:19Z")
> [@Esco](#): > > I guarantee you if you did a poll across the nation the vast majority of women would not be comfortable with having men in their change room. > > Add points if the women polled are very attractive You didnā€™t ask whether we thought the majority of people would be ok with mixed-gender changing rooms, but whether we would be comfortable with them. The advantage of mixed-gender changing rooms at pools is that, apart from the showers where everyone is as clothed as they would be in the pool, everyone gets cubicles - mixing the space means thereā€™s more space to make that possible. A lot of men and women feel uncomfortable changing in front of their own gender for multiple reasons, and it makes it easier to put things like phones down safely while changing rather than making repeated trips to the locker. Nobody loses out. If you asked all women whether theyā€™d be in favour of communal changing rooms at shops, where everyone changes in cubicles anyway and all the gender separation does is give women longer queues and separate them from their male friends and older male kids, I bet theyā€™d say go for it. Bro points for insinuating in this and later posts that any woman, including me, whoā€™s ok with mixed changing rooms, must be unattractive. Classy. FWIW, I am gay myself, but that doesnā€™t actually change anything - if you were worried about people staring at you because youā€™re of the gender theyā€™re attracted to, that wouldnā€™t change if you were gay. ---
**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:** [June 27, 2013, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-comfortable-sharing-a-dressing-room-with-a-gay-person/662005/130 "2013-06-27T15:38:59Z")
> [@Esco](#): > > Iā€™m saying very attractive women are more likely to feel uncomfortable sharing change rooms with men then unattractive women are. > > Thats just a guess on my part though, I could be wrong And who decides who is attractive and who isnā€™t? Believe it or not, not everyone has the same taste as you. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-comfortable-sharing-a-dressing-room-with-a-gay-person/662005/131 "2013-06-27T15:47:48Z")
But youā€™re okay with common showers for intramural sports? Good to know. Listen, Iā€™ve no doubt the showers in a professional sports stadium are pretty nice and include stalls. So when you get your forward spot on the Raptors, you should be good. Hell, half the gyms Iā€™ve ever been to have private shower stalls. Itā€™s when you get back to your locker and bend down to dry your legs, thatā€™s when you have to be really careful. ---
**Author:** ![Esco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9de053/32.png) [@Esco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esco)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-comfortable-sharing-a-dressing-room-with-a-gay-person/662005/132 "2013-06-27T15:49:53Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > And who decides who is attractive and who isnā€™t? Believe it or not, not everyone has the same taste as you Okay, let me help you out with that. Attractive woman: [http://img2.timeinc.net/people/i/2006/celebdatabase/charlizetheron/charlize\_theron1\_300\_400.jpg](http://img2.timeinc.net/people/i/2006/celebdatabase/charlizetheron/charlize_theron1_300_400.jpg) Less attractive woman: [http://www.oddee.com/\_media/imgs/articles/a99\_Jocelyn.jpg](http://www.oddee.com/_media/imgs/articles/a99_Jocelyn.jpg) And please spare me the ā€œshe has inner beautyā€ argument . ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-comfortable-sharing-a-dressing-room-with-a-gay-person/662005/133 "2013-06-27T15:51:50Z")
Youā€™re like 14, right? ---
**Author:** ![Esco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9de053/32.png) [@Esco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esco)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-comfortable-sharing-a-dressing-room-with-a-gay-person/662005/134 "2013-06-27T15:51:58Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Listen, Iā€™ve no doubt the showers in a professional sports stadium are pretty nice and include stalls. So when you get your forward spot on the Raptors, you should be good. Hell, half the gyms Iā€™ve ever been to have private shower stalls. Itā€™s when you get back to your locker and bend down to dry your legs, thatā€™s when you have to be really careful I plan to wear my cup in reverse. Just in case ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-comfortable-sharing-a-dressing-room-with-a-gay-person/662005/135 "2013-06-27T15:54:40Z")
**Esco** , would you be uncomfortable if you found out that someone who you shared a dressing room with for quite some time, someone you thought was straight, turned out to be gay? ---
**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:** [June 27, 2013, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-comfortable-sharing-a-dressing-room-with-a-gay-person/662005/136 "2013-06-27T15:56:33Z")
> [@Esco](#): > > Thats the same as saying your fear of heights (aerophobia) is stupid. > Or your fear of spiders (arachnophobia) is stupid. > > People canā€™t help it if they have fear of something, or if theyā€™re uncomfortable with something Actual phobias could be caused by any number of things, possibly innate. But homophobia is not really a fear of gay people; itā€™s a prejudice, just like racism, and has to be learned. And anything learned can be un-learned. Oh, and fear of heights is acrophobia. Aerophobia is fear of flying. ---
**Author:** ![Esco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9de053/32.png) [@Esco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esco)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-comfortable-sharing-a-dressing-room-with-a-gay-person/662005/137 "2013-06-27T15:58:44Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > **Esco** , would you be uncomfortable if you found out that someone who you shared a dressing room with for quite some time, someone you thought was straight, turned out to be gay? In hindsight?? Hard to say, but Iā€™m not naive enough to know some teammates in the past have probably been gay. And no, I still wouldnt be comfortable with that idea, but you canā€™t change the past. So why worry aboot it?! ---
**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:** [June 27, 2013, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-comfortable-sharing-a-dressing-room-with-a-gay-person/662005/138 "2013-06-27T15:58:54Z")
> [@Esco](#): > > Attractive woman: [http://img2.timeinc.net/people/i/2006/celebdatabase/charlizetheron/charlize\_theron1\_300\_400.jpg](http://img2.timeinc.net/people/i/2006/celebdatabase/charlizetheron/charlize_theron1_300_400.jpg) Iā€™d be surprised if most of the people on this planet considered her a paragon of beauty. ---
**Author:** ![Esco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9de053/32.png) [@Esco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esco)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-comfortable-sharing-a-dressing-room-with-a-gay-person/662005/139 "2013-06-27T16:01:03Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Actual phobias could be caused by any number of things, possibly innate. But homophobia is not really a fear of gay people; itā€™s a prejudice, just like racism, and has to be learned. And anything learned can be un-learned So lets say a woman is uncomfortable sharing a dressing room or showers with males. What does that make her?? ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-comfortable-sharing-a-dressing-room-with-a-gay-person/662005/140 "2013-06-27T16:06:49Z")
> [@Esco](#): > > So lets say a woman is uncomfortable sharing a dressing room or showers with males. > > What does that make her?? She can grow up to be anyone she wants to be. Just like when you grow up, you can be who you want to be. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-comfortable-sharing-a-dressing-room-with-a-gay-person/662005.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-comfortable-sharing-a-dressing-room-with-a-gay-person/662005.md?page=8)