Communal/Gym Changing Rooms: Do they make you feel uncomfortable?

BlueValkyrie

Personally I don't feel comfortable with having to wander around naked in a changing room - for some reason that I can't explain, I particularly hate being seen in "3d" (that's how i think of it) for example when you have to walk across a room to access showers etc and can be seen from all angles. If I'm changing at a bench beside a wall i won't bother hiding under a towel etc.

I feel awkward about it for a few reasons - I have psoriasis, and I worry that people will think it's something contagious (it's not). Also, due to very sensitive skin (and VERY resiliant hair) I tend to be very lazy when it comes to lady gardening, and I do feel (rightly or wrongly) that other women will judge me on that, I guess because it's supposedly something that I can control (although waxing, shaving, epilating and creams don't suit me for various reasons - must try laser someday). That probably doesn't make any sense, but it bothers me.

I don't care if others wander around naked, brush their hair - whatever. I can even understand it to an extent because in a humid steamy changing room it can be hard to dry yourself off properly - or am i the only one who struggles into leggings etc because I feel still damp, even though I've towelled dry? A bit of 'airing' might help?

And on a totally unrelated note, in a communal shower situation, where the showerheads are the fixed to the wall type, how can you possibly get your bits clean? I'm afraid of thrush etc, particularly after sweaty activity like hot yoga, but don't see how I can clean myself properly without contorting myself in ways that others don't want to see :pac: . Ideally of course I would go home and shower, but if for example I'm going straight to work after?

Mad question I know, but I've always wondered how others manage

cdaly_

BlueValkyrie wrote: »

And on a totally unrelated note, in a communal shower situation, where the showerheads are the fixed to the wall type, how can you possibly get your bits clean? I'm afraid of thrush etc, particularly after sweaty activity like hot yoga, but don't see how I can clean myself properly without contorting myself in ways that others don't want to see :pac: . Ideally of course I would go home and shower, but if for example I'm going straight to work after?

If it's a communal shower I'm just concerned with rinsing off sweat / chlorine. Hair might get a shampoo but the rest just gets rinsed. You can presumably direct water with your hands to get the bits rinsed (tends to be a bit easier with boy bits...).

Not bothered with being naked in the changing room / shower with only adults present but I would tend to shower in swim shorts if there are young boys around; not from prudery but more out of consideration about their feelings.

Teyla Emmagan

I am currently hating on people who don't shower before getting into the pool. There have been so many times lately when I've nearly been gagging on the smell off the person swimming beside me. And I'm sure they don't realise that they absolutely stink of lynx/body lotion, but the smell seems to sit on the surface of the water and everytime you come up for air you have to take a huge gulp of it. Yuk yuk yuk yuk yuk.

They don't have big signs up saying 'please shower before you get into the water' for a laugh.

I'm also glad the schools are back, I'm so tired of having small boys sitting in the ladies locker room goggling at my boobies as I try to get changed. It's not like I expect their mothers to send them into the men's locker room by themselves, but there are a lot of mothers who tend to completely ignore the fact their darling is staring at the half naked women in the room like a mofo. My gym doesn't have family changing rooms, sadly.