High school gym showers

[DonQuixote]

We had showers after gym in Jr/Sr high school. I remember one English boy who moved into town was the sole uncut kid in the locker room. The coaches would never have showered with us - that would have been totally verbotten. Having said that, the picture window from their offices to the locker room had a clear view of the showers.

Also, in high school the swimming unit was largely in the buff - I always wondered about all the extra doors - anyone could come in at any time. Another guy and I who both swam - he on the swim team, me in Scouts, said no thanks, we really don't care to dive with our junk unprotected. We wore suits. Enjoyed the view of the guys who DIDN'T, though.

By the time my son his school they had pretty much discontinued showers after gym classes - it did cut into class time, but still - it's a long day after a sweaty gym class.

 

[Latimer]

Perhaps these days some (many?) kids don't want to be naked because they're fat and are embarrassed about how they look naked.

 

[Kyanimal]

As much as I think that the guys today are a bit too awkward about being naked, I have to ask, what right does anyone have to force a child to undress in front of anyone, other than a Dr.?
If one child suffers trauma because he is made fun of while naked it is not right. I think there could be some middle ground, showers should be offered and encouraged, but I must confess that a lot of us were tormented in the showers, I loved the view, the guys looked hot, but the humiliation that some suffered, I wonder if they recovered.

They weren't forcing an individual child to undress, they were processing the whole herd. Everyone was in the same boat. No one was being singled out. Butt, yeah, some guys had more problems with that than most others.

However, back "then", it was considered the Individual's Responsibility to adapt to society in general. Today it's the opposite.

The mid 60s saw a lot of social upheaval. Civil rights riots, anti-war protests, "Flower Power", sensitivity training, and the onset of Political Correctness as it pertained to individual sensitivities. It became expected for overall society to adapt, and it has, in many, many, ways.

That has been further driven by the advent of social media, and the explosion of internet access. ANYONE can vent their outrage, about Anything, on the world wide forums, and gather support from those who agree with them, multiplying their influence on public affairs. Society is adapting from moment to moment.

Whether that is a "Good Thing", or not, is also each individual's opinion. There is no doubt, though, that Life has become more "sensitive", at least in the more developed countries.

In the less fortunate areas of our planet, Life is still "cheap", and it's left to the individual to adapt. Sink or swim. "Toughen up" or die.

 

[bankside]

As much as I think that the guys today are a bit too awkward about being naked, I have to ask, what right does anyone have to force a child to undress in front of anyone, other than a Dr.?
If one child suffers trauma because he is made fun of while naked it is not right. I think there could be some middle ground, showers should be offered and encouraged, but I must confess that a lot of us were tormented in the showers, I loved the view, the guys looked hot, but the humiliation that some suffered, I wonder if they recovered.

Well even in Grade 3 we had to change for swimming lessons. We were 8-year-olds! Having to change in front of other people was not something I had to worry about because I was first made to shower in front of other people when I was self-conscious and 15. Maybe the fact I was not self-conscious at 15 is because it was already normal since childhood.

Don't schools teach swimming these days?

 

[DonQuixote]

Depends oh the school. As I pointed out above, back in thew early/mid-70's, the norm was for the boys to swim in the buff, at least in our district.