From: harryb@phred.UUCP (harry barnett)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Casual nudity
Date: 11 Dec 92 19:16:35 GMT
Reply-To: harryb@phred.UUCP
Distribution: usa
Organization: Physio-Control

I apologize for following up my own posting, but I forgot an amusing,
but illustrative, story:  (What it illustrates, I'll let you decide...)

In article 4101@phred.UUCP, harryb@phred.UUCP (harry barnett) writes:
>In article 92Dec7141436@satyr.Sylvan.COM, tigger@satyr.Sylvan.COM (Grace Sylvan) writes:
>>
>>   I always wonder how these kids who are broght up in homes where nudity is
>>   discouraged (especially where the childs nudity is also discouraged) deal
>>   with locker rooms when they finally have to face it. 
>>
>>My goodness - I'd forgotten about that.
>>
>>I was raised in a household where I NEVER saw my parents nude. If I
>>accidently walked into the bathroom on one of them, it was a big deal.
>
>Same here.
>
>>
>>I did have a hard time changing my clothing at the local YMCA after my
>>swim classes, even as a young child. I always thought that I had to be
>>covered up. I was very uncomfortable in the high school locker room,
>>and *never* took a shower, even though they were available, because
>>that would have left me exposed for longer.
>
>The revelation that group nudity "OK", as opposed to our private
>household habits, came about because my Dad got a membership for all of
>us in a "Family" YMCA.  This particular YMCA had regular scheduled swim
>periods called "Men's Open" swims.  You had to be classified as an
>adult to participate, or a child could participate as a guest of, and
>under the supervision of a parent or other adult.  (No lifeguards.)  I
>recall being startled the first time my Dad took me (age 10) to one of
>these, and informed me I didn't need a swimming suit.  He stripped and
>headed for the pre-swim shower with me right behind.  We soaped down
>and rinsed, and walked out into the pool area (STRANGE feeling, first
>time I had ever been in an area that big, publicly naked) and saw 20-25
>other men and boys enjoying the swimming.  I immediately dove into the
>water and was exhilarated and startled by the "slick fish" feel of
>"skinny-dipping".  My transition to being at home in the environment
>took about two seconds flat.  I credit this to the "no big deal"
>attitude of everyone involved.  My parents had never disapproved of
>nudity, it was just something, they, and their kids, DIDN"T DO at
>home.
>

This same 'Y' had regular "Family Swims" scheduled (usually)
immediately after the "Men's Open" swims.  The Family Swims required a
bathing suit.  These swims were well populated with both sexes of all
ages, lots of kids. One evening, about 10 minutes after the swim
started, the decibel level of voices suddenly went up, and
particularly noticeable was the increased squealing of youngsters.  (I
think I was about 12 at the time.  I looked where everyone else was
looking and saw a boy (about 10), who regularly attended Men's
Open swim with his dad, trotting (carefully) down the side of the pool
toward the shallow end, with (you guessed it) not a stitch on.  He got
all the way to the other end and was preparing to surface dive in, when
he noticed all the attention he was getting.  He paused, looked around,
looked down, turned beet red from his hairline to his ankles, and
skedaddled (not as carefully) for the men's dressing room.  It didn't
help his composure as the whole place erupted in laughter.

His dad, who was still in the dressing room, persuaded him to rejoin
the crowd (with a suit on) about 10 minutes later.  He was still
blushing, and the kids teased him for a few minutes, especially the
boys, which he accepted in good grace.  The experience, which clearly
embarrassed him, had no lasting effect on him that was evident to me.
I wonder how he recalls it now, decades later.


To my knowledge, of the 150 or so people present that night, NO ONE got
uptight or prudish about the incident.  In the '90's, I expect there
would be three or four lawsuits against the 'Y', the kid, the parents
of the kid, all parents who laughed at the kid, the lifeguard, the
diving board and shower head manufacturers...(sigh).

harryb@phred

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Brittanius (shocked):  Caesar, this is not proper.
Theodotus (outraged):  How?
Caesar (recovering his self possession):  Pardon him, Theodotus:  He is
a barbarian, and thinks that the customs of his tribe and islands are
the laws of nature.

		--Caesar and Cleopatra, Act II, George Bernard Shaw
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