Naked at the Gym

So there I was in the dressing room putting my stuff in my locker when out of the corner of my eye it was hard not to notice the gal next to me was indeed buck naked. Now, there's nothing wrong with being that exposed really. I mean, it's the women's locker room, we are all women. But still...and the thing is she wasn't the only one. Actually a few, not all, but a few women seemed fine with stripping down to their birthday suit and changing in front of everyone. My first thought was to be embarrased they were sharing their private selves, parts and all, with the rest of us...and then I actually felt a twinge of jealousy.

Not because these women had beautiful bodies and nothing to hide. Quite the contrary. The woman next to me was probably in her mid-forties, had some stomache flab, and I must say some saggy boobs. Not that I was looking that hard-except it was hard not to. But the thing is they were okay with themselves, flaws and all and were not ashamed of the way they were. I, on the other hand, grabbed my workout clothes and dodged into the stinky bathroom area and into a most likely very unsanitary stall to change where no one could see me, prefering to suffer and hide, only wishing I had the strength and gumption to not be afraid to be naked, too.

Comments

Steve said…
hahahhaa, hope you never decide to spend much time in Europe! Actually, I've never understood why American women are this way. Must be our "Puritan" ancestors, but American guys are always naked in the locker rooms. We even talk to each other!?!?!
Manda said…
When I joined my current gym I was horrified to realize the showers were wide open/communal style. However, by being forced to get nekkie, I slowly came to feel like it was no big deal.....and I am now SO much comfortable with my body, myself, and who I am as a person. In the end, we are all women, none of us look like an airbrushed-plastic-surgery-all-overed movie star, so whats the big deal? My advice (if you have the guts) is force yourself to do it a few times, and you'll gain MAJOR confidence.
Joy said…
You know, this is just how it goes at my gym at work. And the average age in my building is 45 and the median is like 55, well yeah...saggy boobs are just the norm around there. One lady started a conversation with me about how we are the same size (breast size and body) and about her masectomy and reconstruction after breast cancer while she was naked. Actually, it was a kind of neat conversation. Pretty sobering to see the scars, especially less than a year after I had my own breast cancer scare.

Just try it some time, its really a liberating feeling to get naked in the locker room.
Steve said…
Sherpa, I was going to make a snarky comment about how if you wanted to feel liberated and naked, you should walk around at my place, but thought better of it. hahahaha.

BTW, there is this girl at my gym that reminds me of you. I don't think you two look that much alike, and she is a big time runner (I don't think of you as one, more a hiker), but whenever I see her, it makes me think of you. Isn't that weird?!?!?

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