Swimming nude ymca

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When the Internet became popular in the late s, heated debates took place on forums and blogs concerning the customs of the mid and early 20th century that required all boys that participated in swimming activities to do so in the nude whereas all girls were allowed to wear suits. But the power of the Internet also brought with it the ability to research archives and news sources, and it was through that research that those that educated themselves now unanimously agree that it was indeed a common practice. The acceptability of requiring only the boys to swim nude during this era must be viewed in context. As evidenced in the archives of earlier times presented on this site, it was common for men and boys to swim, or rather "sea bathe" in the buff from the early s through much of the s, which was curtailed when rail systems began allowing the masses to vacation at popular watering places. Yet for boys, skinny dipping remained the norm for swimming in rivers and lakes well into the 20th century. When such activities were moved indoors in an all-male environment, it was only logical that suits were not necessary given tradition.

Swimming nude ymca

The name and blog sound familiar? We had taken our four little darlings to the YMCA for some family basketball and a quick swim. In my rush, I forgot that I had literally left my mister holding the bag. The bag with all of our wet suits. The bag with MY suit. The suit with a hawt matching skirt. The skirt that I swore I would never own. I spent the next 37 seconds having a mental argument with myself. Here is a sampling of the thoughts that were flying through my head. Would you do these things while naked in front of house guests or in any other setting? I finally threw caution to the wind, stripped down and climbed into the hot tub. A full 6 seconds passed before I heard the dreaded squeak of the door. I quickly positioned myself so that the intruder would not be able to see my…er, situation. As Ms. Stepford bounced into the hot tub, in full make-up, coiffed hair and her very appropriate tankini, she was unprepared for what awaited her.

See also: Nude swimming and Childhood nudity.

According to my research males were once required to swim in the nude. The American Public Health Association mandated nude swimming from until , and thousands of high schools around the country enforced the tradition. By the s, there were other, more comfortable swimming alternatives but the naked swimming continued. A physical examination of the bathers, while nude, to exclude the diseased, accomplishes much good, but it is difficult to enforce, except in YMCA buildings and in school or military baths. For males anyway.

When I look at all the little kids being corralled by the instructors mostly female, it seemed , it was hard to imagine what the Y must have been like back when you and other older men no ageism intended were taking lessons nude. That was well before my time. Sometimes these mix ups occur. I had swimming lessons in an outdoor city pool when I was a young boy and then in the obligatory freshman high school swimming class, which was definitely nude, in the mids. We did a variety of things at our weekly meetings, but on occasion we did have recreational use of the gym or the pool. As per YMCA requirements, we showered and swam nude. This was not an issue because all the Bennett boys had experienced nude swimming in the high school PE classes. So I experienced swimming nude in the YMCA, but did not experience taking lessons there back in the days when swimming nude was required. But this was in tandem with and perhaps even part of the strategy of ending homosexual cruising in urban YMCA hotels and locker rooms.

Swimming nude ymca

When the Internet became popular in the late s, heated debates took place on forums and blogs concerning the customs of the mid and early 20th century that required all boys that participated in swimming activities to do so in the nude whereas all girls were allowed to wear suits. But the power of the Internet also brought with it the ability to research archives and news sources, and it was through that research that those that educated themselves now unanimously agree that it was indeed a common practice. The acceptability of requiring only the boys to swim nude during this era must be viewed in context. As evidenced in the archives of earlier times presented on this site, it was common for men and boys to swim, or rather "sea bathe" in the buff from the early s through much of the s, which was curtailed when rail systems began allowing the masses to vacation at popular watering places. Yet for boys, skinny dipping remained the norm for swimming in rivers and lakes well into the 20th century. When such activities were moved indoors in an all-male environment, it was only logical that suits were not necessary given tradition. Adding to this tradition were the Great Depression and two world wars. During the Depression, swimsuits were a luxury item that families of lesser means would only purchase for the girls.

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The mandated baths and full nudity resulted in the design of some interesting technologies. Page details. However, this was spread across a roughly 70 year period. Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. Learn more Got it. Dec 7, 4, The timeline for the slow demise of the rules pertaining to the mandatory nude swimming for males coincides with the timeline of the strong feminist movement of the s. Dandy Member. Mandating nudity sounds pretty skeevy to me. Oct 27, 6,

The lengths to which Greece schools have gone to spare teenage students the anxiety of changing clothes for gym class has men of a certain generation shaking their heads. No running on the deck.

Oct 25, 5, For much of that time period, indoor pool use was primarily for physical education or athletic competition, not recreation. The only reason anyone ever takes a towel into the sauna is to sit on. Boys supposedly made fun of you if you wore a swimsuit. When we piled out of the cars, ran down the hallway and into lockerroom, the first question we began asking our adults was if we were the only ones using the pool. I think both objected because they were overweight. Stepford bounced into the hot tub, in full make-up, coiffed hair and her very appropriate tankini, she was unprepared for what awaited her. It had a large indoor pool that was clothing optional. First, as most people are aware, bureaucratic institutions are resistant of change, even when there are no reasons for a continued practice. Category Portal. Report abuse. Originally Posted by Mightyqueen