What ever happened to the view on nudity in the 50 and 60's

Replies

• ME

  Member

  Jan 11, 2025

  That's a most excellent observation; I don't think there's one answer but a multitude of contributing influences. A big potential factor could be the aging of the WWII generation where millions of men were regularly exposed to other naked men. My father was of that generation and told me of some of the barracks shenanigans that occurred for comedic relief during combat operations. It was hot & everyone was naked (his words) and pranks were the norm. Several decades later, the gay movement was coming out of the closet and naked boys were often 'wondered about' by the others. I'm sure there are many more possibilities, but those two come readily to mind. Anybody else care to add anything?

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• EA

  

  EarlD

  Jan 11, 2025

  Thank about how much has changed in the world since swimming naked at the why was a thing. Just start with pool tech. Naked swimming at indoor pools in schools and the Y was a thing because the early pool filter tech couldnt handle the material that came off of swimsuit material of the day. It was a very practical thing and limited to boys and men. It was not any kind of social contract or comfort about public nudity. As soon as a bunch of parents raised concerns it was stopped and the pool tech improved.

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• ME

  Member

  Jun 1, 2025

  I believe the discussion about YMCA swimming nudity 60 - 70 years ago is merely a pleasant moment of nostalgia. Those days are gone forever. More current issues are anti-nudism in gyms, to the point where most men wear a towel on the way to their private shower. Perhaps this is due to the fact that a large percentage of them were raised in households with no male parent. Also, in my community showering is not required after PE. Sweaty stinking guys just go to their next class. What happened to personal hygiene??

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• OA

  

  OLD Army Dog

  Aug 14, 2025

  Just one more way for the MORAL ELITES to defame the Male Form. Of course the aanr showing up and exposing the Naked Society to EVERY TYPE OF PERSON, flooding the places Naturists held sacred did not help. I mean if a population had a place that was GREAT and then that population was made into a business selling membership cards, what would any intelligent person think would happen. And it did- no more swimming holes, "FREE BEACHES" river banks ponds and lakes etc., Almost ALL GONE, just resorts that control you, not me and those that bought their country property so the aanR, (and notice our way of life is now a RECREATIONAL FORM), to the masses. The naked Society is basically a dying soul being sucked dry, lost all it's mystery, and respect. Defined now by the textiles as a perves, sex-pot population/industry. Blind yourselves as much as you want but for those of us that remember the 5 mile hikes in to pristine lakes and rivers for the week, Free Beaches of the Central coast of California, , you could drive south from Monterey, CA on HWY 1 coastal and have all of 8 Free beaches to go to in a 45min drive and HORSESHOE beach, Carmel River Beach, and areas of Del Monte Beach right in the Monterey area were Free beaches too- NO MORE THO! Between the business of nudity and the absolute POOR behavior of the CHILDREN these membership organizations invited in- it is no wonder the Textiles of society HAD TO show nudism its place, and it is not a good place on the pecking order at all. Look up the Cahill Agreement that the state of Ca ended after DECADES od protecting both the clothies AND the Naturists. We "had" a great thing before the aanr got into the mix. Through their PROYECTING" the nudist ( and making a living out of it) the aanr robbed men especially of the ability to pull over and strip down for a fast swim on a hot summer day in the country. I know- I'm 68yo -been all over the country as a kid enjoined being a boy when my dad wanted to swim, he was in the Navy, and I have seen the entire WORLD of Naturism sold out by "newbies" that have no idea what being nude is all about short of BEING SEEN NAKED. I too swam naked at the YMCA AND in 1972-75 at Monterey High School for swim PE. MUCH BETTER DAYS. If this makes me a snobby elite, well then I AM, but you never know what you are missing unless you have HAD IT- and with young males wearing towels, signs in men's locker room showing low to NO TOLERANCE of being nude(so just how did the aanr help nudity when males cannot even be NUDE to dress and undress-shower in a MEN's Locker room??) The towel dance, wear under pants to shower and clean-up in- it is RETARDED. Males are not breeding- they are like dogs at the end of a table waiting for a scrap to fall off. The last 40 years, the image of the Human Male body has gone SO SOUTH, it is sad. So enjoy you r resorts and clubs, no independent Naturists. and Ladies, you 've been cheated to by the young Males that have to play by these feminizing policies. But then you COLD stop calling our genitals "JUNK", these young men even go along with THAT- pretty sad but MINE AIN'T JUNK.

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• MO

  Monty

  Jan 1, 2026

  yes I was a boy in the 60s and we were naked a lot. Just a natural thing. even into my teen years. Not just the boys but girls as well.

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• NU

  

  NudeInKansas

  Feb 5, 2026

  Back in the day in PE classes, it was required that you shower after class. They handed you a towel. Schools no longer have a towel service so, unfortunately, they cannot force students to shower. As a retired PE teacher, they now have privacy curtains for students who do wish to shower but none of the exit from their shower in the buff. The new high school shower is to spray a 1/2 can of body spray over your school clothes.

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• HA

  

  Half

  Feb 7, 2026

  Newer schools are not even being built with shower rooms. And some older schools are removing their shower rooms.

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• ME

  Member

  Apr 27, 2026

  People nowadays are so scared to be themselves and relax also when topless or naked.
  They all compare themselves with all of those photoshopped pictures or filters they use nowadays.
  In fact to stimulate more body positivity, schools should encourage or even enforce showers after PE so show all students how fake the real world is.
  But it's society making them scared of nudity, while at the same time sexualizing everything.
  Why else would there be a revival of mini dresses, hotpants, tiny bikinis that hide almost nothing.
  When wearing that, there are still cameras taking pictures or videos on mobile phones ... and all of them are being shared.
  So why is that accepted and showing a nipple, vagina or penis is not (in a non-sexual context).
  Is it because of the "non existing" mystery or because even a sexy bikini can hide the fact that ones breasts have a normal (but undesired) sag?

  Besides that, I keep on wondering why people keep using the excuse of a mobile phone camera and social media to not go topless or naked on a beach for example like they did in the 70-ties through early 2000.
  Also back then, people (family, friends, neighbours, strangers) got to see you topless or naked.
  Also back then, when on a beach or at lake, you came unexpectingly accross a neighbour, friend, family or colleague who got to see you naked.
  Also back then there were pictures being taken and shown afterwards when one got home.
  So what happened that all of a sudden people got afraid of a camera?
  Or are they just afraid of unrealistic expectations and would they become more confident and experience more body positivity when there would be more nudity at our beaches, lakes and swimming pools?

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• DA

  

  David

  Apr 27, 2026

  That world thinking is now long gone I think. My experiences in life as a nudist has seriously changed now. Back in my days at school in the changing rooms we just stripped, got showered, dressed and moved on, nothing ever said it was just normal human behaviour. Today we all live in closed boxes, your showers are cubicals, your changing rooms are cubicals, your homes have windows nobody ever opens anymore and window blinds that are 24/7 closed by most people. In my area the neighbours have home CCTV systems that record other private members properties, in that sense you have no privacy.

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• ST

  

  Steve

  Apr 28, 2026

  The first time I encountered resistance to nudity in a setting where it had been usual was at a home in the late '70s where the male half of the hosting couple invited all the men present into the sauna. once inside, he got naked, as a matter of course. As did I. Then there was a lag, And one fellow then kinda snarked "Well, now we know who the gay ones are." (He would have known the host was straight, and likely assumed I was.) It was just an awkward joke. But it covered some unease, and neither he, nor after that comment any of the other men undressed. I think there's something real there - before gay liberation it could be assumed that male-male nudity was nonsexual, even if that was just a pretense. Afterward, sexuality was something that could be openly considered - and that makes the choice to be naked a potential factor in that consideration. Even granted that the actual sexual conduct around male-male nudity probably didn't change much, if at all, outside the gay-bath context.

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• AL

  

  Al

  Apr 28, 2026

  We are not likely to ever see nude swimming again at a fitness center. No question that attitudes have changed in the locker room, but guys vary in their behavior. At university gyms that I regularly visit, many guys use open showers nude and half or more are nude in the sauna as well. At my home gym, I use the open shower nude most days every week even though there are a few private stalls. Sometimes guys who are never nude may still carry on a conversation with me when I am nude and they are dressed. Not long ago a guy told me about some foreign athletes that came to our town who were unabashed about changing into their swimsuits in the hallway of the building in front of everyone. , Which led to my explaining the coed saunas in Europe. I added that I have been showering nude in groups starting in seventh grade gym class through grad school and teaching. It just feels natural for me. It may have settled a puzzlement about me , though I dont think it would change his own behavior.

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• MA

  

  Marcus

  Apr 29, 2026

  Guys are not nude in showers because they do not want behave like a gay or do not want to start gay flirting. For them its all sexual if they are nude. Thats my feeling.

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• ME

  Member

  Apr 29, 2026

  [quote]Guys are not nude in showers because they do not want behave like a gay or do not want to start gay flirting. For them its all sexual if they are nude. Thats my feeling.[/quote] So they think a gay man that finds them attractive won't flirt with them if they are dressed? Or are they just afraid they might out themselves by getting aroused around other men?

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• ZE

  

  Zeke

  Apr 29, 2026

  You see the towel dance at the gym where they are not comfortable with their body image. Some do think they will attract the attention of another guy and they are not comfortable with that aspect. The average male only sees been naked is for sex only, they don't see going naked just been naked as an way of been and nothing else.

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• MA

  

  Marcus

  Apr 30, 2026

  [quote]So they think a gay man that finds them attractive won't flirt with them if they are dressed? Or are they just afraid they might out themselves by getting aroused around other men?[/quote] They think they give a sign that they are gay. It is more a reputation thing. They do not want to have the reputation that they are gay.

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• ME

  Member

  Apr 30, 2026

  I wonder when nudity ever became a sign for being gay?

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• JO

  

  John

  Apr 30, 2026

  I blame the media, associating nudity with sexual desire. The conclusion is made that a naked guy is out looking for sex, even in a male-only setting.

  I'm asking the women on the forum if the same thing happens in female-only settings. From talking to women, I know that they feel more vulnerable when nude in mixed company, because it automatically makes them objects of sexual desire. But would you feel more comfortable about being nude in a female-only setting, and is there any implication that you're gay?

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