the gym

[grrips]

hey guys.

do any of you go to the gym? i just started, and i'm wondering how you deal with the locker room issue, and just stuff in general

Comments

[cowboy_spaceman]

That's pretty much what I do. I didn't tell the staff though.
Most men won't look at you in there unless they know you. And most people don't know what a scar like ours is from. I just walk around like I belong there (because I do) and no one notices me.
The showers are a little nerve wracking because it's just one big room, but I go when there's no one in there, take the one in the near corner so I can lean around the wall to hang up and get my towel, and face in the whole time. Usually only one person, if any, will come in when I'm there, and usually they will try to go far away, and I just turn away slightly. I rely on the fact that if they notice I don't have a penis, they will have to acknowledge that they were looking at me, which is embarrassing.
Good luck!

[aloremipsum]

homophobia really works for us in a weird way.

[cowboy_spaceman]

I know. I feel terrible for relying on it and being a little appreciative of it.

[mutated_queer]

I think what you're doing sounds good. There's plenty smaller guys out there and I figure if anyone sees my scars (because few really look long enough) then they probably won't think twice- why would they? If I see someone with a scar I don't tend to imagine how they got it and even if you were doing that the existence of trans guys doesn't cross a lot of folk's minds.

[ridermicah]

I use my local YMCA as well, and it's a similar setup. I usually keep my underwear on for the journey across the locker room, and take them off once I'm in the shower stall. It might be awkward, but it's worked so far.

When I get nervous about it, I remind myself that all kinds of guys have all kinds of reasons they feel self-conscious about their bodies. I practice smartass responses to intrusive questions in my head, but I've never had to use any of them, because no one has ever said anything.

[varanus]

I never told the staff or anyone else at the gym about my medical history, but otherwise I do more or less what you describe. Remember that lots of men have various unfortunate scars or other reasons that they don't love being seen naked-neither this nor being small is unique to transness. At the gyms I frequent (not gay or otherwise cruisey gyms) men really don't want to be examining each other, so they're not going to be speculating about what's under my towel

[jacobreid]

I just don't shower at the gym. I use the locker room all the time but I'm not in a position where I have to smell good immediately after I leave so I wait 'till I get home.

[lilvi0r]

So glad I'm not the only one who showers at home!

[tomatosoupboy]

i shower at home too !