Alternate theory: I wonder if this has anything to do with society acknowledging that homosexuals exist. Twenty years ago, most straight people probably wouldn’t think about that.
Once you realize, why would it matter if you’re in a single-sex environment or not?
I was healthy and normal and straight and it still affected me.
The only thing worse than dealing with bullying or the typical relational aggression in social groups is dealing with it when you're literally completely physically exposed.
I hate it and was happy with the trend toward privacy. Society isn't compassionate enough to deal with nudity.
(aside: I really appreciate alternate theories (and you posting yours), and I don't want this to come off as overly dismissive; in this case I just don't agree)
So why would people care if there were women there? Is it different?
I’ll go a step further and say I think the entire concept of a single-sex changing room may be outdated.
This is one example of a situation that would explain the incongruence; I'm sure there are others from different perspectives.
That was outdated too during the sexual revolution (when people would get naked far more casually, including at concerts and nature, and few would bat an eye), but somehow came back to fashion as the boomer generation grow older...
Yes, it's way different, obviously!
> I’ll go a step further and say I think the entire concept of a single-sex changing room may be outdated.
You're definitely in the minority there. Having been a 13 year old boy myself, and knowing how 13 year old boys behave, there's no way in hell I'd allow a room full of them to be in a room with my 13 year old daughter naked.
Obviously if one is from a puritan culture and that's all they know.
Hasn't been as obvious in nordic countries, Germany, etc.
This would remove a safe space for (mostly) women and (some) men who don't feel comfortable with this.
Same as allowing transgenders to change with the gender they identify with.
And what of the LGBT people who don't feel comfortable?
Anecdotally, I remember two separate gay classmates in high school telling me that locker rooms made them feel super uncomfortable, once they began to discover their sexuality. Both were girls, for whatever that's worth.
Relatedly, I'm also sympathetic to straight cisgender people who are uncomfortable seeing the opposite sex's genitalia in their single-sex changing rooms.
Getting rid of these gender divisions might be the only way to put everyone on a level playing field. Either you're comfortable with everyone seeing, or you're not. If you're not, use a towel.
I haven't done it enough for it to not feel a little weird going against the cultural conditioning, but it didn't bother me beyond that.
Definitely a large part of this is that the prudish American ways have spread in Europe through (mainstream/Hollywood) films and series. Violence is normalised, while the body and sexuality are shamed and hidden and in that process made taboo and erotic. If you watch some non-UK European movies you really see this very visually, e.g. French movies are all about emotions, German movies are all about mystery and social issues, or e.g. Estonian movies are exploring character. All European films will have some nudity built in, but it's rarely 'sexual' and more just to show that the characters have intimacy/a private moment.
While it may be in the open now, societally, I assume straight men always knew there were gay men everywhere. For all of human history.
The parent is maybe 20-something and thinks of 2000 as some distant past filled with savages?
Straight men knew gay men existed among them (including in locker rooms) since the time of Socrates...
I feel men change clothes in private because women don't want to see them. And women prefer men not see them change clothes so they too change in private. So you separate the genders. Weird, I know.
I went to a boy's boarding school, a few females, male changing rooms, I'd say about 10% of the boys were gay or curious. We showered toigether; there were no cubicles. I wasn't ever ashamed to be seen naked.
No woman I've been with (not very many) has ever seemed ashamed to be seen naked; but interestingly, I think, they have seemed to prefer to dress and undress out of sight. I'm not like that at all; I'd walk down the street naked, were it not for the risk of exposing an unexpected erection. Most girls are shyer than me, for what I think are obvious reasons.
I think there's no place for body-shame; I think it's sexy as hell when a girl enjoys you gazing at her naked body. I'm no work of art, but I love being consumed visually, too.