
Originally Posted by
h2opolo1976
In Chicago YMCAs swimming au naturel was practiced until
about 1969 or 1970. Every school with a swimming pool still
required boys to swim nude until about 1980 or so.
In fact, boys were free to wear brief racing suits (mark spitz type)
or swim jocks if they so desire. Only a few did so, either boys from a super religious family or guys who had a scar from hernia surgery.
Conversely, many boys were so used to being bare in the pool that they continued to swim nude even after tank suits became the norm.
Girls wore navy blue racing one-pieces, and swim classes were segregated. The teams practiced in drag suits, but "after hours" nude swims were for team bonding.
Overall, it was not really a big deal. High school boys had to wear supporters for gym and shower after gym. Most boys voluntarily took gang showers after football, wrestling, basketball, track, etc. Nudity in the pool was a logical extension of group showers-it was a normal thing.
We live in an age now when 30 year old men will shower in gym shorts so as to avoid being nude in front of other males.
The past was not better or worse, but different.
I was bi- about 70% ac and 30% dc. I loved the muscularity of some of my classmates, but not in a prurient way.
Talk to old time coaches who actually supervised nude p e swimming.
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