How comfortable are you changing clothes around your roommate ? Have you ever been in situation that you are more / less modest than him / her ?
People are raised differently. I’m a guy and didn’t have any probs changing in front of my roommate – it’s not that I’d be in his face or anything while dropping my underwear. I guess it helped that our double was decent sized. When my “roomie” was female, that would only be the case if we were already intimate so NO – that wasn’t an issue either.
Do what’s practical and is comfortable for you. I suppose if your room is tiny, it’d make it less comfortable.
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There is no right or wrong, just an agreement for behaviors that both are comfortable with.
If you don’t like your roommate walking around naked, say that you’re not comfortable with it. It’s ok. Their desire to be naked does not get to trample your desire not to be uncomfortable.
Vice versa, if you like being naked, but your roommate isn’t comfortable with it, be respectful and be naked only when they’re not around.
I’m comfortable with being naked around my female family members and friends, and my daughters see me in various stages of nakedness fairly frequently (like coming into the bathroom to steal beauty products while I’m in the shower), and I’ve seen them naked, and it’s not a big deal for us, but we recognize that it’s not that way for everyone.
Growing up in a more puritanical part of the country (MA), I NEVER saw my friends or family naked and they never saw me naked, but living in Europe changed my perspective on body image a lot and I’m now comfortable with it, and I’ve passed that down to my daughters. It’s tiring being so worried about what you look like to others and trying to hide while doing normal non-sexual things like getting dressed or bathing.
BUT, I don’t think nakedness should be shoved down anyone’s throat, either.
Me personally? Perfectly comfortable. The human body is a beautiful thing and unless somebody is being creepy and making weird comments or staring or something, changing around other people never bothered me. However, obviously, not all people feel that way so if somebody goes elsewhere to change I always give them privacy. When I used to have a roommate that wasn’t my girlfriend, I spent a lot of time in boxers when at home and so did he. I used to go to steam rooms and jacuzzis at the local exercise club when I was younger and nakedness never bothered me.
It depends on the person. My roommate tells me to look away while he’s changing. Every time he gets naked. Even while I’m asleep. It gets old after a while. But I respect his privacy and respect what he wants. Except when I’m sleeping. Then I snap at him.
As for me, I have no problem with other dudes seeing me naked. Not worth being shy about imo. But he still looks away, and nothing wrong with that either. It all comes down to how comfortable each individual person is, both with being naked and seeing other naked people.
Guy perspective, but anyone who’s ever had to use the old-school style gym showers(big open room with multiple showerheads and no dividers) gets over whatever modesty issues they have pretty quickly.
I had absolutely no problem but really, I have no problem changing in front of anyone. She never minded either and would change in front of me.
I also changed in front of my guy roommates that I had at various points in time. (I’m cis-female for reference.)
If you are uncomfortable being naked around other people, then wear a bathrobe. You can pull your undies on discreetly while wearing a robe.
I am not uncomfortable per se, my roommate and I change with eachother in the room all the time, but we have never stripped ourselves of all of our clothing (gone naked) in front of eachother (there is a bathroom nearby) and I am perfectly content in keeping it that way
@roethlisburger Haha, that’s how it was at JROTC summer camp (JCLC) sophomore year…and I’m a girl! That being said, while I don’t mind being naked in front of people, I get a little uncomfortable when others are naked around me (@ my sister)
@FlyingCoffin – you mean you’d be asleep and the guy barks at you to “look away”? That’s a head slapper!
I would be very annoyed if my roommate asked me to go to the bathroom every time I had to change my clothes. You’re adults, nudity is just nudity.
I mean technically speaking some people attend college before turning 18 so they’re not adults yet.
@Qwerty568 wrote
That’s an insensitive attitude.
I’m very glad to hear that it works that way for some people. It does not work that way for everyone.
@MotherOfDragons I think it’s more insensitive to ask your roommate to leave every time they need to change. I could understand if you have an eating disorder or body dysmorphia- but if not, you can just look away if it makes you uncomfortable. It takes thirty seconds to put on and take off underwear.
I’m with @Qwerty568 nudity is just nudity. If I were changing and my roommate wanted me to leave the room and go make it a whole affair everytime I changed I’d be frustrated. If you’re uncomfortable with nudity that’s kind-of a personal problem and you can turn the other way or leave the room.
@Qwerty568 I would say asking the roommate to leave is selfish, rather than insensitive, but that’s six of one.
Really, the issue is assuming that “nudity is just nudity” before having the dialogue with your roommate over what is and is not ok is what I would consider to be insensitive.
(makes note to talk to kid about adding nudity to list of things to discuss with future roommates…)
Fair point^ I would hope any roommates would have a dialogue regarding boundaries.