Class of 1990 here and it was definitely a thing in junior high and early HS. I would just tuck my bra straps under my towel, sprinkle water on my shoulders and call it a day. The (female) PE teacher monitored to make sure everyone went in and out of the shower room. (No stalls—just one big scary room of shower heads and openness.) #nothanks

c/o 1995. There were showers in the Middleschool locker rooms but we never used them. Not enough time and they were gross. I don’t even know if they worked.

I met the HS PE requirement over summer school just to avoid that issue. All day PE in the Florida summer for 2 summers was much better than having to shower at school.

I was in high school 200-2004. I did not shower after gym. I don't believe I broke a sweat, though. We essentially just played HORSE for 45 minutes.

Anonymous wrote:Maybe I'm just very out of the loop, but I was surprised to hear from my teenage daughter today that showering after middle/high school gym class just isn't a thing anymore, at least in the U.S. Does anyone know when this stopped, because growing up in the late 80's/early 90's it was absolutely still a thing we all had to go through.

I never did, we just had to change into a t-shirt and gym shorts. We barely got sweaty run/walking the track together while gossiping.

Graduated HS in 2011 and never once showered or saw/heard anyone taking a shower. The only times I got close to sweaty enough to warrant a shower were when they let us play tennis the entire class period.
My middle school’s gym did not have shower facilities because it was located in what had previously been an elementary school.

Anonymous wrote:I'm guessing most of the posters here are women.

Guys, was the experience different for you?

I'm female, graduated in '94, and can assure you none of the boys ever showered after gym.

Anonymous wrote:I'm guessing most of the posters here are women.

Guys, was the experience different for you?

Guy. Graduated high school late 90s. Middle and high school locker rooms had showers, but I don't remember anyone ever using them. I would have been mortified in middle school.

None of us ever showered after cross country practice in high school, even though we were sweaty. We just went home and showered. By then, it would not have been a problem for me, because I was a lot more confident.

When I shower at the gym now, I have no qualms about baring it all in the group shower rooms (older facility). But there are a number of guys up into their mid-20s, I'm guessing, who are showering in their underwear. It's weird. There's a group of them, they drive modified BMW M's, they're very much into themselves in the weight room, always flexing in the mirrors and admiring each others' biceps and pecs, but they're apparently terrified to let anyone see their penises in the locker room.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was just talking about this the other day! It was totally a thing back in the late 80s - you were required to shower, and they had a checklist that they checked off every time as you came out of the shower. You got in trouble if you skipped the shower. And they gave you a towel that was the size of a hand towel to cover yourself up. Ugh it was awful, and in retrospect, wtf??

It absolutley was awful. I was an early bloomer in middle school and the other girls all called me beaver. I'll let you figure out why.

I'm glad it's not a thing anymore, especially since my son is uncircumcised. I remember hearing about all the teasing that happened because of that.

Yes, middle school was the worst! Newly developing bodies and everyone's awkward, some girls are getting their cycles for the first time, and typical middle school teasing. Ugh.

And in answer to PP - washing hair was optional. But the water had to make contact with the body to get credit for the shower. All nonsensical.

Was there someone checking to make sure this happened?r

Yes, the one who was handing out the towels and checking everyone off. You actually had to get wet or you had to go back and redo the shower.

Anonymous wrote:Maybe I'm just very out of the loop, but I was surprised to hear from my teenage daughter today that showering after middle/high school gym class just isn't a thing anymore, at least in the U.S. Does anyone know when this stopped, because growing up in the late 80's/early 90's it was absolutely still a thing we all had to go through.

Grad from the mid 70's here. It was optional back then and as others have noted too time consuming.

I'm guessing most of the posters here are women.

Guys, was the experience different for you?

I was a very late developer. I wore undershirts in 7th grade, my mom got me a "training bra" for 8th grade.

It was all awful. I suppose it was just as awful for the 2-3 girls who had full bosoms in 6th grade in those years.

Ha - it was required sometimes in my MD high school. No soap. Towel the size of a hand towel. We aimed the shower nozzles at the floor and walked through the U-shapes area in a line, towels above our heads. It was basically a short rinse without soap and without messing up our hair and makeup.

I think they don't even make the kids change clothes for gym anymore.

I graduated in 1985 and never ever showered!

Anonymous wrote:I never did in the 80s either but they tried to make us and I refused and got in trouble. There are not many worse things at that age than baring your changing body.

I would have prayed for this.

I had poor body image and anxiety. Our h.s. had an "old gym" with individual showers and a "new gym" with group showers. When we had gym classes in the new gym I did NOT shower even though it was a requirement. Got my only grade less than a B that year--got a D for not showering, which (not kidding) kept me from NHS induction.

For me it was right up there with being picked last for baseball or basketball.