Social Fears, Body Shyness, Bashful Kidney Syndrome, Etc

[GeorgeParker]

000

[nswef]

George, I've always thought urinals were an awful invention. Stalls should be used, instead.

[iris lilies]

I’m embarrassed about many things and so I’m not gonna tell you all of them. But one of them came up last week when I was talking to a new neighbor.

This neighbor is doing work on her third floor. They were going to lay new flooring but they found they had to pull up the subfloors is because there was pet urine all over.

That will be my house. I say this because I know all the flooring will be replaced, it’s old and ugly and when they pull up That first layer it will be apparent. And then they will talk about us just like all of the other pet urine damaged houses around here have been talked about.

[catherine]

I used to be bashful in the bathroom when in public restrooms, but if I hadn't gotten over it, I would have had some serious elimination issues over the course of week-long business trips.

As for the pet urine--IL, I identify. My first dog was fastidious and would die of a bladder infection rather than pee in the house, but my second dog too often just did as she pleased, especially when her daily routine was disrupted while I was away on business. We got her shortly after we refinished our living room floors, and by the time she died, they were badly damaged again. My son/DIL had them refinished yet again last year, and thank God the stains didn't permeate all the way through. They are original hardwood circa 1974. They were preserved pretty well under the avocado shag carpeting. (Isn't it crazy that new construction back then often included hardwood floors with wall-to-wall carpeting on top??)

[catherine]

If lhamo is still here lurking, she can probably confirm that most Western females would have a hard time in public restrooms in China, where the "toilet" is a hole in the floor, and women squat and go without the privacy of stalls. At least that was what my DH's female colleague told him when they went to China on business. Not sure how widespread that practice is.

[frugal-one]

That is not the only place where that is practiced. It was really "interesting" when using while riding a moving train!!!

[Yppej]

I am still hesitant to go braless in many public places. That I suppose falls under social fears, that I will be harassed or not receive the same treatment, or be seen less seriously. It's silly when there are plenty of guys out there sporting man boobs but here I am stuck on that aspect of my culture.

It's not body shame - I know I am not glamorous at my age and it doesn't bother me.

[sweetana3]

Our group graded the toilets in China. 5 star found at the Xian site of the clay warriors as it was new, all electric and very very western.

In India on a road trip, toilets nonexistent. We used a bush for privacy. Women on one side of the road and men on the other. Very strange facilities everywhere. This was in 1991.

In Japan, it required complex reading of all signs and pictures to figure out each toilet facility. Made me afraid to do anything.

Thankfully our group leader in Thailand was experienced in finding western toilets (of some minimal quality) when we traveled. But squat toilets still in evidence. Toilet paper often to be put in baskets next to toilet due to primitive septic systems.

Makes me thankful every day for the facilities we take for granted.

[pinkytoe]

When I was a teen, I hated my nose. But now, it's just fine with me. Getting older lessened most of these self-image issues for me. Spending my formative years as a southern girl however molded me into one who doesn't feel comfortable leaving the house unless I'm "put together" so to speak.

[Rogar]

I've had to give samples at the doctors office. It's a bit of a challenge in a small space in a weird place and elevates my blood pressure significantly. Otherwise no issues. When I've lived or visited less populous places and where it's not out of line, relieving oneself out of doors is a nice benefit.

[jp1]

As a closeted gay teen I had to work hard to make sure that no one figured me out. In order to graduate high school I had to take two semesters of gym class. By my senior year I had enough credits for most other subjects that the only things I needed to graduate were another year of history classes, another year of science classes, and a year of gym class. I did those, and band, and AP English but nothing more. That way I could schedule gym as my last class of the day, ending at 12:50 pm thus avoiding the terrifying prospect of having to shower in the locker room. The fear that my private bits might out me in that situation was simply a non starter. Being able to go home and bathe privately after gym class was crucial.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Yea it sounds bad. I hated gym class and they made us take like 3 years of it in high school in some fitness craze thing.

[Greg44]

I have always called it a shy bladder. In Australia many public restrooms the urinal that is long stainless steel wall with a trough. To make it worse often times it is a raised platform you step up on. It is like "now performing...." I hated them. I often would just say, I can't use that I have a shy bladder!

[bae]

I got over my body shyness some time ago, of necessity. We have to perform medical exams on each other all the time at work, decontaminate in the field, have genderless shared hygiene facilities sometimes, and so on. I even participated in our mostly-nekkid firefighter calendar we did for fundraising a few years back.

One of my other jobs also typically involves a fair bit of nudity, so that helps.

And I'm just a dumpy middle aged guy, sorta.

[iris lilies]

I got over my body shyness some time ago, of necessity. We have to perform medical exams on each other all the time at work, decontaminate in the field, have genderless shared hygiene facilities sometimes, and so on. I even participated in our mostly-nekkid firefighter calendar we did for fundraising a few years back.

One of my other jobs also typically involves a fair bit of nudity, so that helps.

And I'm just a dumpy middle aged guy, sorta.
where can I get w copy of that calendar!!!??:)
.

[catherine]

I remember that Cosmo pic well!

[iris lilies]

He's probably laying on a bearskin rug with his arm in a strategic position, like Burt Reynolds did in Cosmo. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-07/burt-reynolds-came-to-regret-that-cosmopolitan-centrefold/10212484 (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-07/burt-reynolds-came-to-reghttps://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-07/burt-reynolds-came-to-regret-that-cosmopolitan-centrefold/10212484ret-that-cosmopolitan-centrefold/10212484)

3964

Classic example of “bear”.nice.

[jp1]

I have a good friend who lives in a typical Southern California suburban type neighborhood. His backyard is not viewable from outside except for jets that are about to land at the nearby airport. (The flight path goes right over his house). He routinely pees in his backyard but I think that’s more a combination of the fact that he’s into classic cars and is often working on them in his garage and that it saves water if he only uses the toilet for #2. But maybe I’m wrong. I will have to ask him.

[ToomuchStuff]

There is a combination of factors. Very limited body of water exposure (was lucky enough to generally get to swim once a year, labor day, at generational friends gathering). Closest body of water, was the creek/storm sewer run off, that would range from ankle deep, to maybe shin deep. The last family vacation and only "time at the lake" when I was 11. If it weren't at a function parents took me to, I was alone in a boat. Local lake visited, once, when taken with a church group my sibling was a part of. (don't even remember what was done, and young enough to have no idea where that lake was as they changed its name later and it was decades after that I learned that).
I am sure body shyness would have played a factor. Once I hit eight, I went from being able to eat all I wanted without any effects, to gaining weight.